2023 HYUNDAI KONA tires

Driving your vehicle6-36
Warning Messages
OOSN061013L
Electronic Limited Slip Differential
disabled temporarily due to overheating
Overheating of related parts will
t
emporarily disable e-LSD. Wait until the
vehicle cools down.
OOSN061014L
Tire size mismatch. Check all tire sizes
If your vehicle is equipped with different
tir
es (size, type, etc.) on the front,
the message will appear. To use the
Electronic Limited Slip Differential, equip
the vehicle with the same tires on the
front.
System malfunction
OOSN061015L
Check limited slip differential
If the Electronic Limited Slip Differential
w
arning message comes on, you may
have a problem with the Electronic
Limited Slip Differential system. We
recommend that you have the system
checked by an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer

Driving your vehicle6-52
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
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.

06
6-53
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.
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 Replacement”
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 Replacement” section in
chapter 9.

Driving your vehicle6-54
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.

06
6-55
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 you use snow tires when
road temperature is below 7°C (45°F).
Refer to the below chart, and mount the
recommended snow tire for your vehicle.
Standard tire
Tire size wheel size / offset
235/40R19 8.0Jx19/55
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.
Information
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions against
their use.

Driving your vehicle6-56
Summer tires

[ Summer tires are used to maximize
the driving performance on dry roads.

[ If the temperature is below 44.6°F
(7°C) or you are driving on snowy or
icy roads, the summer tires lose their
brake performance and traction as
the tire grip weakens significantly.

[ If the temperature is below 44.6°F
(7°C) or you are driving on snowy
or icy roads, mount snow tires or all
season tires of the same size with your
vehicle's standard tire for safe driving.
Both snow and all season tires have
M+S markings.

[ When using the M+S tires, use tires
with the same tread produced by the
same manufacturer for safe driving.

[ When driving with the M+S tires with
the lower maximum allowable speed
than that of the vehicle's standard
summer tire, be careful not to exceed
the speed allowed for the M+S tires.
Tire chains
OOSN061009N
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner than other types of tires, they
may be damaged by mounting some
types of tire chains on them. Therefore
the use of snow tires is preferred over the
use of tire chains.
If the road and weather conditions
require the use of tire chains, be sure to
use tire chains that have been properly
selected for the size of tire on your
HYUNDAI vehicle.
Be sure to follow the guidelines and
installation instructions provided from
the tire chain manufacturer.
Damage to your vehicle caused by
improper tire chain use is not covered by
your vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.

06
6-57
WARNING
The use of tire chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling:

[Drive less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
or the chain manufacturer's
recommended speed limit,
whichever is lower.

[ Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.

[ Avoid sharp turns or locked wheel
braking.
Information

[Install tire chains on both left and right
front tires. It should be noted that
installing tire chains on the tires will
provide a greater driving force, but will
not prevent side skids.

[ Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
Chain Installation
When installing tire chains, follow the
manuf

acturer’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 0.27 in.
(7mm) thick to prevent damage to
the chain’s connection.

Driving your vehicle6-64
Certification label
OBH059070
The certification label is located on the
driver's door sill at the center pillar and
shows the maximum allowable weight of
the fully loaded vehicle. This is called the
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle,
all occupants, fuel and cargo.
This label also tells you the maximum
weight that can be supported by the
front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR).
The total weight of the vehicle, including
all occupants, accessories, cargo, and
trailer tongue load must not exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads on your front
and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Be sure
to spread out your load equally on both
sides of the centerline.
WARNING
Overloading

[ Never exceed the GVWR for your
vehicle, the GAWR for either the front
or rear axle and vehicle capacity
weight. Exceeding these ratings
can affect your vehicle's handling
and braking ability, and cause an
accident.

[ Do not overload your vehicle.
Overloading your vehicle can cause
heat buildup in your vehicle's tires
and possible tire failure, increased
stopping distances and poor vehicle
handling-all of which may result in a
crash.
NOTICE
Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Do not overload your
vehicle.
WARNING
If you carry items inside your vehicle
(e.g., suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else), they are moving as fast
as the vehicle. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or if there is a crash, the
items will keep going and can cause
an injury if they strike the driver or a
passenger.

[Put items in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight
evenly.

[ Do not stack items, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle above the tops of
the seats.

[ Do not leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.

[ When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it.