Hyundai Sonata

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
8
NOTE:
Depress the brake pedal when shift-
ing.
The selector lever can be shifted
freely.
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, or
if the battery has been disconnected,
may be somewhat abrupt. This is a
normal condition, and the shifting
sequence will adjust after shifts are
cycled a few times by the T.C.M
(Transaxle Control Module).
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C090A02NF
CAUTION:
Never shift into "R" or "P" position while
the vehicle is moving.
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the selector lever position when
the ignition is switched "ON". During sports
mode operation, the gear currently in use
displays in the numeral indicator.C090B02A-AATThe function of each position is as
follows:
o P (Park):Use to hold the vehicle in place when
parked or while starting the engine.
Whenever parking the car, apply the
parking brake and shift the selector lever
to the "P" (Park) position.
CAUTION:
Never place the selector lever in the "P"
(Park) position unless the vehicle is fully
stopped. Failure to observe this caution
will cause severe damage to the
transaxle.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLEC090A01NF-GAT(If Installed)The highly efficient Hyundai automatic
transaxle has five forward speeds and one
reverse speed. The individual speeds are
selected automatically, depending on the
position of the speed selector lever. The
selector lever has 2 gates; the main gate
and the manual gate.NOTE:For information on manual gate
operation, refer to "Sports Mode".
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4
positions.
ONF058006

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
9
C090E02NF-GATo D (Drive):Use for normal driving. Bring the vehicle to
a complete stop before shifting the selector
to "D" position. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift through a five gear sequence.C090D02A-AATo N (Neutral):In the "N" position, the transaxle is in neutral,
which means that no gears are engaged.
The engine can be started with the shift
lever in "N" position, although this is not
recommended except if the engine stalls
while the car is moving.C090C01A-AATo R (Reverse):Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the
car to a complete stop before shifting the
selector lever to "R" position.
CAUTION:
o In sports mode, the driver must
execute upward shifts in accordance
with prevailing road conditions, taking
care to keep the engine speed below
the red zone.
o For engine protection, upward shifts
are made automatically when the
engine rpm reaches the red zone.
o By rapidly moving the selector lever
backwards (-) twice it is possible to
skip one gear, i.e., 3rd to 1st, 4th to 2nd
or 5th to 3rd. Since sudden engine
braking and/or rapid acceleration can
cause a loss of traction, however,
downshifts must be made carefully in
accordance with the vehicle's speed.
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C090F02L-GATSports ModeWhether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by pushing
the selector lever from the "D" position into
the manual gate. To return to "D" range
operation, push the selector lever back
into the main gate.
In sports mode, moving the selector lever
backwards and forwards can make rapid
gearshifts simple. In contrast to a manual
transaxle, the sports mode allows gearshifts
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
UP (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift
up one gear.
DOWN (-) : Pull the lever backwards once
to shift down one gear.
SKIP : By rapidly moving the selector
forward or backward twice, it is possible to
skip one gear, i.e. 1st to 3rd or 3rd to 1st .
ONF058007
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the five forward
gears can be selected. To reverse or
park the vehicle, move the selector
lever to the "R" or "P" position as
required.
o In sports mode, downward shifts are
made automatically when the vehicle
slows down. When the vehicle stops,
1st gear is automatically selected.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
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C090I03L-GAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into "R", "D" and "P" position
only when the vehicle has completely
stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in
reverse or any of the forward positions
with the brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when shift-
ing from "P" or "N", to "R" or
"D"position.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always
set the parking brake, shift the
transaxle into "P" (Park) position and
turn off the ignition when you leave the
vehicle, even momentarily. Never
leave the vehicle unattended while
the engine is running.
o When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards. Shifting
the shift lever into 2nd gear while in
Sport mode will help prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid
level regularly, and add fluid as
necessary.
o See the maintenance schedule for
the proper fluid recommendation.
C090H01L-GATNOTE:o For smooth and safe operation,
depress the brake pedal when shifting
from "Neutral" position or "Park"
position to a forward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully de-
pressed in order to move the shift
lever from the "P" (Park) position to
any of the other positions.
o It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", or "D" position to "P" position.
