2003 Hyundai Accent brake

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 3
C020A01A-AATBEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
Before you start the engine, you should always:
1. Look around the vehicle to be sure there are
no flat tires, puddles of oil or water or other
indications of possible trouble.
2. After entering the car, check to be sure the
parking brake is engaged.
3. Check that all windows, and lights are clean.
4. Check that the interior and exterior mirrors
are clean and in position.
5. Check your seat, seatback and headrest to
be sure they are in their proper positions.
6. Lock all the doors.
7. Fasten your seat belt and be sure that all
other occupants have fastened theirs.
8. Turn off all lights and accessories that are
not needed.
9. When you turn the ignition switch to "ON",
check that all appropriate warning lights are
operating and that you have sufficient fuel.
10. Check the operation of warning lights and all
bulbs when key is in the "ON" position.
C030A01A-AATCOMBINATION IGNITION SWITCH
To Start the Engine
o If your Hyundai is equipped with a manual
transaxle, place the shift lever in neutral and
depress the clutch pedal fully.
o If your Hyundai has an automatic transaxle,
place the shift lever in "P" (park).
o To start the engine, insert the ignition key
and turn it to the "START" position. Release
it as soon as the engine starts. Do not hold
the key in the "START" position for more
than 15 seconds.
NOTE:o For safety, the engine will not start if the
clutch pedal is not depressed fully (Manual
Transaxle) or the shift lever is not in "P"
or "N" Position (Automatic Transaxle).
o The ignition key cannot be turned from
"ACC" position to "LOCK" position un-
less the shift lever is in the "P" (Park)
position or the negative battery terminal
is disconnected from the battery. (For
Automatic Transaxle)
C040A01A-AATKEY POSITIONS
C040A01E
LOCKACC
ON
START
WARNING:The engine should not be turned off or the
key removed from the ignition key cylinder
while the vehicle is in motion. The steering
wheel is locked by removing the key.
o "START"
The engine is started in this position. It will crank
until you release the key.
NOTE:Do not hold the key in the "START" position
for more than 15 seconds.
!

2- 6 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
WARNING:o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway and
the driver oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the road-
way, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into the travel
lanes.
o In a collision crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.
The shift points as shown above are recom-
mended for optimum fuel economy and perform-
ance.
C070E03A-AAT
RECOMMENDED SHIFT POINTS
C070D02A-AATGood Driving Practices
o Never take the car out of gear and coast
down a hill. This is extremely hazardous.
Always leave the car in gear.
o Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause them
to overheat and malfunction. Instead, when
you are driving down a long hill, slow down
and shift to a lower gear. When you do this,
engine braking will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower gear.
This will help avoid over-revving the engine,
which can cause damage.
o Slow down when you encounter cross winds.
This gives you much better control of your
car.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped before
you attempt to shift into reverse. The transaxle
can be damaged if you do not. To shift into
reverse, depress the clutch, move the shift
lever to neutral, wait three seconds, then
shift to the reverse position.
o 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 the vehicle to go out of control.
C070B01A-AATUsing the Clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way to the
floor before shifting, then released slowly. Do
not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while
driving. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold the car
on an incline. This causes unnecessary wear.
Use the parking brake to hold the car on an
incline. Do not operate the clutch pedal rapidly
and repeatedly.
Shift
from-toRecommended
mph(km/h)
15 (20)
25 (40)
35 (55)
45 (75) 1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
!

