automatic transmission HYUNDAI SONATA 2023 User Guide

While Driving
6-14
Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the gear position when the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury or
death: • ALWAYS check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before shifting a
vehicle into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the gear is in
the P (Park) position, then set
the parking brake, and place the
ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF
position. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if these
precautions are not followed.
• If equipped, do not use the engine
brake (shifting from a high gear to
lower gear using the paddle shifters)
rapidly on slippery roads.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park).
To shift from P (Park), you must depress
firmly on the brake pedal and make sure
your foot is off the accelerator pedal.
The gear must be in P (Park) before
turning the engine off.
WARNING
• Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion may cause you to
lose control of the vehicle.
• After the vehicle has stopped, always
make sure the gear is in P (Park),
apply the parking brake, and turn
the engine off.
• Do not use the P (Park) position in
place of the parking brake.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you
may damage the transmission if you
shift into R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
in motion.
When the vehicle is stopped in
R (Reverse) position, if you open
the driver's door with the seat belt
unfastened, the gear is shifted to P (Park)
position automatically.
However when the vehicle moves
in R (Reverse) position, if you open
the driver's door with the seat belt
unfastened, the gear may be not shifted
to P (Park) position automatically for
protecting the automatic transmission.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not engaged.
Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a
stalled engine, or if it is necessary to stop
with the engine ON. Shift into P (Park)
if you need to leave your vehicle for any
reason.
Always depress the brake pedal when
you are shifting from N (Neutral) to
another gear.
WARNING
Do not shift into gear unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal. Shifting into
gear when the engine is running at high
speed can cause the vehicle to move
very rapidly. You could lose control of
the vehicle and hit people or objects.

06
6-15
D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position. The
transmission will automatically shift
through a 8-gear sequence, providing
the best fuel economy and power.
To start the vehicle forward, push the D
(Drive) button by depressing the brake
pedal with the engine ON. Then depress
the accelerator pedal smoothly.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or driving uphill, depress the
accelerator fully. The transmission will
automatically downshift to the next
lower gear (or gears, as appropriate).
When the vehicle is stopped in D (Drive)
position, if you open the driver's door
with the seat belt unfastened, the gear is
shifted to P (Park) position automatically.
However when the vehicle moves in D
(Drive) position, if you open the driver's
door with the seat belt unfastened, the
gear may not shift to P (Park) position
automatically to protect the automatic
transmission.
Shift-lock system
For your safety, the automatic
transmission has a shift-lock system
which prevents shifting the gear from
P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse)
or D (Drive) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the gear from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or place the ignition switch in the ON position.
3. Depress the brake pedal and push the R (Reverse) or D (Drive) button. Stay in N (Neutral) position when engine is Off
ODN8069006
ODN8069008
If you want to keep the N (Neutral)
position after the engine is OFF, do the
following.
1. Deactivate the AUTO HOLD and release the parking brake when the
ignition switch is ON.
2. Start the engine. Push the N (neutral) button while depressing the brake
pedal. If the message ("Press and
hold OK button to stay in Neutral
when vehicle is OFF") appears on the
cluster LCD display, press and hold
the OK button on the steering wheel
for more than 1 second.
3. When the message ("Vehicle will stay in (N). Change gear to cancel")
appears on the cluster LCD display,
turn off the engine.
In this situation, if you unfasten the
driver's seat belt and open the driver's
door within 3 minutes, the gear stays in
the N (Neutral) position and the ignition
switch is turned off.

While Driving
6-20
Dual clutch transmission (if equippeD)
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Dual clutch transmission operation
The dual clutch transmission has eight forward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected automatically when the shift button is in the D
(Drive) position.

