HYUNDAI SONATA 2023 Owner's Guide

Seats & Safety System
3-2
You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are designed
to supplement seat belts, not replace
them. So even though your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make
sure you and your passengers wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
Restrain All Children
All children under age 13 should ride
in your vehicle properly restrained in a
rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and
small children should be restrained in
an appropriate child restraint. Larger
children should use a booster seat with
the lap/shoulder belt until they can use
the seat belt properly without a booster
seat.
Air Bag Hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and shorter adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver Distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel,
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers, and using cellular phones.
Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off
the road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving. To
reduce your risk of distraction or getting
into an accident: •
ALWAYS set up your mobile devices
(i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation
units, etc.) when your vehicle is
parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and when conditions
permit safe use. NEVER text or email
while driving. Most countries have
laws prohibiting drivers from texting.
Some countries and cities also
prohibit drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash
injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but
serious injuries can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is safe
for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe Condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous. To
reduce the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly
scheduled maintenance.
Important Safety precautIonS

3-3
03
Front seats
(1) Forward and rearward
(2) Seatback angle
(3) Seat cushion height
(4) Seat cushion angle
(5) Lumbar support Rear seats
(6) Armrest
(7) Seatback folding
SeatS
ODN8A030001
The actual layout of the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
„
„Driver’s Side • Manual
„„Passenger’s Side
• Manual
• Power• Power

Seats & Safety System
3-4
Safety Precautions
Adjusting the seats so that you are sitting
in a safe, comfortable position plays an
important role in driver and passenger
safety together with the seat belts and
air bags in an accident.
WARNING
Do not use a cushion that reduces
friction between the seat and the
passenger. The passenger’s hips may
slide under the lap portion of the seat
belt during an accident or a sudden
stop. Serious or fatal internal injuries
could result because the seat belt
cannot operate properly. Air bags
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
Sitting too close to an air bag greatly
increases the risk of injury in the event
the air bag inflates.
Move your seat as far back as
possible from front air bags, while still
maintaining control of the vehicle.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death from an inflating air bag, take the
following precautions: • Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while maintaining
the ability to maintain full control of
the vehicle.
• Adjust the front passenger seat as far
to the rear as possible.
• Hold the steering wheel by the rim
with hands at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions to minimize the risk
of injuries to your hands and arms. •
NEVER place anything or anyone
between the steering wheel and the air bag.
• Do not allow the front passenger to
place feet or legs on the dashboard
to minimize the risk of leg injuries.
Seat belts
Always fasten your seat belt before
starting any trip.
At all times, passengers should sit
upright and be properly restrained.
Infants and small children must be
restrained in appropriate child restraint
systems. Adults and children who
have outgrown a booster seat must be
restrained using the seat belts.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat belt: • NEVER use one seat belt for more
than one occupant.
• Always position the seatback upright
with the lap portion of the seat belt
snug and low across the hips.
• NEVER allow children or small infants
to ride on a passenger’s lap.
• Do not route the seat belt across your
neck, across sharp edges, or reroute
the shoulder strap away from your
body.
• Do not allow the seat belt to become
caught or jammed.

03
3-5
Front Seats
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat: • NEVER attempt to adjust the seat
while the vehicle is moving. The seat
could respond with unexpected
movement and may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
• Do not place anything under the
front seats. Loose objects in the
driver’s foot area could interfere
with the operation of the foot pedals,
causing an accident.
• Do not allow anything to interfere
with the normal position and proper
locking of the seatback.
• Do not place a cigarette lighter on
the floor or seat. When you operate
the seat, gas may exit out of the
lighter causing a fire.
• Use extreme caution when picking
up small objects trapped under the
seats or between the seat and the
center console. Your hands might be
cut or injured by the sharp edges of
the seat mechanism.
• If there are occupants in the rear
seats, be careful while adjusting the
front seat position.
• Make sure that the seat is locked in
place after the adjustment. If not,
the seat might move unexpectedly
resulting in an accident.
CAUTION
To prevent injury: • Do not adjust your seat while
wearing your seat belt. Moving the
seat cushion forward may cause
strong pressure on your abdomen.
• Do not allow your hands or fingers to
get caught in the seat mechanisms
while the seat is moving. Manual adjustment (if equipped)
The front seat can be adjusted by using
the levers located on the outside of
the seat cushion. Before driving, adjust
the seat to the proper position so that
you can easily control the steering
wheel, foot pedals and controls on the
instrument panel.
ODN8039002
Forward and rearward adjustment
To move the seat forward or rearward:
1. Pull up the seat slide adjustment lever
and hold it.
2. Slide the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seat is locked in place. Move forward
and rearward without using the lever.
If the seat moves, it is not locked
properly.

Seats & Safety System
3-6
ODN8039003
Seatback angle
To recline the seatback:
1. Lean forward slightly and lift up the seatback lever.
2. Carefully lean back on the seat and adjust the seatback to the position
you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seatback is locked in place. (The lever
MUST return to its original position for
the seatback to lock.)
Reclining seatback
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the protection of
your restraint system (seat belts and air
bags) is greatly reduced by reclining your
seatback.
WARNING
NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving.
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious or fatal
injuries in the event of a collision or
sudden stop.
Drivers and passengers should ALWAYS
sit well back in their seats, properly
belted, and with the seatbacks upright. Seat belts must be snug against your
hips and chest to work properly. When
the seatback is reclined, the shoulder
belt cannot do its job because it will not
be snug against your chest. Instead,
it will be in front of you. During an
accident, you could be thrown into the
seat belt, causing neck or other injuries.
The more the seatback is reclined,
the greater chance the passenger’s hips will slide under the lap belt or the
passenger’s neck will strike the shoulder belt.
ODN8039004
Seat cushion height
To change the height of the seat cushion: •
Push down on the lever several times,
to lower the seat cushion.
• Pull up on the lever several times, to
raise the seat cushion.

