2017 Hyundai Sonata automatic transmission

5-22
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged.
Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart
a stalled engine, or if it is necessary
to stop with the engine ON. Shift into
P (Park) if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason.
Always depress the brake pedal
when you are shifting from N
(Neutral) to another gear.
D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position.
The transmission will automatically
shift through a seven-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or driving uphill depress
the accelerator pedal further until
you feel the transmission downshift
to a lower gear.
The DRIVE MODE switch, located
on the shift lever console, allows the
driver to switch from NORMAL mode
to SPORT or ECO mode.
For more information, refer to
"Drive Mode Integrated Control
System" later in this chapter.
Driving your vehicleAlways come to a complete
stop before shifting into or out
of R (Reverse); you may dam-
age the transmission if you shift
into R (Reverse) while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
CAUTION
Do not shift into gear unless
your foot is firmly on the brake
pedal. Shifting into gear when
the engine is running at high
speed can cause the vehicle to
move very rapidly. You could
lose control of the vehicle and
hit people or objects.
WARNING

5-23
Driving your vehicle
Manual shift mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, Manual shift mode is
selected by pushing the shift lever
from the D (Drive) position into the
manual gate. To return to D (Drive)
range operation, push the shift lever
back into the main gate.In Manual shift mode, moving the
shift lever backwards and forwards
will allow you to select the desired
range of gears for the current driving
conditions.
+ (Up) : Push the lever forward once
to shift up one gear.
- (Down) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one
gear.
Information
• Only the seven forward gears can beselected. To reverse or park the
vehicle, move the shift lever to the R
(Reverse) or P (Park) position as
required.
• Downshifts are made automatically when the vehicle slows down. When
the vehicle stops, 1st gear is auto-
matically selected.
• When the engine rpm approaches the red zone the transmission will
upshift automatically.
(Continued)(Continued)
• If the driver presses the lever to
+ (Up) or - (Down) position, the
transmission may not make the
requested gear change if the next
gear is outside of the allowable
engine rpm range. The driver must
execute upshifts in accordance with
road conditions, taking care to keep
the engine rpms below the red zone.
i
5
OLF054013
+ (UP)
- (DOWN)

5-25
Driving your vehicle
5
Shift-Lock System
For your safety, the automatic trans-
mission has a shift-lock system
which prevents shifting the transmis-
sion from P (Park) into R (Reverse)
unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission from P
(Park) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or place the igni-tion switch in the ON position.
3. Move the shift lever.
Shift-Lock Release
If the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) position into R (Reverse)
position with the brake pedal
depressed, continue depressing the
brake, and then do the following:
1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Carefully remove the cap (1) cov- ering the shift-lock release access
hole.
4. Insert a tool (e.g. flathead screw- driver) into the access hole and
press down on the tool. 5. Move the shift lever.
6. Remove the tool from the shift-
lock override access hole then
install the cap.
If you need to use the shift-lock
release, have your vehicle inspected
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer
immediately.
OLF054015N

5-27
Driving your vehicle
5
Information - Kickdown
Mechanism
Use the kickdown mechanism for
maximum acceleration. Depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure
point. The automatic transmission will
shift to a lower gear depending on the
engine speed. i
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH:
ALWAYS wear your seatbelt.
In a collision, an unbelted
occupant is significantly more
likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belt-
ed occupant.
Avoid high speeds when cor-
nering 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. (Continued)
(Continued)
In the event your vehicle
leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.
HYUNDAI recommends you
follow all posted speed limits.
WARNING

