2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner's Manual

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
8OPERATING THE AUTOMATIC
TRANSAXLE (2.4L, 2.7L - 4 A/T)
!WARNING:o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel move-
ments, such as sharp lane changes or
fast, sharp turns.
o Always wear your seat belts.
In a collision crash, un unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.
o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
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 Never exceed posted speed limits.
C090A01O-GAT
The highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has four forward speeds and one reverse
speed. The individual speeds are selected au-
tomatically, depending on the position of the
speed selector lever. The selector lever has 2
gates; the main gate and the manual gate.
NOTE:For information on manual gate operation,
refer to "Sports Mode".
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4
positions, and is equipped with a button to avoid
inadvertent wrong selection.
NOTE:Depress the brake pedal and push the
button when shifting.
Push the button when shifting.
The selector lever can be shifted freely.
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, or if the
battery has been disconnected, may be
somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condi-
tion, and the shifting sequence will adjust
after shifts are cycled a few times by the
T.C.M (Transaxle Control Module).
C090A01O
C090A02L

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
9
!
C090E01O-AAT
o D(Drive):
Use for normal driving. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four gear sequence.
C090F01O-GAT
Sports Mode (2.4L, 2.7L - 4 A/T)
C090D02O-AAT
o N (Neutral):
In the "N" position, the transaxle is in neutral,
which means that no gears are engaged. The
engine can be started with the shift lever in "N"
position, although this is not recommended
except if the engine stalls while the car is
moving.
C090B02A-AATThe function of each position is as fol-
lows:
o P (Park):
Use to hold the vehicle in place when parked or
while starting the engine. Whenever parking the
car, apply the parking brake and shift the selec-
tor lever to the "P" (Park) position.
C090C01A-AAT
o R(Reverse):
Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the car to
a complete stop before shifting the selector
lever to "R" position.
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the selector lever position when the
ignition is switched "ON". During "D" range
operation, green lights indicate the gear cur-
rently in use.
CAUTION:Never place the selector lever in the "P"
(Park) position unless the vehicle is fully
stopped. Failure to observe this caution
will cause severe damage to the transaxle.Whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion,
sports mode is selected by pushing the selector
lever from the "D" position into the manual gate.
To return to "D" range operation, push the
selector lever back into the main gate.
In sports mode, moving the selector lever back-
wards and forwards can make rapid gearshifts
simple. In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with the accel-
erator pedal depressed.
UP (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift up
one gear.
DOWN (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to
shift down one gear.
SKIP : By rapidly moving the selector forwards
or backwards twice, it is possible to skip one
gear, i.e. 1st to 3rd or 3rd to 1st.
CAUTION:Never shift into "R" or "P" position while the
vehicle is moving.
!
C090F01O

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
!!
o To maintain the required levels of ve-
hicle performance and safety, the sys-
tem may not execute certain gearshifts
when the selector lever is operated.
o Before driving away from a stop on a
slippery road, push the selector lever
forward into the +(UP) position. This
causes the transaxle to shift into 2nd
gear which is better for smooth driving
away on a slippery road. Push the selec-
tor lever to the -(DOWN) side to shift
back to 1st gear.
CAUTION:o In sports mode, The driver must execute
shifts in accordance with prevailing road
conditions, taking care to keep the en-
gine speed below the red zone. For the
engine protection, upward shifts are
made automatically when the engine
rpm reaches the red zone.
o By rapidly moving the selector lever back-
wards (-) twice, it is possible to skip one
gear, i.e., 3rd to 1st, 4th to 2nd. Since
sudden engine braking and/or rapid ac-
celeration can cause a loss of traction,
however, downshifts must be made care-
fully in accordance with the vehicle's
speed.
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the four forward
gears can be selected. To reverse or park
the vehicle, move the selector lever to
the "R" or "P" position as required.
o In sports mode, downward shifts are
made automatically when the vehicle
slows down. When the vehicle stops, 1st
gear is automatically selected.
C090H01L-GATNOTE:
o For smooth and safe operation, depress
the brake pedal when shifting from "Neu-
tral" position or "Park" position to a
forward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully de-
pressed in order to move the shift lever
from the "P" (Park) position to any of the
other positions.
o It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D" position to "P" position. The
vehicle must be fully stopped to avoid
transaxle damage.
C090I02L-GAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into "R" and "P" position only when
the vehicle has completely stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in reverse
or any of the forward positions with the
brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when shift-
ing from "P" or "N", to "R" or "D"position.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always set
the parking brake, shift the transaxle
into "P" (Park) position and turn off the
ignition when you leave the vehicle, even
momentarily. Never leave the vehicle
unattended while the engine is running.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid level
regularly, and add fluid as necessary.
o See the maintenance for the proper fluid
recommendation.

