ESP HYUNDAI SONATA 2023 Owner's 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.

While Driving
6-18
Good Driving Practices
• Never shift the gear from P (Park) or
N (Neutral) to any other position with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
• Never shift the gear into P (Park) when
the vehicle is in motion.
Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Do not shift the gear to N (Neutral)
when driving. Doing so may result
in an accident because of a loss of
engine braking and the transmission could be damaged.
• While driving up or downhill, check
the gear position, indicated on the
cluster, to ensure the vehicle is
driving forward while in D (Drive), or
backward while in R (Reverse). If you
drive in the opposite direction of the
selected gear, the engine will turn off
and a serious accident may occur due
to the degraded brake performance.
• Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light, but
consistent pedal pressure can result
in the brakes overheating, brake wear
and possibly even brake failure.
• When driving in the manual shift
mode, slow down before shifting to a
lower gear. Otherwise, the lower gear
may not be engaged if the engine
rpms are outside of the allowable
range.
• Always apply the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle. Do not depend on
placing the transmission in P (Park) to
keep the vehicle from moving.
• 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 may cause
loss of vehicle control resulting in an
accident •
Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH: • ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. In a
collision, an unbelted occupant
is significantly more likely to be
seriously injured or killed than a
properly belted occupant.
• 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 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.
• HYUNDAI recommends you follow all
posted speed limits.
Information
Kickdown Mechanism (if equipped)
If you depress the accelerator pedal equipped with Kickdown device beyond
the pressure point, it maximizes the engine
power. You may feel when the Kickdown
equipment starts to work and hear the sound of Kickdown operation. It is normal
operation, not a failure.

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
6-22
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 shift lever/
button 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.
• Do not use aggressive engine braking
(shifting from a higher gear to a
lower gear) on slippery roads. This
could cause the tires to slip and may
result in an accident.
NOTICE
• Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
• Do not put the shift lever/button in N
(Neutral) while driving.
WARNING
Due to transmission failure, you may
not continue to drive and the position
indicator and the position indicator (D,
P) on the instrument cluster will blink.
We recommend that you contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer and have
the system checked. DCT warning messages
This warning message is displayed when
vehicle is driven slowly on a grade and
the vehicle detects that the brake pedal
is not applied.
OOSH069010L
Steep grade! Press brake pedal
Driving up hills or on steep grades: •
To hold the vehicle on an incline use
the foot brake or the parking brake.
• When in stop-and-go traffic on an
incline, allow a gap to form ahead
of you before moving the vehicle
forward. Then hold the vehicle on the
incline with the foot brake.
• If the vehicle is held or creeping
forward on an incline by applying
the accelerator pedal, the clutch and
transmission may overheat which
can result in damage. At this time, a
warning message will appear on the
LCD display.
• If the LCD warning is active, the foot
brake must be applied.
• Ignoring the warnings can lead to
damage to the transmission.

06
6-29
Good driving practices
• Never move the shift lever/button
from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to any
other position with the accelerator
pedal depressed.
• Never move the shift lever/button into
P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Do not move the shift lever/button
to N (Neutral) when driving. Doing
so may result in an accident because
of a loss of engine braking and the
transmission could be damaged.
• Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light, but
consistent pedal pressure can result
in the brakes overheating, brake wear
and possibly even brake failure.
• Always apply the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle. Do not depend on
placing the transmission in P (Park) to
keep the vehicle from moving.
• 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 may cause
loss of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
• Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator. WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY
or DEATH: • ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. In a
collision, an unbelted occupant
is significantly more likely to be
seriously injured or killed than a
properly belted occupant.
• 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 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.
• HYUNDAI recommends you follow all
posted speed limits.

While Driving
6-38
Using ABS
To obtain the maximum benefit from
your ABS in an emergency situation,
do not attempt to modulate your brake
pressure and do not try to pump your
brakes. Depress your brake pedal as hard as possible.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the wheels,
you may hear sounds from the brakes,
or feel a corresponding sensation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS is active.
ABS does not reduce the time or distance
it takes to stop the vehicle.
Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.
ABS will not prevent a skid that results
from sudden changes in direction, such
as trying to take a corner too fast or
making a sudden lane change. Always
drive at a safe speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability.
Always steer moderately when braking
hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel
movement can still cause your vehicle to
veer into oncoming traffic or off the road.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping distance
than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
The ABS warning light (
) will stay on
for several seconds after the ignition
switch is in the ON position. During
that time, the ABS will go through self-
diagnosis and the light will go off if
everything is normal. If the light stays on,
you may have a problem with your ABS.
Contact an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the ABS warning light (
) is on and
stays on, you may have a problem with
the ABS. Your power brakes will work
normally. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death, contact your HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION
When you drive on a road having poor
traction, such as an icy road, and apply
your brakes continuously, the ABS will
be active continuously and the ABS
warning light (
) may illuminate. Pull
your car over to a safe place and turn
the engine off.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning
light is off, then your ABS system is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a problem
with your ABS system. Contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.
Information
When you jump start your vehicle because
of a drained battery, the ABS warning light (
) may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your ABS is malfunctioning. Have the battery
recharged before driving the vehicle.

