Driving your vehicle
14 5
• During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant is
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),
leave the shift lever in the neutral posi-
tion and release the clutch. Depress the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.
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, and shifted into R
(Reverse) on a downhill.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these pre-
cautions are not followed in the
order identified.
CAUTION
• To avoid premature clutch wear
and damage, do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch
pedal. Also, do not use the clutch
to hold the vehicle stopped on a
hill, while waiting for a traffic
light, etc.
• Do not use the shift lever as a
handrest during driving, as this
can result in premature wear of
the transaxle shift forks.
• When operating the clutch pedal,
press the clutch pedal down fully.
If you don't press the clutch pedal
fully, the clutch may be damaged
or noise may occur.
CAUTION
• When downshifting from fifth gear
to fourth gear, caution should be
taken not to inadvertently press
the shift lever sideways in such a
manner that the second gear is
engaged. Such a drastic down-
shift 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 possi-
bly 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, clutch and the transaxle.
• When shifting between 5
thand 6th
gear, you should always push the
gear level all the way to the right.
You could otherwise shift unin-
tentionally into 3
rdor 4thgear and
damage the transaxle.
Driving your vehicle
26 5
Transmission ranges
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transmission and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
locked. 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 6-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.
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
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of
Reverse (R) or Drive (D) to prevent
damage to the transmission, except
as explained in “Rocking the vehi-
cle” in this section.
Driving your vehicle
40 5
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING- Brakes
• Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• When descending a long or steep
hill, shift to a lower gear and avoid
continuous application of the
brakes. Continuous brake applica-
tion will cause the brakes to over-
heat and could result in a tempo-
rary loss of braking performance.
• Wet brakes may impair the vehi-
cle’s ability to safely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to one
side when the brakes are applied.
Applying the brakes lightly will
indicate whether they have been
affected in this way. Always test
your brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
• Always, confirm the position of
the brake and accelerator pedal
before driving. If you don't check
the position of the accelerator
and brake pedal before driving,
you may depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It may
cause a serious accident.
WARNING- Parking brake
Applying the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speeds can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you must
use the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.
541
Driving your vehicle
Disc brakes wear indicator
(if equipped)
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and new
pads are required, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes. You may hear this
sound come and go or it may occur
whenever you depress the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving con-
ditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when you first apply (or lightly
apply) the brakes. This is normal and does
not indicate a problem with your brakes.
Parking brake
Applying the parking brake
To engage the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and then pull up the park-
ing brake lever as far as possible without
pressing the release button.
In addition, it is recommended that when
parking the vehicle on an incline, the
transmission should be in the appropri-
ate low gear on manual transaxle vehi-
cles or in the P (Park) position on
Automatic transaxle / Ecoshift dual clutch
transmission vehicles.
WARNING- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking
performance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
• To avoid costly brake repairs, do
not continue to drive with worn
brake pads.
• Always replace the front or rear
brake pads as pairs.
OFS050020
Driving your vehicle
42 5
Releasing the parking brake
To release the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and pull up the parking
brake lever slightly. Secondly press the
release button (1) and lower the parking
brake lever (2) while holding the button.
If the parking brake does not release or
does not release all the way, have the
system checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
CAUTION
• Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive
brake pad and brake rotor wear.
• Do not operate the parking brake
while the vehicle is moving except
in an emergency situation, it could
damage the vehicle system.WARNING
• To prevent unintentional move-
ment when stopped and leaving
the vehicle, do not use the
gearshift lever in place of the
parking brake. Set the parking
brake AND make sure the
gearshift lever is securely posi-
tioned in 1st (First) gear or R
(Reverse) for manual transaxle
equipped vehicles and in P (Park)
for Automatic transaxle / Ecoshift
dual clutch transmission
equipped vehicles.
• Never allow anyone who is unfa-
miliar with the vehicle to touch
the parking brake. If the parking
brake is released unintentionally,
serious injury may occur.
• All vehicles should always have
the parking brake fully engaged
when parking to avoid inadver-
tent movement of the vehicle
which can injure occupants or
pedestrians.