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 7
C090A01A-AATAUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
The highly efficient Hyundai automatic transaxle
has four forward speeds and one reverse speed.
It has a conventional shift pattern as shown in
the illustration. At night, with the multi-function
switch turned on to the parking light or head light
position the appropriate symbol on the shift
pattern indicator will be illuminated according to
the range selected.
C090B01A-AAT
The function of each position is as
follows:
o P (Park):
Use to hold the vehicle in place when parking or
while starting the engine; shift the selector lever
to the "P" (Park) position. Whenever parking the
car, apply the parking brake and shift the selec-
tor lever to the "P" (Park) position.
C090C01A-AATo R(Reverse):
Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the car to
a complete stop before shifting the selector
lever to "R" position.
CAUTION:Never shift into "R" or "P" position while the
car is moving.
NOTE:Depress the brake pedal and push the
button when shifting
Push the button when shifting
The selector lever can be shifted freely.
For optimum fuel economy, accelerate gradu-
ally. The transaxle will automatically shift to the
second, third and overdrive gears.
C090A01A
!CAUTION:Never place the selector lever in the "P"
(Park) position unless the vehicle is fully
stopped. Failure to observe this caution will
cause severe damage to the transaxle.
!
C090D02A-AAT
o N (Neutral):
In the "N" position, the transaxle is in neutral
position, which means that no gears are en-
gaged. The engine can be started with the shift
lever in "N" position, although this is not recom-
mended except if the engine stalls while the car
is moving.
C090E01A-AAT
o D (Drive):
Use for normal driving. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four-gear sequence.
Never downshift manually to "2" position or "L"
position when vehicle speed is more than 60
mph (96 km/h).

2- 8 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
C090P01A-AATOverdrive Switch
When the overdrive switch is turned on, the
transaxle will automatically upshift to the sec-
ond, third and overdrive gears. When the over-
drive switch is turned off, the transaxle will not
upshift to the overdrive gear. For normal driving,
the selector lever should be left in the "D"
position and the overdrive switch turned on.
If you need to accelerate rapidly, press the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor. The
transaxle will automatically shift to a lower gear,
depending on the vehicle speed and load.
C090G01A-AAT
o L (Low gear):
Use for driving up a very steep grade or for
engine braking when descending steep hills.
When downshifting to "L", the transaxle will
temporarily remain in second gear until the ve-
hicle has slowed enough for low gear to engage.
Do not exceed 31 mph (50 km/h) in low gear.
C090I01A-AAT C090F01A-AAT
o 2 (Second gear):
Use for driving on a slippery road, hill climbing
or engine braking downhill. "2" automatically
shifts between first and second gears.
This means that no shift-up to 3rd gear is per-
formed. However, the shift-up to third gear is
done when the car speed exceeds a certain
value to prevent the engine from over-revving.
Manually move the selector to "D" returning to
normal driving condition.
C090H01A-AATNOTE:
o For smooth and safe operation, depress
the brake pedal when shifting from "Neu-
tral" position or "Park" position to a for-
ward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully de-
pressed in order to move the shift lever
from the "P" (Park) position to any of the
other positions.o It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D", "2", "L" position to "P" posi-
tion.
CAUTION:o Shift into "R" and "P" position only when
the vehicle has completely stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in reverse or
any of the forward positions with the
brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when shifting
from "P" or "N", to "R", "D", "2" or "L"
position.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always set
the parking brake, shift the transaxle into
"P" (Park) position and turn off the igni-
tion when you leave the vehicle, even
momentarily. Never leave the vehicle un-
attended while the engine is running.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid level
regularly, and add fluid as necessary.
!
C090P01A

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 9
o Turn the overdrive switch on for good fuel
economy and smooth driving. If engine brak-
ing is needed in the "D" range or if repeated
upshifting and downshifting between the 3rd
and 4th gear is needed when climbing a
gentle slope, it is recommended that the
overdrive switch be turned off. Turn the over-
drive switch back on immediately afterward.C090N02A-AATGood Driving Practices
o Never move the gear selector lever from "P"
or "N" to any other position with the acceler-
ator pedal depressed.
o Never move the gear selector lever into "P"
when the vehicle is in motion.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped before
you attempt to shift into "R".
o Never take the car out of gear and coast
down a hill. This may be extremely hazard-
ous. Always leave the car in gear when
moving.
o Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction. Instead,
when you are driving down a long hill, slow
down and shift to a lower gear. When you do
this, engine braking will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower gear.
Otherwise, the lower gear may not be en-
gaged.
o Always use the parking brake. Do not de-
pend on placing the transaxle in "P" to keep
the car from moving.
o 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 the vehicle to go out of control. If you cannot move the shift lever from the "P"
(Park) position to any other position with the
brake pedal fully depressed and the ignition key
in the "ON" position, remove the cap on the
console with a thin object such as a pencil, push
the shift lock release button down. Then, with
the brake pedal depressed, move the shift lever
to the desired position, then the shift lock re-
lease button will automatically return to its origi-
nal position after shifting from the "P" (Park)
position. Then, reinstall the cap.
Have the system checked by your Hyundai
dealer.
JC110J4-ASHIFT LOCK RELEASE (If Installed)
C090J01A
WARNING:o The risk of rollover is greatly increased if
you lose control of your vehicle at high-
way speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway and
the driver oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the road-
way, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into the travel
lanes.
o In a collision crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.
!

