2021 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID Owners Manual

06
6-37
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 (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)

Driving your vehicle
6-38
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) operation
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) mode selection
Transfer mode Selection
button Indicator
light Description
4WD AUTO
(4WD LOCK is deactivated)
(not illuminated)
In the 4WD AUTO mode, under normal
operating conditions, onventional 2WD
vehicles. If the system determines
there is a need for four wheel drive, the
engine’s driving power is distributed to
all four wheels automatically.
Use this mode when driving on normal
roads.
If you select the "Driving force
distribution" in the cluster, Driving force
distribution (4WD) state is displayed.
4WD LOCK
(illuminated)
In the 4WD LOCK mode, the system is
deactivated when vehicle speed is over
37 mph (60 km/h) and the mode is shifted
to 4WD AUTO mode. If the vehicle speed
slows down to 37 mph (60 km/h), the
mode shifts back to the 4WD LOCK mode.
If 4WD Lock is activated, the driving force
distribution in the cluster is not displayed.
Use this mode when driving up or down
steep inclines, driving off-road, driving on
sandy and muddy roads, etc. to maximize
traction
WARNING
If 4WD warning light () stays on the instrument cluster, your vehicle may have a
malfunction with the 4WD system. When the 4WD warning light () illuminates we
recommend that the vehicle be checked by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon
as possible.

06
6-39
CAUTION
When driving on normal roads,
deactivate the 4WD LOCK mode by
pushing the 4WD LOCK button (4WD
LOCK indicator light goes off). Driving
on normal roads with the 4WD LOCK
mode, especially, when cornering
may cause mechanical noise or
vibration. The noise and vibration will
disappear when the 4WD LOCK mode is
deactivated. Prolonged driving with the
noise and vibration may damage some
parts of the power train.
NOTICE
• When the 4WD LOCK mode is
deactivated, a sensation may be felt
as the driving power is delivered
entirely to the front wheels.
Auto Four Wheel Drive mode
(normal driving)
If the 4WD system determines there is a
need for four wheel drive, the engine's
driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
Multi terrain mode
In the multi terrain mode, four-wheel
drive, engine and transmission is
controlled to achieve optimal driving
performance depending on the mode
selected (SNOW/MUD/SAND).

Driving your vehicle
6-40
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) selection
OTMA060012
Press the DRIVE/TERRAIN button to
change from normal driving mode to
multi terrain mode. After the button
is pressed, rotate the knob within 4
seconds to select SNOW, MUD or SAND.
Selected modeDescription
Auto 4WD (Normal driving) -•
Use this mode when driving on normal roads.
• Under normal operating conditions, the vehicle
operates similar to conventional 2WD vehicles. If the
system determines there is a need for four wheel drive,
the engine's driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
SNOW
• Use this mode when driving on low traction roads.
• The engine’s driving power is properly distributed
to the wheels, to help start the vehicle stably on low
traction roads or keep tires from slipping.
Be sure to maintain Auto 4WD mode when driving on normal roads. If you drive with
the 4WD Lock mode on normal roads or curved roads, it may damage 4WD parts and
cause vibration and noise. However, vibration and noise are normal conditions that will
disappear when Auto 4WD mode is selected. Also, when the vehicle is changed from
4WD Lock to Auto 4WD, a sensation may be felt as driving power is delivered to the
rear wheels.

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For safe 4WD operation
Before driving
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
• Sit upright and closer to the steering
wheel than usual. Adjust the steering
wheel to a position comfortable for
you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
• Start off slowly by applying the
accelerator pedal gently.
• Use snow tires or tire chains.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Apply engine braking during
deceleration by using the paddle
shifter (manual shift mode) and
manually selecting a lower gear.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent skids.
Information
When using Snow Tires, mount them on
all four wheels.
If a full set of chains is not available for
an 4WD vehicle when using tire chains,
chains may be installed on the front wheels
only.
For more details on Snow Tires and Tire
Chains, refer to "Winter Driving" section
later in this chapter.
Driving in sand or mud
• Maintain slow and constant speed.
• Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Reduce vehicle speed and always
check the road condition.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent getting stuck.
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stuck in snow, sand
or mud, place a nonslip material under
the drive wheels to provide traction
OR slowly spin the wheels in forward
and reverse directions which causes
a rocking motion that may free the
vehicle.
However, avoid running the engine
continuously at high rpm, doing so may
damage the 4WD system.
Driving up or down hills
• Driving uphill
-Before starting off, check if it is
possible to drive uphill.
-Drive as straight as possible.
• Driving downhill
-Do not change gear while driving
downhill. Select gear before driving
downhill.
-Drive slowly using engine braking
while driving downhill.
-Drive straight as possible.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driving up or
down steep hills. The vehicle may flip
over depending on the grade, terrain,
water and mud conditions.

Driving your vehicle
6-42
WARNING
Do not drive across the contour of steep
hills. A slight change in the wheel angle
can destabilize the vehicle, or a stable
vehicle may lose stability if the vehicle
stops its forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over and lead to a serious injury
or death.
Driving through water
• Try to avoid driving in deep standing
water. It may stall your engine and
clog your exhaust pipes.
• If you need to drive in water, stop
your vehicle, set the vehicle in Multi
Terrain mode and drive under 5 mph
(8 km/h).
• 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.

06
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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.
Towing
4WD vehicles must be towed with
a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment with all the wheels off the
ground. For more details, refer to
"Towing" section in chapter 8.
Vehicle inspection
• If the vehicle needs to be operated on
a vehicle lift do not attempt to stop
any of the four wheels from turning.
This could damage the 4WD system.
• Never engage the parking brake while
running the engine on a car lift. This
may damage the 4WD system.
Dynamometer testing
A 4WD vehicle must be tested on a
special four wheel chassis dynamometer.
OTMH060001[A] : Roll tester (Speedometer),
[B] : Temporary free roller
A 4WD vehicle should not be tested on
a 2WD roll tester. If a 2WD roll tester
must be used, perform the following
procedure:
1. Check the tire pressures
recommended for your vehicle.
2. Place the rear wheels on the roll tester
for a speedometer test as shown in
the illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the front wheels on the
temporary free roller as shown in the
illustration.
WARNING
Keep away from the front of the vehicle
while the vehicle is in gear on the
dynamometer. The vehicle can jump
forward and cause serious injury or
death.

Driving your vehicle
6-44
Reducing the risk of a rollover
Your multi-purpose passenger vehicle is
defined as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
SUV’s have higher ground clearance
and a narrower track to make them
capable of performing in a wide variety
of off-road applications. The specific
design characteristics give them a higher
center of gravity than ordinary vehicles
making them more likely to roll over if
you make abrupt turns. Utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. Due to this
risk, driver and passengers are strongly
recommended to buckle their seat belts.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
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.