06
6-39
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ODN8069018
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system helps to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering maneuvers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle's brakes and intervenes in the
engine management system to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. It is not a substitute for
safe driving practices. Always adjust your
speed and driving to the road conditions.
WARNING
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when
cornering. The ESC system will not
prevent accidents.
Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers, and hydroplaning on wet
surfaces can result in severe accidents. ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch is in the ON position, the ESC and the ESC
OFF indicator lights illuminate for
approximately three seconds. After both
lights go off, the ESC is enabled.
When operating
When the ESC is in operation,
the ESC indicator light blinks:
• When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the wheels,
you may hear sounds from the brakes,
or feel a corresponding sensation in
the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ESC is active.
• When the ESC activates, the engine
may not respond to the accelerator as
it does under routine conditions.
• If the Cruise Control was in use when
the ESC activates, the Cruise Control
automatically disengages. The Cruise
Control can be reengaged when the
road conditions allow. See "Cruise
Control System" later in this chapter. (if equipped)
• When moving out of the mud or
driving on a slippery road, the engine
RPM (revolutions per minute) may
not increase even if you press the
accelerator pedal deeply. This is to
maintain the stability and traction of
the vehicle and does not indicate a
problem.

06
6-41
ESC OFF usage
When Driving
The ESC OFF mode should only be used
briefly to help free the vehicle if stuck in
snow by temporarily stopping operation
of the 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 the
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated).
Information
Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS
or standard brake system operation.
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM)
The Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
is a function of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. It helps ensure the
vehicle stays stable when accelerating
or braking suddenly on wet, slippery and
rough roads where traction over the four
tires can suddenly become uneven.
WARNING
Take the following precautions when
using the Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM): • ALWAYS check the speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead. The
VSM is not a substitute for safe
driving practices.
• Never drive too fast for the road
conditions. The VSM system will not
prevent accidents. Excessive speed
in bad weather, slippery and uneven
roads can result in severe accidents.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
The VSM operates when:
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is on.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may activate the ESC,
you may hear sounds from the brakes,
or feel a corresponding sensation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and it means
your VSM is active.
NOTICE
The VSM does not operate when: • Driving on a banked road such as
gradient or incline.
• Driving rearward.
• ESC OFF indicator light is on.
• EPS (Electric Power Steering)
warning light (
) is on or blinks.

06
6-45
Drive moDe integrateD control system (if equippeD)
Drive Mode
ODN8069020
The drive mode may be selected
according to the driver’s preference or
road condition.
Information
If there is a problem with the
instrument cluster, the drive mode will
be in COMFORT mode and may not
change to NORMAL mode or SPORT mode.
The mode changes when you toggle the
DRIVE MODE button.
CUSTOM
SPORT
NORMAL
SMART
„„Type A
CUSTOM
SPORT+
SPORT
NORMAL
„„Type B
When COMFORT mode is selected, it is
not displayed on the instrument cluster. • NORMAL mode :
NORMAL mode helps provide smooth
driving and comfortable riding.
• SPORT mode :
SPORT mode helps provide sporty but firm riding.
• CUSTOM mode :
The driver can separately adjust
modes of each driving system.
• SMART mode :
SMART mode automatically adjusts
the driving mode (NORMAL « SPORT)
in accordance with the driver's driving habits.
• SPORT+ mode :
SPORT+ mode provides sporty but firm riding.
The drive mode will change to NORMAL
mode when the engine is restarted.
When changing the drive mode setting,
the responsiveness of Smart Cruise
Control changes.

While Driving
6-54
Brake operation •
In an urgent situation, the braking
system enters into the ready status for
prompt reaction against the driver’s
depressing the brake pedal.
• FCA provides additional braking
power for optimum braking
performance, when the driver
depresses the brake pedal.
• The braking control is automatically
deactivated, when the driver sharply
depresses the accelerator pedal, or
when the driver abruptly operates the
steering wheel.
• FCA brake control is automatically
canceled, when risk factors disappear.
CAUTION
• The driver should always use
extreme caution while operating
the vehicle, whether or not there is a
warning message or alarm from FCA
system.
• After the brake control is activated,
the driver must immediately depress
the brake pedal and check the
surroundings. The brake activation
by the system lasts for about 2
seconds.
• If any other warning sound such as
seat belt warning chime is already
generated, Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist system warning
may not sound.
• Playing the vehicle audio system at
high volume may prevent occupants
from hearing the system warning sounds.
WARNING
The braking control cannot completely
stop the vehicle nor avoid all
collisions. The driver should hold the
responsibility to safely drive and control
the vehicle.
WARNING
The FCA system logic operates within
certain parameters, such as the
distance from the vehicle, pedestrian or
cyclist (if equipped) ahead, the speed
of the vehicle ahead, and the driver’s
vehicle speed. Certain conditions
such as inclement weather and road
conditions may affect the operation of
FCA system.
WARNING
Never deliberately drive dangerously to
activate the system.
Information
Exceptional operation of the braking assist system • The vehicle drives on a slope or curve.
• The vehicle drives by a pedestrian or
cyclist at the crossroads, traffic signals
or structure.
• The vehicle drives through a tunnel or
near a railroad.
• The vehicle drives where steam, smoke
or shadow is on the road.
• The vehicle drives the road tree planted
or streetlamps installed.
• There is interference by
electromagnetic waves or electric noise.