2009 KIA Sorento Owner's Manual

725
Maintenance
Rear window wiper blade replace-
ment 1. Raise the wiper arm and pull out thewiper blade assembly. 2. Install the new blade assembly by
inserting the center part (
➀) into the
slot (
➁) in the wiper arm until it clicks
into place.
3. Make sure the blade assembly is installed firmly by gently pulling on the
blade.
1KMB7038
1KMB7039
➀
➁
WARNING
- Battery dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com- bustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)
BATTERY

Maintenance26
7
For best battery service : Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a solution of
water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, disconnect the bat-
tery cables.
(Continued)
If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention. If
possible, continue to apply
water with a sponge or
cloth until medical attention
is received.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensation,
get medical attention imme-
diately.
Wear eye protection whencharging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
(Continued)
(Continued)An inappropriately dis-posed battery can be harm-
ful to the environment and
human health. Dispose the
battery according to your
local law(s) or regulation.
When lifting a plastic-cased bat- tery, excessive pressure on the
case may cause battery acid to
leak, resulting in personal injury.
Lift with a battery carrier or with
your hands on opposite corners.
Never attempt to recharge the battery when the battery cables
are connected.
The electrical ignition system works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with the
engine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.
E2BLA721

727
Maintenance
Battery recharging Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in ashort time (because, for example, the
headlights or interior lights were left on
while the vehicle was not in use),
recharge it by slow charging (trickle)
for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while the
vehicle is being used, recharge it at 20-
30A for two hours.Items to be reset after the battery hasbeen discharged or the battery has been disconnected. Clock (See Chapter 3)
Trip computer (See Chapter 4)
Compass (See Chapter 4)
Climate control system (See Chapter 4)
Audio (See Chapter 3)
WARNING
- Recharging battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed
from the vehicle and placed in an
area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charg- ing, and stop or reduce the charg-
ing rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if
the temperature of the electrolyte
of any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.
CAUTION
Before performing maintenance or recharging the battery, turn offall accessories and stop the engine.
The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed lastwhen the battery is disconnected.

Maintenance28
7TIRES AND WHEELSTires care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.
Inflation pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than 1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.
(Refer to “Tires” in section 8,
Specifications.) All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the front driver’s door sill.
WARNING
- Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for protracted periods at high
speeds.
E2BLD502A

729
Maintenance
WARNING
- Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and lead
to sudden tire failure. This could
result in loss of vehicle control
and potential injury.
CAUTION
- Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than 1.6 km (onemile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if yourvehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
Underinflation also results in excessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the proper levels. If atire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by anAuthorized Kia Dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.
CAUTION
Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6psi). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres-sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisturecould get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If thecap have been lost, install newone as soon as possible.

Maintenance30
7Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.How to checkUse a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile). Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.
Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire
also if you can see fabric or cord.
After rotation, be sure to bring the
front and rear tire pressures to spec-
ification and check lug nut tightness.
Refer to Section 8, Specifications.

731
Maintenance
Disc brake pads should be inspectedfor wear whenever tires are rotated.Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch ) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
WARNING
Do not use the compact sparetire for tire rotation.
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stance. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CBGQ0706CBGQ0707CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire With a full-size spare tire (if equipped)
Directional tires (if equipped)
Tread wear indicator
2GHA5032

Maintenance32
7Compact spare tire replacement
(if equipped)
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new Kia and should be mounted on
the same compact spare tire wheel.
The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire. Wheel alignment and tire
balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
WARNING
- Replacing tires
Driving on worn-out tires is very hazardous and will reduce
braking effectiveness, steering
accuracy, and traction.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide for
safe ride and handling capabil-
ity. Do not use a size and type
of tire and wheel that is differ-
ent from the one that is origi-
nally installed on your vehicle.
It can affect the safety and per-
formance of your vehicle,
which could lead to handling
failure or rollover and serious
injury. When replacing the
tires, be sure to equip all four
tires with the tire and wheel of
the same size, type, tread,
brand and load-carrying
capacity.
If you nevertheless decide to
equip your vehicle with any
tire/wheel combination not rec-
ommended by Kia for off road
driving, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.
(Continued)
CAUTION
Improper wheel weights candamage your vehicle's alu-minum wheels. Use onlyapproved wheel weights.