06
6-21
•
The dual clutch transmission can be
thought of as an automatically shifting
manual transmission. It gives the
driving feel of a manual transmission,
yet provides the ease of a fully
automatic transmission.
• When D (Drive) is selected, the
transmission will automatically
shift through the gears similar to a
conventional automatic transmission.
Unlike a traditional automatic
transmission, the gear shifting can
sometimes be felt and heard as the
actuators engage the clutches and the
gears are selected.
• The dual clutch transmission
incorporates a wet-type dual clutch
mechanism, which allows for better
acceleration performance and
increased fuel efficiency while driving.
But it differs from a conventional
automatic transmission because
it does not incorporate a torque
converter. Instead, the transition from
one gear to the next is managed by
clutch slip, especially at lower speeds.
As a result, shifts are sometimes more
noticeable, and a light vibration can
be felt as the transmission shaft speed
is matched with the engine shaft
speed. This is a normal condition of
the dual clutch transmission.
• The wet-type clutch transfers torque
more directly and provides a direct-
drive feeling which may feel different
from a conventional automatic
transmission. This may be more
noticeable when launching the vehicle
from a stop or when traveling at low,
stop-and-go vehicle speeds. •
When rapidly accelerating from a
lower vehicle speed, the engine
rpm may increase dramatically as a
result of clutch slip as the dual clutch
transmission selects the correct gear. This is a normal condition.
• When accelerating from a stop on
an incline, press the accelerator
smoothly and gradually to avoid any
shudder feeling or jerkiness.
• When traveling at a lower vehicle
speed, if you release the accelerator
pedal quickly, you may feel engine
braking before the transmission
changes gears. This engine braking
feeling is similar to operating a
manual transmission at low speed.
• When driving downhill, you may wish
to move the gear shift lever/button to
Manual Shift mode and downshift to
a lower gear in order to control your
speed without using the brake pedal
excessively.
• When you turn the engine on and off,
you may hear clicking sounds as the
system goes through a self-test. This
is a normal sound for the dual clutch
transmission.
• During the first 1,500 km (1000 miles),
you may feel that the vehicle may not
be smooth when accelerating at low
speed. During this break-in period, the
shift quality and performance of your
new vehicle is continuously optimized.

While Driving
6-24
•
When the message “Trans cooled.
Resume driving.” appears you can
continue to drive your vehicle.
• When possible, drive the vehicle
smoothly.
If any of the warning messages in the
LCD display continue to blink, for your
safety, we recommend that you contact
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer and have
the system checked.
Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the shift lever⁄button position
when the ignition switch is in the ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park).
To shift from P (Park), you must depress
firmly on the brake pedal and make sure
your foot is off the accelerator pedal.
The shift lever/button must be in P (Park)
before turning the engine off.
WARNING
• Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion may cause you to
lose control of the vehicle.
• After the vehicle has stopped, always
make sure the shift lever/button is in
P (Park), apply the parking brake, and
turn the engine off.
• When parking on an incline, place
the shift lever/button in P (Park) and
apply the parking brake to prevent
the vehicle from rolling downhill.
• For safety, always engage the
parking brake with the shift lever/
button in the P (Park) position except
for the case of emergency parking.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you
may damage the transmission if you
shift into R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
in motion.
When the vehicle is stopped in
R (Reverse) position, if you open
the driver’s door with the seat belt
unfastened, the gear is shifted to P (Park)
position automatically.
However when the vehicle moves
in R (Reverse) position, if you open
the driver’s door with the seat belt
unfastened, the gear may be not shifted
to P (Park) position automatically for
protecting the dual clutch transmission.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not engaged.
Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a
stalled engine, or if it is necessary to stop
with the engine ON. Shift into P (Park)
if you need to leave your vehicle for any
reason.
Always depress the brake pedal when
you are shifting from N (Neutral) to
another gear.

While Driving
6-26
D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position. The
transmission will automatically shift
through a 8-gear sequence, providing
the best fuel economy and power.
To start the vehicle forward, push the D
(Drive) button by depressing the brake
pedal with the engine ON. Then depress
the accelerator pedal smoothly. For extra
power when passing another vehicle or
driving uphill, depress the accelerator
fully. The transmission will automatically
downshift to the next lower gear (or
gears, as appropriate). When the vehicle
is stopped in D (Drive) position, if you
open the driver’s door with the seat belt
unfastened, the gear is shifted to P (Park)
position automatically.
However when the vehicle moves in D
(Drive) position, if you open the driver’s
door with the seat belt unfastened,
the gear may be not shifted to P (Park)
position automatically for protecting the
dual clutch transmission.
The DRIVE MODE switch, located on
the shift lever/button console, allows
the driver to switch from NORMAL/
COMFORT mode to SPORT or ECO mode. (if equipped)
For more details, refer to “Drive Mode
Integrated Control System” later in this
chapter. Shift-lock system
For your safety, the automatic
transmission has a shift-lock system
which prevents shifting the transmission
from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R
(Reverse) or D (Drive) unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission from P (Park)
into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or place the ignition
switch in the ON position.
3. Depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever to R (Reverse). (shift lever
type)
Depress the brake pedal and push the
R (Reverse) button. (shift button type)
When the battery is discharged:
You cannot shift the shift lever/button,
when the battery is discharged.
In emergencies, do the following
to move the shift lever/button to N
(Neutral) on a level ground.
1. Connect the battery cables from another vehicle or from a another
battery to the jump-starting terminals
inside the engine compartment.
For more details, refer to “Jump
Starting” in chapter 8.
2. Release the parking brake with the ignition switch in the ON position.
3. Shift the gear to the N(Neutral) position refer to the “Stay in Neutral
when vehicle is Off” in this chapter.

