2023 HYUNDAI TUCSON ECO mode

06
6-37
Indicator lights
■ ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
When the Engine Start/Stop button is
pressed 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
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 ESC
is active:
Drive slowly and NEVER attempt to
accelerate. NEVER turn 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
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated).
Information
Turning ESC off does not affect ABS or
standard brake system operation.

06
6-41
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 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
6-48
Forced to restart engine
The engine is automatically restarted in
the following situations.
• The brake vacuum pressure is low
• The engine has stopped for about 5
minutes
• The air conditioning is ON with the fan
speed set to a certain high level
• The front defroster is ON
• The battery is weak
• The cooling and heating performance
of the climate control system is
unsatisfactory
• The vehicle is shifted to P (Park) or R
(Reverse) when Auto Hold is activated
• The door is opened or the seatbelt
is unfastened when Auto Hold is
activated
• The EPB switch is pressed when Auto
Hold is activated
The Auto Stop (
) indicator blinks in
green for 5 seconds on the instrument
cluster when the engine is restarted.
WARNING
When the engine is in Idle Stop mode,
the engine may restart without the
driver taking any action. Before leaving
the vehicle or working on the engine
compartment, turn off the engine by
pressing the ENGINE START/STOP
button to the OFF position.
ISG malfunction
ISG system may not operate when there
is a malfunction with the ISG sensors or
ISG system.
The following will occur, when there is a
malfunction with the ISG system:
• The Auto Stop (
) indicator will
illuminate in yellow on the instrument
cluster.
• The light on the ISG OFF button will
illuminate.
We recommend that you contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
NOTICE
If the AGM battery is reconnected or
replaced, ISG system will not operate
immediately. If you want to use the
system, the battery sensor needs to be
calibrated for approximately 4 hours
with the engine off.
After calibration, turn the engine on and
off 2 or 3 times.

Driving your vehicle
6-50
SPORT mode
SPORT mode provides sporty but firm riding.
In SPORT mode, the fuel
efficiency may decrease.
• When SPORT mode is selected, the
SPORT indicator will illuminate on the
instrument cluster.
• Whenever the engine is restarted,
the drive mode will revert back to
NORMAL mode. If SPORT mode is
desired, re-select SPORT mode.
• When SPORT mode is activated:
-The engine RPM will tend to remain
raised over a certain length of time
even after releasing the accelerator
-Upshifts are delayed when
accelerating
SMART mode
SMART mode selects the proper driving mode among ECO,
NORMAL and SPORT by judging
the driver's driving habits (i.e.
mild or dynamic) from the
brake pedal depression or the
steering wheel operation.
• Press the DRIVE MODE button to
activate SMART mode. When SMART
mode is activated, the indicator
illuminates on the instrument cluster.
• The vehicle starts in SMART mode,
when the engine was turned OFF in
SMART mode.
• SMART mode automatically controls
gear shifting patterns, engine torque,
in accordance with the driver's driving
habits.
Information
• When your vehicle drive mode
is selected to SMART mode, the
driving mode varies according to
your acceleration pedal input. When
your vehicle is in SMART mode and
your driving style is such that your
acceleration pedal input is gradual,
the drive mode will maximize fuel
efficiency. Note, however, the actual
fuel efficiency may vary according
to certain driving conditions (uphill/
downhill grade) and vehicle speed.
• When your vehicle is in SMART
mode and your driving style is more
aggressive such that your acceleration
pedal input is more abrupt, the drive
mode will change to reflect a more
SPORT driving characteristic. Note
that while you are driving this way, fuel
economy may be adversely affected.

06
6-51
Various driving situations, which you may
encounter in SMART mode
• The driving mode automatically
changes to ECO mode after a certain
period of time, when you gently
depress the accelerator pedal (Your
driving is categorized to be mild.).
• The driving mode automatically
changes from SMART ECO mode
to SMART COMFORT mode after a
certain period of time, when you
sharply or repetitively depress the
accelerator pedal.
• The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART COMFORT mode
with the same driving patterns, when
the vehicle starts to drive on an
upward slope of a certain angle. The
driving mode automatically returns to
SMART ECO mode, when the vehicle
enters a leveled road.
• The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT, when
you abruptly accelerate the vehicle
or repetitively operate the steering
wheel (Your driving is categorized
to be sporty.). In this mode, your
vehicle drives in a lower gear for
abrupt accelerating/decelerating
and increases the engine brake
performance.
• You may still sense the engine brake
performance, even when you release
the accelerator pedal in SMART
SPORT mode. It is because your
vehicle remains to be in a lower gear
over a certain period of time for next
acceleration. Thus, it is a normal
driving situation, not indicating any
malfunction. •
The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT mode
only in harsh driving situations. In
most of the normal driving situations,
the driving mode sets to be either
in SMART ECO mode or in SMART
COMFORT mode.
Limitation of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited in
following situations. (The OFF indicator
illuminates in those situations.)
• The driver manually moves the shift
lever : It deactivates SMART mode.
The vehicle drives, as the driver
manually moves the shift lever.
• Cruise Control is activated : Cruise
Control may deactivate the SMART
mode. When a higher system is set
by Cruise Control, it starts to control
vehicle speed and deactivates
SMART mode. (SMART mode is not
deactivated just by activing Cruise
Control.)
• The transmission oil temperature is either
extremely low or extremely high : The
SMART mode can be active in most of
the normal driving situations. However,
an extremely high/ low transmission oil
temperature may temporarily deactivate
the SMART mode, because the
transmission condition is out of normal
operation condition.

Driving your vehicle
6-54
WARNING
If AWD warning light () stays on
the instrument cluster, your vehicle
may have a malfunction with the AWD
system. When the AWD warning light
(
) illuminates we recommend that
the vehicle be checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
NOTICE
• Maintain AWD Auto mode when
driving on roads in normal
conditions.
• When driving under normal road
conditions (especially when
cornering) in AWD Lock mode, a
driver may find minor mechanical
vibration or noise, which is extremely
normal phenomenon, not a
malfunction. When AWD Lock mode
is released, such noise or vibration
will be immediately gone.
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. Prolong 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.
For safe AWD operation
Before driving
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
• Sit upright and closer to the steering
wheel than usual. Adjust the steering
wheel to a position comfortable for
you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
• Start off slowly by applying the
accelerator pedal gently.
• Use snow tires or tire chains.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Use engine braking during
deceleration.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent skids.
Driving in sand or mud
• Maintain slow and constant speed.
• Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Reduce vehicle speed and always
check the road condition.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent getting stuck.
CAUTION
When the vehicle is stuck in snow, sand
or mud, place a non-slip material under
the drive wheels to provide traction
OR Slowly spin the wheels in forward
and reverse directions which causes
a rocking motion that may free the
vehicle. However, avoid running the
engine continuously at high RPM, doing
so may damage the AWD system.

06
6-55
OLMB053017
Driving up or down hills
• Driving uphill
-Before starting off, check if it is
possible to drive uphill.
-Drive as straight as possible.
• Driving downhill
-Do not change gear while driving
downhill. Select gear before driving
downhill.
-Drive as slowly using engine braking
while driving downhill.
-Drive straight as possible.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driving up or
down steep hills. The vehicle may flip
depending on the grade, terrain and
water/ mud conditions.
OLMB053018
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 AWD
LOCK mode and drive under 8 km/h
(5 mph).
• Do not change gear while driving in
water.
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 AWD vehicles is higher than
conventional 2WD vehicles, making
them more likely to roll over when you
rapidly turn corners.

Driving your vehicle
6-60
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.