2009 KIA Sportage check engine

711
Maintenance
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball jointWith the vehicle stopped and engine
off, check for excessive free-play in
the steering wheel.
Check the linkage for bends or dam-
age. Check the dust boots and ball
joints for deterioration, cracks, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts.Power steering pump, belt and
hosesCheck the power steering pump and
hoses for leakage and damage.
Replace any damaged or leaking
parts immediately. Inspect the power
steering belt for evidence of cuts,
cracks, excessive wear, oiliness and
proper tension. Replace or adjust it if
necessary.
Drive shafts and bootsCheck the drive shafts, boots and
clamps for cracks, deterioration, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts and, if necessary, repack the
grease.Air conditioning refrigerant
(if equipped)Check the air conditioning lines and
connections for leakage and dam-
age.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Maintenance12
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
OWNER MAINTENANCE Owner maintenance schedule The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an
Authorized Kia Dealer at the fre-
quencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your
vehicle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties and you may be charged for
labor, parts and lubricants used.
When you stop for fuel: Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant
reservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle: Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-
ahead position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling on smooth, level
road.
When stopping, listen and check for strange sounds, pulling to one
side, increased brake pedal travel
or “hard-to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the operation of your transaxle occurs,
check the transaxle fluid level.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow out
under pressure. This could cause
burns or other serious injury.

717
Maintenance
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
Checking the engine oil level 1. Be sure the vehicle is on levelground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating tempera-
ture.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) for
the oil to return to the oil pan. 4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean,
and re-insert it fully.
5. Pull the dipstick out again and check the level. The level should
be between F and L.
7KMB70177KMS5003
2.0L Gasoline Engine2.7L Gasoline Engine
WARNING -
Radiator
hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may
be hot enough to burn you.

719
Maintenance
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMThe high-pressure cooling system
has a reservoir filled with year-round
antifreeze coolant. The reservoir is
filled at the factory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at
the beginning of the winter season,
and before traveling to a colder cli-
mate.
Checking the coolant level
WARNING
- Removingradiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap while the engine
is operating or hot. Doing so
might lead to cooling system
and engine damage and could
result in serious personal
injury from escaping hot
coolant or steam.
Turn the engine off and wait until it cools down. Use
extreme care when removing
the radiator cap. Wrap a thick
towel around it, and turn it
counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while
the pressure is released from
the cooling system. When you
are sure all the pressure has
been released, press down on
the cap, using a thick towel,
and continue turning counter-
clockwise to remove it.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Even if the engine is not oper-ating, do not remove the radi-
ator cap or the drain plug
while the engine and radiator
are hot. Hot coolant and steam
may still blow out under pres-
sure, causing serious injury.

Maintenance20
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Check the condition and connections
of all cooling system hoses and
heater hoses. Replace any swollen
or deteriorated hoses. The coolant level should be filled
between F and L marks on the side
of the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
specified coolant to provide protec-
tion against freezing and corrosion.
Bring the level to F, but do not over-
fill. If frequent additions are required,
see an Authorized Kia Dealer for a
cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant Use only soft (de-mineralized)
water in the coolant mixture.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be
protected by an ethylene-glycol-
based coolant to prevent corrosion
and freezing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the spec-
ified coolant.
Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze or less
than 35% antifreeze, which would
reduce the effectiveness of the
solution.
7KMS5005
7KMS5007

723
Maintenance
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
✽ ✽NOTICEDo not allow brake/clutch fluid to
contact the vehicle's body paint, as
paint damage will result.
Brake/clutch fluid, which has been
exposed to open air for an extended
time should never be used as its
quality cannot be guaranteed. It
should be thrown out. Don't put in
the wrong kind of fluid. A few drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake clutch system can
damage brake clutch system parts.
Checking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking
brake by counting the number of
“clicks’’ heard while fully applying it
from the released position. Also, the
parking brake alone should securely
hold the vehicle on a fairly steep
grade. If the stroke is more or less
than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an Authorized Kia
Dealer.
Stroke : 7~8 “clicks’’ at a force of
20 kg (44 lbs, 196 N).
OKM049050
PARKING BRAKE

Maintenance24
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
POWER STEERING Checking the power steering
fluid level With the vehicle on level ground,
check the fluid level in the power
steering reservoir periodically. The
fluid should be between MAX and
MIN marks on the side of the reser-
voir at the normal temperature.
Before adding power steering fluid,
thoroughly clean the area around the
reservoir cap to prevent power steer-
ing fluid contamination.
If the level is low, add fluid to the
MAX level. In the event the power steering sys-
tem requires frequent addition of
fluid, the vehicle should be inspected
by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• To avoid damage to the power
steering pump, do not operate the
vehicle for prolonged periods with
a low power steering fluid level.
• Never start the engine when the reservoir tank is empty.
• When adding fluid, be careful that dirt does not get into the tank.
• Too little fluid can make the steer- ing wheel heavier or strange noise
can be generated.
• The use of the non-specified fluid could reduce the effectiveness of
the power steering wheel and
cause damage to it.Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended lubri-cants and capacities" in section 8.)
Power steering hoseCheck the connections for oil leaks,
severe damage and the twists in the
power steering hose before driving.
7KMS5018

725
Maintenance
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)Checking the automatic
transaxle fluid level The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on the level ground
with the parking brake applied and
check the fluid level according to the
following procedure.
1. Place the selector lever in N(Neutral) position and confirm the
engine is running at normal idle
speed. 2. After the transaxle is warmed up
sufficiently (fluid temperature
70~80 °C (158~176 °F)), for exam-
ple by 10 minutes usual driving,
shift the selector lever through all
positions then place the selector
lever in N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position.
3. Confirm that the fluid level is in“HOT” range on the level gauge. If
the fluid level is lower, add the
specified fluid from the fill hole. If
the fluid level is higher, drain the
fluid from the drain hole.
4. If the fluid level is checked in cold condition (fluid temperature 20~
30 °C (68~86 °F) add the fluid to
“COLD” line and then recheck the
fluid level according to the above
step 2.
1KMN5051
1LDE5009
COLD HOT