2021 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID warning

Seats & Safety System
3-2
You will find many safety precautions
and recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
The safety precautions in this section are
among the most important.
Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all
types of accidents. Air bags are designed
to supplement seat belts, not replace
them. So even though your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, ALWAYS make
sure you and your passengers wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
Restrain all children
All children under age 13 should ride
in your vehicle properly restrained in a
rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and
small children should be restrained in
an appropriate Child Restraint System.
Larger children should use a booster
seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they
can use the seat belt properly without a
booster seat.
Air bag hazards
While air bags can save lives, they can
also cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them, or
who are not properly restrained. Infants,
young children, and short adults are at
the greatest risk of being injured by an
inflating air bag. Follow all instructions
and warnings in this manual.
Driver distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and
potentially deadly danger, especially for
inexperienced drivers. Safety should be
the first concern when behind the wheel
and drivers need to be aware of the wide
array of potential distractions, such as
drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating,
personal grooming, other passengers,
and using mobile phones.Drivers can become distracted when
they take their eyes and attention off
the road or their hands off the wheel to
focus on activities other than driving.
To reduce your risk of distraction and an
accident:
•
ALWAYS set up your mobile devices
(i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation
units, etc.) when your vehicle is
parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device when
allowed by laws and conditions permit
safe use. NEVER text or email while
driving. Most countries have laws
prohibiting drivers from texting. Some
countries and cities also prohibit
drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device
distract you from driving. You have a
responsibility to your passengers and
others on the road to always drive
safely, with your hands on the wheel
as well as your eyes and attention on
the road.
Control your speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in crash
injuries and deaths. Generally, the higher
the speed, the greater the risk, but
serious injuries can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is safe
for current conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep your vehicle in safe
condition
Having a tire blowout or a mechanical
failure can be extremely hazardous. To
reduce the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressures and condition
frequently, and perform all regularly
scheduled maintenance.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Seats & Safety System
3-4
Safety precautions
Adjusting the seats so that you are sitting
in a safe and comfortable position plays
an important role for the safety of the
driver and passengers, along with seat
belts and air bags when in an accident.
WARNING
Do not use a cushion that reduces
friction between the seat and the
passenger. The passenger’s hips may
slide under the lap portion of the seat
belt during an accident or a sudden
stop.
Serious or fatal internal injuries could
result because the seat belt cannot
operate properly.
Air bags
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
Sitting too close to an air bag greatly
increases the risk of injury in the event
the air bag inflates.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) recommends
that drivers allow at least 10 inches
(25cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and their chest.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death from an inflating air bag, take the
following precautions:
• Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible maintaining the
ability to control the vehicle.
• Adjust the front passenger seat as far
to the rear as possible.
• Hold the steering wheel by the rim
with hands at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions to minimize the risk
of injuries to your hands and arms.
• NEVER place anything or anyone
between you and the air bag.
• Do not allow the front passenger to
place feet or legs on the dashboard
to minimize the risk of leg injuries.
Seat belts
Always fasten your seat belt before
starting any trip. At all times, passengers
should sit upright and be properly
restrained. Infants and small children
must be restrained in appropriate Child
Restraint Systems. Children who have
outgrown a booster seat and adults must
be restrained using the seat belts.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat belt:
• NEVER use one seat belt for more
than one occupant.
• Always position the seatback upright
with the lap portion of the seat belt
snug and low across the hips.
• NEVER allow children or small infants
to ride on a passenger’s lap.
• Do not route the seat belt across your
neck, across sharp edges, or reroute
the shoulder strap away from your
body.
• Do not allow the seat belt to become
caught or jammed.

03
3-5
Front seats
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
adjusting your seat:
• NEVER attempt to adjust the seat
while the vehicle is moving. The seat
could respond with unexpected
movement and may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
• Do not place anything under the
front seats. Loose objects in the
driver’s foot area could interfere
with the operation of the foot pedals,
causing an accident.
• Do not allow anything to interfere
with the normal position and proper
locking of the seatback.
• Do not place a cigarette lighter on
the floor or seat. When you operate
the seat, gas may exit out of the
lighter causing a fire.
• Use extreme caution when picking
up small objects trapped under the
seats or between the seat and the
center console. Your hands might be
cut or injured by the sharp edges of
the seat mechanism.
• If there are occupants in the rear
seats, be careful while adjusting the
front seat position.
• Make sure that the seat is locked in
place after the adjustment. If not,
the seat might move unexpectedly
resulting in an accident.
CAUTION
To prevent injury:
• Do not adjust your seat while
wearing your seat belt. Moving the
seat cushion forward may cause
strong pressure on your abdomen.
• Do not allow your hands or fingers to
get caught in the seat mechanisms
while the seat is moving.

03
3 -7
WARNING
NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving.
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious or fatal
injuries in the event of a collision or
sudden stop.
Drivers and passengers should ALWAYS
sit well back in their seats, properly
belted, and with the seatbacks upright.
Seat belts must be snug against your
hips and chest to work properly. When
the seatback is reclined, the shoulder
belt cannot do its job because it will not
be snug against your chest. Instead,
it will be in front of you. During an
accident, you could be thrown into the
seat belt, causing neck or other injuries.
The more the seatback is reclined,
the greater chance the passenger’s
hips will slide under the lap belt or the
passenger’s neck will strike the shoulder
belt.
OTM030040
Seat cushion height (if equipped)
To change the height of the seat cushion:
• Push down the lever several times, to
lower the seat cushion.
• Pull up the lever several times, to raise
the seat cushion.
OTM030044
Lumbar support
(for driver’s seat, if equipped)
• The lumbar support can be adjusted
by pressing the lumbar support
switch.
• Press the front portion of the switch
(1) to increase support or the rear
portion of the switch (2) to decrease
support.

