2013 Hyundai Sonata transaxle

F4FOREWORD
Thank you for choosing Hyundai. We are pleased to welcome you to the growing number of discerning people who drive Hyundais.
The advanced engineering and high-quality construction of each Hyundai we build is something of which we're very proud.
Your Owner's Manual will introduce you to the features and operation of your new Hyundai. It is suggested that you read it care-
fully because the information it contains can contribute greatly to the satisfaction you receive from your new car.
The manufacturer also recommends that all service and maintenance on your car be performed by an authorized Hyundai deal-
er. Hyundai dealers are prepared to provide high-quality service, maintenance and any other assistance that may be required.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Note: Because future owners will also need the information included in this manual, if you sell this Hyundai, please leave the man-
ual in the vehicle for their use. Thank you.
Copyright 2012 Hyundai Motor America. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Hyundai Motor America.
CAUTION
Severe engine and transaxle damage may result from the use of poor quality fuels and lubricants that do not meet Hyundai
specifications. You must always use high quality fuels and lubricants that meet the specifications listed on Page 8-4 in the
Vehicle Specifications and consumer information section of the Owner's Manual.
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17
Introduction
INDICATOR SYMBOLS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Seat belt warning lightHigh beam indicatorTurn signal indicatorABS warning light Parking brake & Brake fluid
warning lightEngine oil pressure warning light
Malfunction indicator lightAir bag warning light Cruise indicatorCruise SET indicator Immobilizer indicator Low fuel level warning light
* For more detailed explanations, refer to “Instrument cluster” in section 4.Charging system warning light
Tail light indicator Trunk ajar warning light
Front fog light indicator
(if equipped)
Automatic transaxle shift
indicator (if equipped)Manual transaxle shift
indicator (if equipped)Door open position indicator
(if equipped) Low tire pressure telltale
(TPMS malfunction indicator)ECO indicator (if equipped)
ECO
Electric power steering (EPS)
system warning light
(if equipped)
EPS
ESC indicator
(ESC malfunction indicator)ESC OFF indicator
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Safety features of your vehicle16 3
WARNING
- Cargo
Cargo should always be secured to
prevent it from being thrown about
the vehicle in a collision and caus-
ing injury to the vehicle occupants.
Do not place objects in the rear
seats, since they cannot be proper-
ly secured and may hit the front
seat occupants in a collision.
CAUTION
- Rear seat belts
When returning the rear seatbacks
to the upright position, remember
to return the rear shoulder belts to
their proper position. Routing the
seat belt webbing through the rear
seat belt guides will help keep the
belts from being trapped behind or
under the seats.
CAUTION -
Damaging rear
seat belt buckles
When you fold the rear seatback,
insert the buckle in the pocket
between the rear seatback and
cushion. Doing so can prevent the
buckle from being damaged by the
rear seatback.
WARNING -
Cargo loading
Make sure the engine is off, the
automatic transaxle is in P (Park)
or the manual transaxle is in R
(Reverse) or 1st, and the parking
brake is securely applied whenever
loading or unloading cargo. Failure
to take these steps may allow the
vehicle to move if the shift lever is
inadvertently moved to another
position.
WARNING
When you return the rear seatback
to its upright position after being
folded down:
Be careful not to damage the seat
belt webbing or buckle. Do not
allow the seat belt webbing or
buckle to get caught or pinched in
the rear seat. Ensure that the seat-
back is completely locked into its
upright position by pushing on the
top of the seatback. Otherwise, in
an accident or sudden stop, the
seat could fold down and allow
cargo to enter the passenger com-
partment, which could result in
serious injury or death.
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Features of your vehicle28 4Opening the hood 1. Pull the release lever to unlatch the
hood. The hood should pop open
slightly.2. Go to the front of the vehicle, raise the
hood slightly, pull the secondary latch
(1) inside of the hood center and lift
the hood (2).
3. Raise the hood. It will raise completely
by itself after it has been raised about
halfway.
Closing the hood1. Before closing the hood, check the fol-
lowing:
 All filler caps in engine compartment
must be correctly installed.
 Gloves, rags or any other com-
bustible material must be removed
from the engine compartment.
2. Lower the hood halfway and push
down to securely lock in place.
