2021 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID Owners Manual

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DRIVE MODE INTEGRATED CONTROL SYSTEM (4WD)
(IF EQUIPPED)
Drive mode
OTM060058L
Drive mode may be selected according
to the driver's preference or road
condition.
The mode changes whenever the DRIVE/
TERRAIN knob is rotated.
ECO mode
ECO mode helps improve fuel efficiency for eco-friendly
driving.
Fuel efficiency varies according
to the driver's driving habit and
road condition.
• When ECO mode is selected, the
ECO indicator will illuminate on the
instrument cluster.
• When ECO mode is activated:
-The acceleration response may be
slightly reduced if the accelerator
pedal is depressed moderately.
-The air conditioner performance
may be limited.
-The shift pattern of the automatic
transmission may change.
-Engine noise may be louder at some
automatic transmission shifts as
down-shift requires pressing down
more on the accelerator.
The above situations are normal
conditions when ECO mode is activated
to help improve fuel efficiency.

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Limitations of ECO mode
If the following conditions occur while
ECO mode is operating, the system
operation is limited even though there is
no change in the ECO indicator.
• When coolant temperature is low:
The system will be limited until engine
performance becomes normal.
• When driving up a hill:
The system will be limited to gain
power when driving uphill because
engine torque is restricted.
• When driving the vehicle in manual
shift mode using the paddle shifter.
The system will be limited according to
the shift location.
SPORT mode
SPORT mode provides sporty but firm riding.
In SPORT mode, the fuel
efficiency may decrease.
• When SPORT mode is selected, the
SPORT indicator will illuminate on the
instrument cluster.
• Whenever the engine is restarted,
the drive mode will revert back to
COMFORT mode. If SPORT mode is
desired, re-select SPORT mode.
• When SPORT mode is activated:
-The engine rpm will tend to remain
raised over a certain length of time
even after releasing the accelerator
-Upshifts are delayed when
accelerating
SMART mode
SMART mode selects the proper driving mode among
ECO, COMFORT and SPORT
by judging the driver's
driving habits (i.e. mild or
dynamic) from the brake pedal
depression or the steering
wheel operation.
• Press the DRIVE MODE button to
activate SMART mode. When SMART
mode is activated, the indicator
illuminates on the instrument cluster.
• The vehicle starts in SMART mode,
when the engine was turned OFF in
SMART mode.
• SMART mode automatically controls
gear shifting patterns, engine torque,
in accordance with the driver's driving
habits.
Information
• When you mildly drive the vehicle
in SMART mode, the driving mode
changes to ECO mode to improve fuel
efficiency. However, the actual fuel
efficiency may differ in accordance
with your driving situations (i.e.
upward/downward slope, vehicle
deceleration/acceleration).
• When you dynamically drive the
vehicle in SMART mode by abruptly
decelerating or sharply curving, the
driving mode changes to SPORT mode.
However, it may adversely affect fuel
economy.

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Various driving situations, which you may
encounter in SMART mode
• The driving mode automatically
changes to ECO mode after a certain
period of time, when you gently
depress the accelerator pedal (Your
driving is categorized to be mild.).
• The driving mode automatically
changes from SMART ECO mode
to SMART COMFORT mode after a
certain period of time, when you
sharply or repetitively depress the
accelerator pedal.
• The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART COMFORT mode
with the same driving patterns, when
the vehicle starts to drive on an
upward slope of a certain angle. The
driving mode automatically returns to
SMART ECO mode, when the vehicle
enters a leveled road.
• The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT, when
you abruptly accelerate the vehicle
or repetitively operate the steering
wheel (Your driving is categorized
to be sporty.). In this mode, your
vehicle drives in a lower gear for
abrupt accelerating/decelerating
and increases the engine brake
performance.
• You may still sense the engine brake
performance, even when you release
the accelerator pedal in SMART
SPORT mode. It is because your
vehicle remains to be in a lower gear
over a certain period of time for next
acceleration. Thus, it is a normal
driving situation, not indicating any
malfunction.
• The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT mode
only in harsh driving situations. In
most of the normal driving situations,
the driving mode sets to be either
in SMART ECO mode or in SMART
COMFORT mode. Active Snow Mode (ASM)
When the vehicle recognizes frequent
wheel slips on low friction roads, Active
Snow Mode improves driving stability by
minimizing these wheel slips.
Operating conditions
ASM is activated when all of the
following conditions are met:
•
Low outside ambient temperature
• Frequent Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) activation due to wheel slip
When operating
The vehicle's acceleration response is
reduced, which is similar to depressing
the accelerator pedal slowly.
Non-operating conditions
ASM is deactivated when one of the
following conditions or more are met:
• Increase of outside ambient
temperature
• The accelerator pedal is hardly
depressed
• Driving in high speed (e.g. highway
driving)

