2003 Hyundai Santa Fe tires

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 3
!!WARNING:o The 2WD Santa Fe is not designed for
off-road use. The 4WD Santa Fe is de-
signed primarily for use on paved roads.
However, occasional use in off-highway
conditions such as established unpaved
roads and non-challenging off-road
trails is allowed. The 4WD Santa Fe is not
designed for blazing new trails, chal-
lenging off-road conditions, or unpaved
hill climbing. Exceeding the conditions
that were intended for the vehicle's pri-
mary design may result in injury or death.
o Utility vehicle has a significantly higher
collision rate than other type of vehicles.
o Utility vehicle have higher ground clear-
ance and a narrower track to make them
capable of performing in a wide variety
of off-road applications. Specific design
characteristics give them a higher center
of gravitiy than ordinary cars. An advan-
tage of the higher ground clearance is a
better view of the road allowing you to
anticipate problem. They are not de-
signed for cornering at the same speeds
as conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily un-
der off-road conditions. If at all possible,
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, fail-
ure to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or vehicle rollover.
C020A01A-AATBEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
Before you start the engine, you should always:
1. Look around the vehicle to be sure there are
no flat tires, puddles of oil, water or other
indications of possible trouble.
2. After entering the car, check to be sure the
parking brake is engaged.
3. Check that all windows, and lights are clean.
4. Check that the interior and exterior mirrors
are clean and in position.
5. Check your seat, seatback and headrest to
be sure they are in their proper positions.
6. Lock all the doors.
7. Fasten your seat belt and be sure that all
other occupants have fastened theirs.
8. Turn off all lights and accessories that are
not needed.
9. When you turn the ignition switch to "ON",
check that all appropriate warning lights are
operating and that you have sufficient fuel.
10.Check the operation of warning lights and all
bulbs when key is in the "ON" position.
C030A01E-AATCOMBINATION IGNITION SWITCH
To Start the Engine
o If your Hyundai is equipped with a manual
transaxle, place the shift lever in neutral and
depress the clutch pedal fully.
o If your Hyundai has an automatic transaxle,
place the shift lever in "P" (park).
o To start the engine, insert the ignition key and
turn it to the "START" position. Release it as
soon as the engine starts. Do not hold the
key in the "START" position for more that 15
seconds.
NOTE:o For safety, the engine will not start if the
clutch pedal is not depressed fully
(Manual Transaxle) or the shift lever is
not in "P" or "N" Position (Automatic
Transaxle).
o The ignition key cannot be turned from
"ACC" position to "LOCK" position un-
less the shift lever is in the "P" (Park)
position or the negative battery terminal
is disconnected from the battery. To
remove the key, always confirm that the
shift lever is securely positioned in "P"
(Park) (For Automatic Transaxle)
o For additional information about start-
ing, see page 2-5.
WARNING:o In a collision crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.

2- 14 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
When driving on a snow-covered road or a
slippery, muddy surface, make sure that
you keep a sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the one ahead of you.
(7) Since the driving torque is always applied to
the 4 wheels, the performance of the full-time
4WD vehicle is greatly affected by the con-
dition of the tires. Be sure to equip it with all
four tires of the same size and type.
o When replacement of any of the tires or
disc wheels is necessary, replace all of
them.
o Rotate the tires and check the tire pres-
sure at regular intervals.
(8)The full-time 4WD vehicle cannot be
towed by an ordinary tow truck. Make
sure that the vehicle is towed with its
four wheels raised off the ground.
o Roadside Assistance Program:
Off-roading is not covered. To receive
service, the vehicle must be on a publicly
maintained road.
o If the vehicle is towed with its only two
wheels raised off the ground, the 4WD
system could be damaged.
o In unavoidable case, if the vehicle is
being towed with all four wheels on the
ground, it should be towed only forward
direction with rope.
o While towing, check the following items.
1. The ignition switch is in "ACC" or
"ON".
2. Place the shift lever in neutral (For
Automatic Transaxle, "N" position).
3. Release the parking brake.NOTE:To avoid serious damage to your 4WD ve-
hicle, limit towing to 10 mph and not for
more than 1 mile at ANY TIME.
(9)For speedometer test or inspection/mainte-
nance (I/M) program of SANTA FE 4WD,
use a four wheel chassis dynamometer.
HSM281Roll tester(Speedometer)Temporary free roller
o In rare cases when it's unavoidable that
a 4WD vehicle is to be inspected for
speedometer test on 2WD roll tester,
strictly follow the procedures next.