OFS050021
543
Driving your vehicle
Check the brake warning light by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). This light will be illuminated when
the parking brake is applied with the igni-
tion switch in the START or ON position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is fully released and the brake warning
light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on after
the parking brake is released while the
engine is running, there may be a mal-
function in the brake system. Immediate
attention is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehi-
cle immediately. If that is not possible,
use extreme caution while operating the
vehicle and only continue to drive the
vehicle until you can reach a safe loca-
tion or repair shop.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)The ABS continuously senses the speed
of the wheels. If the wheels are going to
lock, the ABS system repeatedly modu-
lates the hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS in an emergency situa-
tion, do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to pump
your brakes. Press your brake pedal as
hard as possible or as hard as the situa-
tion warrants and allow the ABS to con-
trol the force being delivered to the
brakes.
WARNING
ABS (or ESC) will not prevent acci-
dents due to improper or danger-
ous driving maneuvers. Even
though vehicle control is improved
during emergency braking, always
maintain a safe distance between
you and objects ahead. Vehicle
speeds should be reduced if the
road condition calls for it, not just in
extreme road conditions.
The braking distance for cars
equipped with an anti-lock braking
system (or Electronic Stability
Control system) may be longer than
for those without it in the following
road conditions.
During these conditions the vehicle
should be driven at reduced speeds:
• Rough, gravel or snow-covered
roads.
• On roads where the road surface
is pitted or has different surface
height.
The safety features of an ABS (or
ESC) equipped vehicle should not
be tested by high speed driving or
cornering. This could endanger the
safety of yourself and others.
W-75
Driving your vehicle
44 5
✽NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehicle
begins to move after the engine is start-
ed. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the anti-lock brake system
is functioning properly.
• Even with the anti-lock brake system,
your vehicle still requires sufficient
stopping distance. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front
of you.
• Always slow down when cornering.
The anti-lock brake system cannot pre-
vent accidents resulting from exces-
sive speeds.
• On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping dis-
tance than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
✽NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the engine
may not run as smoothly and the ABS
warning light may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your
ABS is malfunctioning.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
W-78
CAUTION
• If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problem
with the ABS. In this case, howev-
er, your regular brakes will work
normally.
• The ABS warning light will stay on
for approximately 3 seconds after
the ignition switch is ON. During
that time, the ABS will go through
self-diagnosis and the light will go
off if everything is normal. If the
light stays on, you may have a
problem with your ABS. Contact
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
• When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road,
and operate your brakes continu-
ously, the ABS will be active con-
tinuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your car
over to a safe place and stop the
engine.
• Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light is off, then your
ABS system is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a prob-
lem with the ABS. Contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as
soon as possible.
Driving your vehicle
48 5
ESC OFF usage
When driving
• ESC should remain on for daily driving
whenever possible.
• To turn ESC off while driving, press the
ESC OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
✽NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the ESC is
turned off (ESC OFF light illuminated).
• Turning the ESC off does not affect
ABS or brake system operation.
Good braking practices
• After parking the vehicle, check to be
sure the parking brake is not engaged
and that the parking brake indicator
light is out before driving away.
• 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.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Control sys-
tem is only a driving aid; use pre-
cautions for safe driving by slowing
down on curved, snowy, or icy
roads. Drive slowly and do not
attempt to accelerate whenever the
ESC indicator light is blinking, or
when the road surface is slippery.
WARNING
Never press the ESC OFF button
while ESC is operating (ESC indica-
tor light blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip out
of control.
WARNING
• Whenever you leave or park your
vehicle, always set the parking
brake as far as possible and fully
engage the vehicle's transaxle
into the P (Park) position. If the
parking brake is not fully
engaged, the vehicle may move
inadvertently and injure yourself
and others.
• All vehicles should always have
the parking brake fully engaged
when parking to avoid inadver-
tent movement of the vehicle
which can injure occupants or
pedestrians.
CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. When replacing tires,
make sure they are the same size as
your original tires.