Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 2015 Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle
45
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the engine start/stop button is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop
the vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the acceler-
ator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine or
exhaust system and cause a fire.
When you make a sudden stop or turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
If you do not focus on driving, it may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating controls while
driving such as the audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.

55
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated engine start/stop but-
ton
Whenever the front door is opened, the
engine start/stop button will illuminate for
your convenience. The light will go off
after about 30 seconds when the door is
closed.
HEV system start/stop button
position
OFF
To turn off the system, press the engine
start/stop button with the engine
start/stop button in the ON position and
the shift lever in P(Park). When you press
the engine start/stop button without the
shift lever in P(Park), the engine
start/stop button does not turn to the OFF
position, but turns to the ACC position.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Before turning off the HEV system, the
vehicle should be stopped.
ACC(Accessory)
Press the HEV system start/stop button
while it is in the OFF position without
depressing the brake pedal.
The electrical accessories are operative.
If you leave the HEV system start/stop
button in the ACC position for more than
1 hour, the battery power will turn off
automatically to prevent the battery from
discharging.
ON
Press the HEV system start/stop button
while the button is in the ACC position
without depressing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the HEV system is started. Do not
leave it in the ON position if the HEV sys-
tem is not running to prevent battery dis-
charge.
START
To start the hybrid system, press the
brake pedal and press the HEV system
start/stop button with the shift lever in the
P(Park) position.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON
OYF059001
WARNING
In an emergency situation while the
vehicle is moving, you can turn off
the engine and turn the engine
start/stop button to the ACC position
by pressing the engine start/stop
button for more than 2 seconds or 3
times successively within 3 sec-
onds. If the vehicle is moving over
10km/h, you can restart the engine
without pressing the brake pedal by
pressing the engine start/stop but-
ton regardless of transaxle position.

Driving your vehicle
65
✽
✽NOTICE
• If you press the HEV system start/stop
button without depressing the brake
pedal, the HEV system does not start
and the HEV system start/stop button
changes as follows :
OFF → →
ACC →
→
ON →
→
OFF
• If you leave the engine start/stop but- ton in the ACC or the ON position for
a long time, the battery will be dis-
charged.
Starting the hybrid system
1. Carry the smart key or leave it inside
the vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied.
3. Place the shift lever in the P(Park) position. In N(Neutral) position, you
can not start the vehicle.
4. Depress the brake pedal.
5. Press the HEV system start/stop but- ton.
It should be started without depress-
ing the accelerator.
WARNING
Except in an emergency, neverpress the engine start/stop but-
ton while the vehicle is in motion.
This could result in higher brak-
ing effort and steering, which
could cause an accident.
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is engaged in P (Park), set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement may occur
if these precautions are not
taken.
Never reach for the engine start/stop button, or any other
controls through the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in
motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control,
an accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an
accident.WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski
boots, etc.) may interfere with your
ability to use the brake and acceler-
ator pedal.
Even if you depress the brake pedal
before starting the vehicle in a
sloped area, the vehicle may move
when the parking brake is released.
For your safety, release the parking
brake after starting the vehicle.

57
Driving your vehicle
6. Do not wait for the engine to warm upwhile the vehicle remains stationary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds.(Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.)
Even if the smart key is in the vehicle,
if it is far away from you, the HEV sys-
tem may not start.
When the HEV system start/stop but- ton is in the ACC or ON position, if any
door is open, the system checks for the
smart key. If the smart key is not in the
vehicle, the warning, "Key not in vehi-
cle" will come on, and if all doors are
closed, the chime will also sound for
about 5 seconds. The indicator will turn
off while the vehicle is moving. Keep
the smart key in the vehicle when
using the ACC position or if the vehicle
HEV system is on.
WARNING
The HEV system will start only
when the smart key is in the vehi-
cle. Never allow children or any per-
son who is unfamiliar with the vehi-
cle to touch the HEV system
start/stop button or related parts.
CAUTION
If the "READY" indicator is turnedoff while you are in motion, do notattempt to move the shift lever tothe P(Park) position. If traffic androad conditions permit, you maykeep the previous lever positionwhile the vehicle is still moving and press the engine start/stop buttonin an attempt to restart the hybridsystem without pressing the brakepedal.
If the hybrid system starts, the "READY" symbol comes on. If the"READY" symbol does not comeon, have the vehicle checked andrepaired by an authorizedHYUNDAI dealer.

