2017 Hyundai Sonata Chapter 5

5-16
Driving your vehicle
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 six-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.
Always 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

5-22
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

5-44
Driving your vehicle
If the Cruise Control was in use when the ESC activates, the
Cruise Control automatically disen-
gages. The Cruise Control can be
reengaged when the road condi-
tions allow. See "Cruise Control
System" later in this chapter. (if
equipped)
When moving out of the mud or driving on a slippery road, the
engine rpm (revolutions per
minute) may not increase even if
you press the accelerator pedal
deeply. This is to maintain the sta-
bility and traction of the vehicle and
does not indicate a problem.
ESC OFF condition
To cancel ESC operation :
State 1
Press the ESC OFF button shortly
(ESC OFF indicator light and mes-
sage illuminates). At this state, the
engine control function does not
operate. In other words, the traction
control function does not operate but
only the brake control function oper-
ates.
Press the ESC OFF button for more
than 3 seconds. ESC OFF indicator
light and message illuminates with
an ESC OFF warning chime. At this
state, the engine control function and
brake control function does not oper-
ate. In other words, the vehicle sta-
bility control function does not oper-
ate any more.
If the ignition switch is placed to the
LOCK/OFF position when ESC is off,
ESC remains off. Upon restarting the
engine, the ESC will automatically
turn on again.
■Type A■Type B■Type A■Type B
OLF054439N/OLF054101NOLF054438N/OLF054100N

5-77
Driving your vehicle
5
If the system does not work properly,
a warning message will appear and
the light on the switch will turn off.
The system will turn off automatical-
ly. Have your vehicle checked by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert)
Operating conditions
To operate:
Go to the User Settings Mode
(Driving Assist) and select RCTA
(Rear Cross Traffic Alert) on the LCD
display (For more details, refer to
"LCD Display" in chapter 3.) . The
system will turn on and standby to
activate. The system will activate
when vehicle speed is below 6 mph
(10 km/h) with the shift lever in R
(Reverse). The RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic
Alert) detecting range is about 1
feet (0.5 m) ~ 65 feet (20 m). A
vehicle will be detected if the vehi-
cle speed is 2.5 mph (4 km/h) ~ 22
mph (36 km/h) within the detecting
range. However, the detecting
range may change under different
conditions. Always pay attention
to the surroundings.
NOTICE
OLF056479N
OLF054434N

5-94
Driving your vehicle
If you are still stuck after rocking
the vehicle a few times, have the
vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle
to avoid engine overheating, pos-
sible damage to the transmission,
and tire damage. See "Towing" in
chapter 6.
To prevent damage to the trans-
mission, turn OFF the ESC prior to
rocking the vehicle.
Smooth Cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration.
Driving at Night
Night driving presents more hazards
than driving in the daylight. Here are
some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more dis- tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver’s head-
lamps.
Keep your headlamps clean and properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlamps will make it
much more difficult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lamps of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
NOTICE

5-95
Driving your vehicle
5
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous. Here are a few things to
consider when driving in the rain or
on slick pavement:
Slow down and allow extra follow-ing distance. A heavy rainfall
makes it harder to see and increas-
es the distance needed to stop
your vehicle.
Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if equipped)
Replace your windshield wiper blades when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the
windshield.
Be sure your tires have enough tread. If your tires do not have
enough tread, making a quick stop
on wet pavement can cause a skid
and possibly lead to an accident.
Refer to "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.
Turn on your headlamps to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud- dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly. If you believe your brakes may be
wet, apply them lightly while driv-
ing until normal braking operation
returns.
Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough, your vehicle may
have little or no contact with the road
surface and actually ride on the
water. The best advice is SLOW
DOWN when the road is wet. The
risk of hydroplaning increases as the
depth of tire tread decreases. (Refer
to "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.)
Driving in Flooded Areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
reduced.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.

5-98
Driving your vehicle
- When using tire chains:
Wrong size chains or improperly installed chains can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, sus-
pension, body and wheels.
Use SAE "S" class or wire chains.
If you hear noise caused by chains contacting the body,
retighten the chain to prevent
contact with the vehicle body.
To prevent body damage, retighten the chains after driving
0.3~0.6 miles (0.5~1.0 km).
Do not use tire chains on vehi- cles equipped with aluminum
wheels. If unavoidable, use a
wire type chain.
Use wire chains less than 0.47 inch (12 mm) wide to prevent
damage to the chain's connec-
tion.
Winter Precautions
Use high quality ethylene glycolcoolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type of
coolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in chapter 7. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for
the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
Change to "winter weight" oil ifnecessary
In some climates it is recommended
that a lower viscosity "winter weight"
oil be used during cold weather. See
chapter 8 for recommendations. If
you aren’t sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on
the battery system. Visually inspect
the battery and cables as described
in chapter 7. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer or a
service station.
NOTICE

5-99
Driving your vehicle
5
Check spark plugs and ignitionsystem
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 7 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.
Use approved window washeranti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer and
most auto parts outlets. Do not use
engine coolant or other types of anti-
freeze as these may damage the
paint finish.
Do not let your parking brakefreeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to happen
when there is an accumulation of
snow or ice around or near the rear
brakes or if the brakes are wet. If
there is a risk the parking brake may
freeze, apply it only temporarily while
you put the gear selector lever in P
and block the rear wheels so the car
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Do not let ice and snow accu-mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
car to be sure the movement of the
front wheels and the steering com-
ponents is not obstructed.
Don't place foreign objects ormaterials in the engine com-partment
Placement of foreign object or mate-
rials which prevent cooling of the
engine, in the engine compartment,
may cause a failure or combustion.
The manufacturer is not responsible
for the damage caused by such
placement.
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.