2011 KIA Sportage power steering

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 effect
Tight 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 be difficult.

527
Driving your vehicle
E070100AHM
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
E070101AUN
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest-ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may impair the vehi- cle’s ability to safely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to one
side when the brakes are applied.
Applying the brakes lightly will
indicate whether they have been
affected in this way. Always test
your brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
WARNING- Parking brake
Applying the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speeds can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you must
use the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.

535
Driving your vehicle
E070504AAM-EU
ESC OFF usage
When driving
It’s a good idea to keep the ESC turnedon for daily driving whenever possible.
To turn ESC off while driving, press the ESC OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the ESC is
turned off (ESC OFF light illuminat-
ed). If the ESC is left on, it may pre-
vent the vehicle speed from increas-
ing, and result in false diagnosis.
• Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS or brake system operation.
Vehicle stability management
(VSM) (if equipped)
This system provides further enhance-
ments to vehicle stability and steering
responses when a vehicle is driving on a
slippery road or a vehicle detected
changes in coefficient of friction between
right wheels and left wheels when brak-
ing.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC indi-
cator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability management
is operating properly, you can feel a slight
pulsation in the vehicle and/or abnormal
steering responses (EPS). This is only
the effect of brake and EPS control and
indicates nothing unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gradient
or incline
Driving rearward
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to turn
off the ESC, the VSM will also cancel and
the ESC OFF indicator light ( ) illumi-
nates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light goes
out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if you
don’t cancel the VSM operation by press-
ing the ESC OFF button. It indicates that
a malfunction has been detected some-
where in the Electric Power Steering sys-
tem or VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light remains
on, take your vehicle to an authorized
KIA dealer and have the system
checked.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 15 km/h (9 mph)
on curves.
• The VSM is designed to function above approximately 30 km/h (18
mph) when a vehicle is braking on a
split-mu road. The split-mu road is
made of surfaces which have different
friction forces.
WARNING
Never press the ESC OFF button
while ESC is operating (ESC indica-
tor light blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip out
of control.

545
Driving your vehicle
Remember, your vehicle does notrequire extended warm-up. After the
engine has started, allow the engine to
run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to plac-
ing the vehicle in gear. In very cold
weather, however, give your engine a
slightly longer warm-up period.
Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is driving too slowly in a very
high gear resulting in engine bucking. If
this happens, shift to a lower gear.
Over-revving is racing the engine
beyond its safe limit. This can be avoid-
ed by shifting at the recommended
speed. Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is operat-
ed by engine power so your fuel econ-
omy is reduced when you use it.
Open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
WARNING - Engine off dur- ing motion
Never turn the engine off to coast
down hills or anytime the vehicle is
in motion. The power steering and
power brakes will not function
properly without the engine run-
ning. Instead, keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect. In
addition, turning off the ignition
while driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering which
could cause serious injury or
death.

617
What to do in an emergency
3. Install the towing hook by turning itclockwise into the hole until it is fully
secured.
4. Remove the towing hook and install the cover after use.
F080300AHM-EU
Emergency towing
If towing is necessary, have it done by
an authorized KIA dealer or a com-
mercial tow truck service. If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain
secured to the emergency towing hook
under the front (or rear) of the vehicle.
Use extreme caution when towing the
vehicle. A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, power train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
Do not use the tow hooks to pull a vehi-
cle out of mud, sand or other condi-
tions from which the vehicle cannot be
driven out under its own power.
Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than the vehicle doing the towing.
The drivers of both vehicles should communicate with each other frequent-
ly.
OSL060012
OSL060013
■Front
■ Rear

619
What to do in an emergency
F080301AAM-EU
Emergency 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.
Tie-down hook
(for flatbed towing, if equipped)
CAUTION - Automatictransaxle
If the car is being towed with all
four wheels on the ground, it canbe towed only from the front. Besure that the transaxle is in neu-tral. Be sure the steering is unlocked by placing the ignitionswitch 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 automatic transaxle fluid is leaking, aflatbed equipment or towing dollymust be used.
WARNING
Do not use the tie-down hooks
under the front of the vehicle for
towing purposes. These hooks are
designed ONLY for transport tie-
down. If the tie-down hooks are
used for towing, the tie-down hooks
or front bumper will be damaged
and this could lead to serious
injury.
OLM069017L

75
Maintenance
G030102AAM
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of theexhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper- ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check the automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check the parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
G030103AHM
At least monthly:
Check the coolant level in the enginecoolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
G030104AHM
At least twice a year (i.e., every Spring and Fall):
Check the radiator, heater and air con- ditioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check the windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean the wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened with
washer fluid.
Check the headlight alignment.
Check the muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
G030105AHM-C1
At least once a year:
Clean the body and door drain holes.
Lubricate the door hinges and checks,and hood hinges.
Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Check the power steering fluid level.
Inspect and lubricate the automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake/clutch fluid level.

Index
2I
Air bags ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···3-42Air bag warning label................................................3-68
Air bag warning light ................................................3-45
Curtain air bag ..........................................................3-60
Driver's and passenger's front air bag ......................3-54
Side impact air bag....................................................3-58
Air cleaner··················\
··················\
··················\
·················7-19\
Alarm system ··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-13
All wheel drive (AWD), see four wheel drive (4WD) ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········5-21
Antenna ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-108
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)··················\
··················\
····5-30
Appearance care··················\
··················\
··················\
········7-51 Exterior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
········7-51
Interior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········7-56
Armrest ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···3-16
Audio system ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········4-108 Antenna ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············4-108
Aux, USB and iPod ··················\
··················\
·············4-110
Steering wheel audio control ··················\
················4-109
Automatic climate control system ··················\
················4-88 Air conditioning ··················\
··················\
··················\
··4-94
Automatic heating and air conditioning··················\
··4-89
Manual heating and air conditioning ··················\
······4-90 Automatic transaxle ··················\
··················\
··················\
··5-15
Ignition key interlock system ··················\
··················\
5-19
Shift lock system ··················\
··················\
··················\
·5-18
Sports mode··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-17
Battery ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·····7-26
Battery saver function ··················\
··················\
·················4-67\
Before driving ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············5-3
Bottle holders, see cup holders ··················\
··················\
·4-101
Brake fluid ··················\
··················\
··················\
················7-17
Brake system ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············5-27 Anti-lock brake system (ABS) ··················\
················5-30
Downhill brake control (DBC)··············\
··················\
··5-36
Electronic stability control (ESC) ··················\
···········5-32
Parking brake··················\
··················\
··················\
·······5-28
Power brakes ··················\
··················\
··················\
·······5-27
Bulb wattage ··················\
··················\
··················\
···············8-2
Button start/stop, see engine start/stop button ··················\
5-7
Capacities (Lubricants) ··················\
··················\
·················8-4
Care Exterior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
········7-51
Interior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········7-56
Tire care··················\
··················\
··················\
···············7-29
A
B
C