Kia Sportage: Driving at night/ Driving in the rain

Driving at night

Because night driving presents more hazards than driving in the daylight, here are some important tips to remember:

• Slow down and keep more distance between you and other vehicles, as it may be more difficult to see at night, especially in areas where there may not be any street lights.
• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's headlamps.
• Keep your headlamps clean and properly aimed. (On vehicles not equipped with the automatic headlamp aiming feature.) Dirty or improperly aimed headlamps will make it much more difficult to see at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the headlamps of oncoming vehicles. You could be temporarily blinded, and it will take several seconds for your eyes to readjust to the darkness.

Driving in the rain

Rain and wet roads can make driving dangerous, especially if you're not prepared for the slick pavement.

Here are a few things to consider when driving in the rain:

• A heavy rainfall will make it harder to see and will increase the distance needed to stop your vehicle, so slow down.
• Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace your windshield wiper blades when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield.
• If your tires 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 tires are in good shape.
• Turn on your headlamps to make it easier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go through puddles, try to drive through them slowly.
• If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly while 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 tire tread decreases, refer to"Tires and wheels"

Highway driving

Tires

Adjust the tire inflation pressures to specification. Low tire inflation pressures will result in overheating and possible failure of the tires.

Avoid using worn or damaged tires which may result in reduced traction or tire failure.

Never exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure shown on the tires.

WARNING

Under/over inflated tires

Always check the tires for proper inflation before driving. Under inflated or overinflated tires can cause poor handling, loss of vehicle control, and sudden tire failure, leading to accidents, injuries, and even death. For proper tire pressures, refer to "Tire specification and pressure label"

WARNING

Tire tread

Always check the tire tread before driving your vehicle. Worn-out tires can result in loss of vehicle control. Worn-out tires should be replaced as soon as possible.

For further information and tread limits, refer to "Tires and wheels"

Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil

High speed travel consumes more fuel than urban motoring. Do not forget to check both the engine coolant and engine oil.

Drive belt

A loose or damaged drive belt may result in overheating of the engine.

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