2- 10 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
C130A01A-AATGOOD BRAKING PRACTICES
WARNING:
Nothing should be carried on top of the shelf
panel behind the rear seat. If there were an
accident or a sudden stop, such objects
could move forward and cause damage to
the vehicle or injure the occupants.
!
o After being parked, check to be sure the
parking brake is not engaged and that the
parking brake indicator light is out before
driving away.
o Driving through water may get the brakes
wet. They can also get wet when the car is
washed. Wet brakes can be dangerous! Your
car will not stop as quickly if the brakes are
wet. Wet brakes may cause the car to pull to
one side. To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns to nor-
mal, taking care to keep the car under con-
trol at all times. If the braking action does not
return to normal, stop as soon as it is safe to
do so and call your Hyundai dealer for assis-
tance.
o Don't coast down hills with the car out of
gear. This is extremely hazardous. Keep the
car in gear at all times, use the brakes to
slow down, then shift to a lower gear so that
engine braking will help you maintain a safe
speed.o Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting your
foot on the brake pedal while driving can be
dangerous because it can result in the brakes
overheating and losing their effectiveness. It
also increases the wear of the brake compo-
nents.
o If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply
the brakes gently and keep the car pointed
straight ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it to be
safe to do so, pull off the road and stop in a
safe place.
o If your car is equipped with an automatic
transaxle, don't let your car creep forward.
To avoid creeping forward, keep your foot on
the brake pedal when the car is stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill. Engage
the parking brake and place the gear selec-
tor lever in "P" (automatic transaxle) or in
first or reverse gear (manual transaxle). If
your car is facing downhill, turn the front
wheels into the curb to help keep the car
from rolling. If your car is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb to help
keep the car from rolling. If there is no curb
or if it is required by other conditions to keep
the car from rolling, block the wheels.
o Under some conditions your parking brake
can freeze in the engaged position. This is
most likely to happen when there is an accu-
mulation of snow or ice around or near the
rear brakes or if the brakes are wet. If there
is a risk that the parking brake may freeze,apply it only temporarily while you put the
gear selector lever in "P" (automatic) or in
first or reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the car cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
o Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade with
the accelerator pedal. This can cause the
transmission to overheat. Always use the
brake pedal or parking brake.C120A02A-AAT
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(If Installed)
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is designed
to prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking
or on hazardous road surfaces. The ABS con-
trol module monitors the wheel speed and con-
trols the pressure applied to each brake. Thus,
in emergency situations or on slick roads, ABS
will increase vehicle control during braking.
NOTE:During ABS operation, a slight pulsation
may be felt in the brake pedal when the
brakes are applied. Also, a noise may be
heard in the engine compartment while brak-
ing. These conditions are normal and indi-
cate that the anti-lock brake system is func-
tioning properly.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 11
WARNING:ABS will not prevent accidents due to
improper or dangerous driving maneu-
vers. Even though vehicle control is im-
proved during emergency braking, always
maintain a safe distance between you and
objects ahead. Vehicle speeds should al-
ways be reduced during extreme road
conditions.
The braking distance for cars equipped
with an anti-lock braking system may be
longer than for those without it in the
following road conditions.
o Driving on rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
o Driving with tire chains installed.
o Driving on roads where the road surface
is pitted or has different surface height.
These roads should be driven at reduced
speeds. The safety features of an ABS
equipped vehicle should not be tested by
high speed driving or cornering. This could
endanger the safety of yourself or others.
!
C140A01A-AATDRIVING FOR ECONOMY
You can save fuel and get more miles from your
car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate
rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts or full-
throttle shifts and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stoplights. Try to
adjust your speed to that of the other traffic
so you don't have to change speeds unnec-
essarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever possi-
ble. Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unneces-
sary braking. This also reduces brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you
drive, the more fuel your car uses. Driving at
a moderate speed, especially on the high-
way, is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and also in-
crease wear on these components. In addi-
tion, driving with your foot resting on the
brake pedal may cause the brakes to over-
heat, which reduces their effectiveness and
may lead to more serious consequences.
o Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to
the recommended pressure. Incorrect infla-
tion, either too much or too little, results in
unnecessary tire wear. Check the tire pres-
sures at least once a month.o Be sure that the wheels are aligned correct-
ly. Improper alignment can result from hitting
curbs or driving too fast over irregular surfac-
es. Poor alignment causes faster tire wear
and may also result in other problems as well
as greater fuel consumption.
o Keep your car in good condition. For better
fuel economy and reduced maintenance
costs, maintain your car in accordance with
the maintenance schedule in Section 5. If
you drive your car in severe conditions, more
frequent maintenance is required (see Sec-
tion 5 for details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum service,
your Hyundai should be kept clean and free
of corrosive materials. It is especially impor-
tant that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be allowed to
accumulate on the underside of the car. This
extra weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to corro-
sion.
o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight
in your car. Weight reduces fuel economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than neces-
sary. If you are waiting (and not in traffic),
turn off your engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
o Remember, your Hyundai does not require
extended warm-up. As soon as the engine is
running smoothly, you can drive away. In
very cold weather, however, give your en-
gine a slightly longer warm-up period.

