Get Driving your vehicle -> Winter driving Guide for Kia Sportage SUV 2020

Driving your vehicle

WINTER DRIVING

Severe weather conditions in the

winter result in greater wear and

other problems. To minimize the

problems of winter driving, you

should follow these suggestions:

Snow tires

Snowy or icy conditions

If you mount snow tires on your vehi-

cle, make sure they are radial tires of

the same size and load range as the

original tires. Mount snow tires on all

four wheels to balance your vehicle’s

handling in all weather conditions.

Keep in mind that the traction provid-

ed by snow tires on dry roads may

not be as high as your vehicle's orig-

inal equipment tires.You should drive

cautiously even when the roads are

clear. Check with the tire dealer for

maximum speed recommendations.

To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it

may be necessary to use snow tires

on your tires. If snow tires are need-

ed, it is necessary to select tires

equivalent in size and type of the

original equipment tires. Failure to do

so may adversely affect the safety

and handling of your vehicle.

Furthermore, speeding, rapid accel-

eration, sudden brake applications,

and sharp turns are potentially very

hazardous practices.

During deceleration, use engine

braking to the fullest extent. Sudden

brake applications on snowy or icy

roads may cause skids to occur. You

need to keep sufficient distance

between the vehicle in operation in

front of your vehicle. Also, apply the

brake gently.

Do not install studded tires without

first checking local, state and munic-

ipal regulations for possible restric-

tions against their use.

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Driving your vehicle

Use high quality ethylene gly-

col coolant

Check battery and cables

Change to "winter weight" oil

if necessary

Winter puts additional burdens on

the battery system. Visually inspect

the battery and cables as described

in chapter 8. The level of charge in

your battery can be checked by an

authorized Kia dealer or a service

station.

Your vehicle is delivered with high

quality ethylene glycol coolant in the

cooling system. It is the only type of

coolant that should be used because

it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-

ing system, lubricates the water

pump and prevents freezing. Be sure

to replace or replenish your coolant

in accordance with the maintenance

schedule in chapter 8. Before winter,

have your coolant tested to assure

that its freezing point is sufficient for

the temperatures anticipated during

the winter.

In some climates it is recommended

that a lower viscosity "winter weight"

oil be used during cold weather. See

chapter 9 for recommendations. If

you aren't sure what weight oil you

should use, consult an authorized

Kia dealer.

Check spark plugs and ignition

system

Inspect your spark plugs as

described in chapter 8 and replace

them if necessary. Also check all

ignition wiring and components to be

sure they are not cracked, worn or

damaged in any way.

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Driving your vehicle

To keep locks from freezing

Don’t let your parking brake

freeze

Carry emergency equipment

To keep the locks from freezing,

squirt an approved de-icer fluid or

glycerine into the key opening. If a

lock is covered with ice, squirt it with

an approved de-icing fluid to remove

the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,

you may be able to thaw it out by

using a heated key. Handle the heat-

ed key with care to avoid injury.

Depending on the severity of the

weather, you should carry appropri-

ate emergency equipment. Some of

the items you may want to carry

include tow straps or chains, flash-

light, emergency flares, sand, shov-

el, jumper cables, window scraper,

gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, blan-

ket, etc.

Under some conditions your parking

brake can freeze in the engaged

position.This is most likely to happen

when there is an accumulation of

snow or ice around or near the rear

brakes or if the brakes are wet. If

there is a risk the parking brake may

freeze, apply it only temporarily while

you put the gear shift lever in P

(Park, Automatic Transmission) and

block the rear wheels so the vehicle

cannot roll. Then release the parking

Use approved window washer

anti-freeze in system

To keep the water in the window brake.

washer system from freezing, add an

approved window washer anti-freeze

Don't let ice and snow accu-

solution in accordance with instruc-

tions on the container.Window wash-

er anti-freeze is available from an

authorized Kia dealer and most auto

parts outlets. Do not use engine

coolant or other types of anti-freeze

as these may damage the paint fin-

ish.

mulate underneath

Under some conditions, snow and

ice can build up under the fenders

and interfere with the steering. When

driving in severe winter conditions

where this may happen, you should

periodically check underneath the

vehicle to be sure the movement of

the front wheels and the steering

components are not obstructed.

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Driving your vehicle -> Winter driving for Your Kia Sportage SUV 2020

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