2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
9
HJM3018
OPERATING THE AUTOMATIC
TRANSAXLEC090A01O-GATThe highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has four 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, and is equipped with a button to avoid
inadvertent 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 (Transaxle Control Module).
C090A01JM
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the selector lever position when the
ignition is switched "ON". During "D" range
operation, green lights indicate the gear cur-
rently in use.
CAUTION:
Never shift into "R" or "P" position while the
vehicle is moving.
!
2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
!
C090E01O-AATo D(Drive):Use for normal driving. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four gear sequence.C090D02O-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.
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.C090C02A-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:
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.
C090F01JM-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 gearshifts simple.
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 forwards
or backwards twice, it is possible to skip one
gear, i.e. 1st to 3rd or 3rd to 1st.
HJM3020
!
WARNING:
Always apply the brake pedal when you
stop the vehicle on an inclined road with the
shift lever in the D (Drive) position. Do NOT
rely on the engine and transaxle to prevent
the vehicle from rolling down the hill.
Before attempting to backup on an inclined
road, always apply the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever to the R (Reverse)
position.
2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
11
!
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.
CAUTION:
o In sports mode, The driver must execute
shifts in accordance with prevailing road
conditions, taking care to keep the en-
gine speed below the red zone. For en-
gine 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, i.e., 3rd to 1st, 4th to 2nd. 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 select reverse
or park, 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.
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", "D" position to "P" position. The
vehicle must be fully stopped to avoid
transaxle damage.
!
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.
8
CONSUMER INFORMATION, REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS & BINDING ARBITRATION OF WARRANTY CLAIMS8
Intended Outboard Sidewall: The side
of an asymmetrical tire, that must al-
ways face outward when mounted on a
vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for
air pressure.
Load Index: An assigned number rang-
ing from 1 to 279 that corresponds to
the load carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure: The
maximum air pressure to which a cold
tire may be inflated. The maximum air
pressure is molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating: The load rat-
ing for a tire at the maximum permis-
sible inflation pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:
The sum of curb weight; accessory
weight; vehicle capacity weight; and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight: The num-
ber of occupants a vehicle is designed
to seat multiplied by 150 pounds (68
kg).Occupant Distribution: Designated
seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall: The side of
a asymmetrical tire that has a particular
side that faces outward when mounted
on a vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears white letter-
ing or bears manufacturer, brand and or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same moldings on the
other sidewall of the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: A tire used
on passenger cars and some light duty
trucks and multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation Pressure:
Vehicle manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure and shown on the
tire placard.
Radial Ply tire: A pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim: A metal support for a tire and upon
which the tire beads are seated. Cold Tire Pressure: The amount of air
pressure in a tire, measured in pounds
per square inch (psi) or kilopascals
(kPa) before a tire has built up heat from
driving.
Curb Weight: This means the weight of
a motor vehicle with standard and op-
tional equipment including the maxi-
mum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant,
but without passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings: A code molded into the
sidewall of a tire signifying that the tire
is in compliance with the U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation motor vehicle
safety standards. The DOT code in-
cludes the Tire Identification Number
(TIN), an alphanumeric designator which
can also identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand and date of
production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight Rating
for the front Axle.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight Rating
for the rear axle.