2010 KIA SORENTO tires

Features of your vehicle
56
4
Overspeed warning light
(if equipped)
Overspeed warning light
If you drive with the speed of 120 km/h or
more, the overspeed warning light will
blink. This is to prevent you from over-speeding.
Overspeed warning chime
If you drive with the speed of 120 km/h or
more, the overspeed warning chime will
sound for about 5 seconds. This is to pre-
vent you from overspeeding.
4WD system warning light(if equipped)
When the ignition switch is turned to the ON position, the 4WD indicator will illu-
minate and then go off in a few seconds.
If the 4WD system warning light
illuminates, this indicates that there is a
malfunction in the 4WD system. If this
occurs, have your vehicle checked by an
authorized KIA dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
4WD LOCK indicator (if equipped)
The 4WD LOCK indicator light is illumi-
nated when the 4WD LOCK button is
pushed. The purpose of this 4WD LOCK
mode is to increase the drive power
when driving on dry road surfaces, wet
pavement, snow-covered roads and/or
off-road. The 4WD LOCK indicator light is
turned off by pushing the button again.
KEY OUT indicator (if equipped)
When the ENGINE START/STOP button
is in the ACC or ON position, if any door
is open, the system checks for the smart
key. If the smart key is not in the vehicle,
the indicator will blink, and if all doors are
closed, the chime will also sound for
about 5 seconds. The indicator will go off
while the vehicle is moving. Keep the
smart key in the vehicle or insert it in the
smart key holder.
TPMS (Tire Pressure MonitoringSystem) indicator (if equipped)
Low tire pressure telltale /
TPMS malfunction indicator
Low tire pressure position
telltale
The low tire pressure telltale comes on
for 3 seconds after the ignition switch is
turned to the "ON" position.
The low tire pressure and position tell-
tales illuminate when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated.
KEY
OUT120 km/h
CAUTION
Do not use 4WD LOCK mode on dry
paved roads or highway, it cancause noise, vibration or damage of4WD related parts.

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(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 sec-
tion 7, “Maintenance”. Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls 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 famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
vehicle into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Drivingwhile under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerousthan 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 driv-er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driveror call a cab.
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be care-ful not to depress the accelerator
pedal for a long period of time. It
may overheat the engine or exhaust
system and cause fire.

525
Driving your vehicle
For safe four-wheel drive opera- tion
Do not try to drive in deep standingwater 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 vehicle. When you are driving up or down hills
drive as straight 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 conditions.
WARNING - Four-wheel driving
The conditions of on-road or off-
road that demand four-wheel drive
mean all functions of your vehicle
are exposed to extreme stress than
under normal road conditions. Slow
down and be ready for changes inthe 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 pro-
ceed. Do not exceed the ability of
yourself or your vehicle to operate
safely.
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 destabilize the vehicle or, even
if the vehicle is maintaining stabili-
ty under power, it can lose that sta-
bility if the vehicle stops its forward
motion. Your vehicle may roll overwithout warning and without time
for you to correct a mistake that
could cause serious injury ordeath.
HILL1HILL2

527
Driving your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
 Do not drive in water if the level is higher than the bottom of the vehicle.
 Check your brake condition once you
are out of mud or water. Press the
brake pedal several times as you move
slowly until you feel normal braking
forces return.
 Shorten your scheduled maintenance interval if you drive in off-road condi-
tions such as sand, mud or water (see
“Maintenance under severe usage
conditions” in section 7). Always wash
your vehicle thoroughly after off road
use, especially cleaning the bottom of
the vehicle.
 Since the driving torque is always applied to the 4 wheels the perform-
ance of the 4WD vehicle is greatly
affected by the condition of the tires.
Be sure to equip the vehicle with four
tires of the same size and type.
 A full time four wheel drive vehicle cannot be towed by an ordinary tow
truck. Make sure that the vehicle is
placed on a flat bed truck for moving.Reducing the risk of a rollover
This multi-purpose passenger vehicle is
defined as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
SUV’s have higher ground clearance and
a narrower track to make them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteris-
tics give them a higher center of gravity
than ordinary vehicles. An advantage of
the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road, which allows you to
anticipate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger vehi-
cles, any more than low-slung sports
vehicles are designed to perform satis-
factorily in off-road conditions. Due to this
risk, driver and passengers are strongly
recommended to buckle their seat belts.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt. There are steps that a driver
can make to reduce the risk of a rollover.
If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers, do not load your roof
rack with heavy cargo, and never modify
your vehicle in any way.
CAUTION - Mud or snow
If one of the front or rear wheels
begins to spin in mud, snow, etc.
the vehicle can sometimes be driv-en out by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal further; however avoid running the engine continuously at
high rpm because doing so coulddamage the 4WD system.
WARNING - 4WD driving
Avoid high cornering speed.
Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at high speed.
In a collision, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die
compared to a person wearing aseat belt.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over
steers to re-enter the roadway. In
the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.

