tires HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID 2021 User Guide

Driving your vehicle
6-40
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) selection
OTMA060012
Press the DRIVE/TERRAIN button to
change from normal driving mode to
multi terrain mode. After the button
is pressed, rotate the knob within 4
seconds to select SNOW, MUD or SAND.
Selected modeDescription
Auto 4WD (Normal driving) -•
Use this mode when driving on normal roads.
• Under normal operating conditions, the vehicle
operates similar to conventional 2WD vehicles. If the
system determines there is a need for four wheel drive,
the engine's driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
SNOW
• Use this mode when driving on low traction roads.
• The engine’s driving power is properly distributed
to the wheels, to help start the vehicle stably on low
traction roads or keep tires from slipping.
Be sure to maintain Auto 4WD mode when driving on normal roads. If you drive with
the 4WD Lock mode on normal roads or curved roads, it may damage 4WD parts and
cause vibration and noise. However, vibration and noise are normal conditions that will
disappear when Auto 4WD mode is selected. Also, when the vehicle is changed from
4WD Lock to Auto 4WD, a sensation may be felt as driving power is delivered to the
rear wheels.

06
6-41
For safe 4WD operation
Before driving
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
• Sit upright and closer to the steering
wheel than usual. Adjust the steering
wheel to a position comfortable for
you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
• Start off slowly by applying the
accelerator pedal gently.
• Use snow tires or tire chains.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Apply engine braking during
deceleration by using the paddle
shifter (manual shift mode) and
manually selecting a lower gear.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent skids.
Information
When using Snow Tires, mount them on
all four wheels.
If a full set of chains is not available for
an 4WD vehicle when using tire chains,
chains may be installed on the front wheels
only.
For more details on Snow Tires and Tire
Chains, refer to "Winter Driving" section
later in this chapter.
Driving in sand or mud
• Maintain slow and constant speed.
• Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Reduce vehicle speed and always
check the road condition.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent getting stuck.
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stuck in snow, sand
or mud, place a nonslip material under
the drive wheels to provide traction
OR slowly spin the wheels in forward
and reverse directions which causes
a rocking motion that may free the
vehicle.
However, avoid running the engine
continuously at high rpm, doing so may
damage the 4WD system.
Driving up or down hills
• Driving uphill
-Before starting off, check if it is
possible to drive uphill.
-Drive as straight as possible.
• Driving downhill
-Do not change gear while driving
downhill. Select gear before driving
downhill.
-Drive slowly using engine braking
while driving downhill.
-Drive straight as possible.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driving up or
down steep hills. The vehicle may flip
over depending on the grade, terrain,
water and mud conditions.

Driving your vehicle
6-42
WARNING
Do not drive across the contour of steep
hills. A slight change in the wheel angle
can destabilize the vehicle, or a stable
vehicle may lose stability if the vehicle
stops its forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over and lead to a serious injury
or death.
Driving through water
• Try to avoid driving in deep standing
water. It may stall your engine and
clog your exhaust pipes.
• If you need to drive in water, stop
your vehicle, set the vehicle in Multi
Terrain mode and drive under 5 mph
(8 km/h).
• Do not change gear while driving in
water.
CAUTION
Always drive slowly in water. If you
drive too fast, water may get into the
engine compartment and wet the
ignition system causing your vehicle to
suddenly stop.
Additional driving conditions
• Become familiar with the off-road
conditions before driving.
• Always pay attention when driving off-
road and avoid dangerous areas.
• Drive slowly when driving in heavy
wind.
• Reduce vehicle speed when
cornering. The center of gravity
of 4WD vehicles is higher than
conventional 2WD vehicles, making
them more likely to roll over when you
rapidly turn corners.
• Always hold the steering wheel firmly
when you are driving off-road.
WARNING
Do hold the steering wheel tightly
when you are driving off-road. You may
hurt your arm by a sudden steering
maneuver or from steering wheel
rebound due to an impact with objects
on the ground. You could lose control
of the steering wheel which may lead to
serious injury or death.
Emergency precautions
Tires
When replacing tires, be sure to equip
all four tires with the same size, type,
tread patterns, brand and load-carrying
capacity.
WARNING
Do not use tire and wheel with different
size and type from the one originally
installed on your vehicle. It can affect
the safety and performance of your
vehicle, which could lead to steering
failure or rollover causing serious injury.
In an emergency situation, a compact
spare tire (if equipped) or Tire Mobility
Kit (if equipped) may be used. But,
do not use the compact spare tire
continuously. Repair or replace the
original tire as soon as possible to avoid
failure of the differential or 4WD system.

