2003 Hyundai Tiburon Owner's Manual

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 2
C020A01A-AATBEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
Before you start the engine, you should always:
1. Look around the vehicle to be sure there are
no flat tires, puddles of oil, water or other
indications of possible trouble.
2. After entering the car, check to be sure the
parking brake is engaged.
3. Check that all windows, and lights are clean.
4. Check that the interior and exterior mirrors
are clean and in position.
5. Check your seat, seatback and headrest to
be sure they are in their proper positions.
6. Lock all the doors.
7. Fasten your seat belt and be sure that all
other occupants have fastened theirs.
8. Turn off all lights and accessories that are
not needed.
9. When you turn the ignition switch to “ON”,
check that all appropriate warning lights are
operating and that you have sufficient fuel.
10. Check the operation of warning lights and all
bulbs when key is in the “ON” position.o To start the engine, insert the ignition key
and turn it to the "START" position. Release
it as soon as the engine starts. Do not hold
the key in the "START" position for more
than 15 seconds.
NOTE:o For safety, the engine will not start if the
clutch pedal is not depressed fully (Man-
ual transaxle) or the shift lever is not in
“P” or “N” Position (Automatic transaxle).
o The ignition key cannot be turned from
"ACC" position to "LOCK" position un-
less the shift lever is in the "P" (Park)
position or the negative battery terminal
is disconnected from the battery. To re-
move the key, always confirm that the
shift lever is securely positioned in "P"
(Park) (For Automatic transaxle)
o For additional information about start-
ing, see page 2-3.
C040A01A-AAT
KEY POSITIONS
WARNING:
The engine should not be turned off or the
key removed from the ignition key cylinder
while the vehicle is in motion. The steering
wheel is locked by removing the key.
C030A01A-AATCOMBINATION IGNITION SWITCH
To Start the Engine
o If your Hyundai is equipped with a manual
transaxle, place the shift lever in neutral and
depress the clutch pedal fully.
o If your Hyundai has an automatic transaxle,
place the shift lever in "P" (park).
o “START”The engine is started in this position. It will
crank until you release the key.
NOTE:Do not hold the key in the “START” position
for more than 15 seconds.
o “ON”When the key is in the “ON position, the ignition
is on and all accessories may be turned on. If
the engine is not running, the key should not be
left in the “ON” position. This will discharge the
battery and may also damage the ignition sys-
tem.
o “ACC”
With the key in the “ACC” position, some elec-
trical accessories (radio etc.) may be operated.
C040A01E
LOCKACC
ON
START

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 3
C050A01A-AATSTARTING
WARNING:
Never run the engine in a closed or poorly
ventilated area any longer than is needed to
move your car in or out of the area. The
carbon monoxide gas emitted is odorless
and can cause serious injury or death.
C050B01A-AATNormal Conditions:
The Starting Procedure:
1. Insert key, and fasten the seat belt.
2. Depress the clutch pedal fully and place the
gearshift lever (manual transaxle) in neutral
or the selector lever (automatic transaxle) in
"P" (park) position.
3. After turning the ignition key to the "ON"
position, make certain all warning lights and
gauges are functioning properly before start-
ing the engine.
WARNING:Be sure that the clutch is fully depressed
when starting a manual transaxle vehicle.
Your manual transaxle equipped vehicle will
not start unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed. On a manual transaxle equipped
vehicle that can be started without depress-
ing the clutch, there is the potential to cause
damage to the vehicle or injury to someone
inside or outside the vehicle as a result of
the forward or backward movement of the
vehicle that will occur if the clutch is not
depressed when the vehicle is started.
4. Turn the ignition key to the "Start" position
and release it when the engine starts.
After the engine has started, allow the en-
gine to run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to
placing the vehicle in gear.The starter should not be operated for more
than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 15-30 sec-
onds between starting attempts to protect
the starter from overheating.
o “LOCK”
The key can be removed or inserted in this
position. To protect against theft, the steering
wheel locks by removing the key.
