2003 Hyundai Santa Fe ground clearance

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.

WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY 3- 7
D060D01A-AAT3. Loosen Wheel NutsD060E01A-AAT4. Put the Jack in Place
The wheel nuts should be loosened slightly
before raising the car. To loosen the nuts, turn
the wrench handle counterclockwise. When
doing this, be sure that the socket is seated
completely over the nut so it cannot slip off. For
maximum leverage, position the wrench so the
handle is to the left as shown in the drawing.
Then, while holding the wrench near the end of
the handle, push down on it with steady pres-
sure. Do not remove the nuts at this time. Just
loosen them about one-half turn.The base of the jack should be placed on firm,
level ground. The jack should be positioned as
shown in the drawing.
D060F02E-AAT5. Raising the Car
After inserting a bar into the wheel nut wrench,
install the bar into the jack as shown in the
drawing. To raise the vehicle, turn the wheel nut
wrench clockwise. As the jack begins to raise
the vehicle, double check that it is properly
positioned and will not slip. If the jack is on soft
ground or sand, place a board, brick, flat stone
or other object under the base of the jack to keep
it from sinking.
Raise the car high enough so that the fully
inflated spare tire can be installed. To do this,
you will need more ground clearance than is
required to remove the flat tire.
D060D01O D060E01O-1
HFC4022
Wrench bar
Wheel nut
wrench

3- 10 WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
!
D080B02O-AATTowing a Car With Manual Transaxle
D080C02A-AATTowing a Car With Automatic Transaxle
o If the car is being towed with the rear wheels
on the ground, be sure the parking brake is
released.
o If the car is being towed with the front wheels
on the ground, be sure that the transaxle is
in neutral. Also, be sure that the ignition key
is in the "ACC" position. This is necessary to
prevent damage to the steering lock mecha-
nism, which is not designed to hold the front
wheels straight while the car is being towed.
o If any of the loaded wheels or suspension
components are damaged, a towing dolly
must be used.
CAUTION:o When towing the 2WD vehicle with the
rear wheels on the ground, the vehicle
should be towed with wheel lift type
truck.
Otherwise, the CV joint boot can inter-
fere with the towing hook caused by
insufficient clearance resulting in CV
joint boot damage.
o 4 Wheel Drive cannot be towed with a
tow truck. It must be towed by lifting all
4 wheels.CAUTION:A car with an automatic transaxle should
never be towed from the rear with the front
wheels on the ground. This can cause se-
rious damage to the transaxle. If the car
must be towed from the rear, a towing dolly
must be used under the front wheels.
If the car is being towed with the rear wheels on
the ground, be sure the parking brake is re-
leased.
NOTE:Before towing, check the level of the
transaxle fluid. If it is below the "HOT" mark
on the dipstick, add fluid. If you cannot add
fluid, a towing dolly must be used as de-
scribed above.
D080B01O-1
D080C01OD080C02O
o DO NOT TOW 4WD
o OK FOR AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL
TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED VEHICLE
WITH NO DAMAGE (except 4WD)
o DO NOT TOW 4WD
o NOT OK FOR AUTOMATIC
TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED VEHICLE
o OK FOR MANUAL TRANSAXLE
(except 4WD)o OK FOR AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL
TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED VEHICLE
!