The vehicle must be fully stopped to
avoid transaxle damage. o To maintain the required levels of ve-
hicle performance and safety, the sys-
tem may not execute certain
gearshifts when the selector lever is
operated.
o Before driving away from a stop on a
slippery road, push the selector lever
forward into the +(UP) position. This
causes the transaxle to shift into 2nd
gear which is better for smooth driv-
ing away on a slippery road. Push the
selector lever to the -(DOWN) side to
shift back to 1st gear.
C090J01NF-GATSHIFT LOCK RELEASEIf you cannot move the shift lever from the
"P" (Park) position to any other position
with the brake pedal fully depressed and
the ignition key in the "ON" position, remove
the cap on the console and with a thin
object such as a flat-head screwdriver,
push the shift lock release button down.
Then, with the brake pedal depressed,
move the shift lever to the desired position,
and then the shift lock release button will
automatically return to its original position
after shifting from the "P" (Park) position.
Then, reinstall the cap.
If you need to use the shift lock release, it
could mean your car is developing a
problem. Have the car checked by your
Hyundai dealer.
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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C090N05O-AATGood Driving Practiceso Never move the gear selector lever
from "P" or "N" to any other position with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
o Never move the gear selector lever into
"P" when the vehicle is in motion.
o Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift into
"R" or "D".
o Never take the vehicle out of gear and
coast down a hill. This may be extremely
hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in
gear when moving.
o Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction.
Instead, when you are driving down a
long hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. When you do this, engine braking
will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. Otherwise, the lower gear may not
be engaged.
o Always use the parking brake. Do not
depend on placing the transaxle in "P"
to keep the car from moving.
o Exercise extreme caution when driving
on a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating or
shifting gears. On a slippery surface, an
abrupt change in vehicle speed can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle to go out of control.
WARNING:
o Always buckle-up! In a collision, an
unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured or
killed than a properly belted occupant.
o Avoid high speeds when cornering or
turning.
o Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly
increased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver oversteers to reenter
the roadway.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply. Instead,
slow down before pulling back into the
travel lanes.
o Never exceed posted speed limits.
WARNING:
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., then you may attempt to
rock the vehicle free by moving it for-
ward and backward. Do not attempt this
procedure if people or objects are any-
where near the vehicle. During the rock-
ing operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backward as it be-
comes unstuck, causing injury or
damage to nearby people or objects. o Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly de-
pressing and releasing the accelerator
pedal.

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12
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ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS)C120A01FC-AATThe Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is
designed to prevent wheel lock-up during
sudden braking or on hazardous road
surfaces. The ABS control module monitors
the wheel speed and controls the pressure
applied to each brake. Thus, in emergency
situations or on slick roads, ABS will
increase vehicle control during braking.NOTE:o A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the ve-
hicle begins to move after the engine
is started. These conditions are nor-
mal and indicate that the anti-lock
brake system or Electronic Stability
Control is functioning properly.
o During ABS or ESC operation, a pul-
sation may be felt in the brake pedal
when the brakes are applied. Also, a
noise may be heard in the engine
compartment while braking. These
conditions are normal and indicate
that the anti-lock brake system or
Electronic Stability Control System is
functioning properly.
Setting the driver's position1) Be sure the parking brake is engaged.
2) Move the accelerator and brake pedals
to the front most position by pushing the
" " portion of the switch.
3) Adjust the seat position and the steering
wheel angle properly.
4) Move the pedals toward you until you
can fully depress the brake pedal by
pushing the " " portion of the switch.
5) Depress the pedals a few times to get
used to the feel after adjusting.
WARNING:
o Adjust the pedals after parking the
vehicle on level ground. Never attempt
to adjust the pedals while the vehicle
is moving.
o Never adjust the pedals with your foot
on the accelerator pedal as this may
result in increasing the engine speed
and acceleration.
o Make sure that you can fully depress
the brake pedal before driving.
Otherwise, you may not be able to
hold down the brake pedal firmly in an
emergency stop.
POWER ADJUSTABLE PEDALSC100A01NF-AAT(With Automatic Transaxle) (If
Installed)To adjust the position of the accelerator
and brake pedals, turn the ignition key to
the "ON" position with the selector lever in
the "P" position and push the switch.
