2017 KIA Sorento check engine

Driving your vehicle
108
5
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you must get to
know your trailer. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly so respon-
sive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. And, because of the increased
vehicle length, you’ll need to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before you can return to your
lane. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle
may also take longer to pass than it
would on flat ground.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, just move your
hand to the left. To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects near the edge of the
road. Avoid jerky or sudden maneu-
vers. Signal well in advance before
turning or lane changes.

5109
Driving your vehicle
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly connected,
the trailer lights will also flash to alert
other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing
your signals when, in fact, they are
not. It’s important to check occasion-
ally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working. You must also check the
lights every time you disconnect and
then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system. Use only an approved trailer
wiring harness.
An authorized Kia dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get
hot and no longer operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce your speed to around 70
km/h (45 mph) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle, you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build up and extend the life of
your transaxle.CAUTION
Always use an approved trailerwiring harness. Failure to usean approved trailer wiring har-ness could result in damage tothe vehicle electrical system.

5111
Driving your vehicle
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the automatic transaxle in P(Park), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your
trailer and hitch. Follow the mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight. When towing check transaxle fluid
more frequently.
CAUTION - Air condition
Do not use the A/C while usingyour vehicle to tow uphill. Dueto higher load during trailerusage, overheating might occuron hot days or during uphilldriving.

63
What to do in an emergency
If the engine stalls at a cross-
road or crossing
If the engine stalls at a crossroad or
crossing, set the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position and then push the
vehicle to a safe place.
If you have a flat tire while
driving
If a tire goes flat while you are driv-
ing:
1.Take your foot off the acceleratorpedal and let the vehicle slow
down while driving straight ahead.
Do not apply the brakes immedi-
ately or attempt to pull off the road
as this may cause a loss of control.
When the vehicle has slowed to
such a speed that it is safe to do
so, brake carefully and pull off the
road. Drive off the road as far as
possible and park on a firm level
ground. If you are on a divided
highway, do not park in the median
area between the two traffic lanes. 2.When the vehicle is stopped, turn
on your emergency hazard flash-
ers, set the parking brake and put
the transaxle in P (Park, automatic
transaxle).
3.Have all passengers get out of the vehicle. Be sure they all get out on
the side of the vehicle that is away
from traffic.
4.When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this
section.
If the engine stalls while driv-
ing
1.Reduce your speed gradually,keeping a straight line. Move cau-
tiously off the road to a safe place.
2.Turn on your emergency flashers.
3.Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an
authorized Kia dealer or seek other
qualified assistance.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
If there was a check engine light and
loss of power or stall and if safe to do
so, wait at least 10 seconds to restart
the vehicle after it stalls. This may
reset the car so it will no longer run
at low power condition.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING

What to do in an emergency
46
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly
1.If your vehicle has an automatictransaxle, be sure the shift lever is
in N (Neutral) or P (Park) and the
emergency brake is set.
2.Check the battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight.
3.Turn on the interior light. If the light dims or goes out when you operate
the starter, the battery is dis-
charged.
4.Check the starter connections to be sure they are securely tight-
ened.
5.Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. See instructions for "Jump
starting".
If engine turns over normally
but does not start
1.Check the fuel level.
2.With the ignition switch in theLOCK position, check all connec-
tors at the ignition coils and spark
plugs. Reconnect any that may be
disconnected or loose.
3.Check the fuel line in the engine compartment.
4.If the engine still does not start, call an authorized Kia dealer or seek
other qualified assistance.
WARNING - Push/
pull start
Do not push or pull the vehicle
to start it. Push or pull starting
may cause the catalytic con-
verter to overload and create a
fire hazard.

