2008 KIA Sportage traction control

Your vehicle at a glance
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INTERIOR OVERVIEW
1. Door lock/unlock button
2. Power window switches
3. Outside rearview mirror control switch
(if equipped)
4. Hood release lever
5. Instrument panel illumination
(if equipped)
6. Traction control system (if equipped)/
Electronic stability program
(if equipped)
7. 4WD LOCK button (if equipped)
8. Steering wheel tilt
9. Brake pedal
10. Accelerator pedal
11. Seat
12. Parking brake lever
13. Fuel filler lid release lever
1KMB0004/1KMA2019A

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9Ignition switch / 4-2
Starting the engine / 4-4
Manual transaxle / 4-5
Automatic transaxle / 4-6
Four wheel drive (4WD) / 4-12
Brake system / 4-18
Steering wheel / 4-25
Cruise control system / 4-28
Traction control system / 4-33
Electronic stability control / 4-36
Instrument cluster / 4-39
Gauges / 4-40
Warnings and indicators / 4-46
Compass / 4-54
Lighting / 4-57
Wipers and washers / 4-61
Defroster / 4-64
Hazard warning flasher / 4-65
Manual climate control system / 4-66
Automatic climate control system / 4-75
Windshield defrosting and defogging / 4-88
Driving your vehicle
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Driving your vehicle
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Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. Full-time 4WD is useful
when extra traction is required on
road, such as, when driving on slip-
pery, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads. These vehicles are not
designed for challenging off-road
use. Occasional off-road use such as
established unpaved roads and trails
is OK. It is always important when
traveling off-highway that the driver
carefully reduce speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions. In gener-
al, off-road conditions provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
than normal road conditions. The dri-
ver must be especially alert to avoid
driving on slopes which tilt the vehi-
cle to either side.These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his or her passen-
gers.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
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WARNING - Off road dri-
ving
This vehicle is designed primar-
ily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However it was not designed for
driving in challenging off-road
conditions.Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.1KMA3053 4WD
1KMA3054
2WDFront wheel
Front wheel Rear wheel

Driving your vehicle
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For safe four-wheel drive oper-
ation
• Do not try to drive in deep standing
water or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehi-
cle.• When you are driving up or down
hills drive as close to straight up
and down the hill as possible. Use
extreme caution in going up or
down steep hills, since you may flip
your vehicle over depending on the
grade, terrain and water/mud con-
ditions.
WARNING - Hills
Driving across the contour of
steep hills can be extremely
dangerous.This danger can
come from slight changes in the
wheel angle which can destabi-
lize the vehicle or, even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power,it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion.Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-
rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
WARNING - Four-wheel
driving
The conditions on-road or off-
road that demand four-wheel
drive mean all functions of your
vehicle are exposed to more
extreme stress than under nor-
mal road conditions.Slow down
and be ready for changes in the
composition and traction of the
surface under your tires.If you
have any doubt about the safety
of the conditions you are facing,
stop and consider the best way
to proceed.Do not exceed the
ability of yourself or your vehi-
cle to operate safely.
HILL1HILL2

Driving your vehicle
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Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)The ABS system continuously sens-
es the speed of the wheels. If the
wheels are going to lock, the ABS
system repeatedly modulates the
hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear a “tik-tik’’
sound from the brakes, or feel a cor-
responding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS system is active.
In order to obtain the maximum ben-
efit from your ABS system in an
emergency situation, do not attempt
to modulate your brake pressure and
do not try to pump your brakes.
Press your brake pedal as hard as
possible or as hard as the situation
warrants and allow the ABS system
to control the force being delivered to
the brakes.
WARNING- ABS Brakes
Your ABS is not a substitute for
good driving judgement.Yo u
can still have an accident.In
fact, your ABS system will not
be able to prevent an accident.
You must especially avoid:
• Dangerous driving,such as
neglecting safety precautions,
speeding, or driving too close
to the vehicle in front of you.
•Driving at high speed in situa-
tions
providing considerably
less traction,such as wet con-
ditions where hydroplaning
could occur.
(Continued)
(Continued)
•Driving too fast on poor road
surfaces.The ABS is
designed to improve maxi-
mum braking effectiveness on
typical highways and roads in
good condition.On poor road
surfaces, the ABS may actual-
ly reduce braking effective-
ness.

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Driving your vehicle
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The Traction Control System (TCS)
helps the vehicle accelerate on slip-
pery road surfaces by preventing the
drive wheels from spinning exces-
sively. It also provides improved dri-
ving force and steering.
TCS operation
TCS ON condition
• When the ignition is turned
ON, TCS and TCS OFF
indicator light illuminate for
approximately 3 seconds,
then TCS is turned on.
• Press the TCS OFF button
to turn TCS off. (TCS OFF
indicator will illuminate). To
turn the TCS on, press the
TCS OFF button (TCS OFF
indicator light will go off).
• When starting the engine,
you may hear a slight tick-
ing sound. This is the TCS
performing an automatic
system self-check and does
not indicate a problem.
When operating
When the TCS is in opera-
tion, TCS indicator light
blinks.
• When the traction control
system is operating prop-
erly, you can feel a slight
pulsation in the vehicle.
This is only the effect of
brake control and indi-
cates nothing unusual.
• When moving out of mud
or driving on a slippery
road, pressing the accel-
erator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm
(revolutions per minute) to
increase.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
1KMA2127
-TCS

Driving your vehicle
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TCS operation off
TCS OFF state
• To cancel TCS operation,
press the TCS OFF button
(TCS OFF indicator light
illuminates).
• If the ignition switch is
turned to LOCK position
when TCS is off, TCS
remains off. Upon restart-
ing the engine, the TCS will
automatically turn on
again.
Indicator light
When ignition switch is turned to ON,
the indicator light illuminates, then
goes off if TCS system is operating
normally.
The TCS indicator light blinks when-
ever TCS is operating.
TCS OFF indicator light comes on
when either the TCS is turned off
with the button, or TCS malfunctions
when turned on.
TCS
OFFTCS
TCS
OFF
■TCS indicator light (blinks)
■ TCS OFF indicator light (comes on)WARNING
The Traction Control System is
only a driving aid; use precau-
tions for safe driving by slowing
down on curved,snowy, or icy
roads.Don't attempt to acceler-
ate excessively just because the
TCS indicator light is blinking.

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Driving your vehicle
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TCS indicator
(Traction Control
System) (if equipped)
The TCS indicator will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned
ON, but should go off after approxi-
mately 3 seconds. When the TCS is
on, it monitors the driving conditions
and under normal driving conditions,
the TCS light will remain off. When a
slippery or low traction condition is
encountered, the TCS will operate,
and the TCS indicator will blink to
indicate the TCS is operating.
TCS OFF indicator
(if equipped)
The TCS OFF indicator will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned
ON, but should go off after approxi-
mately 3 seconds. To switch to TCS
OFF mode, press the TCS OFF but-
ton. The TCS OFF indicator will illu-
minate indicating the TCS is deacti-
vated. If this indicator stays on in the
TCS ON mode, the TCS may have a
malfunction. Take your car to the
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
ESC indicator
(Electronic Stability
Contror) (if equipped)
The ESC indicator will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned
ON, but should go off after approxi-
mately 3 seconds. When the ESC is
on, it monitors the driving conditions
and under normal driving conditions,
the ESC light will remain off. When a
slippery or low traction condition is
encountered, the ESC will operate,
and the ESC indicator will blink to
indicate the ESC is operating.
TCSTCS
OFFESC