2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
CAUTION:
Never shift into "R" or "P" position while
the vehicle is moving.
!
The indicator lights in the instrument clus-
ter 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.
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 automatically, 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 opera-
tion, refer to "Sports Mode".
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4
positions.
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 nor-
mal condition, and the shifting sequence
will adjust after shifts are cycled a few
times by the T.C.M (Transmission Con-
trol Module).
OCM053004OCM051042L
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
11
C090B02A-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. When-
ever 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.
!
C090D02A-AATo N (Neutral):In the "N" position, the transaxle is in neu-
tral, which means that no gears are en-
gaged. 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.C090E01NF-GATo D (Drive):Use for normal driving. The transaxle will
automatically shift through a four/five gear
sequence.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.
C090F02L-GATSports ModeWhether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing 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
backwards and forwards can make rapid
gearshifts simple. In contrast to a manual
transaxle, the sports mode allows gear-
shifts with the accelerator pedal depressed.
UP (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift
up one gear.
OCM053006
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
12
C090H01L-GATNOTE:o For smooth and safe operation, de-
press the brake pedal when shifting
from "Neutral" 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. DOWN (-) : Pull the lever backwards once
to shift down one gear.
SKIP : By rapidly moving the selector for-
ward 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 ex-
ecute upward shifts in accordance
with prevailing road conditions, tak-
ing 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.
NOTE:o In sports mode, only the four/five for-
ward gears can be selected. To re-
verse or park the vehicle, move the
selector lever to the "R" or "P" posi-
tion 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 gear-
shifts when the selector lever is oper-
ated.
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 driv-
ing away on a slippery road. Push the
selector lever to the -(DOWN) side to
shift back to 1st gear.
!
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
13
C090I04L-GAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into "R" and "P" position only
when the vehicle has completely
stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in re-
verse or any of the forward positions
with the brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when
shifting 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 Check the automatic transaxle fluid
level regularly, and add fluid as nec-
essary.
o See the maintenance schedule for
the proper fluid recommendation.
!
C090J01NF-GATShift Lock ReleaseIf 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, re-
move the cap on the console and with a
thin object such as a flat-head screwdriver,
push the shift lock release button down.
OCM053005
Then, with the brake pedal depressed,
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 prob-
lem. Have the car checked by your Hyundai
dealer.
2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
14
!
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 occu-
pant.
o Avoid high speeds when cornering or
turning.
o Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly in-
creased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver oversteers to reenter
the roadway.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply. In-
stead, slow down before pulling back
into the travel lanes.
o Never exceed posted speed limits. 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 de-
pressing and releasing the accelerator
pedal.
C090N06O-AATGood Driving Practiceso Never move the gear selector lever
from "P" or "N" to any other position with
the accelerator 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
hazardous. Always leave the car in gear
when moving.
o Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction. In-
stead, 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 engaged.
o Always use the parking brake. Do not
depend on placing the transaxle in "P"
to keep the car from moving.
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
19
o In rare cases when it's unavoidable
that a AWD vehicle is to be inspected
on a 2WD roll tester, strictly follow the
procedures.
1. Check the tire pressures recom-
mended for your vehicle.
2. Place the front wheels on the roll
tester as shown in the illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the rear wheels on the tem-
porary free roller as shown in the
illustration.!
WARNING:
Keep away from the front of the vehicle
while inspecting.
OCM051013
Roll tester(Speedometer)Temporary free roller(9)For a speedometer test or inspection/
maintenance (I/M) program of a Santa
Fe AWD vehicle, use a four wheel chas-
sis dynamometer.
!
CAUTION:
Never engage the parking brake while
performing these tests. (8)The full-time AWD vehicle cannot be
towed by an ordinary tow truck. Make
sure that the vehicle is towed with all
four wheels raised off the ground.
o Roadside Assistance Program:
Off-roading is not covered. To re-
ceive service, the vehicle must be on
a publicly maintained road.
o If the vehicle is towed with only two
wheels raised off the ground, the
AWD system could be damaged.
o In unavoidable cases, if the vehicle
is being towed with all four wheels on
the ground, it should only be towed
forward.
o While towing, check the following
items.
1. The ignition switch is in "ACC" or
"ON".
2. Place the shift lever in neutral (For
Automatic Transaxle, "N" posi-
tion).
3. Release the parking brake.
NOTE:To avoid serious damage to your AWD
vehicle, limit towing to 10 mph and not for
more than 1 mile at ANY TIME.
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
22
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 for-
ward. 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.
Firmly engage the parking brake and
place the gear selector lever in "P" (au-
tomatic 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 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
while driving slowly 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 driv-
ing can be dangerous because it can
result in the brakes overheating and
losing their effectiveness. It also in-
creases the wear of the brake compo-
nents.o Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged posi-
tion. 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 se-
lector 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. Al-
ways use the brake pedal or parking
brake.
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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
23
DRIVING FOR ECONOMYC140A02A-AATYou can save fuel and get more miles from
your car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-
ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts
or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race be-
tween stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to that of the other traffic so you
don't have to change speeds unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe distance
from other vehicles so you can avoid
unnecessary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster
you drive, the more fuel your car uses.
Driving at a moderate speed, espe-
cially on the highway, is one of the most
effective ways to reduce fuel consump-
tion.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these compo-
nents. In addition, driving with your foot
resting on the brake pedal may cause
the brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to more
serious consequences.o Take care of your tires. Keep them in-
flated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at least
once a month.
o Be sure that the wheels are aligned
correctly. Improper alignment can re-
sult from hitting curbs or driving too fast
over irregular surfaces. Poor alignment
causes faster tire wear and may also
result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption.
o Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced main-
tenance costs, maintain your car in ac-
cordance with the maintenance sched-
ule in Section 5. If you drive your car in
severe conditions, more frequent main-
tenance is required (see Section 5 for
details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your Hyundai should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption and also contribute to corro-
sion.o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than
necessary. If you are waiting (and not in
traffic), turn off your engine and restart
only when you're ready to go.
o Remember, your Hyundai does not re-
quire extended warm-up. After the en-
gine has started, allow the engine to run
for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing the
vehicle in gear. In very cold weather,
however, give your engine a slightly
longer warm-up period.
o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine.
Lugging is driving too slowly in too high
a gear resulting in the engine bucking.
If this happens, shift to a lower gear.
Over-revving is racing the engine be-
yond its safe limit. This can be avoided
by shifting at the recommended speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The
air conditioning system is operated by
engine power so your fuel economy is
reduced when you use it.