06
6-33
Indicator lights
■ ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
When the Engine Start/Stop button is
pressed to the ON position, the ESC
indicator light illuminates, then goes off
if the ESC system is operating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks whenever
ESC is operating.
If the ESC indicator light stays on, your
vehicle may have a malfunction with
the ESC system. When this warning light
illuminates, have the vehicle checked by
an authorized retailer of Genesis Branded
products as soon as possible.
The ESC OFF indicator light comes on
when ESC is turned off.
WARNING
When ESC is blinking, this indicates ESC
is active:
Drive slowly and NEVER attempt to
accelerate. NEVER turn ESC off while
the ESC indicator light is blinking or you
may lose control of the vehicle resulting
in an accident.
NOTICE
Driving with wheels and tires with
different sizes may cause the ESC
system to malfunction. Before replacing
tires, make sure all four tires and wheels
are the same size. Never drive the
vehicle with different sized wheels and
tires installed.
ESC OFF usage
When Driving
The ESC OFF mode should only be used
briefly to help free the vehicle if stuck in
snow or mud, by temporarily stopping
operation of ESC, to maintain wheel
torque.
To turn ESC off while driving, press the
ESC OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the transmission:
• Do not allow wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the ESC, ABS,
and Parking Brake warning lights
are displayed. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while
these lights are displayed.
• When operating the vehicle
on a dynamometer, make sure
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated).
Information
Turning ESC off does not affect ABS or
standard brake system operation.
Driving Your Vehicle
6-34
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM)
Vehicle Stability Management is a
function of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. It helps the vehicle
stay stable when accelerating or braking
suddenly on wet, slippery and rough
roads where traction over the four tires
can suddenly become uneven.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
using Vehicle Stability Management:
• ALWAYS check the speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead. VSM
is not a substitute for safe driving
practices.
• Never drive too fast for the road
conditions. VSM will not prevent
accidents. Excessive speed in bad
weather, on slippery and uneven
roads can result in severe accidents.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
VSM operates when:
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is on.
• Vehicle speed is approximately above
9 mph (15 km/h) on curve roads.
• Vehicle speed is approximately above
12 mph (20 km/h) when the vehicle is
braking on rough roads.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may activate ESC, you
may hear sounds from the brakes, or feel
a corresponding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means your
VSM is active.
Information
VSM does not operate when:
• Driving on a banked road such as
gradient or incline.
• Driving in reverse.
• The ESC OFF indicator light is on.
• The EPS (Electric power steering)
warning light () is on or blinks.
06
6-35
VSM OFF condition
To cancel VSM operation, press the ESC
OFF button. ESC OFF (
) indicator light
will illuminate.
To turn on VSM, press the ESC OFF
button again. The ESC OFF indicator light
will go out.
WARNING
If the ESC () indicator light or EPS
() warning light stays illuminated
or blinks, your vehicle may have a
malfunction with the VSM system.
When the warning light illuminates,
have the vehicle checked by an
authorized retailer of Genesis Branded
products as soon as possible.
NOTICE
Driving with wheels and tires with
different sizes may cause the VSM
system to malfunction. Before replacing
tires, make sure all four tires and wheels
are the same size. Never drive the
vehicle with different sized tires and
wheels installed.
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
Hill-Start Assist Control helps prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards
when starting a vehicle from a stop on
a hill. The system operates the brakes
automatically for approximately 5
seconds and releases the brake after 5
seconds or when the accelerator pedal is
depressed.
WARNING
Always be ready to depress the
accelerator pedal when starting off
an incline. Hill-Start Assist Control
activates only for approximately 5
seconds.
Information
• Hill-Start Assist Control does not
operate when the gear is shifted to P
(Park) or N (Neutral).
• Hill-Start Assist Control activates even
when the ESC (Electronic Stability
Control) is off. However, it does not
activate, when ESC does not operate
normally.
Driving Your Vehicle
6-36
Good Braking Practices
WARNING
Whenever leaving the vehicle or
parking, always come to a complete
stop and continue to depress the brake
pedal. Shift the gear to the P (Park)
position, then apply the parking brake,
and press the Engine Start/Stop button
to the OFF position.
Vehicles parked with the parking brake
not applied or not fully engaged may
roll inadvertently and may cause injury
to the driver and others. ALWAYS apply
the parking brake before exiting the
vehicle.
Wet brakes can be dangerous! The
brakes may get wet if the vehicle is
driven through standing water or if it
is washed. Your vehicle will not stop as
quickly if the brakes are wet. Wet brakes
may cause the vehicle to pull to one side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns to
normal. If the braking action does not
return to normal, stop as soon as it is safe
to do so and we recommend that you call
an authorized retailer of Genesis Branded
products for assistance.DO NOT drive with your foot resting on
the brake pedal. Even light, but constant
pedal pressure can result in the brakes
overheating, brake wear, and possibly
even brake failure.
If a tire goes flat while you are driving,
apply the brakes gently and keep the
vehicle 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 location.
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal
when the vehicle is stopped to prevent
the vehicle from rolling forward.
06
6-37
All Wheel Drive (AWD) delivers engine
power to front and rear wheels for
maximum traction. AWD is useful when
extra traction is required, such as when
driving on, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH:
• Do not drive in conditions that
exceed the vehicles intended
design such as challenging off-road
conditions.
• Avoid high speeds when cornering or
turning.
• Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.