While Driving
6-46
CUSTOM mode
In CUSTOM mode, the driver
can select separate modes and combine them on the
infotainment system screen.
• Type A
- Engine/Transmission: NORMAL/ SPORT
- Steering wheel: NORMAL/SPORT
• Type B
- Engine/Transmission : NORMAL/
SPORT/SPORT+
- Steering wheel : NORMAL/SPORT
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) :
NORMAL/SPORT
For more infomation, refer to the
separately supplied manual with your
vehicle. • When CUSTOM mode is selected
by using the DRIVE MODE button,
the CUSTOM mode indicator will
illuminate. SPORT mode SPORT mode manages the
driving dynamics by
automatically adjusting the
steering effort, the engine
and transmission control
logic for enhanced driver
performance.
• When SPORT mode is selected by
using the DRIVE MODE button, the
SPORT indicator will illuminate.
• Whenever the engine is restarted,
the Drive Mode will revert back to
NORMAL mode. If SPORT mode is
desired, re-select SPORT mode from
the DRIVE MODE button.
• 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
Information
In SPORT mode, the fuel efficiency may
decrease.

06
6-47
SPORT+ mode
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SPORT+ mode manages the
driving dynamics by
automatically adjusting the
steering effort, the engine
and transmission control
logic for enhanced driver
performance.
• When SPORT+ mode is selected by
using the DRIVE MODE switch, the
SPORT+ indicator will illuminate.
• Whenever the engine is restarted,
the Drive Mode will revert back to
NORMAL mode. If SPORT+ mode is
desired, re-select SPORT+ mode from
the DRIVE MODE switch.
• 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
Information
In SPORT+ mode, the fuel efficiency may
decrease. SMART mode
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SMART mode selects the
proper driving mode among
NORMAL and SPORT by
judging the driver’s driving
habits (i.e. Economic or
Aggressive (Sportive)) from
the brake pedal depression
or the steering wheel
operation.
• Toggle the DRIVE MODE button to
select SMART mode. When SMART
mode is selected, the indicator
illuminates on the instrument cluster.
• SMART mode automatically controls
the vehicle driving, such as gear
shifting patterns and engine torque,
in accordance with the driver’s driving habits.
Information
When you dynamically drive the vehicle
in SMART mode by abruptly decelerating
or sharply turning the driving mode
changes to SPORT mode. However, it may
adversely affect fuel economy.

While Driving
6-48
Various driving situations, which you may
encounter in SMART mode
• 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
braking performance, even when
you release the accelerator pedal in
SMART SPORT mode. It is because
your vehicle remains in 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 in SMART NORMAL mode.
Limitation of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited in
following situations. (The OFF indicator
illuminates in those situations.) • The driver uses the paddle shifter
(manual shift mode) :
It deactivates SMART mode. The
vehicle drives, as the driver manually
changes gear with the paddle shifter.
• The cruise control is activated :
The cruise control system may
deactivate the SMART mode when
the vehicle is controlled by the set
speed of Smart Cruise Control system.
(SMART mode is not deactivated
just by activating the cruise control
system.)
• 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.

While Driving
6-150
Hazardous Driving Conditions
When hazardous driving elements
are encountered such as water, snow,
ice, mud and sand, take the below
suggestions: • Drive cautiously and keep a longer
braking distance.
• Avoid abrupt braking or steering.
• When your vehicle is stuck in
snow, mud, or sand, use second
gear. Accelerate slowly to avoid unnecessary wheel spin.
• Put sand, rock salt or other non-slip
materials under the wheels to provide
additional traction while the vehicle
becomes stuck in ice, snow, or mud.
WARNING
Downshifting with an automatic
transmission while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident. The
sudden change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid. Be careful when
downshifting on slippery surfaces.
Rocking the Vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your front wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear.
Try to avoid spinning the wheels, and do
not race the engine.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator pedal
while shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal while the transmission
is in gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that may free the vehicle.
WARNING
If the vehicle is stuck and excessive
wheel spin occurs, the temperature
of the tires can increase very quickly.
If the tires become damaged, a tire
blow out or tire explosion can occur.
This condition is dangerous - you and
others may be injured. Do not attempt
this procedure if people or objects are
anywhere near the vehicle.
If you attempt to free the vehicle, the
vehicle can overheat quickly, possibly
causing an engine compartment fire
or other damage. Try to avoid spinning
the wheels as much as possible to
prevent overheating of either the tires
or the engine. DO NOT allow the vehicle
to spin the wheels above 56 km/h (35
mph).
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
NOTICE
If you are still stuck after rocking the
vehicle a few times, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating, possible damage to
the transmission, and tire damage. See
"Towing" in chapter 7.
special Driving conDitions