2- 12 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
C160A01A-AAT
WINTER DRIVING
The more severe weather conditions of winter
result in greater wear and other problems. To
minimize the problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:
C160B01A-AATSnowy or Icy Conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be
necessary to use snow tires or to install tire
chains on your tires. If snow tires are needed, it
is necessary to select tires equivalent in size
and type to the original equipment tires. Failure
to do so may adversely affect the safety and
handling of your car. Furthermore, speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very hazardous
practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking to the
fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on
snowy or icy roads may cause skids to occur.
You need to keep sufficient distance between
the vehicle in operation in front and your vehicle.
Also, apply the brake gently. It should be noted
that installing tire chains on the tire will provide
a greater driving force, but will not prevent side
skids.
NOTE:Tire chains are not legal in all states. Check
state laws before fitting tire chains.
C160D01A-AATCheck Battery and Cables
Winter puts additional burdens on the battery
system. Visually inspect the battery and cables
as described in Section 6. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by your Hyundai
dealer or a service station.
C160E01A-AAT
Change to "Winter Weight" Oil if
Necessary
In some climates it is recommended that a lower
viscosity "winter weight" oil be used during cold
weather. See Section 9 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you should use,
consult your Hyundai dealer.
C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
Coolant
Your Hyundai is delivered with high quality eth-
ylene glycol coolant in the cooling system. It is
the only type of coolant that should be used
because it helps prevent corrosion in the cooling
system, lubricates the water pump and prevents
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish your
coolant in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in Section 5. Before winter, have your
coolant tested to assure that its freezing point is
sufficient for the temperatures anticipated dur-
ing the winter. o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging
is driving too slowly in too high a gear result-
ing in the engine bucking. If this happens,
shift to a lower gear. Over-revving is racing
the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be
avoided by shifting at the recommended
speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The air
conditioning system is operated by engine
power so your fuel economy is reduced
when you use it.
C150A01A-AAT
SMOOTH CORNERING
Avoid braking or gear changing in corners, es-
pecially when roads are wet. Ideally, corners
should always be taken under gentle accelera-
tion. If you follow these suggestions, tire wear
will be held to a minimum.