Automatic Transmission Operation

The automatic transmission has 8 forward speeds and one reverse speed.

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

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death:

• ALWAYS check the area around the 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 is in the P (Park) position, then apply the parking brake and turn the engine start/stop button OFF. Unexpected and sudden vehicle movement may occur if these precautions are not observed.
• Do not use engine braking (rapid downshifting from a higher gear to a lower gear) on slippery roads. The vehicle may skid, which may lead to an accident.

Transmission Ranges

The indicator in the instrument cluster shows the position of the shift lever when the engine start/stop button is in the ON position.

However, if the shift lever is in the N (Neutral) or P (Park) position, the position is shown on the instrument cluster when the engine start/stop button is in the OFF or ACC position.

CAUTION - Transmission

To prevent transmission damage, do not race the engine in R (Reverse) or any forward gear position with the brakes applied. The transmission may be damaged if you shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is moving.

P (Park)

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

To shift from R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive) or manual mode to P (Park), press the [P] button.

If you turn the engine off while in D (Drive) or R (Reverse), the shift position automatically changes to P (Park).

When parking the vehicle, press the [P] button while holding the brake pedal, and then apply the parking brake.

To reduce the risk of rolling, do not use the P (Park) position instead of the parking brake.

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is moving may cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
• Do not use P (Park) as a substitute for the parking brake.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle in reverse.

To move the shift lever to R (Reverse), press the [UNLOCK] button while holding the brake pedal, and then move the shift lever forward.

■ R (Reverse), D (Drive) → N (Neutral)

N (Neutral)

The wheels and transmission are not engaged.

Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a stalled engine or if you need to stop with the engine running. Shift to P (Park) if you need to exit the vehicle for any reason.

Always depress the brake pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) into another position.

To turn the engine off, press the engine start/stop button again to the ON position, press the [P] button, and turn the engine start/stop button to the OFF position.

When the driver's door or front passenger door is opened with the engine start/stop button in the ACC position and the shift lever in the N (Neutral) position, the engine automatically turns off and the transmission automatically shifts to P (Park).

WARNING

• To prevent unintended vehicle movement, do not shift gears while your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
• Do not let the vehicle idle in N (Neutral) for a long period of time, as this prevents the wheels and transmission from engaging. When parking the vehicle with the engine running, depress the brake pedal, shift the vehicle to P (Park), and apply the parking brake.
• Do not drive with the shift lever in N (Neutral). Engine braking will not work and may result in an accident.

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position. The transmission will automatically shift through the 8-speed sequence to provide the best fuel economy and performance.

For additional power when passing another vehicle or driving uphill, press the accelerator pedal further until you feel the transmission downshift.

To shift into D (Drive), press the brake pedal and press the [UNLOCK] button on the shift lever.

Move the shift lever rearward. To shift into D (Drive) from N (Neutral), you must depress the brake pedal.

✽ NOTICE

Always come to a complete stop before shifting to D (Drive).

- Parking in N (Neutral)

Follow the procedure below when parking if you want the vehicle to be able to be pushed.

1. After parking the vehicle, press the brake pedal and press the [P] button with the ignition switch in the [ON] position or with the engine running.

2. If the parking brake is applied, release the parking brake.

- For vehicles equipped with EPB (Electric Parking Brake), depress the brake pedal with the ignition switch in the [ON] position or with the engine running to release the parking brake. If the [AUTO HOLD] function is used while driving (if the [AUTO HOLD] indicator is illuminated in the cluster), press the [AUTO HOLD] switch, and the [AUTO HOLD] function will be turned off.

3. While depressing the brake pedal, turn the ignition switch to the [OFF] position.

- On vehicles equipped with a smart key, the ignition key can be placed in the [OFF] position only after pressing the [P] button.

4. Remove the cover and insert a tool (such as a flat-blade screwdriver) into the access hole and press the tool while depressing the brake pedal. The transmission will then shift to the N (Neutral) position. It should be pressed within 3 minutes after the engine is turned off.

✽ NOTICE

A normal mechanical sound will be heard when the shift lever is moved to the N (Neutral) position.

CAUTION

For vehicles with EPB (Electric Parking Brake) with [AUTO HOLD] function, while driving, if the ignition switch is in the [OFF] position, the electric parking brake will be applied automatically. Therefore, the [AUTO HOLD] function must be turned off before the ignition switch is turned off.

WARNING

• Always park the vehicle in [P] (Park) for safety, except when parking in neutral, and apply the parking brake.
• Before parking in [N] (Neutral), first make sure the parking surface is level and flat. Do not park in [N] on any slope or incline. If the vehicle is left parked in [N], it may roll and cause serious damage or injury.

✽ NOTICE

The electric parking brake cannot be released after the ignition switch is turned off.

Paddle Shift (Manual Mode)

The paddle shift is available when the shift lever is in the D (Drive) position.

Pull the paddle shifter [+] or [-] once to shift up or down one gear. The system changes from automatic mode to manual mode.

When vehicle speed is below 7 km/h, if the accelerator pedal is not pressed for more than 6 seconds (except in Drive Mode (SPORT, CUSTOM)), or if you move the shift lever from D (Drive) to manual mode and then back from manual mode to D (Drive), or if you pull the paddle shift [+] for more than 1 second, the system switches from manual mode to automatic mode. For more information, refer to Integrated Drive Mode Control System in chapter 5.

✽ NOTICE

If you pull both the [+] and [-] paddle shifters at the same time, the gear may not shift.

Shift Lock System

For your safety, the automatic transmission is equipped with a shift lock system that prevents shifting from P (Park) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive) unless the [RELEASE] button is pressed while the brake pedal is depressed.

To shift the transmission from P (Park) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive):

1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.

2. Start the engine or set the engine start/stop button to the ON position.

3. Move the shift lever to the R (Reverse) or D (Drive) position while pressing and holding the [RELEASE] button.

When the battery is discharged

You can move the shift lever when the battery is discharged. However, you will not be able to shift from P (Park) to N (Neutral) or other positions. In an emergency, perform the following steps to move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position on a level surface.

1. Connect the jumper cables to the jump-start terminals in the engine compartment and the battery terminals of the other vehicle/auxiliary battery. For more information, see "Jump Starting" in chapter 6.

2. Release the parking brake while the engine start/stop button is in the ON position.

3. Set the engine start/stop button to the OFF position.

4. Remove the cap (1) and insert a tool (such as a flat-blade screwdriver) into the access hole and press the tool while depressing the brake pedal. The transmission will then shift to the N (Neutral) position. It must be pressed within 3 minutes after the engine is turned off.

✽ NOTICE

In situations where it is necessary to shift from P (Park) to N (Neutral) when the engine start/stop button is in the OFF position, see step 4.

The actuators operate to shift into N (Neutral) or P (Park) and produce a normal mechanical sound.