2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle
16 5
Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, sports mode is selected by
pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, push the shift lever back into the
main gate.In sports mode, moving the shift
lever backwards and forwards will
allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.
In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
Up (+) : Push the lever forward
once to shift up one gear.
Down (-) :Pull the lever backwards
once to shift down one gear.✽NOTICE
• In sports mode, the driver must
execute upshifts in accordance
with road conditions, taking care
to keep the engine speed below the
red zone.
• In sports mode, only the 6 forward
gears can be selected. To reverse
or park the vehicle, move the shift
lever to the R (Reverse) or P
(Park) position as required.
• In sports mode, downshifts are
made automatically when the
vehicle slows down. When the
vehicle stops, 1st gear is automati-
cally selected.
(Continued)(Continued)
• In sports mode, when the engine
rpm approaches the red zone, the
transaxle will upshift automatically.
• To maintain the required levels of
vehicle performance and safety,
the system may not execute cer-
tain gearshifts when the shift lever
is operated.
• When accelerating from a stop on
a slippery road, push the shift
lever forward into the +(up) posi-
tion. This causes the transaxle to
shift into 2nd gear which is better
for smooth accelerating on a slip-
pery road.
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Driving your vehicle
Shift lock system
For your safety, the automatic
transaxle has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transaxle
from P (Park) or N (Neutral) into R
(Reverse) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) or
N (Neutral) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition
switch to the ON position to R.
3. Move the shift lever to R.Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) or N (Neutral) posi-
tion into R (Reverse) position with
the brake pedal depressed, continue
depressing the brake, then do the fol-
lowing:
1. Carefully remove the cap covering
the shift-lock override access hole.
2. Insert a screwdriver into the
access hole and press down on
the screwdriver.
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer
immediately.Ignition key interlock system
(if equipped)
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position. If the ignition switch
is in any other position, the key can-
not be removed.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting
out of the P (Park) position into
another position to avoid inad-
vertent motion of the vehicle
which could injure persons in
or around the vehicle.
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Driving your vehicle
18 5
Good driving practices
• Never move the shift lever from P
(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
• Never move the shift lever into "P"
when the vehicle is in motion.
• Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Never take the vehicle out of gear
and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave
the vehicle in gear when moving.
• Do not "ride" the brakes. This can
cause them to overheat and mal-
function. Instead, when you are
driving down a long hill, slow down,
move the shift lever to sports mode
and shift to a lower gear.
• When using soprts mode, slow
down before shifting to a lower
gear.• Always use the parking brake and
shift into P (Park) when parking the
vehicle. Do not depend on placing
the transaxle in P (Park) to keep
the vehicle from moving.
• 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 vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
the vehicle to go out of control.
• Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator pedal.WARNING
• Always buckle-up! In a colli-
sion, an unbelted occupant is
significantly more likely to be
seriously injured or killed than
a properly belted occupant.
• Avoid high speeds when cor-
nering or turning.
• Do not make quick steering
wheel movements, such as
sharp lane changes or fast,
sharp turns.
• The risk of 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 travel lanes.
(Continued)

519
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, move the shift lever to D
(Drive) and release the parking
brake. Depress the accelerator grad-
ually while releasing the service
brakes.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and
backward. Do not attempt this
procedure if people or objects
are anywhere near the vehicle.
During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move
forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing
injury or damage to nearby peo-
ple or objects.
(Continued)
• Never exceed posted speed
limits.
• Avoid depressing the brake
and accelerator pedals simul-
taneously. If both pedals are
depressed simultaneously,
the brake system will override
the accelerator and the vehi-
cle speed will reduce.

Driving your vehicle
20 5
Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. AWD is useful when extra
traction is required, such as, when
driving on slippery, muddy, wet, or
snow-covered roads. These vehicles
are not designed for challenging off-
road use. Occasional off-road use
such as established unpaved roads
and trails are OK. It is always impor-
tant when traveling off-highway that
the driver carefully reduces the
speed to a level that does not exceed
the safe operating speed for those
conditions. In general, off-road con-
ditions provide less traction and
braking effectiveness than normal
road conditions. The driver must be
especially alert to avoid driving on
slopes which tilt the vehicle to either
side.
These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his or her passen-
gers.Tight corner brake effect
Tight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of all-wheel drive vehi-
cles caused by the difference in tire
rotation at the four wheels.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Off road
driving
This vehicle is designed prima-
rily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However, it was not designed to
drive in challenging off-road
conditions. Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.
CAUTION - AW D
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed while
in all wheel drive, steering con-
trol will be difficult.

