2021 KIA SPORTAGE Owners Manual

4 31
Features of your vehicle
✽NOTICE
In cold and wet climates, power lift-
gate may not work properly due to
freezing conditions.
✽NOTICE
Do not attach heavy objects to the
power liftgate when you operate the
power liftgate additional. Weight on
liftgate could cause damages to the
system.
POWER LIFTGATE (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Unattended
children/pets
Never leave children or animals
unattended in your vehicle.
Children or animals might oper-
ate the power liftgate in such a
way that could result in injury to
themselves or others or dam-
age to the vehicle.
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(1) Power liftgate open / close button
(2) Power liftgate handle switch
(3) Power liftgate close button
✽NOTICE
If ignition is ON, the power liftgate
operates when :
• Automatic shift lever is in P (Park).

Features of your vehicle
324
Opening the liftgate
The power liftgate will open automat-
ically by doing one of the following:
• Press the liftgate unlock button (4)on the smart key for approximately
one second. Press the power liftgate open/close
button for approximately one second.
CAUTION
Do not close or open the power
liftgate manually during auto-matic operation. This may causedamage to the power liftgate orto the vehicle.
If it is necessary to close oropen the power liftgate manual-ly when the battery is dis-charged or disconnected, makesure the liftgate is not in opera-tion. Switch the power liftgate tothe off position. Do not applyexcessive force.
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OQL048079L

4 33
Features of your vehicle
• Press the liftgate handle switchcarrying the smart key with you.
Closing the liftgate
Press the power liftgate close button
for approximately one second when
the liftgate is opened. The liftgate will
close and lock automatically. Press the power liftgate close button
(4) for approximately one second
when the tailgate is opened. The lift-
gate will close and lock automatical-
l y.
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OCDW048412

Features of your vehicle
344
Power liftgate non-opening condi-tions
The power liftgate will not open auto-
matically, when the vehicle is moving
more than 2mph(3km/h) or the auto-
matic shift lever is not in P(Park) posi-
tion.
✽NOTICE
The chime will sound continuously if
you drive over 2 mph (3 km/h) with
the liftgate opened. Stop your vehi-
cle at a safe place as soon as possible
to check if your liftgate is opened.
✽NOTICE
• The power liftgate can be operated when the engine is not running.
However the power liftgate opera-
tion consumes large amounts of
vehicle electric power. To prevent
the battery from being discharged,
do not operate it excessively.
• To prevent the battery from being discharged, do not leave the power
liftgate in the open position for a
long time.
• Do not modify or repair any part of the power liftgate by yourself.
This must be done by an author-
ized Kia dealer.
• When jacking up the vehicle to change a tire or repair the vehicle,
do not operate the power liftgate.
This could cause the power liftgate
to operate improperly. (Continued)
CAUTION
Do not operate the power lift-
gate more than 5 times continu-ously.
It may damage the power liftgatesystem. If you operate the powerliftgate more than 5 times con-tinuously, the chime will sound 3times and the power liftgate willnot operate. At this time, stopoperating the liftgate and leave itfor more than 1 minute.
WARNING
Make sure there are no people
or objects around the liftgate
before opening or closing the
power liftgate. Wait until the lift-
gate is open fully and stopped
before loading or unloading
cargo from the vehicle.

4 35
Features of your vehicle
(Continued)
• In cold and wet climates, thepower liftgate may not work prop-
erly due to freezing conditions.
• It is recommended to wait until the power liftgate is fully closed
before starting the vehicle. The
power liftgate may not close fully
if the vehicle is started during
automatic closing.Automatic reversal
During power opening and closing if
the power liftgate is blocked by an
object or part of the body, the power
liftgate will detect the resistance.
• If the resistance is detected while
opening the liftgate, it will stop and
move in the opposite direction.
• If the resistance is detected while closing the liftgate, it will stop and
move in the opposite direction. However, if the resistance is weak
such as from an object that is thin or
soft, or the liftgate is near the latched
position, the automatic stop and
reversal may not detect the resist-
ance.
If the automatic reversal feature
operates continuously more than
twice during opening or closing oper-
ation, the power liftgate may stop at
that position. At this time, close the
liftgate manually and operate the lift-
gate automatically again.
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Features of your vehicle
364
How to reset the power liftgate
If the battery has been discharged or
disconnected, or if the related fuse has
been replaced or disconnected, for the
power liftgate to operate normally,
reset the power liftgate as follows:
1. Put the automatic shift lever in P(Park).
2. While pressing the liftgate close button, press the liftgate handle
switch for more than 3 seconds.
(the chime will sound)
3. Close the liftgate manually.
If the power liftgate does not work
properly after the above procedure,
have the system checked by an
authorized Kia dealer.
✽NOTICE
If the power liftgate does not operate
normally, first check the following
condition before using the power
liftgate.
Make sure the automatic shift lever
is in P (Park).
Power liftgate opening height user setting
The driver may set the height of a
fully opened liftgate by following the
below instruction.
1. Position the liftgate manually to the height you prefer.
2. Press the liftgate close button for more than 3 seconds.
3. Close the liftgate manually after hearing the buzzer sound.
The liftgate will open to the height
the driver has set up.
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WARNING
To prevent serious injury and
damage take the following pre-
cautions when operating the
power liftgate :
• Keep all faces, hands, arms, body parts and other objects
away from the path of the
power liftgate.
• Do not intentionally place any body parts or objects in the
path of the power liftgate to
make sure the automatic stop
and reversal operates.
• Do not allow children to play with the power liftgate.

4 37
Features of your vehicle
Smart Power Liftgate
(if equipped)
On a vehicle equipped with a smart
key, the liftgate can be opened using
the Smart Power Liftgate system.
How to use the Smart PowerLiftgate
The liftgate can be opened with no-
touch activation satisfying all the
conditions below.
• After 15 seconds when all doors are closed and locked
• Positioned in the detecting area for more than 3 seconds.
✽NOTICE
• The Smart Power Liftgate doesnot operate when:
- The smart key is detected within15 seconds after the doors are
closed and locked, and is contin-
uously detected.
- The smart key is detected within 15 seconds after the doors are
closed and locked, and within 60
inches (1.5 m) from the front
door handles. (for vehicles
equipped with Welcome Light)
- A door is not locked or closed.
- The smart key is in the vehicle.
1. Setting
To activate the Smart Power Liftgate,
go to User Settings Mode and select
Smart Power Liftgate on the LCD
display.
❈
For more information, refer to
the "LCD Display" section in
this chapter.
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Features of your vehicle
384
2. Detect and Alert
If you are positioned in the detecting
area (20 ~ 40 inches (50 ~ 100 cm)
behind the vehicle) carrying a smart
key, the hazard warning lights will
blink and chime will sound for about
3 seconds to alert you the smart key
has been detected and the liftgate
will open.
✽NOTICE
Do not approach the detecting area
if you do not want the liftgate to
open. If you have unintentionally
entered the detecting area and the
hazard warning lights and chime
starts to operate, leave the detecting
area with the smart key. The liftgate
will stay closed.
3. Automatic opening
The hazard warning lights will blink
and chime will sound 2 times and
then the liftgate will open.
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