Seats & Safety System
3-8
Power adjustment (if equipped)
The front seat can be adjusted by using
the control switches located on the
outside of the seat cushion. Before
driving, adjust the seat to the proper
position so that you can easily control
the steering wheel, foot pedals and
controls on the instrument panel.
WARNING
NEVER allow children in the vehicle
unattended. The power seats are
operable when the vehicle is turned off.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the seats:
• Always stop adjusting the seats when
the seat has been adjusted as far
forward or rearward as possible.
• Do not adjust the seats longer than
necessary when the vehicle is turned
off. This may result in unnecessary
battery drain.
• Do not operate two or more seats at
the same time. This may result in an
electrical malfunction.
OTM030047
Forward and rearward adjustment
To move the seat forward or rearward:
1. Push the control switch forward or
rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seat
reaches the desired position.
OTM030050
Seatback angle adjustment
To recline the seatback:
1. Push the control switch forward or
rearward.
2. Release the switch once the seatback
reaches the desired position.

03
3-9
Reclining seatback
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the protections
of your restraint system (seat belts and
air bags) is greatly reduced by reclining
your seatback.
WARNING
NEVER ride with a reclined seatback
when the vehicle is moving.
Riding with a reclined seatback
increases your chance of serious or fatal
injuries in the event of a collision or
sudden stop.
Driver and passengers should ALWAYS
sit well back in their seats, properly
belted, and with the seatbacks upright.
Seat belts must be snug against your
hips and chest to work properly. When
the seatback is reclined, the shoulder
belt cannot do its job because it will not
be snug against your chest. Instead,
it will be in front of you. During an
accident, you could be thrown into the
seat belt, causing neck or other injuries.
The more the seatback is reclined,
the greater chance the passenger’s
hips will slide under the lap belt or the
passenger’s neck will strike the shoulder
belt.
Seat cushion tilt/height adjustment
OTM030054
Seat cushion tilt (1)
To change the angle of the front part of
the seat cushion:
Push the front portion of the control
switch up to raise or down to lower the
front part of the seat cushion.
Release the switch once the seat reaches
the desired position.
Seat cushion height (2)
To change the height of the seat cushion:
Push the rear portion of the control
switch up to raise or down to lower the
height of the seat cushion.
Release the switch once the seat reaches
the desired position.

Seats & Safety System
3-12
OTM030067
Seatback angle (2nd row seat)
To recline the seatback:
1. Pull up the seatback recline lever.
2. Hold the lever and adjust the seatback
of the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the
seatback is locked in place. (The lever
MUST return to its original position for
the seatback to lock.)
Folding the rear seat
The rear seatbacks can be folded to
facilitate carrying long items or to
increase the luggage capacity of the
vehicle.
WARNING
• Never allow passengers to sit on top
of the folded down seatback while
the vehicle is moving. This is not a
proper seating position and no seat
belts are available for use. This could
result in serious injury or death in
case of an accident or sudden stop.
• Objects carried on the folded down
seatback should not extend higher
than the top of the front seatbacks.
This could allow cargo to slide
forward and cause injury or damage
during sudden stops. To fold down the rear seatback:
1. Set the front seatback to the upright
position and if necessary, slide the
front seat forward.
2. Lower the rear head restraints to the
lowest position.
OTM030049
3. Route the seat belt webbing through
the rear seat belt guides to prevent
the belts from being trapped behind
or under the seats.
OTM030073
4. Pull on the seatback folding lever (2nd
row seat), then fold the seat toward
the front of the vehicle. When you
return the seatback to its upright
position, always be sure it has locked
into position by pushing on the top of
the seatback.

03
3-13
OTM030074
5. To use the rear seat, lift and pull the
seatback backward by pulling the
folding lever or the strap. Pull the
seatback firmly until it clicks into
place. Make sure the seatback is
locked in place.
6. Return the rear seat belt to the proper
position.
WARNING
When returning the rear seatback from
a folded to an upright position, hold the
seatback and return it slowly. Ensure
that the seatback is completely locked
into its upright position by pushing on
the top of the seatback. In an accident
or sudden stop, the unlocked seatback
could allow cargo to move forward with
great force and enter the passenger
compartment, which could result in
serious injury or death.
WARNING
Do not place objects in the rear seats,
since they cannot be properly secured
and may hit vehicle occupants in a
collision causing serious injury or death.
WARNING
Make sure the engine is off, the gear
shifted to P (Park), and the parking
brake is securely applied whenever
loading or unloading cargo. Failure
to take these steps may allow the
vehicle to move if the shift button
is inadvertently pressed to another
position.
CAUTION
• Be careful when loading cargo
through the rear passenger seats
to prevent damage to the vehicle
interior.
• When cargo is loaded through the
rear passenger seats, ensure the
cargo is properly secured to prevent
it from moving while driving.
WARNING
Cargo should always be secured to
prevent it from being thrown about the
vehicle in a collision and causing injury
to the vehicle occupants. Do not place
objects in the rear seats, since they
cannot be properly secured and may hit
the front seat occupants in a collision.