Driving your vehicle
6-44
Reducing the risk of a rollover
Your multi-purpose passenger vehicle is
defined as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
SUV’s have higher ground clearance
and a narrower track to make them
capable of performing in a wide variety
of off-road applications. The specific
design characteristics give them a higher
center of gravity than ordinary vehicles
making them more likely to roll over if
you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. Due to this
risk, driver and passengers are strongly
recommended to buckle their seat belts.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
WARNING
Rollover
As with other Sports Utility Vehicle
(SUV), failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of control,
an accident or vehicle rollover.
• Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles.
• Specific design characteristics
(higher ground clearance, narrower
track, etc.) give this vehicle a higher
center of gravity than ordinary
vehicles.
• A SUV is not designed for cornering
at the same speeds as conventional
vehicles.
• Avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
• In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Make sure everyone in the vehicle is
properly buckled up.
WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide safe ride and
handling capability. Do not use a size
and type of tire and wheel that is
different from the one that is originally
installed on your vehicle. It can affect
the safety and performance of your
vehicle, which could lead to steering
failure or rollover and serious injury.
When replacing the tires, be sure to
equip all four tires with the tire and
wheel of the same size, type, tread,
brand and load-carrying capacity.
If you nevertheless decide to equip
your vehicle with any tire/wheel
combination not recommended by
HYUNDAI for off road driving, you
should not use these tires for highway
driving.
WARNING
Jacked vehicle
While a full-time 4WD vehicle is being
raised on a jack, never start the engine
or cause the tires to rotate.
There is a danger that rotating tires
touching the ground could cause the
vehicle to fall off the jack and to jump
forward or rearward.

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6-49
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving elements
are encountered such as water, snow,
ice, mud and sand, take the following
precautions:
• Drive cautiously and maintain a longer
braking distance.
• Avoid abrupt braking or steering.
• When your vehicle is stuck in
snow, mud, or sand, use second
gear. Accelerate slowly to avoid
unnecessary wheel spin.
• Put sand, rock salt, tire chains or other
non-slip materials under the wheels to
provide additional traction while the
vehicle becomes stuck in ice, snow,
or mud.
WARNING
Downshifting with an automatic
transmission while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident. The
sudden change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid. Be careful when
downshifting on slippery surfaces.
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your front wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear.
Try to avoid spinning the wheels, and do
not race the engine.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator pedal
while shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal while the transmission
is in gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that may free the vehicle.
WARNING
If the vehicle is stuck and excessive
wheel spin occurs, the temperature
in the tires can increase very quickly.
If the tires become damaged, a tire
blow out or tire explosion can occur.
This condition is dangerous - you and
others may be injured. Do not attempt
this procedure if people or objects are
anywhere near the vehicle.
If you attempt to free the vehicle, the
vehicle can overheat quickly, possibly
causing an engine compartment fire
or other damage. Try to avoid spinning
the wheels as much as possible to
prevent overheating of either the tires
or the engine. DO NOT allow the vehicle
to spin the wheels above 35 mph (56
km/h).
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
NOTICE
If you are still stuck after rocking the
vehicle a few times, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating, possible damage to
the transmission, and tire damage. See
“Towing” section in chapter 8.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS

Driving your vehicle
6-50
Driving at night
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 drivers’ headlamps.
• Keep your headlamps clean and
properly aimed. 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. Here are a few things to
consider when driving in the rain or on
slick pavement:
• Slow down and allow extra following
distance. A heavy rainfall makes
it harder to see and increases the
distance needed to stop your vehicle.
• Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if
equipped)
• Replace your windshield wiper blades
when they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
• Be sure your tires have enough tread.
If your tires do not have enough tread,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. See “Tire Tread” section
in chapter 9.
• 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 your brakes may be 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 “Tire Tread” section in chapter 9.