• The risk of a 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.
WARNING
If the AWD () warning light stays on
the instrument cluster, your vehicle
may have a malfunction with the
AWD system. Whenever the AWD
(
) warning light illuminates, have
the vehicle inspected by an authorized
retailer of Genesis Branded products as
soon as possible.
NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level
is higher than the bottom of the
vehicle.
• Check your brake condition once
you are out of mud or water. Depress
the brake pedal several times as you
move slowly until you feel normal
braking return.
• Shorten your scheduled
maintenance interval if you drive in
off-road conditions such as sand,
mud or water (see "Maintenance
Under Severe Usage Conditions"
section in chapter 9).
• Always wash your vehicle thoroughly
after off road use, especially the
bottom of the vehicle.
• Be sure to equip the vehicle with four
tires of the same size and type.
• Make sure that a full time AWD
vehicle is towed by a flat bed tow
truck.
All Wheel Drive (AWD) Operation
If the AWD system determines there is a
need for four wheel drive, the engine's
driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (IF EQUIPPED)
06
6-43
Idle Stop and Go helps reduce fuel
consumption by automatically shutting
down the engine, when the vehicle is
at a standstill (i.e. red stop light, stop
sign, and traffic jam) subject to certain
prerequisite conditions being satisfied as
listed below.
The engine is automatically started upon
satisfying the starting conditions.
ISG system is always active, when the
engine is running.
Information
When the engine is automatically started
by ISG system, warning lights (i.e. ABS,
ESC, ESC OFF, EPS, and parking brake
warning light) may illuminate for a few
seconds due to low battery voltage.
However, it does not indicate a
malfunction with ISG system.
ISG System Operation
Prerequisite for activation
ISG system operates in the following
situations.
• The driver's seatbelt is fastened
• The driver's door and hood are closed
• The battery sensor is activated and
the battery is sufficiently charged
• Outside temperature is not too low or
too high
• The vehicle is driven over a constant
speed and stops
• The climate control system satisfies
the conditions
• The vehicle is sufficiently warmed up
• ISG related parts are working properly
• The incline is gradual
• The steering wheel is turned less than
180 degrees and then the vehicle
stops
Information
ISG system is not activated, when the
prerequisites to activate the ISG system
are unsatisfied. If this occurs, the ISG
OFF button indicator illuminates, and the
Auto Stop (
) indicator illuminates in
yellow on the instrument cluster.
When the Auto Stop (
) indicator stays
on the instrument cluster, have the system
inspected by an authorized retailer of
Genesis Branded products.
Auto stop
When ISG is on the engine will be
stopped automatically when both of the
following occurs:
1. Vehicle speed decreases to 0mph (0
km/h) full stop condition.
2. Brake pedal is depressed and gear is
in D (Drive) or N (Neutral).
The Auto Stop (
) indicator illuminates
in green on the instrument cluster, when
the engine stops.
Information
Idle stop cannot reoccur again until the
vehicle speed goes above 3 mph (5 km/h)
and then returns again to the automatic
stop conditions as previously mentioned.
IDLE STOP AND GO (ISG)
06
6-53
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous. Here are a few things to
consider when driving in the rain or on
slick pavement:
• Slow down and allow extra following
distance. A heavy rainfall makes
it harder to see and increases the
distance needed to stop your vehicle.
• Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if
equipped)
• Replace your windshield wiper blades
when they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
• Be sure your tires have enough tread.
If your tires do not have enough depth
of tire tread, making a quick stop on
wet pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. See “Tire
Tread” section in chapter 9.
• Turn on your headlamps to make it
easier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
• If you believe your brakes may be wet,
apply them lightly while driving until
normal braking operation returns.
Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough, your vehicle may
have little or no contact with the road
surface and actually ride on the water.
The best advice is SLOW DOWN when
the road is wet.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the depth of tire tread decreases, refer
to “Tire Tread” section in chapter 9.
Driving in Flooded Areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be reduced.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
Highway Driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or damage
the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged tires,
which may reduce traction or fail the
braking operation.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as specified
on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
Driving at higher speeds on the highway
consumes more fuel and is less efficient
than driving at a slower, more moderate
speed. Maintain a moderate speed in
order to conserve fuel when driving on
the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine coolant
level and the engine oil before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
overheat the engine.
Driving Your Vehicle
6-54
The severe weather conditions of winter quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or Icy Conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of
you.
Apply the brakes gently. 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 the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment. Some of the items you may want to carry include
tire chains, tow straps or chains, a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a shovel, jumper
cables, a window scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of your vehicle may be adversely affected.
We recommend that you use snow tires when road temperature is below 45°F (7°C).
Refer to the below chart, and mount the recommended snow tire for your vehicle.
Standard tireRecommended snow tire
Tire size Wheel size Tire sizeWheel size
245/50R18 8.0J X 18245/50R18
8.0J X 18
245/45R19 8.5J X 19
245/40R20 8.5J X 20
245/45R19 8.5J X 19245/45R19
8.5J X 19
245/40R20 8.5J X 20
275/40R19 9.5J X 19275/40R19
9.5J X 19
275/35R20 9.5J X 20
245/40R20 8.5J X 20245/40R20 8.5J X 20
275/35R20 9.5J X 20275/35R20 9.5J X 20
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle, make sure to use the same Inflation pressure
as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions. The traction provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s original equipment tires. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommendations.
WINTER DRIVING