2021 HYUNDAI SONATA steering

06
6 -7
Key ignition switch positions
Switch
Position Action
Notice
LOCK To turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, put the key in at
the ACC position and turn the key
towards the LOCK position.
The ignition key can be removed in
the LOCK position.
(The shift button must be in the P
(Park) position)
ACC Electrical accessories are usable.
The steering wheel unlocks.
ON This is the normal key position when
the engine has started.
All features and accessories are
usable.
The warning lights can be checked
when you turn the ignition switch
from ACC to ON. Do not leave the ignition switch in
the ON position when the engine is
not running in order to prevent the
battery from discharging.
START To start the engine, turn the ignition
switch to the START position. The
switch returns to the ON position
when you let go of the key. The engine will crank until you
release the key.

06
6-9
Engine Start/Stop Button
(if equipped)
ODN8069001
Whenever the front door is opened, the
Engine Start/Stop button will illuminate
and will go off 30 seconds after the door
is closed.
WARNING
To reduce risk of serious injury or death,
NEVER allow children or any person
who is unfamiliar with the vehicle to
touch the Engine Start/Stop button or
related parts. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur.
WARNING
To turn the engine off in an emergency:
Press and hold the Engine Start/Stop
button for more than two seconds OR
rapidly press and release the Engine
Start/Stop button three times (within
three seconds).
If the vehicle is still moving, you can
restart the engine without depressing
the brake pedal by pressing the Engine
Start/Stop button with the shift button
in the N (Neutral) position.
WARNING
• NEVER press the Engine Start/Stop
button while the vehicle is in motion
except in an emergency. This will
result in the engine turning off and
loss of power assist for the steering
and brake systems.
This may lead to loss of directional
control and braking function, which
could cause an accident.
• Before leaving the driver's seat,
always make sure the shift button
is in the P (Park) position, set the
parking brake, press the Engine
Start/Stop button to the OFF
position, and take the Smart Key with
you. Unexpected vehicle movement
may occur if these precautions are
not followed.
• NEVER reach through the steering
wheel for the Engine Start/Stop
button or any other control while the
vehicle is in motion. The presence
of your hand or arm in this area
may cause a loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.

06
6-15
D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position. The
transmission will automatically shift
through a 8-gear sequence, providing
the best fuel economy and power.
To start the vehicle forward, push the D
(Drive) button by depressing the brake
pedal with the engine ON. Then depress
the accelerator pedal smoothly.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or driving uphill, depress the
accelerator fully. The transmission will
automatically downshift to the next
lower gear (or gears, as appropriate).
When the vehicle is stopped in D (Drive)
position, if you open the driver's door
with the seat belt unfastened, the gear is
shifted to P (Park) position automatically.
However when the vehicle moves in D
(Drive) position, if you open the driver's
door with the seat belt unfastened, the
gear may not shift to P (Park) position
automatically to protect the automatic
transmission.
Shift-lock system
For your safety, the automatic
transmission has a shift-lock system
which prevents shifting the gear from
P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse)
or D (Drive) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the gear from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive):
1.
Depr
ess and hold the brake pedal.
2.

S
tart the engine or place the ignition
switch in the ON position.
3.

Depr
ess the brake pedal and push the
R (Reverse) or D (Drive) button.
Stay in N (Neutral) position when
engine is Off
ODN8069006
ODN8069008If you want to keep the N (Neutral)
position after the engine is OFF, do the
following.
1.

Deactiv
ate the AUTO HOLD and
release the parking brake when the
ignition switch is ON.
2.

S
tart the engine. Push the N (neutral)
button while depressing the brake
pedal. If the message ("Press and
hold OK button to stay in Neutral
when vehicle is OFF") appears on the
cluster LCD display, press and hold
the OK button on the steering wheel
for more than 1 second.
3.

When the message ("V
ehicle will
stay in (N). Change gear to cancel")
appears on the cluster LCD display,
turn off the engine.
In this situation, if you unfasten the
driver's seat belt and open the driver's
door within 3 minutes, the gear stays in
the N (Neutral) position and the ignition
switch is turned off.