CAUTION:Never engage the parking brake while per-
forming these tests.
!
!WARNING:This vehicle is designed primarily for on
road use. Driving the vehicle in challenging
off-road conditions for which it was not
designed may result in damage to the ve-
hicle. Driving in conditions that exceed the
vehicle's intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in severe injury
or death.
Driving 4WD Safely
(1) Be sure to wear the seat belt.
(2) Do not drive in challenging off-road condi-
tions or areas that exceed the vehicle's
basic design intent or the driver's experi-
ence level.
(3) Drive at lower speeds in strong crosswinds.
Because of your vehicle's high center of
gravity, its stability will be affected in cross-
winds. Slower speeds ensure better vehicle
control.
(4) Check the brake condition after driving in wet
or muddy conditions. Press the brake sev-
eral times as you move slowly until you feel
normal braking forces return.
(5) Do not drive the vehicle through water. (i.e.
streams, rivers, lakes, etc.)
(6) The stopping distance of the full-time 4WD
vehicle differs very little from that of the 2WD
vehicle.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 15
!
1. Check the tire pressures recom-
mended for your vehicle.
2. Place the front wheels on the roll
tester for speedometer as shown in
the illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the rear wheels on the tempo-
rary free roller as shown in the illustra-
tion.
!CAUTION:o While the full-time 4WD vehicle is being
raised on a jack, never start the engine or
cause the tires to rotate.
There is the danger that rotating tires
touching the ground could cause the
vehicle to go off the jack and to jump
forward.
WARNING:Keep away from the front of the vehicle
while inspecting. This is very dangerous as
the vehicle can jump forward and cause
serious injury or death.
(10)When using tire chains, always attach them
to the front wheels.
(11)If the front or rear wheels get stuck in the
mud, do not spin them recklessly. The 4WD
system could be damaged.
!
C130A01A-AATGOOD BRAKING PRACTICES
WARNING:
Nothing should be carried on top of the
cargo area cover behind the rear seat. If
there were an accident or a sudden stop,
such objects could move forward and cause
damage to the vehicle or injure the occu-
pants.
!
D190A01O-GATLimited-Slip Differential (If installed)
A limited-slip differential, if equipped, is for the
rear wheel differential only. The features of this
limited-slip differential are described below:
Just as with a conventional differential, the
wheel on one side is allowed to turn at a different
speed from the wheel on the other side when the
vehicle is cornering. The difference between
the limited-slip differential and a conventional
differential is that if the wheel on one side of the
vehicle loses traction, a greater amount of
torque is applied to the rear wheel on the other
side to improve traction.
WARNING:o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel move-
ments, such as sharp lane charges or
fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
o In a collision crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die a per-
son weara seatbelt.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway and
the driver oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the road-
way, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into the travel
lanes. o If one of the front or rear wheels begins
to spin in mud, snow, etc., the vehicle
can sometimes be driven out by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal further;
however, avoid running the engine con-
tinuously at high rpm because doing so
could damage the 4WD system.

2- 16 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
o If your car is equipped with an automatic
transaxle, don't let your car creep forward.
To avoid creeping forward, keep your foot on
the brake pedal when the car is stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill. Engage
the parking brake and place the gear selec-
tor lever in "P" (automatic transaxle) or in first
or reverse gear (manual transaxle). If your
car is facing downhill, turn the front wheels
into the curb to help keep the car from rolling.
If your car is facing uphill, turn the front
wheels away from the curb to help keep the
car from rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to keep the car
from rolling, block the wheels.
o Under some conditions your parking brake
can freeze in the engaged position. This is
most likely to happen when there is an ac-
cumulation of snow or ice around or near the
rear brakes or if the brakes are wet. If there
is a risk that the parking brake may freeze,
apply it only temporarily while you put the
gear selector lever in "P" (automatic) or in
first or reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the car cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
o Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade with
the accelerator pedal. This can cause the
transaxle to overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.C140A01A-AATDRIVING FOR ECONOMY
You can save fuel and get more miles from your
car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate
rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts or full-
throttle shifts and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stoplights. Try to
adjust your speed to that of the other traffic
so you don't have to change speeds unnec-
essarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unneces-
sary braking. This also reduces brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you
drive, the more fuel your car uses. Driving at
a moderate speed, especially on the high-
way, is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components. In
addition, driving with your foot resting on the
brake pedal may cause the brakes to over-
heat, which reduces their effectiveness and
may lead to more serious consequences.
o Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated
to the recommended pressure. Incorrect
inflation, either too much or too little, results
in unnecessary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month. o After being parked, check to be sure the
parking brake is not engaged and that the
parking brake indicator light is out before
driving away.
o Driving through water may get the brakes
wet. They can also get wet when the car is
washed. Wet brakes can be dangerous!
