Hyundai Elantra N Owner's Manual page 253

Using the clutch
The clutch pedal should be depressed all
the way before:
- Starting the engine
The engine will not start without
depressing the clutch pedal.
- Shifting into gear, up shifting to the
next higher gear, or down shifting to
the next low gear.
When releasing the clutch pedal, release
it slowly. The clutch pedal should always
be fully released while driving.
NOTICE
To prevent unnecessary wear or
damage to the clutch:
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving.
Do not hold the vehicle with the
clutch on an incline, while waiting for
the traffic light, etc.
Always depress the clutch pedal
down fully to prevent noise or
damage.
Do not start with the 2nd (second)
gear engaged except when you start
on a slippery road.
Do not drive with cargo loaded more
than the recommended loading
capacity.
Make sure to depress the clutch
pedal until the engine starts
completely. If you release the clutch
pedal before the engine starts
completely, the engine may stop.
Downshifting
Down shift to a lower gear when slowing
down in heavy traffic or driving up a
steep hill to prevent high engine loads.
Also, downshifting reduces the chance
of stalling and helps to reaccelerate the
vehicle when you need to increase your
speed.
When the vehicle is going downhill,
downshifting helps maintain safe speed
by providing a load from the engine and
results in less wear on the brakes.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the engine,
clutch and transmission:
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 and may cause engine damage.
Do not downshift more than two
gears at a time or downshift the
gear when the engine is running at
high speed (5,000 RPM or higher).
Such downshifting may damage the
engine, clutch and the transmission.
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