2009 KIA Sorento warning

Driving tips20
5Driving downhillGoing downhill can be considerably more
dangerous than driving uphill. When off-
roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider many of the same things you
thought about before you went uphill. As
a brief reminder, those include:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be
able to maintain vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt?
Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
Have changes in the weather condi- tions and their effect on the terrain
since you went uphill made your task
more difficult?
Once you have decided that you can go
down a hill safely, try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine braking can help
your brakes so they won’t have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your
vehicle under control at all times. Avoid turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to
drive across. You could roll over if you
don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the clutch pedal
depressed. This is called “free-wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work
and could overheat and fade.
If your wheels lock up during downhill
braking, you may feel the vehicle starting
to slide sideways. To regain your direc-
tion, just ease off the brakes and steer to
keep the front of the vehicle pointing
straight downhill.
WARNING
- Braking
Heavy braking when going down a
hill can cause your brakes to over-
heat and fade. This could cause
loss of control and a serious acci-
dent. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
WARNING
- Wheel locking
Avoid braking so hard that you lock
the wheels when going downhill. If
your front wheels are locked, you
can’t steer your vehicle.
WARNING
- Downhill
Before beginning to go downhill, it
is critical that you ensure that no
cargo can shift forward while you
are heading downhill. Such shifting
could either endanger you and your
occupants, or interfere with your
ability to control the vehicle.

521
Driving tips
Stalling downhillStalling is much more likely to happen
going uphill. But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying thebrakes. Then apply the parking brake.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) in auto- matic transmission or shift to N
(Neutral) in manual transmission and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and seek help. Exit on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
Driving across an inclineSooner or later, an off-road trail will prob-
ably go across the incline of a hill. If this
happens, you have to decide whether or
not to try to drive across the incline. Here
are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up ordown may be too steep to drive across.
When you go straight up or down a hill,
the length of the wheel base (the dis-
tance from the front wheels to the rear
wheels) reduces the likelihood the
vehicle will tumble end over end. But
when you drive across an incline, the
much narrower track width (the dis-
tance between the left and right
wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driv-
ing across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could
cause a downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a hill. Loose
gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass
can cause your tires to slip sideways. If
the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit
something that will tip it (a rock, a rut,
etc.) and cause it to roll over. Hidden obstacles can make the steep-
ness of the incline even worse. If you
drive across a rock with the uphill
wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop
into a rut or depression, your vehicle
can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to
decide carefully whether or not to try to
drive across an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline doesn’t
mean you have to drive it.
WARNING
- Roll over
Driving across an incline that’s too
steep will make your vehicle roll
over. You could be seriously or
fatally injured. If you have any
doubt about the steepness of the
incline, don’t drive across it. Find
another route instead.

Driving tips22
5If your vehicle slides downhillIf you feel your vehicle starting to slide
sideways, turn downhill immediately. This
should help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping. However, a
much better way to prevent this is to get
out and “walk the course” first so you
know what the surface is like before you
drive it.Stalling while crossing an inclineIf your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing
an incline, be sure you (and your pas-
sengers) get out on the uphill side, even
if that door is harder to open. If you get
out on the downhill side and the vehicle
starts to roll over, you’ll be in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay
out of the path the vehicle will take if it
does roll over.
Driving in mud, sand, snow, or iceWhen you drive in mud, sand, snow, or
ice, your wheels won’t get good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is
more difficult, and you’ll need longer
braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when you’re in
mud, the deeper the mud, the lower the
gear. In extremely deep mud, the idea is
to keep your vehicle moving so you don’t
get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a
change in wheel traction. But it will
depend upon how loosely packed the
sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on
beaches or sand dunes) your tires will
tend to sink into the sand. This has an
effect on steering, accelerating, and
braking. You may want to reduce the air
pressure in your tires slightly when driv-
ing on sand. This will improve traction.
Remember to re-inflate them the first
chance that you have after you leave the
loosely packed sand.
WARNING
- Exiting vehicle
Getting out on the downhill (low)
side of a vehicle stopped across an
incline is dangerous. If the vehicle
rolls over, you could be crushed or
fatally injured. Always get out on
the uphill (high) side of the vehicle
and stay well clear of the rollover
path.