If you push the " " portion of the switch, the
pedals move rearward.
If you push the " " portion of the switch, the
pedals move forward.
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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WARNING:
ABS or ESC will not prevent accidents
due to improper or dangerous driving
maneuvers. Even though vehicle control
is improved during emergency braking,
always maintain a safe distance between
you and objects ahead. Vehicle speeds
should always be reduced during
extreme road conditions.
The braking distance for cars equipped
with an anti-lock braking system (Elec-
tronic Stability Control System) may be
longer than for those without it in the
following road conditions.
During these conditions the vehicle
should be driven at reduced speeds:
o Rough, gravel or snow-covered
roads.
o With tire chains installed.
o On roads where the road surface is
pitted or has different surface height.
The safety features of an ABS or ESC
equipped vehicle should not be tested by
high speed driving or cornering. This
could endanger the safety of yourself or
others.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CON-
TROL (ESC) SYSTEMC310A02NF-AAT
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is designed to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering manuevers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies the
brakes at individual wheels and intervenes
in the engine management system to sta-
bilize the vehicle.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system designed to
help the driver maintain vehicle control
under adverse conditions. It is not a
substitute for safe driving practices. Factors
including speed, road conditions and
driver steering input can all affect whether
ESC will be effective in preventing a loss
of control. It is still your responsibility to
drive and corner at reasonable speeds
and to leave a sufficient margin of safety.
ONF058011N
WARNING:
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when cornering.
Electronic stability control (ESC) will not
prevent accidents. Excessive speed in
turns, abrupt maneuvers and
hydroplaning on wet surfaces can still
result in serious accidents. Only a safe
and attentive driver can prevent
accidents by avoiding maneuvers that
cause the vehicle to lose traction. Even
with ESC installed, always follow all the
normal precautions for driving - including
driving at safe speeds for the conditions.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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C310D01NF-AATIndicators and WarningThe indicators should illuminate when the
ignition key is turned to ON or START but
should go out after three seconds.
If the indicators do not illuminate, or the
ESC or ESC-OFF indicator does not go out
after 3 seconds, have the vehicle checked
by an authorized dealer.
Should there be any unusual operation of
the device while driving, the ESC-OFF
indicator illuminates as a warning.
If the ESC-OFF indicator illuminates, drive
your car to a safe place and stop the
engine.
Then, start the engine again to check if the
ESC-OFF indicator goes out.
If the indicator remains lit even after the
engine has been started, have your car
checked by an authorized Hyundai dealer.
C310B01NF-AATESC ON/OFF ModeWhen the ESC is operating, the ESC indi-
cator in the instrument cluster will blink.
If you turn the system off by pressing the
ESC switch, the ESC-OFF indicator will
come on and stay on. In the ESC-OFF
mode, the stability control will be
deactivated. Adjust your driving accord-
ingly. To turn the system back on, press the
switch again. The ESC-OFF indicator
should go off.NOTE:The ESC mode will automatically be
turned ON after the engine is turned off
and restarted.
CAUTION:
Driving with varying tire or wheel sizes
may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. When replacing tires, make
sure they are the same size as your
original tires.
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!GOOD BRAKING PRACTICESC130A02A-AAT
WARNING:
o Whenever leaving vehicle or parking,
always set the parking brake as far as
possible and fully engage the
vehicle's transaxle into the park
position. Vehicles not fully engaged
in park with the parking brake set are
at risk for moving inadvertently and
injuring yourself or others.
o All vehicles should always have the
parking brake fully engaged when
parking to avoid inadvertent
movement of the car which can injure
occupants or pedestrians.
o Nothing should be carried on top of
the shelf panel behind the rear seat. If
there were an accident or a sudden
stop, such objects could move forward
and cause damage to the vehicle or
injure the occupants.o After being parked, check to be sure the
parking brake is not engaged and that the
parking brake indicator light is out before
driving away.
o Driving through water may get the brakes
wet. They can also get wet when the car is
washed. Wet brakes can be dangerous!