03
3 -7
Power adjustment (if equipped)
The front seat can be adjusted by
using the control switches located on
the outside of the seat cushion.Before
driving, adjust the seat to the proper
position so that you can easily control
the steering wheel, foot pedals and
controls on the instrument panel.
WARNING
NEVER allow children in the vehicle
unattended. The power seats are
operable when the vehicle is turned off.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the seats: • Always stop adjusting the seats when
the seat has moved as far forward or
rearward as possible.
• Do not adjust the seats for longer
than necessary when the vehicle
is turned off. This may result in
unnecessary battery drain.
• Do not operate two or more seats at
the same time.This may result in an electrical malfunction.
ODN8039005
Forward and rearward adjustment
To move the seat forward or rearward:
1. Push the control switch forward or rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seat reaches the desired position.
ODN8039006
Seatback angle
To adjust the seatback:
1. Rotate the top of control switch
forward or rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seatback reaches the desired position.

Seats & Safety System
3-8
Reclining seatback
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the protection of
your restraint system (seat belts and air
bags) is greatly reduced by reclining your
seatback.
WARNING
NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving. Riding
with a reclined seatback increases your
chance of serious or fatal injuries in
the event of a collision or sudden stop.
Driver and passengers should ALWAYS
sit well back in their seats, properly
belted, and with the seatbacks upright.
Seat belts must be snug against your hips
and chest to work properly. When the
seatback is reclined, the shoulder belt
cannot do its job because it will not be
snug against your chest. Instead, it will
be in front of you. During an accident,
you could be thrown into the seat belt,
causing neck or other injuries. The more
the seatback is reclined, the greater
chance the passenger’s hips will slide
under the lap belt or the passenger’s
neck will strike the shoulder belt.
ODN8039007
Seat cushion tilt (1)
To change the angle of the front part of
the seat cushion: Push the front portion
of the control switch up to raise or
down to lower the front part of the seat
cushion. Release the switch once the
seat reaches the desired position.
Seat cushion height (2)
To change the height of the seat cushion:
Push the rear portion of the control
switch up to raise or down to lower the
height of the seat cushion. Release the
switch once the seat reaches the desired position.

03
3-9
ODN8039008
Lumbar support
(for driver’s seat, if equipped)
The lumbar support can be adjusted
by pressing the lumbar support switch.
Press the front portion of the switch (1)
to increase support or the rear portion of
the switch (2) to decrease support.Seatback pocket (if equipped)
ODN8039016
The seatback pocket is provided on the
back of the front seatbacks.
WARNING
To prevent the Occupant Classification
System from malfunctioning:
Do not hang onto the front passenger’s
seatback.
CAUTION
Do not put heavy or sharp objects in the
seatback pockets. In an accident they
could come loose from the pocket and
injure occupants.

Seats & Safety System
3-10
Rear Seats
Folding the rear seat
The rear seatbacks can be folded to
facilitate carrying long items or to
increase the luggage capacity of the
vehicle.
WARNING
• Never allow passengers to sit on top
of the folded down seatback while
the vehicle is moving. This is not a
proper seating position and no seat
belts are available for use. This could
result in serious injury or death in
case of an accident or sudden stop.
• Objects carried on the folded down
seatback should not extend higher
than the top of the front seatbacks.
This could allow cargo to slide
forward and cause injury or damage
during sudden stops.
To fold down the rear seatback:
1. Set the front seatback to the upright position and if necessary, slide the
front seat forward.
ODN8039062L
2. Lower the rear head restraints to the lowest position by pushing and
holding the release button and
pushing down on the head restraint.
ODN8039063L
3. Pull on the seatback folding lever located in the trunk.
ODN8039064L
4. Fold the seatback toward the front of
the vehicle.
5. To use the rear seat, lift and pull the seatback rearward. Pull the seatback
firmly until it clicks into place. Make
sure the seatback is locked in place.

03
3-11
WARNING
When returning the rear seatback from
a folded to an upright position, hold the
seatback and return it slowly. Ensure
that the seatback is completely locked
into its upright position by pushing on
the top of the seatback. In an accident
or sudden stop, an unlocked seatback
could allow cargo to move forward with
great force and enter the passenger
compartment, which could result in
serious injury or death.
WARNING
Do not place objects in the rear seats,
since they cannot be properly secured
and may hit vehicle occupants in a
collision causing serious injury or death.
WARNING
Make sure the vehicle is off, the shift
button is in P (Park), and the parking
brake is securely applied whenever
loading or unloading cargo. Failure
to take these steps may allow the
vehicle to move if the shift button
is inadvertently moved to another position. Armrest (if equipped)
ODN8039018
The armrest is located in the center of
the rear seat. Pull the armrest down from
the seatback to use it.
Head Restraints
The vehicle’s front and rear seats
have adjustable head restraints. The
head restraints provide comfort for
passengers, but more importantly they
are designed to help protect passengers
from whiplash and other neck and spinal
injuries during an accident, especially in
a rear impact collision.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death in an accident, take the following
precautions when adjusting your head
restraints: • Always properly adjust the head
restraints for all passengers BEFORE
starting the vehicle.
• NEVER let anyone ride in a seat
with the head restraints removed or
reversed.