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
11OPERATING THE AUTOMATIC
TRANSAXLE (3.5L - 5 A/T)
C090A02L-AAT
C090A01O
The highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has five forward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected automati-
cally, depending on the position of the speed
selector lever. The selector lever has 2 gates;
the main gate and the manual gate.
NOTE:For information on manual gate operation,
refer to "Sports Mode".
In the main gate, the selector lever has 5
positions, and is equipped with a button to avoid
inadvertent wrong selection.
NOTE:Depress the brake pedal and push the
button when shifting.
Push the button when shifting.
The selector lever can be shifted freely.
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, or if the
battery has been disconnected may be
somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condi-
tion, and the shifting sequence will adjust
after shifts are cycled a few times by the
T.C.M (Transaxle Control Module).
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the selector lever position when the
ignition is switched "ON". During sports mode
operation, green lights indicate the gear cur-
rently in use.
C090A02L
CAUTION:Never shift into "R" or "P" position while the
vehicle is moving.
!

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
12
C090C01A-AAT
o R(Reverse):
Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the car to
a complete stop before shifting the selector
lever to "R" position.
C090D02A-AAT
o N (Neutral):
In the "N" position, the transaxle is in neutral,
which means that no gears are engaged. The
engine can be started with the shift lever in "N"
position, although this is not recommended
except if the engine stalls while the car is
moving.
C090E01L-AATo D (Drive):
Use for normal driving. This position is used for
most city and highway driving, for starting from
a full stop to maximum speed. The transaxle will
automatically shift through a five gear sequence.
C095F01O-GAT
Sports Mode (3.5L - 5 A/T)
C090F01O
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion,
sports mode is selected by pushing the selector
lever from the "D" position into the manual gate.
To return to "D" range operation, push the
selector lever back into the main gate.
In sports mode, moving the selector lever back-
wards and forwards can make rapid gearshifts
simple. In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with the accel-
erator pedal depressed.
C090B01A-AAT
The function of each position is as fol-
lows:
o P (Park):
Use to hold the vehicle in place when parked or
while starting the engine. Whenever parking the
car, apply the parking brake and shift the selec-
tor lever to the "P" (Park) position.
CAUTION:Never place the selector lever in the "P"
(Park) position unless the vehicle is fully
stopped. Failure to observe this caution
will cause severe damage to the transaxle.
!

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
13
CAUTION:o In sports mode the driver must execute
shifts in accordance with prevailing road
conditions, taking care to keep the en-
gine speed below the red zone. For the
engine protection, upward shifts are
made automatically when the engine
rpm reaches the red zone.
o By rapidly moving the selector lever
backwards (-) twice, it is possible to skip
one gear, i.e., 3rd to 1st, 4th to 2nd or 5th
to 3rd. Since sudden engine braking
and/or rapid acceleration can cause a
loss of traction, however, downshifts
must be made carefully in accordance
with the vehicle's speed. UP (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift
up one gear.
DOWN (-) : Pull the lever backward once to shift
down one gear.
SKIP : By rapidly moving the selector forwards
or backwards twice, it is possible to skip one
gear, i.e. 1st to 3rd or 3rd to 1st.
!
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the five forward
gears can be selected. To reverse or park
the vehicle, move the selector lever to
the "R" or "P" position as required.
o In sports mode, downward shifts are
made automatically when the vehicle
slows down. When the vehicle stops, 1st
gear is automatically selected.
o To maintain the required levels of ve-
hicle performance and safety, the sys-
tem may not execute certain gearshifts
when the selector lever is operated.
o Before driving away from a stop on a
slippery road, push the selector lever
forward into the +(UP) position. This
causes the transaxle to shift into 2nd
gear which is better for smooth driving
away on a slippery road. Push the selec-
tor lever to the -(DOWN) side to shift
back to 1st gear.
C090H01L-GATNOTE:o For smooth and safe operation, depress
the brake pedal when shifting from "Neu-
tral" position or "Park" position to a
forward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully de-
pressed in order to move the shift lever
from the "P" (Park) position to any of the
other positions.
o It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D" position to "P" position. The
vehicle must be fully stopped to avoid
transaxle damage.