Your car will not stop as quickly if the brakes
are wet. Wet brakes may cause the car 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
car 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 your
Hyundai dealer for assistance.
o Don't coast down hills with the car out of
gear. This is extremely hazardous. Keep
the car in gear at all times, use the brakes
to slow down, then shift to a lower gear so
that engine braking will help you maintain
a safe speed.
o Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting your
foot on the brake pedal while driving can
be dangerous because it can result in the
brakes overheating and losing their
effectiveness. It also increases the wear of
the brake components.
o If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply
the brakes gently and keep the car 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 place.o If your car is equipped with an automatic
transaxle, don't let your car creep
forward. To avoid creeping forward,
keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal
when the car is stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill.
Firmly engage the parking brake and
place the gear selector lever in "P"
(automatic transaxle) or in first or reverse
gear (manual transaxle). If your car is
facing downhill, turn the front wheels
into the curb to help keep the car from
rolling. If your car is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb to
help keep the car from rolling. If there is
no curb or if it is required by other
conditions to keep the car from rolling,
block the wheels.
o Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to happen
when there is an accumulation of snow
or ice around or near the rear brakes or
if the brakes are wet. If there is a risk that
the parking brake may freeze, apply it
only temporarily while you put the gear
selector lever in "P" (automatic) or in first
or reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the car cannot
roll. Then release the parking brake.
o Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade
with the accelerator pedal. This can
cause the transaxle to overheat. Always
use the brake pedal or parking brake.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than
necessary. If you are waiting (and not in
traffic), turn off your engine and restart
only when you're ready to go.
o Remember, your Hyundai does not re-
quire extended warm-up. After the en-
gine has started, allow the engine to run
for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing the
vehicle in gear. In very cold weather,
however, give your engine a slightly
longer warm-up period.
o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine.
Lugging is driving too slowly in too high
a gear resulting in the engine bucking.
If this happens, shift to a lower gear.
Over-revving is racing the engine
beyond its safe limit. This can be avoided
by shifting at the recommended speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The
air conditioning system is operated by
engine power so your fuel economy is
reduced when you use it. o Take care of your tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at least
once a month.
o Be sure that the wheels are aligned
correctly. Improper alignment can result
from hitting curbs or driving too fast over
irregular surfaces. Poor alignment
causes faster tire wear and may also
result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption.
o Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your car
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in Section 5. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see Section 5
for details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your Hyundai should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to cor-
rosion.
DRIVING FOR ECONOMYC140A02A-AATYou can save fuel and get more miles from
your car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a
moderate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit"
starts or full-throttle shifts and maintain
a steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to that of the other traffic so you
don't have to change speeds unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe distance
from other vehicles so you can avoid
unnecessary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster
you drive, the more fuel your car uses.
Driving at a moderate speed, especially
on the highway, is one of the most
effective ways to reduce fuel
consumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these
components. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal may
cause the brakes to overheat, which
reduces their effectiveness and may
lead to more serious consequences.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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SMOOTH CORNERINGC150A01A-AATAvoid braking or gear changing in corners,
especially when roads are wet. Ideally,
corners should always be taken under
gentle acceleration. If you follow these
suggestions, tire wear will be held to a
minimum.
C160A01A-AATThe more severe weather conditions of
winter result in greater wear and other
problems. To minimize the problems of
winter driving, you should follow these
suggestions:C160B01A-AATSnowy or Icy ConditionsTo drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires. If snow tires are
needed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and type of the original
equipment tires. Failure to do so may
adversely affect the safety and handling of
your car. Furthermore, 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 skids to
occur. You need to keep sufficient distance
between the vehicle in operation in front
and your vehicle. Also, apply the brake
gently. It should be noted that installing tire
chains on the tire will provide a greater
driving force, but will not prevent side skids.NOTE:Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.WINTER DRIVING
C160D01A-AATCheck Battery and CablesWinter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the battery
and cables as described in Section 6. The
level of charge in your battery can be
checked by your Hyundai dealer or a
service station.C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
CoolantYour Hyundai is delivered with high quality
ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling
system. It is the only type of coolant that
should be used because it helps prevent
corrosion in the cooling system, lubricates
the water pump and prevents freezing. Be
sure to replace or replenish your coolant in
accordance with the maintenance
schedule in Section 5. Before winter, have
your coolant tested to assure that its
freezing point is sufficient for the
temperatures anticipated during the winter.