2009 KIA Sportage lights

453
Driving your vehicle
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Headlight position ( )When the light switch is in the head-
light position (2nd position) the head,
tail, position, license and instrument
panel lights are ON.
High - beam operation To turn on the high beam headlights,
push the lever forward.
The high-beam indicator will light
when the headlight high beams are
switched on.
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not leave the lights
on for a prolonged time while the
engine is not running.
Flashing headlights To flash the headlights, pull the lever
towards you. It will return to the nor-
mal (low-beam) position when
released. The headlight switch does
not need to be on to use this flashing
feature.
9KMC2112
9KMC2114
9KMC2115

Driving your vehicle54
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Turn signals ( )The ignition switch must be on for the
turn signals to function. To turn on
the turn signals, move the lever up or
down. Green arrow indicators on the
instrument panel indicate which turn
signal is operating. They will self-
cancel after a turn is completed. If
the indicator continues to flash after
a turn, manually return the lever to
the OFF position.
Lane change signals ( )To signal a lane change, move the
turn signal lever slightly and hold it in
position. The lever will return to the
OFF position when released.
If an indicator stays on and does not
flash or if it flashes abnormally, one
of the turn signal bulbs may be
burned out and will require replace-
ment.✽ ✽

NOTICEIf an indicator flash is abnormally
quick or slow, bulb may be burned
out or have a poor electrical con-
nection in the circuit. Front fog light (if equipped)
Fog lights are used to provide
improved visibility and avoid acci-
dents when visibility is poor due to
fog, rain or snow etc. The fog lights
will turn on when fog light switch (
➀)
is turned to ON after the headlight is
turned on.
To turn off the fog lights, turn the
switch to OFF.
9KMC2116
A
9KMC2124
B

455
Driving your vehicle
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
✽ ✽

NOTICEWhen in operation, the fog lights
consume large amounts of vehicle
electrical power. Only use the fog
lights when visibility is poor.
Unnecessary battery and generator
drain could occur if the fog lights
are used excessively.
Daytime running light
(if equipped)Daytime Running Lights (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, and it is especial-
ly helpful after dawn and before sun-
set.
The DRL system will make your
high-beam headlights turn OFF
when:
1. The head light switch is ON.
2. The parking brake engaged.
3. Engine stops.

Driving your vehicle60
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
✽ ✽
NOTICE• To prevent damage to the conduc-
tors bonded to the inside surface
of the rear window, never use
sharp instruments or window
cleaners containing abrasives to
clean the window.
• To prevent the battery from being discharged, the rear window
defroster will only operate when
the engine is running.
• If you want to defrost and defog on the front windshield, refer to
“Windshield Defrosting and
Defogging” in this section. To activate the rear window
defroster, press the rear window
defroster button located in the center
console switch panel. The indicator
on the rear window defroster button
illuminates when the defroster is ON.
If there is heavy accumulation of
snow on the rear window, brush it off
before operating the rear defroster. The rear window defroster automati-
cally turns off after 20 minutes or
when the ignition switch is turned off.
To turn off the defroster, press the
rear window defroster button again.
Outside mirror heater
(if equipped)There is no control button for the out-
side mirror heater, instead the out-
side mirror heater automatically
turns on when the rear window
defroster is turned on.Front windshield deicer(if equipped)There is no control button for the
front windshield deicer, instead the
front windshield deicer automatically
turns on when the rear window
defroster is turned on. The hazard warning flasher causes
the rear tail lights and front turn sig-
nal lights to flash on and off, which
serves as a warning to other drivers
to exercise caution when approach-
ing or passing your vehicle.
To activate the flasher, depress the
hazard warning flasher switch. This
switch operates in any ignition switch
position.
To turn the flashers off, depress the
switch again.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
OKM049109

55
Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING Before entering vehicle: Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.Necessary inspections Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
Maintenance.
Before starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement. Driving while
under the influence of drugs is
as dangerous or more danger-
ous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink or take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a cab.

59
Driving tips
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Driving at night Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's head-
lights. Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
WARNING
- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 56
km/h (35 mph). Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat, explode
and injure bystanders.

Driving tips10
5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud- dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.
Winter driving We recommend that you carryemergency equipment, including
tire chains, a window scraper,
windshield de-icer, a bag of sand
or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient eth- ylene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce
the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in excellent condition to
provide enough winter starting
power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage.

519
Driving tips
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Scanning the terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. You
need to be familiar with the terrain
and its many different features. Here
are some things to consider.Surface conditionsOff-roading can take you over hard-
packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass,
sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of
these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration, and braking of your
vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface
you are on, you may experience slip-
ping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances.
Surface obstaclesUnseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you if you’re not
prepared. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow or
even the rise and fall of the terrain
itself. Here are some things to con-
stantly evaluate:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture changeahead?
Does the path take you uphill or downhill?
Might you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or
rough terrain, it is critical that you
keep a firm grip on the steering
wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other sur-
face features can force the wheel out
of your hands if you’re not prepared. When you drive over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, your wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
can’t control the vehicle as well or
perhaps at all. Because you will be
on an unpaved surface, it’s especial-
ly important to avoid sudden acceler-
ation, sudden turns, or sudden brak-
ing. Any of these actions could cause
the center of gravity of the vehicle to
shift and destabilize the vehicle,
leading to a collision or rollover acci-
dent.
Off-road driving requires a different
kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There
are no road signs, posted speed lim-
its or signal lights. You have to use
your own judgment about what is
safe and what isn’t. Bad judgment in
this uncontrolled environment can be
fatal.