Hyundai Tucson: All Wheel Drive (AWD)

The All Wheel Drive (AWD) System delivers engine power to all front and rear wheels for maximum traction. AWD is useful when extra traction is required on roads such slippery, muddy, wet, or snow-covered roads.

Occasional off-road use such as established unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is always important that the driver carefully reduces the speed to a level that does not exceed the safe operating speed for those conditions.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:

• Do not drive in conditions that exceed the vehicles intended design such as challenging off-road conditions.
• Avoid high speeds when cornering or turning.
• Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
• The risk of a rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of your vehicle at highway speeds.
• Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the roadway and the driver over steers to reenter the roadway.
• In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply.

  Instead, slow down before pulling back into the travel lanes.

NOTICE

• Do not drive in water if the level is higher than the bottom of the vehicle.
• Check your brake condition once you are out of mud or water. Depress the brake pedal several times as you move slowly until you feel normal braking return.
• Shorten your scheduled maintenance interval if you drive in off-road conditions such as sand, mud or water (see "Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions" in chapter 7).
• Always wash your vehicle thoroughly after off road use, especially the bottom of the vehicle.
• Be sure to equip the vehicle with four tires of the same size and type.
• Make sure that a full time AWD vehicle is towed by a flat bed tow truck.

AWD operation

Four Wheel Drive (AWD) mode selection

Transfer mode

AWD AUTO (AWD LOCK is deactivated)

Indicator light

• AWD Auto is used when driving on roads in normal conditions, roads in urban areas, and on highways.
• All wheels are in operation when a vehicle travels at a constant speed.

  Required tractions applying on front and rear wheels vary depending on road driving conditions and driving conditions, which will be automatically controlled by the computing system.

• When the cluster's AWD Auto display mode is selected, the cluster displays the status of how four wheels' traction forces are distributed.

AWD LOCK

• The main goal of AWD Lock mode is to allow a driver to maximize the vehicle's traction under extreme driving conditions such as unpaved off-road, sandy roads, and muddy roads.
• AWD Lock mode is in operation only when a vehicle travels at 60 km/h or less. When traveling at 60 km/h or faster, the mode will switch to AWD Auto.
• When AWD Lock mode illuminates, the cluster does not display the front/rear wheel traction force distribution status.
• Press the AWD Lock mode switch again to switch back to AWD Auto.

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.

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.

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 offroad 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 not grab the inside of the steering wheel 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

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.

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 equip your vehicle with any tire/wheel combination not recommended by HYUNDAI for offroad driving, you should not use these tires for highway driving.

WARNING

Never start or run the engine while a full-time AWD vehicle is raised on a jack. The vehicle can slip or roll off of a jack causing serious injury or death to you or those nearby.

Towing

AWD 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" in chapter 8.

Dynamometer testing

A full-time AWD vehicle must be tested on a special four wheel chassis dynamometer.

A full-time AWD 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 front wheels on the roll tester for a speedometer test as shown in the illustration.
3.  Release the parking brake.
4.  Place the rear wheels on the temporary free roller as shown in the illustration.

CAUTION

• Never engage the parking brake while performing the test.
• When the vehicle is lifted up, do not operate the front and rear wheel separately. All four wheels should be operated.

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.

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