Kia Sportage 2023 Manual page 254

Driving your vehicle
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you're not pre-
pared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider when
driving in the rain:
僅 A heavy rainfall will make it harder to
see and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
僅 Keep your windscreen wiping equip-
ment in good shape. Replace your
windscreen wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windscreen.
僅 If your tyres are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tyres are in
good shape.
僅 Turn on your headlights to make it
easier for others to see you.
僅 Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
僅 If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
whilst driving until normal braking
operation returns.
Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough, your vehicle may
have little or no contact with the road
surface and actually ride on the water.
The best advice is SLOW DOWN when
the road is wet.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the depth of tyre tread decreases, refer
to"Wheel replacement" on page 9-52.
6 48
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times whilst the vehicle is moving slowly.
Driving off-road
Drive carefully off-road because your
vehicle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. Become familiar with the
off-road conditions where you are going
to drive before you begin driving.
Highway driving
Tyres
Adjust the tyre inflation pressures to
specification. Low tyre inflation pres-
sures will result in overheating and pos-
sible failure of the tyres.
Avoid using worn or damaged tyres
which may result in reduced traction or
tyre failure.
Never exceed the maximum tyre infla-
tion pressure shown on the tyres.
WARNING
僅 Always check the tyres for proper
inflation before driving. Underinflated
or overinflated tyres can cause poor
handling, loss of vehicle control, and
sudden tyre failure, leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even death. For
proper tyre pressures, refer to "Tyres
and wheels" on page 10-6.
Special driving conditions