523
Driving tips
Hard-packed snow and ice offer the
worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it’s
very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for
example, the traction is so poor that you
will even have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving, poor steering and
difficult braking can easily cause you to
slide out of control.
Driving in waterLight rain causes no special off-road driv-
ing problems. However, heavy rain can
cause flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before
you drive through it. If it’s deep enough to
cover your wheel bearing hubs, axles, or
exhaust pipe, don’t try it, You probably
won’t get through. Also, water that deep
can damage your axle and other vehicle
parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive
through slowly. At fast speeds, water can
splash on your ignition system and your
vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur
if your tailpipe goes underwater. As long
as your tailpipe is underwater, you will
not be able to start your engine. When
you go through water, remember that it
may take you longer to stop when your
brakes are wet.
If you have driven through water that was
deep enough to cover your wheel bear-
ing hubs, it may be a good idea to have
an Authorized Kia dealer or other com-
petent service center repack your front
wheel bearings and examine your rear-
end fluid for evidence of water.
CAUTION
In case of loss of traction in mud,loose soil, or sand, turn the steer-ing wheel rapidly from side-to-side. This can help generate addi- tional traction.
Do not gun the engine. This will cause the tires to spin and digdown, not forward, and couldbury the vehicle to the frame. Smooth, easy power is betterthan too much power.
WARNING
- Frozen sur-
faces
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or
rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weak-
en the ice. Your vehicle could fall
through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.

Driving tips24
5
After off-road drivingRemove any brush or debris that has col-
lected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations
can be a fire hazard.
After driving in mud or sand, clean and
check the brake linings. Accumulation of
mud or sand can cause glazing and
uneven braking. Check the body struc-
ture, steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage. Also,
check the fuel lines and cooling system
for any leakage. Your vehicle will also
require more frequent service due to off-
road use.
WARNING
- Water
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could
drown. If it’s only inches deep, it
can still wash away the ground from
under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle. Never
drive through rushing water.

527
Driving tips
Refer to your vehicle’s tire and load-
ing information label for specific
information about your vehicle's
capacity weight and seating posi-
tions. The combined weight of the
driver, passengers and cargo should
never exceed your vehicle's capacity
weight.Compliance label
The compliance label is located on
the driver's door sill.
This label shows the maximum
allowable weight of the fully loaded
vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel and
cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.
WARNING
- Over loading
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
cause an accident or vehicle
damage. You can calculate the
weight of your load by weigh-
ing the items (or people)
before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to over-
load your vehicle.
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR, either
the maximum front or rear
GAWR and vehicle capacity
weight. If you do, parts, includ-
ing tires on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the
way your vehicle handles and
braking ability. This could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehi-
cle.

Driving tips28
5The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
CAUTION
Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs wouldnot be covered by your war-ranty. Do not overload yourvehicle.
Using heavier suspension components to get addeddurability might not changeyour weight ratings. Ask yourdealer to help you load yourvehicle the right way.
WARNING
- Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put items in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Never stack items, like suit- cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it.
Do not drive with a seat folded down unless necessary.

531
Driving tips
TRAILER TOWING
To identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you should
refer to the chart on this page.
WARNING
- Towing a trail-er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive properly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
- or even at all. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or fatal-
ly injured. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this
section.
WARNING
- Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.
Item 4WD*
1
2WD*
2
4WD*
1
2WD*
2
Maximum 3,665 kg 3,572 kg 4,339 kg 4,255 kg
GCWR (8,079 lbs) (7,874 lbs) (9,565 lbs) (9,314 lbs)
Maximum
Trailer Weight
3.3 Engine
1,590 kg (3,500 lbs)
*1: Four Wheel Drive
*2: Two Wheel Drive
2,268 kg (5,000 lbs) 3.8 Engine
✽ ✽
NOTICE• For definitions of terms used in this table and instructions on how to calcu\
late
your vehicle load, refer to Weight of the Vehicle in this chapter.
• The combined weight of the completed towing vehicle and the loaded trail\
er must not exceed the GCWR.
• When towing maximum loads under high outside temperatures and/or on steep grades, the A/C system may cycle on and off to protect the engine from overheat-
ing. This may result in a temporary increase of interior temperature.
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,follow the advice in this section.