
2
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 condi-
tion, and the shifting sequence will adjust
after shifts are cycled a few times by the
T.C.M (Transaxle Control Module).
!
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 fol-
lows:
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 selec-
tor 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.
!
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
(4 SPEED A/T, 5 SPEED A/T)C090A01NF-GAT(If Installed)The highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has four/five forward speeds and one reverse
speed. The individual speeds are selected au-
tomatically, 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.
C090A01NF  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
9
C090E01NF-GATo D (Drive):Use for normal driving. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four/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 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
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.
!
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 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.
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 .
C090F02NF
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the four/five for-
ward 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.  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
!
C090I03L-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" 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 ten-
dency 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 "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", 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 driving
away on a slippery road. Push the selec-
tor lever to the -(DOWN) side to shift
back to 1st gear.
C090J01NF-GATSHIFT LOCK RELEASE (If Installed)If 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 de-
pressed, 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.
C090J01NF  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
11
!
C090N05O-AATGood Driving Practiceso Never move the gear selector lever from "P"
or "N" to any other position with the accelera-
tor 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 before
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 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 vehicle
speed can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle to go out of control.
o Optimum vehicle performance and economy
is obtained by smoothly depressing and
releasing the accelerator pedal.
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 move-
ments, 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 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 Never exceed posted speed limits.
CAUTION:
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., then you may attempt to
rock the vehicle free by moving it forward
and backward. Do not attempt this proce-
dure if people or objects are anywhere near
the vehicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move forward of
backward as it becomes unstuck, causing
injury or damage to nearby people or ob-
jects.
!  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
12
!
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)C120A01NF-AATThe 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:o A click sound may be heard in the engine
compartment when the vehicle begins
to move after the engine is started. These
conditions are normal and indicate that
the anti-lock brake system (Electronic
Stability Control) is functioning prop-
erly.
o During ABS (ESC) operation, a pulsation
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 (Electronic Stability Control Sys-
tem) 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 ve-
hicle 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.
HNF2115-A  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
13
!
!
WARNING:
ABS (ESC) will not prevent accidents due to
improper or dangerous driving maneuvers.
Even though vehicle control is improved
during emergency braking, always main-
tain a safe distance between you and ob-
jects ahead. Vehicle speeds should always
be reduced during extreme road condi-
tions.
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 pit-
ted or has different surface height.
The safety features of an ABS (ESC)
equipped vehicle should not be tested by
high speed driving or cornering. This could
endanger the safety of yourself or others.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL
(ESC) SYSTEMC310A02NF-AAT
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system
is designed to stabilize the vehicle during cor-
nering 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 stabilize 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 con-
ditions 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.
B310A01NF-A
WARNING:
Never drive too fast for the road conditions
or too quickly when cornering.  Electronic
stability control (ESC) will not prevent ac-
cidents.  Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers and hydroplaning on wet sur-
faces 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.  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
14
C310D01NF-AATIndicators and WarningThe indicators should illuminate when the igni-
tion 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 indicator
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
accordingly. 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 re-
started.
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.
!  

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
15
!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.  Ve-
hicles 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 park-
ing brake fully engaged when parking to
avoid inadvertent movement of the car
which can injure occupants or pedestri-
ans.
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 occu-
pants.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 com-
ponents.
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. Farmly
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.