NOTE:To unlock the steering wheel, insert the key,
and then turn the steering wheel and key
simultaneously.C070C02A-AAT
To Remove the Ignition Key
(If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transaxle)
1. Turn the ignition key counterclockwise from
the "ACC" position to the "LOCK" position.
2. The key can be removed in the "LOCK"
position.
(If your vehicle is equipped with a manual
transaxle)
1. Turn the ignition key to the "ACC" position.
2. Simultaneously push and turn the ignition
key counterclockwise from the "ACC" posi-
tion to the "LOCK" position.
3. The key can be removed in the "LOCK"
position.
C070C01E
LOCKACC
ON
START
C050A01E

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 4
C070B01A-AATUsing the Clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way to the
floor before shifting, then released slowly. The
clutch pedal should always be used after fully
returning to the original position. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driving. This
can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold the
car on an incline. This causes unnecessary
wear. Use the parking brake to hold the car on
an incline. Do not operate the clutch pedal
rapidly and repeatedly.
C070D02A-AAT
Good Driving Practiceso Never take the car out of gear and coast
down a hill. This is extremely hazardous.
Always leave the car in gear.
o Don't "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.
This will help avoid over-revving the engine,
which can cause damage.
o Slow down when you encounter cross winds.
This gives you much better control of your
car.
C070A02GK-AATOPERATING THE MANUAL
TRANSAXLE
Your Hyundai's manual transaxle has a con-
ventional shift pattern. This shift pattern is im-
printed on the shift knob. The transaxle is fully
synchronized in all forward gears so shifting to
either a higher or a lower gear is easily accom-
plished.
NOTE:o To shift into reverse, rest the lever in
neutral for at least 3 seconds after your
car is completely stopped. Then move
the lever into the reverse position.
o During cold weather, shifting may be dif-
ficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not harm-
ful to the transaxle.
HGK181-E
o If you've come to a complete stop and it's
hard to shift into 1st or R(Reverse), put
the shift lever in N(Neutral) position and
release the clutch. Press the clutch pedal
back down, and then shift into 1
st or
R(Reverse) gear position.
o Do not use the shift lever as a handrest
during driving, as this can result in pre-
mature wear of the transaxle shift forks.
CAUTION:When downshifting from fifth gear to fourth
gear, caution should be taken not to inad-
vertently press the gear shift lever sideways
in such a manner that second gear is en-
gaged. Such a drastic downshift may cause
the engine speed to increase to the point
that the tachometer will enter the red zone.
Such over-revving of the engine may possi-
bly cause engine damage.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 5 o Be sure the car is completely stopped be-
fore you attempt to shift into reverse. The
transaxle can be damaged if you do not. To
shift into reverse, depress the clutch, move
the shift lever to neutral, wait three seconds,
then shift to the reverse position.
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 vehi-
cle speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out of
control.
WARNING:o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway and
the driver oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the road-
way, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into the travel
lanes.
o In a collision crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.
HGK174 C090A03Y-AAT
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
The highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has four forward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected automati-
cally, 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, and is equipped with a button to avoid
inadvertent wrong selection.
NOTE:Depress the brake pedal and push the
button when shifting.
Push the button when shifting.
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 condi-
tion, and the shifting sequence will adjust
after shifts are cycled a few times by the
T.C.M (Transmission Control Module).
C070E02GK-AATRECOMMENDED SHIFT POINTS
The shift points as shown below are recom-
mended for optimum fuel economy and perfor-
mance.
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5 Shift
from-toRecommended
15 mph (20 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
35 mph (55 km/h)
45 mph (75 km/h)

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 6
C090C01A-AAT
o R(Reverse):Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the car to
a complete stop before shifting the selector
lever to "R" position.
C090D02O-AAT
o 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.
C090E01O-AATo D(Drive):
Use for normal driving. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four gear sequence.
C090B01A-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; shift the selector lever
to the "P" (Park) position. 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.
CAUTION:Never shift into "R" or "P" position while
the vehicle is moving.
