four wheel drive HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID 2023 Owners Manual

06
6-31
Indicator lights

v ESC indicator light (blinks)

v ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
When the ignition switch is set to the
ON position, the ESC indicator light
illuminates, then goes off if the ESC
system is operating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks whenever
the ESC is operating.
If the ESC indicator light stays on, your
vehicle may have a malfunction with
the ESC system. When this warning light
illuminates the vehicle be checked by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as
possible.
The ESC OFF indicator light comes on
when ESC is turned off.
WARNING
When ESC is blinking, this indicates the
ESC is active:
Drive slowly and NEVER attempt to
accelerate. NEVER turn the ESC off
while the ESC indicator light is blinking
or you may lose control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident.
NOTICE
Driving with wheels and tires with
different sizes may cause the ESC
system to malfunction. Before replacing
tires, make sure all four tires and wheels
are the same size. Never drive the
vehicle with different sized wheels and
tires installed.
ESC OFF usage
When Driving
The ESC OFF mode should only be used
brie

fly to help free the vehicle if stuck in
snow or mud, by temporarily stopping
operation of ESC, to maintain wheel
torque.
To turn ESC off while driving, press the
ESC OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the transmission:

[ Do not allow wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the ESC, ABS,
and parking brake warning lights
are displayed. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while
these lights are displayed.

[ When operating the vehicle on
a dynamometer, make sure the
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated).
Information
Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS
or standard brake system operation.

06
6-33
VSM OFF condition
To cancel VSM operation, press the ESC
OFF butt
on. ESC OFF indicator light ()
will illuminate.
To turn on VSM, press the ESC OFF
button again. The ESC OFF indicator light
will go out.
WARNING
If the ESC indicator light () or EPS
warning light () stays illuminated
or blinks, your vehicle may have a
malfunction with the VSM system.
When the warning light illuminates the
vehicle be checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
NOTICE
Driving with wheels and tires with
different sizes may cause the VSM
system to malfunction. Before replacing
tires, make sure all four tires and wheels
are the same size. Never drive the
vehicle with different sized tires and
wheels installed.
Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
(if equipped)
The Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
helps prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards when starting a vehicle from
a stop on a hill. The system operates the
brakes automatically for approximately
2 seconds and releases when the
accelerator pedal is depressed.
WARNING
Always be ready to depress the
accelerator pedal when starting off
an incline. The HAC activates only for
approximately 2 seconds.
Information

[ HAC does not operate when the shift
button is in P (Park) or N (Neutral).

[ HAC activates even when the ESC
(Electronic Stability Control) is off.
However, it does not activate, when
ESC does not operate normally.

Driving Your Vehicle6-38
All Wheel Drive (AWD) delivers engine
power to front and rear wheels for
maximum traction. AWD is useful when
extra traction is required, such as when
driving on, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH:

[ Do not drive in conditions that
exceed the vehicles intended
design such as challenging off-road
conditions.

[ Avoid high speeds when cornering or
turning.

[ Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.

[ The risk of a rollover is greatly
increased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.

[ Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver over steers to reenter
the roadway.

[ In the event your vehicle leaves
the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the t ravel lanes.
NOTICE

[Do not drive in water if the level
is higher than the bottom of the
vehicle.

[ Check your brake condition once
you are out of mud or water. Depress
the brake pedal several times as you
move slowly until you feel normal
braking return.

[ Shorten your scheduled
maintenance interval if you drive in
off-road conditions such as sand,
mud or water (see "Maintenance
Under Severe Usage Conditions"
section in chapter 9).

[ Always wash your vehicle thoroughly
after off road use, especially the
bottom of the vehicle.

[ Be sure to equip the vehicle with four
tires of the same size and type.

[ Make sure that a full time AWD
vehicle is towed by a flat bed tow
truck.
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06
6-39
CAUTION
When driving on normal roads,
deactivate the AWD LOCK mode by
pushing the AWD LOCK button (AWD
LOCK indicator light goes off). Driving
on normal roads with the AWD LOCK
mode, especially, when cornering
may cause mechanical noise or
vibration. The noise and vibration will
disappear when the AWD LOCK mode is
deactivated. Prolonged driving with the
noise and vibration may damage some
parts of the power train.
NOTICE

[When the AWD LOCK mode is
deactivated, a sensation may be felt
as the driving power is delivered
entirely to the front wheels.
Auto All Wheel Drive mode
(normal driving)
If the AWD system determines there is a
need for four wheel drive, the engine's
driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
Multi AWD mode
In the multi AWD mode, all-wheel drive
(AWD), engine , transmission and TCS
(Tration control system) are controlled
to achieve optimal driving performance
depending on the mode selected (AUTO/
SNOW/LOCK).

Driving Your Vehicle6-40
All Wheel Drive (AWD) 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 3
seconds to select AUTO, SNOW or LOCK.
Selected mode Description
Auto AWD (N
ormal
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.
AWD LOCK
In the AWD LOCK mode, the system is deactivated when
vehicle speed is over 37 mph (60 km/h).
Use this mode when driving up or down steep inclines,
driving off-road, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc.
to maximize traction
Be sure to maintain Auto AWD mode when driving on normal roads. If you drive with
the AWD Lock mode on normal roads or curved roads, it may damage AWD parts and
cause vibration and noise. However, vibration and noise are normal conditions that will
disappear when Auto AWD mode is selected. Also, when the vehicle is changed from
AWD Lock to Auto AWD, a sensation may be felt as driving power is delivered to the
rear wheels.

06
6-41
For safe AWD operation
Before driving

[Mak
e 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

[ S
tart 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 AWD 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 slo
w 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 AWD system.

06
6-43
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

[T
ry 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 f
amiliar 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 AWD 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 AWD system.

06
6-45
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 AWD 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.

06
6-53
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.
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.