Your car will not stop as quickly if the brakes
are wet. Wet brakes may cause the car to
pull to one side. To dry the brakes, apply the
brakes lightly until the braking action returns
to normal, taking care to keep the car under
control at all times. If the braking action does
not return to normal, stop as soon as it is safe
to do so and call your Hyundai dealer for
assistance.
o Don't coast down hills with the car out of gear.
This is extremely hazardous. Keep the car
in gear at all times, use the brakes to slow
down, then shift to a lower gear so that engine
braking will help you maintain a safe speed.
o Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting your
foot on the brake pedal while driving can be
dangerous because it can result in the brakes
overheating and losing their effectiveness. It
also increases the wear of the brake com-
ponents.
o If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply
the brakes gently and keep the car pointed
straight ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it to be safe
to do so, pull off the road and stop in a safe
place.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 17
o Be sure that the wheels are aligned cor-
rectly. Improper alignment can result from
hitting curbs or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes faster tire
wear and may also result in other problems
as well as greater fuel consumption.
o Keep your car in good condition. For better
fuel economy and reduced maintenance
costs, maintain your car in accordance with
the maintenance schedule in Section 5. If
you drive your car in severe conditions,
more frequent maintenance is required (see
Section 5 for details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum service,
your Hyundai should be kept clean and free
of corrosive materials. It is especially impor-
tant that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be allowed to
accumulate on the underside of the car. This
extra weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to corro-
sion.
o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than neces-
sary. If you are waiting (and not in traffic),
turn off your engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
o Remember, your Hyundai does not require
extended warm-up. As soon as the engine
is running smoothly, you can drive away. In
very cold weather, however, give your en-
gine a slightly longer warm-up period.o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging
is driving too slowly in too high a gear result-
ing in the engine bucking. If this happens,
shift to a lower gear. Over-revving is racing
the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be
avoided by shifting at the recommended
speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The air
conditioning system is operated by engine
power so your fuel economy is reduced
when you use it.
C160A01A-AATWINTER DRIVING
The more severe weather conditions of winter
result in greater wear and other problems. To
minimize the problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:
C150A01A-AATSMOOTH CORNERING
Avoid braking or gear changing in corners,
especially when roads are wet. Ideally, corners
should always be taken under gentle accelera-
tion. If you follow these suggestions, tire wear
will be held to a minimum.
C160B01A-AATSnowy or Icy Conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be
necessary to use snow tires or to install tire
chains on your tires. If snow tires are needed,
it is necessary to select tires equivalent in size
and type of the original equipment tires. Failure
to do so may adversely affect the safety and
handling of your car. Furthermore, 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 skids to occur.
You need to keep sufficient distance between
the vehicle in operation in front and your vehicle.
Also, apply the brake gently. It should be noted
that installing tire chains on the tire will provide
a greater driving force, but will not prevent side
skids.
NOTE:Tire chains are not legal in all states. Check
state laws before fitting tire chains.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 19
C170A01A-AAT
HIGHER SPEED MOTORING
Pre-Trip Inspections
1. Tires:
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to specifica-
tion. 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.
NOTE:Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure shown on the tires.
2. Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil:
High speed travel consumes 1.5 times more
fuel than urban motoring. Do not forget to check
both engine coolant and engine oil.
3. Drive belt:
A loose or damaged drive belt may result in
overheating of the engine.
C160K01A-AATCarry Emergency Equipment
Depending on the severity of the weather where
you drive your car, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of the items
you may want to carry include tire chains, tow
straps or chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, a shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
!
C180A01A-AATUSE OF LIGHTS
Check your lights regularly for correct opera-
tion and always keep them clean. When driving
during the day in conditions of poor visibility, it
is helpful to drive with headlights on low beam.
This enables you to be seen as well as to see.
C190A01S-AAT
TRAILER OR VEHICLE TOWING
If you are considering towing with your car, you
should first check with your State's Department
of Motor Vehicles to determine their legal re-
quirements.
