Hyundai Santa Fe: Four wheel drive (4WD) / 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.

WARNING

Rollover

As with other Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control, an accident or vehicle rollover.

• Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
• Specific design characteristics (higher ground clearance, narrower track, etc.) give this vehicle a higher center of gravity than ordinary vehicles.
• A SUV is not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional vehicles.
• Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
• In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly buckled up.

WARNING

Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride and handling capability. Do not use a size and type of tire and wheel that is different from the one that is originally installed on your vehicle. It can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could lead to steering failure or rollover and serious injury. When replacing the tires, be sure to equip all four tires with the tire and wheel of the same size, type, tread, brand and load-carrying capacity. If you nevertheless decide to equip your vehicle with any tire/wheel combination not recommended by HYUNDAI for off road driving, you should not use these tires for highway driving.

WARNING

Jacked vehicle

While a full-time 4WD vehicle is being raised on a jack, never start the engine or cause the tires to rotate.

There is a danger that rotating tires touching the ground could cause the vehicle to fall off the jack and to jump forward or rearward.