2023 HYUNDAI SONATA four wheel drive

While Driving
6-40
ESC OFF condition
To cancel ESC operation: • State 1
Press the ESC OFF button briefly. The
ESC OFF indicator light and message
"Traction Control disabled" will
illuminate. In this state, the traction
control function of ESC (engine
management) is disabled, but the
brake control function of ESC (braking
management) still operates. • State 2
Press and hold the ESC OFF button
continuously for more than 3 seconds.
The ESC OFF indicator light and message
"Traction and Stability Control disabled"
illuminates and a warning chime sounds.
In this state, both the traction control
function of ESC (engine management)
and the brake control function of ESC
(braking management) are disabled.
If the ignition switch is placed to the
LOCK/OFF position when ESC is off, ESC
remains off. Upon restarting the engine,
the ESC will automatically turn on again.
Indicator lights
■ ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
When the ignition switch is placed 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 ESC indicator light stays on, your
vehicle may have a malfunction with
the ESC system. When this warning light
illuminates have your vehicle checked by
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
The ESC OFF indicator light comes on
when the ESC is turned off.
WARNING
When the 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.

06
6-41
ESC OFF usage
When Driving
The ESC OFF mode should only be used
briefly to help free the vehicle if stuck in
snow by temporarily stopping operation
of the 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.
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM)
The Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
is a function of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. It helps ensure the
vehicle stays 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, slippery and uneven
roads can result in severe accidents.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
The VSM operates when:
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is on.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may 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.
NOTICE
The VSM does not operate when: • Driving on a banked road such as
gradient or incline.
• Driving rearward.
• ESC OFF indicator light is on.
• EPS (Electric Power Steering)
warning light (
) is on or blinks.

While Driving
6-42
WARNING
If ESC indicator light (
) or EPS
warning light () stays on or blinks,
your vehicle may have a malfunction
with the VSM system. When the
warning light illuminates, have your
vehicle checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
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 tires and wheels
installed.
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
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 the brake after 2
seconds or when the accelerator pedal is
depressed.
WARNING
Always be ready to depress the
accelerator pedal when starting off on
a incline. The HAC activates only for
approximately 2 seconds.
NOTICE
• The HAC does not operate when
the shift button is in P (Park) or N
(Neutral)
• The HAC activates even though the
ESC (Electronic Stability Control) is
off but does not activate when the ESC has malfunctioned.
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 P
(Park) position, then apply the parking
brake, and place 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, taking care to keep the vehicle
under control at all times. If the braking
action does not return to normal, stop
as soon as it is safe to do so and 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
6-153
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.
Always carry emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to carry
include 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.
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure to use radial tires of the same
size and load range 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, country and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions against
their use.
winter Driving

Maintenance
8-48
All Season Tires
HYUNDAI specifies all season tires
on some models to provide good
performance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road conditions.
All season tires are identified by ALL
SEASON and/or M+S (Mud and Snow) on
the tire sidewall. Snow tires have better
snow traction than all season tires and
may be more appropriate in some areas.
Summer Tires
HYUNDAI specifies summer tires on
some models to provide superior
performance on dry roads. Summer tire
performance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not have
the tire traction rating M+S (Mud and
Snow) on the tire side wall. If you plan
to operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, HYUNDAI recommends the
use of snow tires or all season tires on all
four wheels.
Snow Tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and have the same load capacity as the original
tires. Snow tires should be installed on
all four wheels; otherwise, poor handling
may result. Snow tires should carry 28
kPa (4 psi) more air pressure than the
pressure recommended for the standard
tires on the tire label on the driver’s
side of the center pillar, or up to the
maximum pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, whichever is less. Do not drive
faster than 120 km/h (75 mph) when your
vehicle is equipped with snow tires.
Radial-Ply Tires
Radial-ply tires provide improved tread
life, road hazard resistance and smoother
high speed ride. The radial-ply tires used
on this vehicle are of belted construction,
and are selected to complement the
ride and handling characteristics of your
vehicle.
Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity, as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size, and use the
same recommended inflation pressure.
Mixing of radial-ply tires with bias-ply or
bias belted tires is not recommended.
Any combinations of radial-ply and bias-
ply or bias belted tires when used on the
same vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to follow
is: Identical pairs of radial-ply tires
should always be used as a set for the
front tires and a set for the rear tires.
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It is
very important to follow the tire rotation
interval in this chapter to achieve the
tread life potential of these tires. Cuts
and punctures in radial-ply tires are
repairable only in the tread area, because
of sidewall flexing. Consult your tire
dealer for radial-ply tire repairs.
WARNING
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires
under any circumstances. This may
cause unusual handling characteristics
that may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.