5-49
Driving your vehicle
5
When Active ECO is activated:
The acceleration response may beslightly reduced as the accelerator
pedal is depressed moderately.
The air conditioner performance may be limited.
The shift pattern of the automatic transmission may change.
The above situations are normal
conditions when the Active ECO sys-
tem is activated to improve fuel effi-
ciency. Limitation of Active ECO opera-
tion:
If the following conditions occur while
Active ECO is operating, the system
operation is limited even though
there is no change in the ECO indi-
cator.
When the coolant temperature is
low:
The system will be limited until
engine performance becomes nor-
mal.
When driving up a hill: The system will be limited to gain
power when driving uphill because
engine torque is restricted.
When using the automatic trans- mission Manual shift mode:
The system will be limited accord-
ing to the shift location.SPORT mode
SPORT mode focuses ondynamic driving by auto-
matically controlling the
steering wheel, engine
and transmission system.
When the DRIVE MODE switch is pressed and the SPORT mode is
selected, the SPORT indicator
(yellow) will illuminate.
When the SPORT mode is activat- ed, and the engine is turned off
and on it will change to NORMAL
mode. To turn on the SPORT
mode, press the DRIVE MODE
switch again.
If the system is activated: - After accelerating and releasingthe accelerator pedal, the gear
and engine speed RPM may not
drop as soon as in NORMAL
mode.
- Up-shifting is delayed.
Information
In SPORT mode, the fuel efficiency
may decrease.
i
SPORT

5-93
Driving your vehicle
5
Hazardous Driving Conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud or sand:
Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-
tance for braking.
Avoid sudden movements in braking
or steering.
If stuck in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non-slip
material under the drive wheels to
provide traction when stuck in ice,
snow, or mud.
Rocking the Vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle
to free it from snow, sand, or mud,
first turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around your
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between R (Reverse) and a for-
ward gear.
Try to avoid spinning the wheels, and
do not race the engine.
To prevent transmission wear, wait
until the wheels stop spinning before
shifting gears. Release the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal while
the transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in forward and
reverse directions causes a rocking
motion that may free the vehicle.If the tires spin at high speed the
tires can explode, and you or oth-
ers may be injured. Do not attempt
this procedure if people or objects
are anywhere near the vehicle.
The vehicle can overheat causing
an engine compartment fire or
other damage. Spin the wheels as
little as possible and avoid spin-
ning the wheels at speeds over 35
mph (56 km/h) as indicated on the
speedometer.
NOTICE
S S
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Downshifting with an automatic
transmission while driving on
slippery surfaces can cause an
accident. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires
to skid. Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
WARNING

6-22
What to do in an emergency
Jack label
1. Model Name
2. Maximum allowable load
3. When using the jack, set yourparking brake.
4. When using the jack, stop the engine.
5. Do not get under a vehicle that is supported by a jack.
6. The designated locations under the frame
7. When supporting the vehicle, the base plate of jack must be vertical
under the lifting point.
8. Shift into Reverse gear on vehicles with manual transmission or move
the shift lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion on vehicles with automatic
transmission.
9. The jack should be used on firm level ground.
10. Jack manufacture
11. Production date
12. Representative company and address
The actual Jack label in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
For more detailed specifications, refer to the label attached to the jack.
OHYK065010
OHYK065011
OHYK064002
■ Example

6-32
What to do in an emergency
Always follow these emergency tow-
ing precautions:
Place the ignition switch in the ACC position so the steering
wheel is not locked.
Place the shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking brake.
Depress the brake pedal with more force than normal since you will
have reduced braking perform-
ance.
More steering effort will be required because the power steer-
ing system will be disabled.
Use a vehicle heavier than your own to tow your vehicle.
The drivers of both vehicles should communicate with each other fre-
quently.
Before emergency towing, check that the hook is not broken or dam-
aged.
Fasten the towing cable or chain securely to the hook.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady and even force. Use a towing cable or chain less
than 16 feet (5 m) long. Attach a
white or red cloth (about 12 inches
(30 cm) wide) in the middle of the
cable or chain for easy visibility.
Drive carefully so the towing cable or chain remains tight during tow-
ing.
Before towing, check the automat- ic transmission for fluid leaks under
your vehicle. If the automatic trans-
mission fluid is leaking, flatbed
equipment or a towing dolly must
be used.
ODH063025
To avoid damage to your vehicle
and vehicle components when
towing:
Always pull straight ahead
when using the towing hooks.
Do not pull from the side or at
a vertical angle.
Do not use the towing hooks
to pull a vehicle out of mud,
sand or other conditions from
which the vehicle cannot be
driven out under its own
power.
Limit the vehicle speed to 10
mph (15 km/h) and drive less
than 1 mile (1.5 km) when tow-
ing to avoid serious damage
to the automatic transmis-
sion.
CAUTION