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Limitation of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited in
following situations. (The OFF indicator
illuminates in those situations.)
• The vehicle is driven using the paddle
shifter (manual shift mode) : SMART
mode is deactivated determining that
the driver wants to drive the vehicle
manually.
• Cruise Control is activated : Cruise
Control may deactivate SMART mode
when the vehicle is controlled by the
set speed of Cruise Control. (SMART
mode is not deactivated just by
turning on Cruise Control)
• The transmission oil temperature is either
extremely low or extremely high : The
SMART mode can be active in most of
the normal driving situations. However,
an extremely high/ low transmission oil
temperature may temporarily deactivate
the SMART mode, because the
transmission condition is out of normal
operation condition.

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Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving elements
are encountered such as water, snow,
ice, mud and sand, take the following
precautions:
• Drive cautiously and maintain a longer
braking distance.
• Avoid abrupt braking or steering.
• When your vehicle is stuck in
snow, mud, or sand, use second
gear. Accelerate slowly to avoid
unnecessary wheel spin.
• Put sand, rock salt, tire chains or other
non-slip materials under the wheels to
provide additional traction while the
vehicle becomes stuck in ice, snow,
or mud.
WARNING
Downshifting with an automatic
transmission while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident. The
sudden change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid. Be careful when
downshifting on slippery surfaces.
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your front wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear.
Try to avoid spinning the wheels, and do
not race the engine.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator pedal
while shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal while the transmission
is in gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that may free the vehicle.
WARNING
If the vehicle is stuck and excessive
wheel spin occurs, the temperature
in the tires can increase very quickly.
If the tires become damaged, a tire
blow out or tire explosion can occur.
This condition is dangerous - you and
others may be injured. Do not attempt
this procedure if people or objects are
anywhere near the vehicle.
If you attempt to free the vehicle, the
vehicle can overheat quickly, possibly
causing an engine compartment fire
or other damage. Try to avoid spinning
the wheels as much as possible to
prevent overheating of either the tires
or the engine. DO NOT allow the vehicle
to spin the wheels above 35 mph (56
km/h).
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
NOTICE
If you are still stuck after rocking the
vehicle a few times, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating, possible damage to
the transmission, and tire damage. See
“Towing” section in chapter 8.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS

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Driving at night
Night driving presents more hazards than
driving in the daylight. Here are some
important tips to remember:
• Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other drivers’ headlamps.
• Keep your headlamps clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlamps will make it much
more difficult to see at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the
headlamps of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your eyes
to readjust to the darkness.
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 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.

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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.
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.
There are steps that a driver can make
to reduce the risk of a rollover. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers, do not load your vehicle
with heavy cargo on the roof, and never
modify your vehicle in any way.
WARNING
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:
• Take corners at slower speeds than
you would with a passenger vehicle.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that you would raise the center
of gravity.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Do not carry heavy cargo on the roof.
WARNING
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt. Make sure
all passengers are wearing their seat
belts.

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WINTER DRIVING
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.