Hyundai Tucson: Automatic Transmission / Automatic Transmission Operation

The automatic transmission has eight forward speeds and one reverse speed.

The individual speeds are selected automatically in the D (Drive) position.

The indicator on the instrument cluster displays the shift lever/button position when the ignition switch is in the ON position.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death:

• Always check the surrounding areas near your vehicle for people, especially children, before shifting into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever/ button is in the P (Park) position, then apply the parking brake, and place the ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF position. Unexpected and sudden vehicle movement may occur if these precautions are not followed.
• Do not use engine braking (using the manual shift mode or paddle shifters to shift from a higher gear to a lower gear) on slippery roads. The vehicle may lose traction with the roadway, resulting in a collision.

P (Park)

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into P (Park).

To shift from P (Park), depress the brake pedal firmly and make sure your foot is not depressing the accelerator pedal.

If you cannot shift the lever out of P (Park), refer to the "Shift-Lock Release" section in this chapter if equipped with a shift lever.

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is moving may cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
• When parking on an incline, shift the gear to P (Park), apply the parking brake, and turn the wheels toward the curb to prevent the vehicle from rolling downhill.
• Do not use the P (Park) position instead of the parking brake.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle backward.

NOTICE

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into or out of R (Reverse) to prevent damaging the transmission.

NOTICE

For shift button vehicles, when the vehicle is stopped in R (Reverse) or D (Drive), if the driver’s door is opened and the driver's seat belt is unfastened, the gear shifts to P (Park) automatically.

If the vehicle is moving in R (Reverse) or D (Drive) and the driver’s door is opened and the driver's seat belt is unfastened, the gear may shift to P (Park) automatically to prevent transmission damage.

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.

WARNING

• Do not shift into gears unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
• Do not shift gears with the accelerator pedal depressed. Wait until the engine RPM is normal. The vehicle may suddenly move if you shift gears and release the brake pedal when the RPM is high.

To stay in N (Neutral) when vehicle is OFF (button type)

If you want to stay in N (Neutral) after the engine is OFF (ignition switch in the ACC position), do the following:

1. Release the parking brake when the engine is running or the Push Button Start ignition switch is in the ON position. If Auto Hold is activated, turn off Auto Hold.

2. Press the N (Neutral) button while depressing the brake pedal.

3. Take your foot off the brake pedal. The message, "Press and hold OK button to stay in Neutral when vehicle is Off" appears on the cluster display.

4. Press and hold the OK button on the steering wheel for more than 1 second.

5. When the message, "Vehicle will stay in (N). Change gear to cancel“ appears on the cluster display, press the Push Button Start ignition switch while depressing the brake pedal.

If you open the driver's door, the gear shifts to P (Park) and the Push Button Start ignition switch changes to the OFF position.

NOTICE

With the gear in N (Neutral) the Push Button Start ignition switch is in the ACC position. Note that the doors cannot be locked in the ACC position. The battery may discharge if left in the ACC position for a long time.

D (Drive)

The transmission automatically shifts through an 8-gear sequence, providing the best fuel economy and power.

Shift to D (Drive) while depressing the brake pedal with the engine ON. Then release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator pedal.

For extra power when passing another vehicle or driving uphill, depress the accelerator pedal fully. The transmission automatically downshifts to the next lower gear.

For shift button vehicles, when the vehicle is stopped in D (Drive), if you open the driver’s door with the seat belt unfastened, the gear shifts to P (Park) automatically.

If the vehicle is moving in D (Drive), and you open the driver’s door with the seat belt unfastened, the gear may not shift to P (Park) automatically to protect the automatic transmission.

The DRIVE MODE switch, located on the shift lever/button console, allows the driver to switch from NORMAL mode to SPORT mode (if equipped).

For more information, refer to the "Drive Mode Integrated Control System" section later in this chapter.

DS (Drive Sporty) mode

To shift into DS mode, move the shift lever from D (Drive) to the left, without upshifting to the + or downshifting to the -.

The engine and transmission control logic is automatically optimized for sporty driving.

In DS mode, if you move the shift lever + (Up) or - (Down), the gear changes to the manual shift mode. If the shift lever is moved back to D (Drive), it changes to D (Drive) and shifts automatically. The vehicle performs according to the mode selected from the drive mode (NORMAL, SPORT).

Manual shift mode (lever type)

A: + (Up), B: - (Down)

Whether the vehicle is stationary or moving, the manual shift mode is selected by pushing the shift lever from the D (Drive) position into the manual gate. To return to D (Drive), push the shift lever back into the main gate.

In manual shift mode, moving the shift lever backward and forward allows 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

• Downshifts are made automatically when the vehicle slows down. When the vehicle stops, the first gear is automatically selected.
• When the engine RPM approaches the red zone, the transmission upshifts automatically.
• If the driver pushes the lever to + (Up) or - (Down), the transmission may not shift if the next gear is outside of the allowable engine RPM range.
• When driving on slippery roads, push the shift lever to + (Up) side to shift into the second gear that is better for smooth driving on a slippery road. Push the shift lever to - (Down) side to shift back to the 1st gear.

Ignition key interlock system

The ignition key cannot be removed unless the shift lever is in the P (Park) position.

Shift-lock system

For your safety, the automatic transmission has a shift-lock system that prevents the transmission from shifting 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 ignition switch in the ON position.

3. Depress the brake pedal and put the gear in R (Reverse).

Shift-lock release (lever type)

If the shift lever cannot be moved from P (Park) into R (Reverse) with the brake pedal depressed then:

1. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK/ OFF position.

2. Apply the parking brake.

3. Carefully lift the shift lever cover.

4. Move the shift lever while holding the release button 1 with a tool (e.g. flathead screw-driver).

If you need to use the shift-lock release, have the system inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer immediately.

When the battery is discharged (button type):

You cannot shift gears when the battery is discharged.

In an emergency:

1. Connect jumper cables from another vehicle or from another battery following the “Jump Starting” directions in Chapter 8.

2. Release the parking brake with the ignition switch in the ON position.

3. Shift the gear to N (Neutral). Refer to the “To stay in N (Neutral) when the engine is OFF (button type)” section in this chapter.

Parking

Always come to a complete stop and continue to depress the brake pedal. Shift the gear to P (Park), apply the parking brake, and place the ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF position. Take the key with you when exiting the vehicle.

WARNING

• When you stay in the vehicle with the engine running, be careful not to depress the accelerator pedal for a long time. The engine or exhaust system may overheat and start a fire.
• The exhaust gas and the exhaust system are so hot and may cause burns. Keep away from the exhaust system components.
• Do not stop or park over flammable materials, such as dry grass, paper, or leaves. They may ignite and cause a fire.