Driving your vehicle
28
5
WARNING - Jacked vehicle
While the full-time 4WD vehicle is
being raised on a jack, never startthe engine or cause the tires to
rotate.
There is the danger that rotating
tires touching the ground could
cause the vehicle to go off the jack
and to jump forward.WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide safe ride and
handling capability. Do not use a
size and type of tire and wheel that
is different from the one that is
originally installed on your vehicle.
It can affect the safety and perform-
ance of your vehicle, which could
lead to steering failure or rollover
and serious injury. When replacing
the tires, be sure to equip all fourtires with the tire and wheel of the
same size, type, tread, brand and
load-carrying capacity. If you never-
theless decide to equip your vehi-
cle with any tire/wheel combination
not recommended by KIA for off
road driving, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.WARNING - Rollover
As with other Sports Utility Vehicle
(SUV), failure to operate this vehi-
cle correctly may result in loss of
control, an accident or vehicle
rollover.
Utility vehicles have a significant- ly higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles.
Specific design characteristics (higher ground clearance, nar-
rower track, etc.) give this vehicle
a higher center of gravity than
ordinary vehicles.
A SUV is not designed for corner- ing at the same speeds as con-
ventional vehicles.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more like-
ly to die than a person wearing a
seat belt. Make sure everyone in
the vehicle is properly buckledup.

537
Driving your vehicle
Indicator light
When ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, the indicator light illuminates,then goes off if the ESP system is oper-
ating normally.
The ESP indicator light blinks whenever
ESP is operating or illuminates when
ESP fails to operate. ESP OFF indicator light comes on when
the ESP is turned off with the button.
ESP OFF usage
When driving
ESP should be turned on for daily driv-ing whenever possible.
To turn ESP off while driving, press the ESP OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
✽✽ NOTICE
 When operating the vehicle on a dynamometer, ensure that the ESP is
turned off (ESP OFF light illuminat-
ed). If the ESP is left on, it may pre-
vent the vehicle speed from increas-
ing, and result in false diagnosis.
 Turning the ESP off does not affect
ABS or brake system operation.
CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESP system to
malfunction. When replacing tires,make sure they are the same size asyour original tires.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Program
system is only a driving aid; use
precautions for safe driving by
slowing down on curved, snowy, or
icy roads. Drive slowly and don’t
attempt to accelerate whenever the
ESP indicator light is blinking, or
when the road surface is slippery.WARNING
Never press the ESP OFF button while ESP is operating (ESP indica-
tor light blinks). If ESP is turned off while ESP is
operating, the vehicle may slip out
of control.
■ ESP indicator light
■ ESP OFF indicator light

545
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a
liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehi-
cle as economically as possible, use the
following driving suggestions to help
save money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily. Avoid
heavy traffic whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unnec-
essary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle
uses. Driving at a moderate speed,
especially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-sumption. Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption
and also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with your
foot resting on the brake pedal may
cause the brakes to overheat, which
reduces their effectiveness and may
lead to more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at leastonce a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condition.
For better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your vehi-cle in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule in Section 7. If you
drive your vehicle in severe conditions,more frequent maintenance is required
(see Section 7 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the vehicle. This
extra weight can result in increased
fuel consumption and also contributeto corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your vehicle. Weight reduces
fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

547
Driving your vehicle
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, followthese suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-tance for braking.
Avoid sudden braking or steering.
When braking with non-ABS brakes pump the brake pedal with a light up-
and-down motion until the vehicle isstopped. If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or other non-slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when stalled
in ice, snow, or mud. Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to free
it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the
area around your front wheels. Then, shift
back and forth between 1st (First) and R
(Reverse) in vehicles equipped with a
manual transaxle or R (Reverse) and any
forward gear in vehicles equipped with an
automatic transaxle. Do not race the
engine, and spin the wheels as little as
possible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a tow
vehicle to avoid engine overheating and
possible damage to the transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING -
ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slipperysurfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. Be
careful when downshifting on slip-
pery surfaces.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may cause engine over-heating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.