
Vehicle Information, Consumer Information and Reporting Safety Defects
2-10
Items Tire sizeWheel 
size Inflation pressure  
kPa (psi) Wheel bolt 
torque  lbf·ft  
(kgf·m, N·m)
Normal load Maximum load
Front RearFront Rear
Full size tire
235/60 R18 7.5J x 18
240(35)79~94
(11~13, 107~127)235/55 R19 7.5J x 19
255/45 R20 8.5J x 20
Compact 
spare tireT135/90 D17 4.0B x 17420(60)
NOTICE
•	 It is permissible to add 3 psi to the standard tire pressure specification if colder 
temperatures are expected soon.
Tires typically lose 1psi (7kPa) for every 12°F temperature drop. If extreme 
temperature variations are expected, recheck your tire pressure as necessary to 
keep them properly inflated.
•	 Tire inflation pressures will vary with changes in elevation. If driving in areas of 
higher or lower elevation, be sure to check and adjust for proper tire inflation.
 CAUTION
•	When replacing tires, use the same size originally supplied with the vehicle.
Using tires of a different size can damage the related parts or not work properly.
•	 When replacing tires, ALWAYS use the same size, type, construction and tread 
pattern supplied with the vehicle for all tires.
TIRES AND WHEELS    

Driving your vehicle
6-46
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 we recommend that the 
vehicle be checked by an authorized 
HYUNDAI dealer 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.    

06
6-47
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
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.
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 
we recommend that the vehicle be 
checked by an authorized HYUNDAI 
dealer 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. 

Driving your vehicle
6-52
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) delivers engine 
power to front and rear wheels for 
maximum traction. 4WD 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.
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 4WD 
vehicle is towed by a flat bed tow 
truck.
FOUR WhEEL DRIVE (4 WD) (IF E QUIppED)    

Driving your vehicle
6-58
Driving through water
•	Try to avoid driving in deep standing 
water. It may stall your engine and 
clog your exhaust pipes.
•	 Do not change gear while driving in 
water.
 CAUTION
Always drive slowly in water. If you 
drive too fast, water may get into the 
engine compartment and wet the 
ignition system causing your vehicle to 
suddenly stop.
Additional driving conditions
•	Become familiar with the off-road 
conditions before driving.
•	 Always pay attention when driving off-
road and avoid dangerous areas.
•	 Drive slowly when driving in heavy 
wind.
•	 Reduce vehicle speed when 
cornering. The center of gravity 
of 4WD vehicles is higher than 
conventional 2WD vehicles, making 
them more likely to roll over when you 
rapidly turn corners.
•	 Always hold the steering wheel firmly 
when you are driving off-road.
 WARNING
Do hold the steering wheel tightly 
when you are driving off-road. You may 
hurt your arm by a sudden steering 
maneuver or from steering wheel 
rebound due to an impact with objects 
on the ground. You could lose control 
of the steering wheel which may lead to 
serious injury or death.
Emergency precautions
Tires
When replacing tires, be sure to equip 
all four tires with the same size, type, 
tread patterns, brand and load-carrying 
capacity.
 WARNING
Do not use tire and wheel with different 
size and type from the one originally 
installed on your vehicle. It can affect 
the safety and performance of your 
vehicle, which could lead to steering 
failure or rollover causing serious injury.
In an emergency situation, a compact 
spare tire (if equipped) or Tire Mobility 
Kit (if equipped) may be used. But, 
do not use the compact spare tire 
continuously. Repair or replace the 
original tire as soon as possible to avoid 
failure of the differential or 4WD system.
 WARNING
Never start or run the engine while 
an 4WD vehicle is raised on a jack. 
The vehicle can slip or roll off of a jack 
causing serious injury or death to you or 
those nearby.    

Driving your vehicle
6-60
 WARNING
Rollover
As with other Sports Utility Vehicle 
(SUV), failure to operate this vehicle 
correctly may result in loss of control, 
an accident or vehicle rollover.
•	Utility vehicles have a significantly 
higher rollover rate than other types 
of vehicles.
•	 Specific design characteristics 
(higher ground clearance, narrower 
track, etc.) give this vehicle a higher 
center of gravity than ordinary 
vehicles.
•	 A SUV is not designed for cornering 
at the same speeds as conventional 
vehicles.
•	 Avoid sharp turns or abrupt 
maneuvers.
•	 In a rollover crash, an unbelted 
person is significantly more likely to 
die than a person wearing a seat belt. 
Make sure everyone in the vehicle is 
properly buckled up.
 WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with tires 
designed to provide safe ride and 
handling capability. Do not use a size 
and type of tire and wheel that is 
different from the one that is originally 
installed on your vehicle. It can affect 
the safety and performance of your 
vehicle, which could lead to steering 
failure or rollover and serious injury. 
When replacing the tires, be sure to 
equip all four tires with the tire and 
wheel of the same size, type, tread, 
brand and load-carrying capacity. 
If you nevertheless decide to equip 
your vehicle with any tire/wheel 
combination not recommended by 
HYUNDAI for off road driving, you 
should not use these tires for highway 
driving.
 WARNING
Jacked vehicle
While a full-time 4WD vehicle is being 
raised on a jack, never start the engine 
or cause the tires to rotate.
There is a danger that rotating tires 
touching the ground could cause the 
vehicle to fall off the jack and to jump 
forward or rearward.    

06
6-75
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.
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   

06
6-77
Chain Installation
When installing tire chains, follow the 
manufacturer’s instructions and mount 
them as tightly possible. Drive slowly 
(less than 20 mph (30 km/h)) with 
chains installed. If you hear the chains 
contacting the body or chassis, stop and 
tighten them. If they still make contact, 
slow down until the noise stops. Remove 
the tire chains as soon as you begin 
driving on cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park the 
vehicle on level ground away from traffic. 
Turn on the vehicle Hazard Warning 
Flasher and place a triangular emergency 
warning device behind the vehicle (if 
available). Always place the vehicle in P 
(Park), apply the parking brake and turn 
off the engine before installing snow 
chains.
NOTICE
When using tire chains:
•	Wrong size chains or improperly 
installed chains can damage your 
vehicle’s brake lines, suspension, 
body and wheels.
•	 Use SAE “S” class or wire chains.
•	 If you hear noise caused by chains 
contacting the body, retighten the 
chain to prevent contact with the 
vehicle body.
•	 To prevent body damage, retighten 
the chains after driving 0.3~0.6 miles 
(0.5~1.0 km).
•	 Do not use tire chains on vehicles 
equipped with aluminum wheels. If 
unavoidable, use a wire type chain.
•	 Use wire chains less than 0.47  in. 
(12mm) thick to prevent damage to 
the chain’s connection.
Winter precautions
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high 
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the 
cooling system. It is the only type of 
coolant that should be used because it 
helps prevent corrosion in the cooling 
system, lubricates the water pump and 
prevents freezing. Be sure to replace or 
replenish your coolant in accordance 
with the maintenance schedule in 
chapter 9. Before winter, have your 
coolant tested to assure that its freezing 
point is sufficient for the temperatures 
anticipated during the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter temperatures affect battery 
performance. Inspect the battery and 
cables, as specified in chapter 9. The 
battery charging level can be checked 
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer or in a 
service station.
Change to “winter weight” oil if 
necessary
In some regions during winter, it is 
recommended to use the “winter 
weight” oil with lower viscosity In 
addition, replace the engine oil and filter 
if it is close to the next maintenance 
interval. Fresh engine oil ensures 
optimum engine operation during the 
winter months. For further information, 
refer to chapter 2. When you are not 
sure about a type of winter weight oil, 
we recommend that you consult an 
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.