2021 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID ECO mode

06
6-23
Parking brake warning light
Check the Parking Brake
warning light by pressing the
Engine Stop/Start button to the
ON position (
indicator off).
This light will be illuminated when the
parking brake is applied with the Engine
Stop/Start button in the START or ON
position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is released and the Brake Warning Light
is OFF.
If the Parking Brake Warning Light
remains on after the parking brake is
released while the vehicle is in the ready
(
) mode, there may be a malfunction
in the brake system. Immediate attention
is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehicle
immediately. If that is not possible,
use extreme caution while operating
the vehicle and only continue to drive
the vehicle until you can reach a safe
location.
When the EPB (Electronic Parking
Brake) does not release
If the EPB does not release normally,
we recommend that you contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer by loading
the vehicle on a flatbed tow truck and
have the system checked.
Auto Hold (if equipped)
The Auto Hold maintains the vehicle in a
standstill even though the brake pedal is
not depressed after the driver brings the
vehicle to a complete stop by depressing
the brake pedal.
To apply:
OTM060010
1. With the driver's door, engine hood
and liftgate closed, then press the
[AUTO HOLD] switch. The white AUTO
HOLD indicator will come on and the
system will be in the standby position.

06
6-27
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
WARNING
An Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) or
an Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system will not prevent accidents
due to improper or dangerous driving
maneuvers. Even though vehicle
control is improved during emergency
braking, always maintain a safe
distance between you and objects
ahead of you. Vehicle speeds should
always be reduced during extreme
road conditions. The braking distance
for vehicles equipped with ABS or ESC
may be longer than for those without
these systems in the following road
conditions.
Drive your vehicle at reduced speeds
during the following conditions:
• Rough, gravel or snow-covered
roads.
• On roads where the road surface is
pitted or has different surface height.
• Tire chains are installed on your
vehicle.
The safety features of an ABS or ESC
equipped vehicle should not be tested
by high speed driving or cornering. This
could endanger the safety of yourself or
others.
ABS is an electronic braking system that
helps prevent a braking skid. ABS allows
the driver to steer and brake at the same
time.
Using ABS
To obtain the maximum benefit from
your ABS in an emergency situation,
do not attempt to modulate your brake
pressure and do not try to pump your
brakes. Depress your brake pedal as hard
as possible.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the wheels,
you may hear sounds from the brakes,
or feel a corresponding sensation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS is active.
ABS does not reduce the time or distance
it takes to stop the vehicle.
Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results
from sudden changes in direction, such
as trying to take a corner too fast or
making a sudden lane change. Always
drive at a safe speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability.
Always steer moderately when braking
hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel
movement can still cause your vehicle to
veer into oncoming traffic or off the road.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping distance
than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
The ABS warning light (
) will stay on
for several seconds after the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
During that time, the ABS will go through
self-diagnosis and the light will go off
if everything is normal. If the light stays
on, you may have a problem with your
ABS. We recommend that you contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as
possible.

Driving your vehicle
6-30
Indicator lights
■ ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
When the ignition switch is set 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
the 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 the
ESC is active:
Drive slowly and NEVER attempt to
accelerate. NEVER turn the 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 the
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated).
Information
Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS
or standard brake system operation.

Driving your vehicle
6-34
System operation
ModeIndicator Description
Standby
Green light on
Press the Downhill Brake Control button when vehicle
speed is under 37 mph (60 km/h). Downhill Brake
Control will turn on and enter the standby mode. The
system does not turn on if vehicle speed is over 37 mph
(60 km/h).
Activated
Green light blink
In the standby mode, Downhill Brake Control will
activate under the following conditions:
• The hill is steep enough.
• The brake pedal or accelerator pedal is not depressed.
• Vehicle speed is within 2~25 mph (4~40 km/h) range
(within 1.5~5 mph (2.5~8 km/h) when reversing).
Within the activation speed range 2~25 mph (4~40
km/h), the driver can control the vehicle speed by
depressing the brake pedal or accelerator pedal.
Deactivated
Green light off
Downhill Brake Control will turn off under the following
conditions:
• The Downhill Brake Control button is pressed again.
• Vehicle speed is over 37 mph (60 km/h).
Green light on
Downhill Brake Control will be deactivated but maintain
the standby mode under the following conditions:
• The hill is not steep enough.
• Vehicle speed is between 25~37 mph (40~60 km/h).
System
malfunction
Yellow light on
The yellow warning light illuminates when the system
may have malfunctioned or may not work properly
during activation. If this occurs, Downhill Brake Control
is deactivated. We recommend that the system be
inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as
possible.

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.

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.

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
6-45
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.