Features of your vehicle
78
4
Low Fuel Level Warning
Light
This warning light illuminates:
When the fuel tank is nearly empty.
If the fuel tank is nearly empty:
Add fuel as soon as possible.
Low Tire PressureWarning Light (if equipped)
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3seconds and then goes off.
When one or more of your tires are significantly underinflated (The
location of the underinflated tires
are displayed on the LCD display).
For more details, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in chapter 7.
CAUTION - Engine Oil
Pressure Warning Light
If the engine does not stop immediately after the EngineOil Pressure Warning Light is illuminated, severe damagecould result.
If the warning light stays onwhile the engine is running, itindicates that there may be serious engine damage ormalfunction. In this case,
1. Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
2. Turn off the engine and check the oil level. If the oillevel is low, fill the engineoil to the proper level.
3. Start the engine again. If the warning light stays on afterthe engine is started, turnthe engine off immediately.In this case, we recommend that you have the vehicleinspected by an authorizedKia dealer.
CAUTION - Low Fuel
Level
Driving with the Low Fuel Level
warning light on or with the fuellevel below “0 or E” can cause the engine to misfire and dam-age the catalytic converter (ifequipped).
Driving your vehicle
4
6
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside
mirror(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 chapter 8,“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 lightgoes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and itsequipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
Driving while distracted can
result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol, that may lead to an acci-
dent, severe personal injury,
and death. The driver’s primary
responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and
use of any handheld devices,
other equipment, or vehicle sys-
tems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a
vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never beused during operation of the
vehicle.
623
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 chal-
lenging off-road use. Occasional off-
road use such as established
unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is
always important when traveling off-
highway that the driver carefully
reduces the speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions. In gener-
al, off-road conditions provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
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 con-
sidered 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/her-
self and his or her passengers.FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING -
Off road driving
This vehicle is designed prima-
rily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However, it was not designed to
drive in challenging off-road
conditions. Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle'sintended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.CAUTION
Do not select four wheel drive on flat and normal roads.
Four-wheel driving on flat roads for a long period causespoor fuel economy and noiseand it also causes tires towear faster.
Four-wheel driving on flat and normal roads can result in asevere binding and chatteringcondition when turning thesteering wheel.
Four-wheel driving on flat roads for a long period canalso cause the differential oiltemperature to increase,resulting in damage to parts in the power train.
629
Driving your vehicle
For safe four-wheel drive oper- ation
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 vehi-
cle. 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 con-
ditions.
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 nor-
mal road conditions. Slow down
and be ready for changes in thecomposition and traction of the
surface under your tires. If you
have any doubt about the safety
of the conditions you are fac-
ing, stop and consider the best
way to proceed. 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 destabi-
lize the vehicle or, even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power, it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
HILL1HILL2
631
Driving your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
Do not drive in water if the level is higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
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 nor-
mal braking forces return.
Shorten your scheduled mainte- nance interval if you drive in off-
road conditions such as sand, mud
or water (see “Maintenance under
severe usage conditions” in chapter
8). Always wash your vehicle thor-
oughly after off road use, especially
cleaning the bottom of the vehicle.
Since the driving torque is always applied to the 4 wheels the per-
formance of the 4WD vehicle is
greatly affected by the condition of
the tires. Be sure to equip the vehi-
cle with four tires of the same size
and type.
A full time four wheel drive vehi- cle cannot be towed by an ordi-
nary 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 characteristics 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
vehicles, any more than low-slung
sports vehicles are designed to per-
form satisfactorily in off-road condi-
tions. Due to this risk, driver and pas-sengers 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 driven out by depressing theaccelerator pedal further; how-ever avoid running the engine continuously at high rpmbecause doing so could dam-age the 4WD system.
Driving your vehicle
32
6
WARNING - Rollover
As with other Sports Utility
Vehicle (SUV), failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control, an accident or
vehicle rollover.
Utility vehicles have a signifi- cantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles.
Specific design characteris- tics (higher ground clearance,
narrower track, etc.) give this
vehicle a higher center of
gravity than ordinary vehicles.
A SUV is not designed for cor- nering at the same speeds as
conventional vehicles.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
In a rollover crash, an unbelt- ed person is significantly
more likely to die than a per-
son wearing a seat belt. Make
sure everyone in the vehicle is
properly buckled up.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, whichcould lead to steering failure or
rollover and serious injury.
When replacing the tires, be
sure to equip all four tires withthe tire and wheel of the same
size, type, tread, brand and
load-carrying capacity. If you
nevertheless decide to equip
your vehicle with any tire/wheelcombination not recommended
by Kia for off road driving, you
should not use these tires for
highway driving.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.
Driving your vehicle
44
6
ESC OFF usage
When driving
ESC should be turned on 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 by pressing the ESC
OFF button for more than 3 sec-
onds (ESC OFF light illuminated).
If the ESC is left on, it may prevent
the vehicle speed from increasing,
and result in false diagnosis.
Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS or brake system operation.
WARNING
Never press the ESC OFF but- ton while ESC is operating (ESC
indicator light blinks). If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip
out of control.
CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel sizes may cause the ESC systemto malfunction. When replacing tires, make sure they are thesame size as your original tires.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Control
system is only a driving aid; use
precautions for safe driving by
slowing down on curved,
snowy, or icy roads. Drive slow-
ly and don’t attempt to acceler-
ate whenever the ESC indicator
light is blinking, or when the
road surface is slippery.
669
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 vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in bothfuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at amoderate rate. Do not make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Do not race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you do not have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary 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 toreduce fuel consumption. Do not "ride" the brake 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 con-
sequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tirepressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper align-ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condi-
tion. For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your vehicle in accordancewith the maintenance schedule in
chapter 8. If you drive your vehicle
in severe conditions, more frequentmaintenance is required (see
chapter 8 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maxi- mum 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 contribute tocorrosion.
Travel lightly. Do not carry unnec- essary weight in your vehicle.
Weight reduces fuel economy.
Do not 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