2010 HYUNDAI TUCSON Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
6
5
Starting the engine1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
while turning the ignition switch to the
start position.
Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when the shift lever is in the N (Neutral)position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START and hold it there until the engine starts (a
maximum of 10 seconds), then
release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below -18°C / 0°F) or after the vehicle has
not been operated for several days, let
the engine warm up without depress-
ing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, itshould be started without depressing
the accelerator.
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 accelerator pedal, and
the clutch (if equipped).
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while the vehicle in motion, do not attempt to movethe shift lever to the P (Park) posi-tion. If traffic and road conditionspermit, you may put the shift leverin the N (Neutral) position while the vehicle is still moving and turn theignition switch to the START posi- tion in an attempt to restart theengine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for more than 10 seconds. If the engine stallsor fails to start, wait 5 to 10 secondsbefore re-engaging the starter.Improper use of the starter maydamage it.

57
Driving your vehicle
Manual transaxle operation
The manual transaxle has 5 (or 6) for-
ward gears.
This shift pattern is imprinted 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.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, then release it slowly.
The gearshift lever must be returned to
the neutral position before shifting into R
(Reverse).
The ring (1) located immediately below
the shift knob must be pulled upward
while moving the shift lever to the R posi-
tion. (if equipped)
Make sure the vehicle is completelystopped before shifting into R (Reverse).
Never operate the engine with thetachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)

OLM059009/OLM059009L
CAUTION
When downshifting from fifth gear to fourth gear, cautionshould be taken not to inadver- tently press the gear shift leversideways in such a manner thatsecond gear is engaged. Such a drastic downshift may cause theengine speed to increase to the point that the tachometer willenter the red-zone. Such over- revving of the engine may possi-bly cause engine damage.
Do not downshift more than 2 gears or downshift the gear whenthe engine is running at highspeed (5,000 RPM or higher).Such a downshifting may damagethe engine.
The shift lever can be moved without pulling
the ring (1).
The ring (1) must be pulled up while moving
the shift lever.

■
■6 speed
■
■5 speed

Driving your vehicle
8
5
During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
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) posi-
tion and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.Using the clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way
to the floor before shifting, then released
slowly. The clutch pedal should always be
fully released while driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the vehicle on an incline. This causes
unnecessary wear. Use the foot brake or
parking brake to hold the vehicle on an
incline. Do not operate the clutch pedal
rapidly and repeatedly.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is traveling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutchpedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped on an uphill grade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
When operating the clutch pedal, press the clutch pedal down fully.
If you don't press the clutch pedalfully, the clutch may be damagedor noise may occur.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transaxle is shifted
into 1st gear when the vehicle is
parked on a level or uphill grade,
and shifted into R (Reverse) on a
downhill grade. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may move
and cause a serious accident
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal while
the parking brake is released and
the shift lever not in the N
(Neutral) position.

59
Driving your vehicle
Good driving practices
Never take the vehicle out of gear andcoast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in
gear.
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 down the vehicle.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter cross winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your vehicle.
Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into
reverse. The transaxle can be dam-
aged if you do not. To shift into reverse,
depress the clutch, move the shift lever
to neutral, then shift to the reverse
position. 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.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.

Driving your vehicle
10
5
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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if
the battery has been disconnected, 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 (IF EQUIPPED)

OLM059010
+ (UP)
+ (UP)
- (DO
- (DO
WN)
WN)
Depress the brake pedal when shifting.
The shift lever can be shifted freely.

511
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress the brakepedal 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
ignition switch 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 front
wheels from rotating.
WARNING- Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a vehicle 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 engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-
tified.
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.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine isabove idle speed.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle 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.

Driving your vehicle
12
5
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 fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged if
you shift into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R while the vehicle is in motion, except asexplained in “Rocking the vehicle” in this section.

513
Driving your vehicle
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 main gate.
In sports mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you to
make gearshifts rapidly. In contrast to a
manual transaxle, the sports mode
allows gearshifts with the accelerator
pedal depressed.Up (+) : Push the lever forward once to
shift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one gear.
✽ ✽NOTICE
• In sports mode, the driver must exe-
cute upshifts in accordance with road
conditions, taking care to keep the
engine speed below the red zone.
• 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. (Continued)(Continued)
• In sports mode, when the engine rpm
approaches the red zone shift points
are varied to upshift automatically.
• To maintain the required levels of vehicle performance and safety, the
system may not execute certain
gearshifts when the shift lever is oper-
ated.
• When driving on a slippery road, push the shift lever forward 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.

OLM059012
Spor
Spor
ts mode
ts mode