KIA Sorento (2009) - Manual (Page 223)

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Driving tips
Driving on off-road hills
Off-road driving often takes you up,
down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires excellent judgment and an
understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that
simply should not be driven.
Approaching a hill
When you approach a hill, you need to
decide if it’s one of those hills that’s just
too steep to climb, descend, or cross.
Steepness can be difficult to judge. On a
very small hill, for example, there may be
a smooth, constant incline with only a
small change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top. On a
large hill, the incline may get steeper as
you near the top, but you may not see
this because the crest of the hill is hidden
by bushes, grass, or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider
as you approach a hill:
• Is there a constant incline, or does the
hill get sharply steeper in places?
• Is there good traction on the hillside, or
will the surface cause tire slipping?
• Is there a straight path up or down the
hill so you won’t have to make turning
maneuvers?
• Are there obstructions on the hill that
can block your path (boulders, trees,
logs or ruts)?
• What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff,
an embankment, a drop-off, or a
fence? Get out of the vehicle and walk
the hill if you are unsure. It’s the smart
way to find out.
• Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills
often have ruts, gullies, troughs, and
exposed rocks because they are more
susceptible to the effects of erosion.
• How have weather conditions affected
the terrain? Is there likely to be mud,
snow or ice on the hill?
• What time of day is it? Are tempera-
tures dropping so that wet surfaces will
start to freeze?
WARNING - Driving on
hills
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. If you drive up them,
you will stall. If you drive down
them, you can’t control your speed.
In either case, you could flip over. If
you drive across them, you will roll
over. You could be seriously or
fatally injured. If you have any
doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive up or down the hill, even if it
means that you have to turn around
and find another route. Re-tracking
is a normal part of safe off-roading.