Since laws vary from State to State the require-
ments for towing trailers, cars, or other types of
vehicles or apparatus may differ. Ask your
Hyundai dealer for further details before towing.
C190B01S-AATTrailer Hitches
Select the proper hitch and ball combination,
making sure that its location is compatible with
that of the trailer or vehicle being towed.
Use a quality non-equalizing hitch which distrib-
utes the tongue load uniformly throughout the
chassis.
The hitch should be bolted securely to the car
and installed by a qualified technician. DO NOT
USE A HITCH DESIGNED FOR TEMPORARY
INSTALLATION AND NEVER USE ONE THAT
ATTACHES ONLY TO THE BUMPER.
CAUTION:Do not do any towing with your car during
its first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) in order to
allow the engine to properly break in. Fail-
ure to heed this caution may result in seri-
ous engine or transaxle damage.
C190C01Y-AATTrailer Brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
make sure it conforms to federal and/or local
regulations and that it is properly installed and
operating correctly.
NOTE:If you tow a trailer or vehicle, your car will
require more frequent maintenance due to
the additional load. See Maintenance Under
Severe Usage Conditions" on page 5-6.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 21
2.4(2WD)
2.7(2WD)
2.7(4WD)
3.5(2WD)
3.5(4WD)Tongue
170(77.1)
120(54.4)
320(145.2)
270(122.5)
270(122.5)
220(99.8)
330(149.7)
280(127)
280(127)
230(104.3)
100(45.3)
120(54.4)
120(54.4)
150(68.0)
Lbs. (kg)
Trailer
1700(771)
1200(544)
3200(1452)
2700(1225)
2700(1225)
2200(998)
3300(1497)
2800(1270)
2800(1270)
2300(1043)
1000(453)
1200(544)
1200(544)
1500(680) Maximum Towable Weight
Type A
Type B
Type A
Type B
Type A
Type B
Type A
Type B
Type A
Type B With
Brake
Without
Brake
Without
Brake
+ABSEngine
2.4(2WD)
2.7(2WD)
2.7(4WD)
3.5(2WD)
3.5(4WD)
2.4(2WD)
2.7(2WD)
2.7(4WD)
3.5(2WD)
3.5(4WD)
Type A : Vehicle carrying 2 passengers
Type B : Vehicle carrying 5 passengers
!
C190F01O-AATTrailer or Vehicle Towing Tips
1. Before towing, check hitch and safety chain
connections as well as proper operation of
the trailer running lights, brake lights, and
turn signals.
2. Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
conditions.
3. To maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
fifth gear (manual transaxle) or overdrive
(automatic transaxle).
4. Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
5. Check the condition and air pressure of all
tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire
pressure can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire.
6. The vehicle/trailer combination is more af-
fected by crosswind and buffeting.
When being passed by a large vehicle, keep
a constant speed and steer straight ahead.
If there is too much wind buffeting slow down
to get out of the other vehicle's air turbulence.
7. When parking your car and trailer, especially
on a hill, be sure to follow all the normal
precautions. Turn your front wheel into the
curb, set the parking brake firmly, and put the
transaxle in 1st or Reverse (manual) or Park
(automatic). In addition, place wheel chocks
at each of the trailer's tires. 4. The gross combination weight (sum of
your vehicle weight plus its load and the
total trailer weight) must not exceed the
following.
4WD
-
7400(3357)
7500(3402)Lbs. (kg)
2WD
6000(2721)
7700(3493)
7800(3538)Combination WeightEngine
2.4
2.7
3.5
WARNING:o Improperly loading your car and trailer
can seriously affect its steering and brak-
ing performance causing a crash which
could cause serious injury or death.
o Do not exceed 45 mph or the posted
towing speed limit, whichever is lower.

3- 6 WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
D060C01A-AAT2. Block the WheelD060B02O-AAT1. Obtain Spare Tire and ToolD060A01A-AATCHANGING A FLAT TIRE
The procedure described on the following pages
can be used to rotate tires as well as to change
a flat tire. When preparing to change a flat tire,
check to be sure the gear selector lever is in "P"
(automatic) or reverse gear (manual transaxle)
and that the parking brake is set, then:Remove the spare tire and remove the jack and
tool bag from the luggage compartment.
NOTE:The spare tire is located underneath the car.Block the wheel that is diagonally opposite from
the flat to keep the vehicle from rolling when the
car is raised on the jack.
D060A01O
D060B01OHSM382
Flat tire