06
6-17
LCD Display Message
Shifting conditions not met
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when engine RPM is too
high, or when driving speed is too fast to
shift the gear.
We recommend you decrease the engine
speed or slow down before shifting the
gear.
Press brake pedal to change gear
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when the brake pedal is not
depressed while shifting the gear.
We recommend you to depress the brake
pedal and then shift the gear.
Shift to P after stopping
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when the gear is shifted to P
(Park) while the vehicle is moving.
Stop the vehicle before shifting to P
(Park).
PARK engaged
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when the gear is shifted to P
(Park) while the vehicle is moving.
Stop the vehicle before shifting to P
(Park).
Press and hold OK button to stay in
Neutral when vehicle is Off
The warning message appears on
the LCD display, when pushing the N
(Neutral) button. If you want to stay N
(Neutral) after turning off the engine,
press and hold the “OK” button on the
steering wheel more than 1 second.
Vehicle will stay in (N). Change gear
to cancel
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when depressing the "OK"
button on the steering wheel after the
message ("Press and hold OK button
to stay in Neutral when vehicle is Off")
appears on the cluster LCD display. The
gear stays in N(Neutral) position after
turning off the engine.
NEUTRAL engaged
The message appears on the LCD
display, when the N (Neutral) position is
engaged.
Gear already selected
The message appears on the LCD
display, when pushing the current shift
button again.
Shift button held down
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when the shift button is
pressed continuously or the shift button
does not properly operate. Clean the
surroundings of gear shift button.
If this message appears again, have
the vehicle inspected by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Shifter system malfunction
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when the transmission
or the shift button does not properly
operate in the P (Park) position.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
Check shift controls
The warning message appears on the
LCD display, when there is a malfunction
with transmission shift button.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

06
6-19
WARNING
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 belted occupant.
• Avoid high speeds when cornering 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.
• 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.
Information
Kickdown Mechanism (if equipped)
If you depress the accelerator pedal
equipped with Kickdown device beyond
the pressure point, it maximizes the engine
power. You may feel when the Kickdown
equipment starts to work and hear the
sound of Kickdown operation. It is normal
operation, not a failure.
Paddle Shifter
(Manual Shift Mode)
(if equipped)
ODN8069009
The paddle shifter is available when the
gear is in the D (Drive) position.
Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once to
shift up or down one gear and the system
changes from automatic shift mode to
manual shift mode.
To change back to the automatic shift
mode from manual shift mode, do one of
the following:
• Gently depress the accelerator pedal
for more than 5 seconds.
• Drive the vehicle under 6 mph (10
km/h).
• Pull and hold the right side paddle
shifter.
Information
If the [+] and [-] paddle shifters are pulled
at the same time, gear shift may not occur.

6-20
BrAke SySteM
Power Brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. You can still
stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than typical.
The stopping distance, however, will be
longer than with power brakes.
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.
Only pump the brakes on slippery
surfaces if the power assist has been
interrupted to maintain steering control.
Do not pump the brakes on slippery
surfaces if the brakes are operating
normally.
WARNING
Take the following precautions:
• Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. This will create
abnormal high brake temperatures,
excessive brake lining and pad wear,
and increased stopping distances.
• When descending down a long or
steep hill, move the gear shift button
to Manual Shift Mode and manually
downshift to a lower gear in order
to control your speed without using
the brake pedal excessively. Applying
the brakes continuously will cause
the brakes to overheat and could
result in a temporary loss of braking
performance.
• Wet brakes may impair the vehicle'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, lightly tap the brake pedal to
heat up the brakes while maintaining
a safe forward speed until brake
performance returns to normal.
Avoid driving at high speeds until the
brakes function correctly.
Disc Brakes Wear Indicator
When your brake pads are worn and new
pads are required, you will hear a high
pitched warning sound from your front
or rear brakes. You may hear this sound
come and go or it may occur whenever
you depress the brake pedal.
Note that some driving conditions 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.
NOTICE
To avoid costly brake repairs, do not
continue to drive with worn brake pads.
Information
Always replace brake pads as complete
front or rear axle sets.
While Driving

6-28
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 distance
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 conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stability.
Always steer moderately when braking
hard. Severe or sharp steering 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 system
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 ignition
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.
Contact an authorized HYUNDAI dealer
as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the ABS warning light () is on and
stays on, you may have a problem with
the ABS. Your power brakes will work
normally. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death, contact your HYUNDAI
dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION
When you drive on a road having poor
traction, such as an icy road, and apply
your brakes continuously, the ABS will
be active continuously and the ABS
warning light (
) may illuminate. Pull
your car over to a safe place and turn
the engine off.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning
light is off, then your ABS system is
normal.
Otherwise, you may have a problem
with your ABS system. Contact an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as
possible.
Information
When you jump start your vehicle because
of a drained battery, 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. Have the battery
recharged before driving the vehicle.
While Driving

06
6-29
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ODN8069018
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system helps to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering maneuvers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies
braking pressure to any one of the
vehicle's brakes and intervenes in the
engine management system to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. It is not a substitute for
safe driving practices. Always adjust your
speed and driving to the road conditions.
WARNING
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.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch is in the
ON position, the ESC and the ESC
OFF indicator lights illuminate for
approximately three seconds. After both
lights go off, the ESC is enabled.
When operating
When the ESC is in operation,
the ESC indicator light blinks:
• 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 ESC is active.
• When the ESC activates, the engine
may not respond to the accelerator as
it does under routine conditions.
• If the Cruise Control was in use when
the ESC activates, the Cruise Control
automatically disengages. The Cruise
Control can be reengaged when the
road conditions 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 stability and traction of
the vehicle and does not indicate a
problem.