2023 HYUNDAI SANTA FE towing

Seats & Safety System3-28
Second row center seatbelt
(3-point rear center seat belt)
OTM038041
1. Insert the tongue plate (1) into the buckle (2) until an audible “click" is
heard, indicating the latch is locked.
Make sure the belt is not twisted.
When using the rear center seat belt, the
buckle with the “CENTER” mark must be
used.
Information
If you are not able to pull out the safety
belt from the retractor, firmly pull the belt
out and release it. After release, you will be
able to pull the belt out smoothly.
WARNING
Make sure that the seatback is locked in
place when using the rear center seat
belt.
If not, the seatback may move when
there is a sudden stop or collision,
which could result in serious injury.
Stowing the rear seat belt
OTM030022
[ The rear seat belt buckles can be
stowed in the pocket between the
rear seatback and cushion when not
in use.
„Rear seat
OTM030024

[Routing the seat belt webbing through
the rear seat belt guides will help keep
the belts from being trapped behind
or under the seats.
After inserting the seat belt, tighten
the belt webbing by pulling it up.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt, use it after
taking it out of the guides.
If you pull the seat belt when it is stored
in the guides, it may damage the guides
and/or belt webbing.

6
Four wheel drive (4WD) ........................................................................\
.......... 6-53Four Wheel Drive (4WD) operation ........................................................................\
.. 6-54
Emergency precautions ........................................................................\
.................... 6-59
Reducing the risk of a rollover ........................................................................\
.......... 6-60
Idle Stop and Go (ISG) ........................................................................\
............ 6-62ISG system operation ........................................................................\
........................ 6-62
ISG system off ........................................................................\
.................................... 6-65
Forced to restart engine ........................................................................\
................... 6-65
ISG malfunction ........................................................................\
................................. 6-66
Calibrating the Battery Sensor ..........................................................\
.................... 6-66
Drive mode integrated control system (2WD) ............................................. 6-67Drive mode ........................................................................\
.........................................6-67
Drive mode integrated control system (4WD) ............................................. 6-70Drive mode ........................................................................\
.........................................6-70
Special driving conditions ........................................................................\
...... 6-73Hazardous driving conditions ................................................\
................................... 6-73
Rocking the vehicle ........................................................................\
............................ 6-73
Smooth cornering ........................................................................\
.............................. 6-74
Driving at night ........................................................................\
................................... 6-74
Driving in the rain ........................................................................\
............................... 6-74
Driving in flooded areas ........................................................................\
..................... 6-75
Highway driving ........................................................................\
................................. 6-75
Reducing the risk of a rollover ........................................................................\
........... 6-75
Winter driving ........................................................................\
.......................... 6-76Snow or icy conditions ........................................................................\
....................... 6-76
Winter precautions ........................................................................\
............................. 6-78
Trailer towing ........................................................................\
...........................6-80If you decide to pull a trailer? ........................................................................\
............ 6-81
Trailer towing equipment.......................................................................\
................... 6-84
Driving with a trailer ........................................................................\
.......................... 6-85
Maintenance when towing a trailer ........................................................................\
. 6-88
Vehicle load limit.......................................................\
......................................6-89The Loading Information Label ........................................................................\
........ 6-90

Driving your vehicle6-60
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
An 4WD vehicle must be tested on a
special four wheel chassis dynamometer.
OTM060016L[A] : Roll tester (Speedometer),
[B] : Temporary free roller
An 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.
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 roof rack
with heavy cargo, and never modify your
vehicle in any way.

Driving your vehicle6-74
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’ headlights.

[ Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlights will make it much
more difficult to see at night.

[ Avoid staring directly at the headlights
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 headlights 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.

Driving your vehicle6-80
If you are considering to tow with
your vehicle, you should first know
your country’s legal requirements. As
laws vary the requirements for towing
trailers, cars, or other types of vehicles or
apparatus may differ. When you are not
sure about a type of winter weight oil,
consult an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be used
properly. Damage to your vehicle caused
by improper trailer towing is not covered
by your vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.
This section contains time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety
rules. Many of these are important for
your safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer. WARNING
Take the following precautions:

[ If you don’t use the correct
equipment and/or drive improperly,
you can lose control of the vehicle
when you are pulling a trailer. For
example, if the trailer is too heavy,
the braking performance may be
reduced. You and your passengers
could be seriously or fatally injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed
all the steps in this section.

[ Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW (Gross
Combination Weight), GVW (Gross
Vehicle Weight), GAW (Gross Axle
Weight) and trailer tongue load are
all within the limits.

[ When you tow a trailer, make sure to
turn off the Idle Stop and Go system.
TRAILER TOWING

06
6-81
If you decide to pull a trailer?
Here are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:

[Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a trailer hitch dealer about
sway control.

[ Do not do any towing with your
vehicle during its first 1,200 miles
(2,000 km) in order to allow the
engine to properly break in. Failure to
heed this caution may result in serious
engine or transmission damage.

[ When towing a trailer, consult an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer for
further information on additional
requirements such as a towing kit, etc.

[ Always drive your vehicle at a
moderate speed (less than 60 mph
(100 km/h)) or posted towing speed
limit.

[ On a long uphill grade, do not exceed
45 mph (70 km/h) or the posted
towing speed limit, whichever is
lower.

[ Carefully observe the weight and load
limits provided in the following pages.
Trailer weight
Tongue Load Total Trailer Weight
OOSH069129L
What is the maximum safe weight of a
trailer? It should never weigh more than
the maximum trailer weight with trailer
brakes. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature and
how often your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. The ideal trailer
weight can also depend on any special
equipment that you have on your vehicle.

Driving your vehicle6-82
Tongue load
Gross Axle Weight Gross Vehicle Weight
OOSH069130L
The tongue load is an important weight
to measure because it affects the
total Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of
your vehicle. The trailer tongue should
weigh a maximum of 10% of the total
loaded trailer weight, within the limits
of the maximum trailer tongue load
permissible.
After you’ve loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able
to correct them simply by moving some
items around in the trailer.
WARNING
Take the following precautions:

[ Never load a trailer with more weight
in the rear than in the front. The front
should be loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load; the rear
should be loaded with approximately
40% of the total trailer load.

[ Never exceed the maximum weight
limits of the trailer or trailer towing
equipment. Improper loading can
result in damage to your vehicle and/
or personal injury. Check weights
and loading at a commercial scale or
highway patrol office equipped with
scales.
Information
With increasing altitude the engine
performance decreases. From 1,000 m
above sea level and for every 1,000 m
thereafter 10% of vehicle/trailer weight
(trailer weighter + gross vehicle weight)
must be deducted.

06
6-83
Reference weight and distance when towing a trailer
ItemSmartstream
G2.5 GDI Smartstream
G2.5 TGDI
A/T DCT
Maximum trailer
w
eight
lbs. (kg) Without brake system
1,653 (750) 1,653 (750)
With brake system (PKG OPT) 2,000 (907) 2,000 (907) With brake system (STD) 2,800 (1,270) 3,500 (1,588)
Maximum permissible static vertical load on the
coupling device lbs. (kg)280 (127)
350 (159)
Recommended distance from rear wheel center
to coupling point inch (mm)49.1 (1,248)