2012 Hyundai Equus Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle
4 5
Illuminated engine start/stop but-
ton
Whenever the front door is opened, the
engine start/stop button will illuminate for
your convenience. The light will go off
after about 30 seconds when the door is
closed.
Engine start/stop button position
OFF
To turn off the engine (START/RUN posi-
tion) or vehicle power (ON position),
press the engine start/stop button with
the shift lever in P(Park). When you press
the engine start/stop button without the
shift lever in P(Park), the engine
start/stop button does not turn to the
OFF position but to the ACC position.
If you turn the engine start/stop button off
and remove the smart key from the smart
key holder, the steering wheel will lock.
If you turn the engine start/stop button off
when the smart key isn't in the smart key
holder and open the driver's door, the
steering wheel will lock.
✽NOTICE
• If difficulty is experienced turning the
engine start/stop button to the ACC
position, turn the steering wheel right
and left to release the tension while
pressing the engine start/stop button.
• When you turn off the engine, the
vehicle should be stopped.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON
OVI059001
WARNING
• When you intend to park or stop
the vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine
or exhaust system and cause fire.
• When you make a sudden stop or
turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
• If you do not focus on driving, it
may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating what may dis-
turb driving such as audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.

55
Driving your vehicle
ACC(Accessory)
Press the engine start/stop button when
it is in the OFF position without depress-
ing the brake pedal.
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operational.
If the engine start/stop button is in the
ACC position for more than 1 hour, the
button is off automatically to prevent the
battery discharge.
ON
Press the engine start/stop button while it
is in the ACC position without depressing
the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked before
the engine is started.
Do not leave the engine start/stop button
in the ON position for a long time. The
battery may discharge, because the
engine is not running.
START
To start the engine, depress the brake
pedal and press the engine start/stop
button with the shift lever in the P(Park)
or the N(Neutral) position. For your safe-
ty, start the engine with the shift lever in
the P (Park) position.
✽NOTICE
• If you press the engine start/stop but-
ton without depressing the brake
pedal, the engine will not start and the
engine start/stop button changes as
follow :
OFF
→ACC →ON →OFF

Driving your vehicle
6 5
1. Carry the smart key or leave it inside
the vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is firmly
applied.
3. Place the shift lever in the P(Park)
position.
4. Press the engine start/stop button
while depressing the brake pedal.
5. 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 depressing
the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing
the accelerator.•Even if the smart key is in the vehicle,
if it is far away from you, the engine
may not start.
•When the engine start/stop button is in
the ACC or above, if any door is
opened, the system checks for the
smart key. If the smart key is not in the
vehicle, the warning, "Key not in vehi-
cle" will illuminate on the LCD display.
And if all doors are closed, the chime
will sound for about 5 seconds. The
indicator will turn off while the vehicle
is moving. Keep the smart key in the
vehicle, when using the ACC position
or if the vehicle engine is on.
STARTING THE ENGINE
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 acceler-
ator pedal.
(Continued)
• Do not place any movable objects
around the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an
accident.

57
Driving your vehicle
✽NOTICE
• If the battery is weak or the smart key
does not work correctly, you can start
the engine by inserting the smart key
into the smart key holder. To eject the
smart key from the smart key holder,
press the smart key inward passed the
detent and then pull the key outward.
• When the stop lamp fuse is blown, you
can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If
you are not able to replace the fuse,
you can start the engine by pressing
the engine start/stop button for 10 sec-
onds with the engine start/stop button
in the ACC. The engine can start with-
out depressing the brake pedal. But
for your safety always depress the
brake pedal before starting the
engine.
OVI059002
CAUTION
• Do not press the engine
start/stop button for more than 5
seconds except when the stop
lamp fuse is blown.
• When you eject the smart key
from the smart key holder, press
the smart key inward and pull it
out. If you pull out the smart key
forcibly without pushing the
smart key, the smart key holder
may be damaged and couldn’t
operate normally.WARNING
The engine will start, only when the
smart key is in the vehicle. Never
allow children or any person who is
unfamiliar with the vehicle to touch
the engine start/stop button or
related parts.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you are in
motion, do not attempt to move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position. If
traffic and road conditions permit,
you may put the shift lever in the
N(Neutral) position while the vehi-
cle is still moving and press the
engine start/stop button in an
attempt to restart the engine.

Driving your vehicle
8 5
Automatic transmission operation
The automatic transmission has 8 for-
ward speeds and one reverse speed. The
individual speeds are selected automati-
cally, 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 (Transmission Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control
Module).
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OVI059004
+ (UP)
- (DOWN)
The selector lever can be shifted freely. Depress the brake pedal when shifting. (If your vehicle is installed shift lock system)

59
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to a
forward or reverse gear.Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the shift lever position when the
engine start/stop button is in the ON
position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transmission and prevents the drive
wheels from rotating.
WARNING- Automatic
transmission
• Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting the shift lever 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 trans-
mission, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.
• When stopped on an incline, do
not hold the vehicle with the
engine power. Use the service
brake or the parking brake.
• Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P
(Park) into D (Drive), or R
(Reverse) when the engine is
above 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.
CAUTION
The transmission may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion.

Driving your vehicle
10 5
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission 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 transmission will automatically
shift through a 8-gear sequence, provid-
ing the best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the trans-
mission will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
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 transmission, 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.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion, except when “Rocking the
vehicle” explained in this section.
OVI059005 + (UP)
- (DOWN)
Sports mode

511
Driving your vehicle
✽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 8 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.
• 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 trans-
mission to shift into the 2nd (or 3rd)
gear which is better for smooth driv-
ing on a slippery road. Push the shift
lever to the -(down) side to shift back
to the 1st gear.
Shift lock system (if equipped)
For your safety, the automatic transmis-
sion has a shift lock system which pre-
vents shifting the transmission out of P
(Park) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the transmission from P (Park) or
N (Neutral) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition.Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) or N (Neutral) position into R
(Reverse) position with the brake pedal
depressed, continue depressing the
brake, then do the following:
1. Carefully remove the cap (1) covering
the shift-lock access hole.
2. Insert a key (or screwdriver) into the
access hole and press down on the
key (or screwdriver).
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer immedi-
ately.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the
vehicle.
OVI051006N