Driving your vehicle
85
✽
✽NOTICE
• If the battery is weak or the smart key
does not work correctly, you can start
the engine by inserting the smart key
into the smart key holder. To eject the
smart key from the smart key holder,
press the smart key inward past the
detent and then pull the key outward.
• When the stop lamp fuse is blown, you can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If you
are not able to replace the fuse, you
can start the engine by pressing the
engine start/stop button for 10 seconds
with the engine start/stop button in the
ACC mode. Always depress the brake
pedal before starting the engine.
Virtual Engine Sound System
(VESS)
The Virtual Engine Sound System gener-
ates engine sound for pedestrians to
hear vehicle sound because there is no
sound while motor power is used.
CAUTION
Do not press the HEV system
start/stop button for more than 5seconds except when the stoplamp fuse is disconnected.
When you eject the smart key from the smart key holder, pressthe smart key inward and pull it out. If you pull out the smart keyforcibly without first pushing thesmart key, the smart key holdermay be damaged and will notoperate normally.
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59
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 6 forward
speeds and one reverse speed. The indi-
vidual speeds are selected automatically,
depending on the position of the shift
lever.
To move the shift lever from the P (Park)
position, the brake pedal must be
depressed and the shift lock release but-
ton must be pressed.
✽ ✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control
Module).
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
OYFH054006N
+ (UP)
- (DOWN)
Depress the brake pedal and the lock release button (1) when shifting. The shift lever can be shifted without depressing the shift lock release button (1).
The shift lock release button (1) must be depressed while moving the shift lever.

Driving your vehicle
10
5
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to aforward or reverse gear. Transaxle ranges
The indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the shift lever position when the
engine start/stop button is in the ON
position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the drive
wheels from rotating.
WARNING- Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a car into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the HEV system off.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these pre-
cautions are not followed in the
order identified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on.
When stopped on an incline, do not hold the vehicle stationarywith engine power. Use the serv-ice brake or the parking brake.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehi- cle is in motion will cause the drive
wheels to lock which will cause you
to lose control of the vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) position in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the parking brake fully.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged ifyou shift into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion.

511
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator, at which time the transaxle
will automatically downshift to a lower
gear.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing the shift lever from the D (Drive) posi-
tion into the manual gate. To return to D
(Drive) range operation, push the shift
lever back into the D (Drive) position.
In sports mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you to
make gearshifts rapidly.
Up (+) : Push the lever forward once to
shift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one gear.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is in motion, except as explained in“Rocking the vehicle” in this sec-tion.
OYF059008N
+ (UP)
- (DOWN)Sports mode

Driving your vehicle
12
5
✽
✽
NOTICE
• In sports mode, the driver must exe-
cute upshifts in accordance with road
conditions.
• In sports mode, only the 6 forward gears can be selected. To reverse or
park the vehicle, move the shift lever
to the R (Reverse) or P (Park) position
as required.
• In sports mode, downshifts are made automatically when the vehicle slows
down. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear
is automatically selected.
• In sports mode, when the engine rpm approaches the red zone, the transaxle
will upshift automatically.
• To maintain the required levels of vehi- cle performance and safety, the system
may not execute certain gearshifts
when the shift lever is operated.
• When accelerating from a stop on a slippery road, push the shift lever for-
ward into the +(up) position. This
causes the transaxle to shift into the
2nd gear which is better for smooth
driving on a slippery road. Push the
shift lever to the -(down) side to shift
back to the 1st gear.
• When using sports mode, slow down before shifting to a lower gear.
Otherwise, the lower gear may not be
engaged.
Shift lock system
For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the engine
start/stop button to the ON position.
3. Move the shift lever.
Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position into R (Reverse)
position with the brake pedal depressed,
continue depressing the brake, then do
the following:
1. Carefully remove the cap (1) coveringthe shift-lock access hole.
2. Insert a screwdriver into the access hole and press down on the screwdriver.
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer immedi-
ately.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the car.
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513
Driving your vehicle
Good driving practices
Never move the gear shift lever from P(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the gear shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
Be sure the car is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into R
(Reverse) or D (Drive).
Never take the car out of gear and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave the
car in gear when moving.
Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunc-
tion. Instead, when you are driving
down a long hill, shift into sports mode,
slown down and shift to a lower gear.
When you do this, engine braking will
help slow the car.
Always use the parking brake when parked. Do not depend on placing the
transaxle in P (Park) to keep the car
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 the vehicle to go out of control.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision,an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing 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.
Never exceed posted speed lim- its.