2018 Hyundai Creta ESP

5-21
Driving your vehicle
5
To prevent damage to the engine,
clutch and transaxle:
When downshifting from 5th
gear to 4th gear, be careful not
to inadvertently push the shift
lever sideways engaging the 2nd
gear. A drastic downshift may
cause the engine speed to
increase to the point the
tachometer will enter the red-
zone.
Do not downshift more than two
gear at a time 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.
Good driving practices
Never take the vehicle out of gear
and coast down a hill. This is
extremely dangerous.
Don't "ride" the brakes. This can
cause the brakes and related parts
to overheat and malfunction.
When you are driving down a long
hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. Engine braking will help slow
down the vehicle.
Slow down before shifting to a
lower gear. This will help avoid
over-revving the engine, which can
cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter
cross winds. This gives you much
better control of your vehicle.
Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you shift into R
(Reverse) to prevent damage to
the transaxle. Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident
NOTICE
Do not use the engine brake
(shifting from a higher gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slippery
roads. The vehicle may slip
causing an accident.
WARNING

5-24
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has six for-
ward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected
automatically in the D (Drive) posi-
tion.The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park).
To shift from P (Park), you must
depress firmly on the brake pedal
and make sure your foot is off the
accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot shift the lever out of P
(Park), see “Shift-Lock Release” on
page 5-27.
The shift lever must be in P (Park)
before turning the engine off. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death:
ALWAYS check the surround-
ing areas near your vehicle for
people, especially children,
before shifting a vehicle 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, and place the ignition
switch in the LOCK/OFF posi-
tion. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur
if these precautions are not
followed.
Do not use engine braking
(shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slip-
pery roads. The vehicle may
slip causing an accident.
WARNING

5-29
Driving your vehicle
5
When driving in Sports Mode, slow
down before shifting to a lower
gear. Otherwise, the lower gear
may not be engaged if the engine
rpms are outside of the allowable
range.
Always apply the parking brake
when leaving the vehicle. Do not
depend on placing the transmis-
sion in P (Park) to keep the vehicle
from moving.
Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident
Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator.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

5-35
Driving your vehicle
5
Using ABS
To obtain the maximum benefit from
your ABS in an emergency situation,
do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to
pump your brakes. Depress your
brake pedal as hard as possible.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear sounds from
the brakes, or feel a corresponding
sensation in the brake pedal. This is
normal and it means your ABS is
active.
ABS does not reduce the time or dis-
tance it takes to stop the vehicle.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you.
ABS will not prevent a skid that
results from sudden changes in
direction, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe
speed for the road and weather con-
ditions.ABS cannot prevent a loss of stabili-
ty. Always steer moderately when
braking hard. Severe or sharp steer-
ing wheel movement can still cause
your vehicle to veer into oncoming
traffic or off the road.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake sys-
tem may result in a longer stopping
distance than for vehicles equipped
with a conventional brake system.
The ABS warning light ( ) will stay
on for several seconds after the igni-
tion switch is in the ON position.
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. We recom-
mend that you contact an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
If the ABS warning light ( ) is
on and stays on, you may have
a problem with the ABS. Your
power brakes will work normal-
ly. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death, we recommend
that you contact your HYUNDAI
dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING

ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch is in the ON
position, the ESC and the ESC OFF
indicator lights illuminate for approxi-
mately three seconds and goes off,
then the ESC is turned on.
When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, the ESC indicator light
blinks:

brakes under conditions
which may lock the
wheels, you may hear
sounds from the brakes, or
feel a corresponding sen-
sation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and it
means your ESC is active.
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)

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 stability and traction
of the vehicle and does not indicate
a problem.
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Driving your vehicle
5
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when
cornering. The ESC system will
not prevent accidents.
Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers, and hydroplaning
on wet surfaces can result in
severe accidents.
WARNING

Vehicle Stability Management
(if equipped)
Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
helps ensure the vehicle stays stable
when accelerating or braking sud-
denly on wet, slippery and rough
roads where traction over the four
tires can suddenly become uneven.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
The VSM operates when:
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) is on.
Vehicle speed is approximately
above 15 km/h (9 mph) on curve
roads.
Vehicle speed is approximately
above 20 km/h (12 mph) when the
vehicle is braking on rough roads.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may activate the
ESC, you may hear sounds from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sen-
sation in the brake pedal. This is nor-
mal and it means your VSM is active.
Information
The VSM does not operate when:
• Driving on bank road such as gradi-
ent or incline
• Driving rearward.
• ESC OFF indicator light is on.
• EPS (Electronic Power Steering)
warning light ( ) is on.
i
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Driving your vehicle
Take the following precautions
when using the Vehicle Stability
Management (VSM):
ALWAYS check the speed and
the distance to the vehicle
ahead. The VSM is not a sub-
stitute for safe driving prac-
tices.
Never drive too fast for the
road conditions. The VSM sys-
tem will not prevent acci-
dents. Excessive speed in bad
weather, slippery and uneven
roads can result in severe
accidents.
WARNING

5-49
Driving your vehicle
5
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 transaxle, and
tire damage. See “Towing” in
chapter 6.
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-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlights will make it much
more difficult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
NOTICE

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.
Use approved window washer
anti-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.
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to hap-
pen 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 shift lever in P
(automatic transaxle) or in first or
reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumu-
late 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.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or
chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, shovel, jumper cables, window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, blanket, etc.
Don't place foreign objects or
materials in the engine com-
partment
Placement of foreign objects or
materials which prevent cooling of
the engine, in the engine compart-
ment, may cause a failure or com-
bustion. The manufacturer is not
responsible for the damage caused
by such placement.
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Driving your vehicle
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