What to do in an emergency
66
Jump starting procedure
1.Make sure the booster battery is12-volt and that its negative termi-
nal is grounded.
2.If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do not allow the vehicles to
come in contact.
3.Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads.
4.Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence shown in the illus-
tration. First connect one end of a
jumper cable to the positive termi-
nal of the discharged battery (1),
then connect the other end to the
positive terminal of the booster
battery (2).
Proceed to connect one end of the
other jumper cable to the negative
terminal of the booster battery (3),
then the other end to a solid, sta-
tionary, metallic point (for example,
the engine lifting bracket) away
from the battery (4). Do not con-
nect it to or near any part that
moves when the engine is cranked. Do not allow the jumper cables to
contact anything except the correct
battery terminals or the correct
ground. Do not lean over the bat-
tery when making connections.
5.Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery and let it run at
2,000 rpm, then start the engine of
the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
If the cause of your battery discharg-ing is not apparent, you should haveyour vehicle checked by an author-ized Kia dealer.
Push-starting
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle lock system cannot be
push-started.
Follow the directions in this section
for jump-starting.
WARNING - Tow starting
vehicle
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge for-
ward when the engine starts
could cause a collision with the
tow vehicle.
WARNING - Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper
cable from the negative terminal
of the booster battery to the
negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery. This can cause
the discharged battery to over-
heat and crack, releasing bat-
tery acid.

67
What to do in an emergency
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, you experience a loss
of power, or hear loud pinging or
knocking, the engine will probably be
too hot. If this happens, you should:
1.Pull off the road and stop as soonas it is safe to do so.
2.Place the shift lever in P (Park, automatic transaxle) and set the
parking brake. If the air condition-
ing is on, turn it off.
3.If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is com-
ing out from underneath the hood,
stop the engine. Do not open the
hood until the coolant has stopped
running or the steaming has
stopped. If there is no visible loss
of engine coolant and no steam,
leave the engine running and
check to be sure the engine cool-
ing fan is operating. If the fan is not
running, turn the engine off. 4.Check to see if the water pump
drive belt is missing. If it is not
missing, check to see that it is
tight. If the drive belt seems to be
satisfactory, check for coolant leak-
ing from the radiator, hoses or
under the vehicle. (If the air condi-
tioning had been in use, it is nor-
mal for cold water to be draining
from it when you stop).
5.If the water pump drive belt is bro- ken or engine coolant is leaking
out, stop the engine immediately
and call the nearest authorized Kia
dealer for assistance. 6.If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine
temperature has returned to nor-
mal. Then, if coolant has been lost,
carefully add coolant to the reser-
voir to bring the fluid level in the
reservoir up to the halfway mark.
7.Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheat-
ing. If overheating happens again,
call an authorized Kia dealer for
assistance.
Serious loss of coolant indicates
there is a leak in the cooling system
and this should be checked as soon
as possible by an authorized Kia
dealer.
WARNING - Under the hood
While the engine is running,
keep hair, hands and clothing
away from moving parts such
as the fan and drive belts to pre-
vent injury.
WARNING - Radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This
may result in coolant being
blown out of the opening and
cause serious burns.

Maintenance
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
• Owner’s responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
• Owner maintenance precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Owner maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
• Owner maintenance schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Scheduled maintenance service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items . . . 7-29
Engine oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
• Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
• Changing the engine oil and filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
• Checking the coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
• Changing the coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
• Checking the brake fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
• Checking the washer fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41
• Checking the parking brake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41
Air cleaner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42
• Filter replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42
Climate control air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
• Filter inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
• Blade inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
• Blade replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
49
• For best battery service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49
• Battery recharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
• Recharging battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• Reset items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51\
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-52
• Tire care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
7-52
• Recommended cold tire inflation pressures . . . . . . . 7-52
• Tire pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-53
• Checking tire inflation pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-53
• Tire rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-54
• Wheel alignment and tire balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
• Tire replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-56
• Wheel replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
• Tire traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
• Tire maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
• Tire sidewall labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
• All season tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-64
• Summer tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-64
• Snow tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
64
• Radial-ply tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-64
• Low aspect ratio tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-65
7