2018 KIA SPORTAGE check engine light

Driving your vehicle
96
6
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 your-
self 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
responsive 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.

697
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
occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you dis-
connect 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 45
mph (70 km/h) 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.

73
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 con-
trol. 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 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.
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 (limp home) condition.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING

What to do in an emergency
47
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly
1. 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 oper-
ate 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.

Maintenance
68
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized Kia dealer at the frequencies
indicated to help ensure safe,
dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties and you may be charged for
labor, parts and lubricants used.Owner maintenance schedule
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check the coolant level in coolantreservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-
ahead position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling 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 operation 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
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
WARNING - Hot coolant
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow
out under pressure.

87
Maintenance
At least monthly:
Check the coolant level in theengine coolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn
signals and hazard warning flash-
ers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) :
Check the radiator, heater and air conditioning 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.
At least once a year :
Clean the body and door drainholes.
Lubricate the door hinges and check the hood hinges.
Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.

Maintenance
60
8
FUSES
❈ Left side : Normal , Right side : Blown
A vehicle’s electrical system is pro-
tected from electrical overload dam-
age by fuses.
This vehicle has 2 (or 3) fuse panels,
one located in the driver’s side panel
bolster, the other in the engine com-
partment near the battery.
If any of your vehicle’s lights, acces-
sories, or controls do not work, check
the appropriate circuit fuse. If a fuse
has blown, the element inside the
fuse will melt.
If the electrical system does not
work, first check the driver’s side
fuse panel.
Always replace a blown fuse with
one of the same rating.
If the replacement fuse blows, this
indicates an electrical problem. Avoid
using the system involved and imme-
diately consult an authorized Kia
dealer.
Three kinds of fuses are used: blade
type for lower amperage rating, car-tridge type, and multi fuse for higheramperage ratings.
Do not arbitrarily modify or add-on electric wiring to the vehicle.
WARNING- Fuse replace-
ment
Never replace a fuse with any- thing but another fuse of the
same rating.
A higher capacity fuse could cause damage and possibly a
fire.
Never install a wire or alu- minum foil instead of the
proper fuse - even as a tem-
porary repair. It may cause
extensive wiring damage and
a possible fire.
CAUTION
Do not use a screwdriver or anyother metal object to removefuses because it may cause ashort circuit and damage thesystem.
OJF075021
■
Blade type
■ Cartridge type
■ Multi fuse
■ BFT

Maintenance
78
8
LIGHT BULBS
Bulb replacement precaution
Please keep extra bulbs on hand
with appropriate wattage ratings in
case of emergencies.
Refer to “Bulb Wattage” in chapter 9.
When changing lamps, first turn off
the engine at a safe place, firmly
apply the parking brake and detach
the battery’s negative (-) terminal.
Use only bulbs of the specified
wattage.✽ ✽ NOTICE
• If the light bulb or lamp connector
is removed while the lamp is still
on, the fuse box's electronic sys-
tem may log it as a malfunction.
Therefore, a lamp malfunction
incident may be recorded as a
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) in
the fuse box.
• It is normal for an operating lamp to flicker momentarily. This is due
to a stabilization function of the
vehicle’s electronic control device.
If the lamp lights up normally
after momentarily blinking, then
it is functioning as normal.
However, if the lamp continues to
flicker several times or turns off
completely, there may be an error
in the vehicle’s electronic control
device. Please have the vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer immediately.
WARNING- Working on
the lights
Prior to working on the light,
firmly apply the parking brake,
ensure that the ignition switch
is turned to the LOCK position
and turn off the lights to avoid
sudden movement of the vehi-
cle and burning your fingers or
receiving an electric shock.
CAUTION -Light replace-
ment
Be sure to replace the burned- out bulb with one of the samewattage rating. Otherwise, itmay cause damage to the fuseor electric wiring system.
CAUTION -Headlamp
Lens
To prevent damage, do notclean the headlamp lens withchemical solvents or strongdetergents.