2023 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID light

Driving Your Vehicle6-32
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM) (if equipped)
The Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
is a function of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. It helps the vehicle
stay stable when accelerating or braking
suddenly on wet, slippery and rough
roads where traction over the four tires
can suddenly become uneven.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
using the Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM):

[ ALWAYS check the speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead. The
VSM is not a substitute for safe
driving practices.

[ Never drive too fast for the road
conditions. The VSM system will not
prevent accidents. Excessive speed
in bad weather, on slippery and
uneven roads can result in severe
accidents.
VSM operation
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which ma

y activate the ESC,
you may hear sounds from the brakes,
or feel a corresponding sensation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and it means
your VSM is active.
Information
The VSM does not operate when:

[ Driving on a banked road such as
gradient or incline.

[ Driving in reverse.

[ The ESC OFF indicator light is on.

[ The EPS (Electric power steering)
warning light (
) is on or blinks.

06
6-33
VSM OFF condition
To cancel VSM operation, press the ESC
OFF butt
on. ESC OFF indicator light ()
will illuminate.
To turn on VSM, press the ESC OFF
button again. The ESC OFF indicator light
will go out.
WARNING
If the ESC indicator light () or EPS
warning light () stays illuminated
or blinks, your vehicle may have a
malfunction with the VSM system.
When the warning light illuminates the
vehicle be checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
NOTICE
Driving with wheels and tires with
different sizes may cause the VSM
system to malfunction. Before replacing
tires, make sure all four tires and wheels
are the same size. Never drive the
vehicle with different sized tires and
wheels installed.
Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
(if equipped)
The Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
helps prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards when starting a vehicle from
a stop on a hill. The system operates the
brakes automatically for approximately
2 seconds and releases when the
accelerator pedal is depressed.
WARNING
Always be ready to depress the
accelerator pedal when starting off
an incline. The HAC activates only for
approximately 2 seconds.
Information

[ HAC does not operate when the shift
button is in P (Park) or N (Neutral).

[ HAC activates even when the ESC
(Electronic Stability Control) is off.
However, it does not activate, when
ESC does not operate normally.

06
6-35
System operation
Mode IndicatorDescription
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 0~25 mph (0~40 km/h) range.
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. The system is inspected by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.

Driving Your Vehicle6-36
OJX1069039L
Downhill Brake Control disabled. Control
vehicle speed (manually)
When Downhill Brake Control is not
w
orking properly this warning message
will appear on the cluster LCD display
and you will hear a warning sound. If
this occurs, control vehicle speed by
depressing the brake pedal.
WARNING
Always turn off Downhill Brake Control
on normal roads. The system might
activate inadvertently from the standby
mode when driving through speed
bumps or making sharp curves.
Information

[ Downhill Brake Control may not
deactivate on steep inclines even though
the brake pedal or accelerator pedal is
depressed.

[ Downhill Brake Control may not
always maintain vehicle speed at a
certain speed.

[ Downhill Brake Control does not
operate when:
- The gear is in P (Park).
- ESC is activated.

[ Noise or vibration may occur from the
brakes when Downhill Brake Control is
activated.
The rear stop light comes on when
Downhill Brake Control is activated.

06
6-37
Good Braking Practices
WARNING
Whenever leaving the vehicle or
parking, always come to a complete
stop and continue to depress the brake
pedal. Move the shift button into the P
(Park) position, then apply the parking
brake, and set the ignition switch in the
LOCK/OFF position.
Vehicles parked with the parking brake
not applied or not fully engaged may
roll inadvertently and may cause injury
to the driver and others. ALWAYS apply
the parking brake before exiting the
vehicle.Wet brakes can be dangerous! The
brakes may get wet if the vehicle is
driven through standing water or if it
is washed. Your vehicle will not stop as
quickly if the brakes are wet. Wet brakes
may cause the vehicle to pull to one side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns to
normal. If the braking action does not
return to normal, stop as soon as it is
safe to do so and you call an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
DO NOT drive with your foot resting on
the brake pedal. Even light, but constant
pedal pressure can result in the brakes
overheating, brake wear, and possibly
even brake failure.
If a tire goes flat while you are driving,
apply the brakes gently and keep the
vehicle pointed straight ahead while you
slow down. When you are moving slowly
enough for it to be safe to do so, pull off
the road and stop in a safe location.
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal
when the vehicle is stopped to prevent
the vehicle from rolling forward.

06
6-39
CAUTION
When driving on normal roads,
deactivate the AWD LOCK mode by
pushing the AWD LOCK button (AWD
LOCK indicator light goes off). Driving
on normal roads with the AWD LOCK
mode, especially, when cornering
may cause mechanical noise or
vibration. The noise and vibration will
disappear when the AWD LOCK mode is
deactivated. Prolonged driving with the
noise and vibration may damage some
parts of the power train.
NOTICE

[When the AWD LOCK mode is
deactivated, a sensation may be felt
as the driving power is delivered
entirely to the front wheels.
Auto All Wheel Drive mode
(normal driving)
If the AWD system determines there is a
need for four wheel drive, the engine's
driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
Multi AWD mode
In the multi AWD mode, all-wheel drive
(AWD), engine , transmission and TCS
(Tration control system) are controlled
to achieve optimal driving performance
depending on the mode selected (AUTO/
SNOW/LOCK).

06
6-43
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

[T
ry 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 f
amiliar 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 AWD 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 AWD system.

Driving Your Vehicle6-50
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.
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