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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 reduced.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or damage
the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged tires,
which may reduce traction or fail the
braking operation.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as specified
on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
Driving at higher speeds on the highway
consumes more fuel and is less efficient
than driving at a slower, more moderate
speed. Maintain a moderate speed in
order to conserve fuel when driving on
the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine coolant
level and the engine oil before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
overheat the engine.
Reducing the risk of a rollover
Your multi-purpose passenger vehicle is
defined as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
SUV’s have higher ground clearance
and a narrower track to make them
capable of performing in a wide variety
of off-road applications. The specific
design characteristics give them a higher
center of gravity than ordinary vehicles
making them more likely to roll over if
you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. Due to this
risk, driver and passengers are strongly
recommended to buckle their seat belts.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
There are steps that a driver can make
to reduce the risk of a rollover. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers, do not load your vehicle
with heavy cargo on the roof, and never
modify your vehicle in any way.
WARNING
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:
• Take corners at slower speeds than
you would with a passenger vehicle.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that you would raise the center
of gravity.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Do not carry heavy cargo on the roof.
WARNING
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt. Make sure
all passengers are wearing their seat
belts.

Driving your vehicle6-52
WINTER DRIVING
The severe weather conditions of winter quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or icy conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of
you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid acceleration, 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 the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment. Some of the items you may want to carry include
tire chains, tow straps or chains, a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a shovel, jumper
cables, a window scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of your vehicle may be adversely affected.
We recommend that you use snow tires when road temperature is below 45°F (7°C).
Refer to the below chart, and mount the recommended snow tire for your vehicle.
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle, make sure to use the same Inflation pressure
as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions. The traction provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s original equipment tires. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommendations.

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Tire chains
„„Type A
OTM080044L
„„Type B
OTM080043L
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner than other types of tires, they
may be damaged by mounting some
types of tire chains on them. Therefore,
the use of snow tires is recommended
instead of tire chains. If tire chains must
be used, use genuine HYUNDAI parts if
available and install the tire chain after
reviewing the instructions provided with
the tire chains. Damage to your vehicle
caused by improper tire chain use is not
covered by your vehicle manufacturer’s
warranty.
Fabric-type chains must be used on
vehicles equipped with 19”/20” tires.
When using tire chains, attach them to
the drive wheels as follows.
4WD : All four wheels
If a full set of chains is not available for
an 4WD vehicle, chains may be installed
on the front wheels only.
WARNING
The use of tire chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling:
• Drive less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
or the chain manufacturer’s
recommended speed limit,
whichever is lower.
• Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.
• Avoid sharp turns or locked wheel
braking.
Information
• Install tire chains only in pairs and on
the front tires. It should be noted that
installing tire chains on the tires will
provide a greater driving force, but will
not prevent side skids.
• Do not install studded tires without
first checking local and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.

Driving your vehicle
6-54
Chain Installation
When installing tire chains, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions and mount
them as tightly possible. Drive slowly
(less than 20 mph (30 km/h)) with
chains installed. If you hear the chains
contacting the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make contact,
slow down until the noise stops. Remove
the tire chains as soon as you begin
driving on cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park the
vehicle on level ground away from traffic.
Turn on the vehicle Hazard Warning
Flasher and place a triangular emergency
warning device behind the vehicle (if
available). Always place the vehicle in P
(Park), apply the parking brake and turn
off the engine before installing snow
chains.
NOTICE
When using tire chains:
• Wrong size chains or improperly
installed chains can damage your
vehicle’s brake lines, suspension,
body and wheels.
• Use SAE “S” class or wire chains.
• If you hear noise caused by chains
contacting the body, retighten the
chain to prevent contact with the
vehicle body.
• To prevent body damage, retighten
the chains after driving 0.3~0.6 miles
(0.5~1.0 km).
• Do not use tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels. If
unavoidable, use a wire type chain.
• Use wire chains less than 0.47 in.
(12 mm) thick or fabric-type chain
to prevent damage to the chain’s
connection.
• Fabric-type chains must be used on
vehicles equipped with 19/20” tires.
Winter precautions
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
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 cooling
system, lubricates the water pump and
prevents freezing. Be sure to replace or
replenish your coolant in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in
chapter 9. Before winter, have your
coolant tested to assure that its freezing
point is sufficient for the temperatures
anticipated during the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter temperatures affect battery
performance. Inspect the battery and
cables, as specified in chapter 9. The
battery charging level can be checked
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer or in a
service station.
Change to “winter weight” oil if
necessary
In some regions during winter, it is
recommended to use the “winter
weight” oil with lower viscosity In
addition, replace the engine oil and filter
if it is close to the next maintenance
interval. Fresh engine oil ensures
optimum engine operation during the
winter months. For further information,
refer to chapter 2. When you are not
sure about a type of winter weight oil,
we recommend that you consult an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.