HOOD
OYF049018
OYF049019N
WARNING
 Before closing the hood, ensure
that all obstructions are removed
from the hood opening. Closing
the hood with an obstruction
present in the hood opening may
result in property damage or
severe personal injury.
 Do not leave gloves, rags or any
other combustible material in the
engine compartment. Doing so
may cause a heat-induced fire.
 Always double check to be sure
that the hood is firmly latched
before driving away. If it is not
latched, the hood could open
while the vehicle is being driven,
causing a total loss of visibility,
which might result in an accident.
 Do not move the vehicle with the
hood raised. The view will be
blocked and the hood could fall
or be damaged.
WARNING
Open the hood after turning off the
engine on a flat surface, shifting
the shift lever to the P(Park) posi-
tion for automatic transaxle and to
the 1st(First) gear or R(Reverse) for
manual transaxle, and setting the
parking brake.
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Features of your vehicle64 4Automatic Transaxleshift
indicatorThe indicator displays which automatic
transaxle shift position is selected.Manual transaxle shift
indicator (if equipped)This indicator informs you which gear is
desired while driving to save fuel.
For example
: Indicates that shifting up to the 3rd
gear is desired (currently the shift
lever is in the 2nd gear).
: Indicates that shifting down to the
3rd gear is desired (currently the
shift lever is in the 4th gear).✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen the system is not working proper-
ly, up & down arrow indicator and Gear
are not displayed.
Charging system warning
lightThis warning light indicates a malfunction
of either the generator or electrical
charging system.
If the warning light comes on while the
vehicle is in motion:
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the genera-
tor drive belt for looseness or break-
age.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a prob-
lem exists somewhere in the electrical
charging system. Have an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer correct the problem
as soon as possible.Front fog light indicator
(if equipped) This light comes on when the front fog
lights are ON.
Trunk lid open warning
lightThis warning light illuminates when the
trunk lid is not closed securely with the
ignition in any position.Door open positionindica-
tor This indicator illuminates when a door is
not closed securely.
The indicator displays which door is
opened.
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5
Before driving / 5-3
Key / 5-4
Engine start/stop button / 5-7
Manual transaxle /5-11
Automatic transaxle / 5-14
Brake system / 5-21
Cruise control system / 5-31
Active ECO system / 5-35
Economical operation / 5-36
Special driving conditions / 5-38
Winter driving / 5-42
Vehicle load limit / 5-46
Vehicle weight / 5-51
Trailer towing / 5-52
Driving your vehicle
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Driving your vehicle6 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
0°F / -18°C) 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, it
should be started without depressing
the accelerator.
(Continued)
 Never reach for the ignition switch,
or any other controls through the
steering wheel while the vehicle is
in motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily injury
or death.
 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 acci-
dent.
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, accelerator
pedal, and clutch (if equipped).
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while the vehicle
is in motion, do not attempt to move
the shift lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion. If traffic and road conditions
permit, you may put the shift lever
in the N (Neutral) position while the
vehicle is still moving and turn the
ignition switch to the START posi-
tion in an attempt to restart the
engine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for more
than 10 seconds. If the engine stalls
or fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds
before re-engaging the starter.
Improper use of the starter may
damage it.
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511
Driving your vehicle
Manual transaxle operationThe manual transaxle has 6 forward
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.
To shift gears, press the clutch pedal
down fully, select the desired gear with
the gearshift lever, and release the clutch
pedal slowly.
If your vehicle is equipped with an igni-
tion lock switch, the engine will not start
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal.
The shift lever must be returned to the
neutral position before shifting into R
(Reverse). The ring (1) located below the
shift knob must be pulled upward while
moving the shift lever to the R (Reverse)
position.Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into R (Reverse).
Never operate the engine with the
tachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OYF059005
The shift lever can be moved into any of
the forward gears without pulling the
ring (1).The ring (1) must be pulled while mov-
ing the shift lever into reverse.
CAUTION
 When downshifting from fifth
gear to fourth gear, caution
should be taken not to inadver-
tently press the shift lever side-
ways in such a manner that the
second gear is engaged. Such a
drastic downshift may cause the
engine speed to increase to the
point that the tachometer will
enter the red-zone. Such over-
revving of the engine and
transaxle may possibly cause
engine damage.
 Do not downshift more than 2
gears or downshift the gear when
the engine is running at high
speed (5,000 RPM or higher).
Such a downshifting may damage
the engine.
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