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
14
!
C090N02O-AAT
Good Driving Practices
o Never move the gear selector lever from "P"
or "N" to any other position with the accelera-
tor pedal depressed.
o Never move the gear selector lever into "P"
when the vehicle is in motion.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped before
you attempt to shift into "R".
o Never take the car out of gear and coast
down a hill. This may be extremely hazard-
ous. Always leave the car in gear when
moving.
o Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction. Instead,
when you are driving down a long hill, slow
down and shift to a lower gear. When you do
this, engine braking will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower gear.
Otherwise, the lower gear may not be en-
gaged.
o Always use the parking brake. Do not de-
pend on placing the transaxle in "P" to keep
the car from moving.
o Exercise extreme caution when driving on a
slippery surface. Be especially careful when
braking, accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change in ve-
hicle speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out of
control.WARNING:o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel move-
ments, such as sharp lane changes or
fast, sharp turns.
o Always wear your seat belts.
In a collision crash, un unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.
o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
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 Never exceed posted speed limits.
C090I02L-GAT
CAUTION:o Shift into "R" and "P" position only when
the vehicle has completely stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in reverse
or any of the forward positions with the
brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when shift-
ing from "P" or "N", to "R" or "D" posi-
tion.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always set
the parking brake, shift the transaxle
into "P" (Park) position and turn off the
ignition when you leave the vehicle, even
momentarily. Never leave the vehicle
unattended while the engine is running.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid level
regularly, and add fluid as necessary.
o See the maintenance schedule for the
proper fluid recomendation.
!

2DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
15TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)
!
C120A02A-AAT
(If installed)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed
to prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking
or on hazardous road surfaces. The ABS con-
trol module monitors the wheel speed and con-
trols the pressure applied to each brake. Thus,
in emergency situations or on slick roads, ABS
will increase vehicle control during braking.
NOTE:During ABS operation, a slight pulsation
may be felt in the brake pedal when the
brakes are applied. Also, a noise may be
heard in the engine compartment while
braking. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the anti-lock brake system is
functioning properly.
WARNING:ABS will not prevent accidents due to im-
proper or dangerous driving maneuvers.
Even though vehicle control is improved
during emergency braking, always main-
tain a safe distance between you and ob-
jects ahead. Vehicle speeds should always
be reduced during extreme road condi-
tions.
The braking distance for cars equipped
with an anti-lock braking system may be
longer than for those without it in the
following road conditions.
During these conditions the vehicle should
be driven at reduced speeds:
o Rough, gravel or snow-covered roads.
o With tire chains installed.
o On roads where the road surface is pit-
ted or has different surface height.
The safety features of an ABS equipped
vehicle should not be tested by high speed
driving or cornering. This could endanger
the safety of yourself or others.
C300A02O-AAT
BRAKE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
(BTCS) (If installed)
On slippery road surfaces, the traction control
system (TCS) limits the drive wheels from
spinning excessively, thus helping the car to
accelerate. It also provides sufficient driving
force and steering performance as the car turns
at accelerated speeds.
SLIP Control
Limits the drive wheels from spinning exces-
sively during starting or while making acceler-
ated turns on slippery roads to avoid losing the
driving force of the driven wheels.
Driving hints
TCS does not actively apply brakes. Be sure to
decelerate the car sufficiently before entering
curves.