2011 KIA Sorento four wheel drive

5
Before driving / 5-3
Key positions / 5-4
Engine start/stop button / 5-7
Manual Transaxle / 5-12
Automatic transaxle / 5-15
Four wheel drive (4WD) / 5-21
Brake system / 5-27
Cruise control system / 5-39
Economical operation / 5-43
Special driving conditions / 5-45
Winter driving / 5-50
Trailer towing / 5-53
Vehicle load limit / 5-62
Vehicle weight glossary/ 5-67
Driving your vehicle
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521
Driving your vehicle
Engine power can be delivered to all front
and rear wheels for maximum traction.
4WD is useful when extra traction is
required on road, such as, when driving
on slippery, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads. These vehicles are not designed
for challenging off-road use. Occasional
off-road use such as established
unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is
always important when traveling off-high-
way that the driver carefully reduces the
speed to a level that does not exceed the
safe operating speed for those condi-
tions. In general, off-road conditions pro-
vide less traction and braking effective-
ness than normal road conditions. The
driver must be especially alert to avoid
driving on slopes which tilt the vehicle to
either side.
These factors must be carefully consid-
ered when driving off-road. Keeping the
vehicle in contact with the driving surface
and under control in these conditions is
always the driver's responsibility for the
safety of him/herself and his or her pas-
sengers.
Tight corner brake effectTight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of four-wheel drive vehicles
caused by the difference in tire rotation at
the four wheels and the zero-degree
alignment of the front wheels and sus-
pension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be car-
ried out with caution.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
- Off road driving
This vehicle is designed primarily
for on road use although it can oper-
ate effectively off road. However, it
was not designed to drive in chal-
lenging off-road conditions. Driving
in conditions that exceed the vehi-
cle's intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.
WARNING
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 deal-
er as soon as possible.
CAUTION -
4WD
When turning sharply on a pavedroad at low speed while in four- wheel drive, steering control will bedifficult.
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Driving your vehicle22
5
 This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp grades,
off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to
maximize traction.
 This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 30 km/h (19 mph) and is shifted to 4WD AUTO mode
at speed above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the vehicle decelerates
to speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph), however, the transfer
mode is shifted into 4WD LOCK mode again.
4WD AUTO
(4WD LOCK is
deactivated)
(Indicator light isnot illuminated)
✽ ✽ NOTICE• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the 4WD LOCK mode by pushing the 4WD LOCK button (the \
indicator light goes
off). Driving on normal roads with 4WD LOCK mode (especially, when cornering) may cause mechanical noise or vibration.
The noise and vibration will disappear when the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated. Some parts of the power train may be dam-
aged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive \
power is delivered entirely to the front wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.Four Wheel Drive (4WD) transfer mode selectionTransfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
 When driving in 4WD AUTO mode, the vehicle operates sim-
ilar to conventional 2WD vehicles under normal operating
conditions. However, if the system determines that there is a
need for the 4WD mode, the engine’s driving power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels automatically without driver inter-
vention.
 When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehicle moves similar to conventional 2WD vehicles.
4WD LOCK
(Indicator light is illuminated)
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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 in
the 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 over
without warning and without time
for you to correct a mistake that
could cause serious injury or
death.
HILL1
HILL2
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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.
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.
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 avoidrunning the engine continuously athigh 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 a
seat 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.
WARNING -
Jacked vehicle
While the full-time 4WD vehicle is
being raised on a jack, never start
the 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.
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Driving your vehicle50
5WINTER DRIVINGE120000ASASevere weather conditions in the winter
result in greater wear and other prob-
lems. To minimize the problems of winter
driving, you should follow these sugges-
tions:
E120100AUN-ECSnowy or icy conditionsTo drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires on your
tires. If snow tires are needed, it is nec-
essary to select tires equivalent in size
and type of the original equipment tires.
Failure to do so may adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Furthermore, speeding, rapid accelera-
tion, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns are potentially very haz-
ardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking
to the fullest extent. Sudden brake appli-
cations on snowy or icy roads may cause
skids to occur. You need to keep suffi-
cient distance between the vehicle in
operation in front and your vehicle. Also,
apply the brake gently.
E120101AUNSnow tires If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regu- lations for possible restrictions againsttheir use.
WARNING
- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety
and handling of your vehicle may
be adversely affected.
1VQA3005
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What to do in an emergency
 Use a towing strap less than 5 m (16feet) long. Attach a white or red cloth
(about 30 cm (12 inches) wide) in the
middle of the strap for easy visibility.
 Drive carefully so that the towing strap is not loose during towing.
F080301AAM-EUEmergency towing precautions Turn the ignition switch to ACC so thesteering wheel isn’t locked.
 Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
 Release the parking bake.
 Press the brake pedal with more force than usual since you will have reduced
brake performance.
 More steering effort will be required because the power steering system
will be disabled.
 If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake per-
formance will be reduced. Stop often
and let the brakes cool off.
OXM069009
CAUTION
- Automatictransaxle
 If the car is being towed with all
four wheels on the ground, it canbe towed only from the front. Be sure that the transaxle is in neu-tral. Be sure the steering isunlocked by placing the ignition switch in the ACC position. Adriver must be in the towed vehi- cle to operate the steering andbrakes.
 To avoid serious damage to the automatic transaxle, limit thevehicle speed to 15 km/h (10 mph) and drive less than 1.5 km (1 mile)when towing.
 Before towing, check the auto- matic transaxle fluid leak underyour vehicle. If the automatictransaxle fluid is leaking, a flatbed equipment or towing dollymust be used.
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Maintenance44
7All season tires
KIA specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
KIA specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
if you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions. KIA recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels. Snow tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 28 kPa (4 psi
) more air pressure than the pressure
recommended for the standard tires
on the tire label on the driver's side of
the center pillar, or up to the maxi-
mum pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, whichever is less.
Do not drive faster than 120 km/h (75
mph) when your vehicle is equipped
with snow tires.
Radial-ply tiresRadial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance and
smoother high speed ride. The radi-
al-ply tires used on this vehicle are of
belted construction, and are selected
to complement the ride and handling
characteristics of your vehicle.
Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity, as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size, and use
the same recommended inflation
pressure. Mixing of radial-ply tires
with bias-ply or bias belted tires is
not recommended. Any combina-
tions of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias
belted tires when used on the same
vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to fol-
low is: Identical radial-ply tires should
always be used as a set of four.
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in this section
to achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.
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