C090A02L
C090F01GK-GAT
Sports Mode
HGK175
Whether 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 back-
wards and forwards can make rapid gearshifts
simple. In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with the accel-
erator pedal depressed.
UP (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift up
one gear.
DOWN (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to
shift down one gear.
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the selector lever position when the
ignition is switched "ON". During the sports
mode operation, the gear currently in use dis-
plays in the numeral indicator.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 7 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 .
CAUTION:o In sports mode, the driver must execute
upward shifts in accordance with pre-
vailing 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 back-
wards (-) twice it is possible to skip one
gear by using the sports mode. Since
sudden engine braking and/or rapid ac-
celeration can cause a loss of traction,
however, downshifts must be made care-
fully in accordance with the vehicle's
speed.
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the four 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.
o To maintain the required levels of vehicle
performance and safety, the system 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 driving
away on a slippery road. Push the selec-
tor lever to the -(DOWN) side to shift
back to 1st gear.
C090H01L-GAT
NOTE:o For smooth and safe operation, depress
the brake pedal when shifting from “Neu-
tral” 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”, “D” position to “P” position. The
vehicle must be fully stopped to avoid
transaxle damage.
C090I02L-GAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into “R” 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”, “D”position.
C090N01O-AATGood Driving Practices
o Never move the gear selector lever from “P”
or “N” to any other position with the acceler-
ator pedal depressed.
o Never move the gear selector lever into “P”
when the vehicle is in motion.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped be-
fore you attempt to shift into “R”.
o Never take the car out of gear and coast
down a hill. This may be extremely hazard-
ous. Always leave the car 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 en-
gaged. 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 igni-
tion when you leave the vehicle, even
momentarily. Never leave the vehicle
unattended while the engine is running.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid level
regularly, and add fluid as necessary.
o See the maintenance schedule for the
proper fluid recommendation.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 8 o Always use the parking brake. Do not de-
pend 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 vehi-
cle speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out of
control.
WARNING:o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel move-
ments, such as sharp lane changes or
fast, sharp turns.
o Always wear your seat belts.
o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway and
the driver oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the road-
way, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into the travel
lanes.
o In a collision crash, un unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.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 compo-
nents.
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
on the brake pedal when the car is stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill. Engage
the parking brake and place the gear selec-
tor 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
C130A01A-AATGOOD BRAKING PRACTICES
WARNING:
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 dam-
age 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 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.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
2- 9
C120A02A-AATANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(If installed)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed
to prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking
or on hazardous road surfaces. The ABS con-
trol module monitors the wheel speed and con-
trols the pressure applied to each brake. Thus,
in emergency situations or on slick roads, ABS
will increase vehicle control during braking.
NOTE:During ABS operation, a slight pulsation
may be felt in the brake pedal when the
brakes are applied. Also, a noise may be
heard in the engine compartment while brak-
ing. These conditions are normal and indi-
cate that the anti-lock brake system is func-
tioning properly.
C300A03Y-GATTRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS)
(If installed)
HGK156A
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
transmission to overheat. Always use the
brake pedal or parking brake.WARNING:ABS will not prevent accidents due to im-
proper 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 may be longer
than for those without it in the following
road conditions.
o Driving on rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
o Driving with tire chains installed.
o Driving on roads where the road surface
is pitted or has different surface height.
During these conditions the vehicle should
be driven at reduced speeds. The safety
features of an ABS equipped vehicle should
not be tested by high speed driving or cor-
nering. This could endanger the safety of
yourself or others.On slippery road surfaces, the traction control
system (TCS) limits the drive wheels from spin-
ning excessively, thus helping the car to accel-
erate. It also provides sufficient driving force
and steering performance as the car turns at
accelerated speeds.
SLIP Control
Limits the drive wheels from spinning exces-
sively during starting or while making accelerat-
ed turns on slippery roads to avoid losing the
driving force of the front wheels.
Driving hintsTCS does not actively apply brakes. Be sure to
decelerate the car sufficiently before entering
curves.