521
Driving your vehicle
✽NOTICE
• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the AWD LOCK mode by pushing the AWD LOCK button (the indi-
cator light goes off). Driving on normal roads with AWD LOCK mode(especially, when cornering) may cause
mechanical noise or vibration. The noise and vibration will disappear when the AWD LOCK mode is deactivat-
ed. Some parts of the power train may be damaged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the AWD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive power is delivered entirely to the
front wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.
ALL Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer mode selection
• This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp
grades, off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy
roads, etc., to maximize traction.
• This mode automatically begins to deactivate at
speeds above 30 km/h (19 mph) and is shifted to AWD
AUTO mode at speed above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the
vehicle decelerates to speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph),
however, the transfer mode is shifted into AWD LOCK
mode again. AWD AUTO
(AWD LOCK is
deactivated)
(Indicator light is
not illuminated)
Transfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
• When driving in AWD AUTO mode, the vehicle oper-
ates similar to conventional 2WD vehicles under nor-
mal operating conditions. However, if the system deter-
mines that there is a need for the AWD mode, the
engine’s driving power is distributed to all four wheels
automatically without driver intervention.
• When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehi-
cle moves similar to conventional 2WD vehicles.
AWD LOCK
(Indicator light is
illuminated)

Driving your vehicle
22 5
For safe all wheel drive opera-
tion
• Do not try to drive in deep standing
water or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehi-
cle.• When you are driving up or down
hills drive as straight as possible.
Use extreme caution in going up or
down steep hills, since you may flip
your vehicle over depending on the
grade, terrain and water/mud con-
ditions.
WARNING - All wheel
driving
When conditions demand the
use of four-wheel drive, all func-
tions of your vehicle are
exposed to extreme stress.
Slow down and be ready for
changes in the composition and
traction of the surface under
your tires. If you have any
doubt about the safety of the
conditions you are facing, stop
and consider the best way to
proceed. Do not exceed the abil-
ity of yourself or your vehicle to
operate safely.
WARNING - Hills
Driving across the contour of
steep hills can be extremely
dangerous. This danger can
come from slight changes in the
wheel angle which can destabi-
lize the vehicle or, even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power, it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-
rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
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523
Driving your vehicle
• You must consciously take the
effort to learn how to corner in a
AWD vehicle. Do not rely on your
experience in conventional 2WD
vehicles in choosing safe cornering
speed in AWD mode. For starters,
you must drive more slowly in
AWD.
• Drive carefully off-road because
your vehicle may be damaged by
rocks or roots of trees. Become
familiar with the off-road conditions
where you are going to drive
before you begin driving.• Always hold the steering wheel firm-
ly when you are driving off-road.
• Make sure all passengers are
wearing seat belts.
• If you need to drive in the water,
stop your vehicle, set your transfer
to the AWD LOCK mode and drive
at less than 8 km/h (5 mph).
WARNING - Steering
wheel
Do not grab the inside of the
steering wheel when you are
driving off-road. You may hurt
your arm by a sudden steering
maneuver or from steering
wheel rebound due to impact
with objects on the ground. You
could lose control of the steer-
ing wheel.
WARNING - Wind danger
If you are driving in heavy wind,
the vehicle's higher center of
gravity decreases your steering
control capacity and requires
you to drive more slowly.
WARNING - Driving
through water
Drive slowly. If you are driving
too fast in water, the water can
get into the engine compartment
and wet the ignition system,
causing your vehicle to sudden-
ly stop. If this happens and your
vehicle is in a tilted position,
your vehicle may roll over.
ODMEDR2146
WARNING - AW D
Reduce speed when you turn
corners. The center of gravity of
AWD vehicles is higher than
that of conventional 2WD vehi-
cles, making them more likely to
roll over when you turn corners
too fast.