2003 Hyundai Sonata clutch

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, 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
Before starting the engine:
o If your Hyundai is equipped with a manual
transaxle, place the shift lever in neutral and
depress the clutch.
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
shift lever is not in "P" or "N" Position.
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. To
remove the key, always confirm that the
shift lever is securely positioned in "P"
(Park).
o For additional information about start-
ing, see page 2-3.
C040A01Y-AATKEY POSITIONS
CAUTION:
The engine should not be turned off or the
key removed from the ignition key cylinder
while the car is in motion.
!
o "ON"
When the key is in the "ON" position, the ignition
is on and all accessories may be turned on. If
the engine is not running, the key should not be
left in the "ON" position. This will discharge the
battery and may also damage the ignition sys-
tem.LOCKACC
ON
START

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 5
!
C050B01A-AATNormal Conditions:
The Starting Procedure:
1. Insert key, and fasten the seat belt.
2. Depress the clutch pedal fully and place the
gearshift lever (manual transaxle) in neutral
or the selector lever (automatic transaxle) in
"P" (park) position.
3. After turning the ignition key to the "ON"
position, make certain all warning lights and
gauges are functioning properly before start-
ing the engine.
WARNING:Be sure that the clutch is fully depressed
when starting a manual transaxle vehicle.
Your manual transaxle equipped vehicle
will not start unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed. On a manual transaxle equipped
vehicle that can be started without de-
pressing the clutch, there is the potential to
cause
damage to the vehicle or injury to someone
inside or outside the vehicle as a result of
the forward or backward movement of the
vehicle that will occur if the clutch is not
depressed when the vehicle is started.4. Turn the ignition key to the "Start" position
and release it when the engine starts.
After the engine has started, allow the engine
to run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing
the vehicle in gear.
The starter should not be operated for more
than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 15-30 sec-
onds between starting attempts to protect
the starter from overheating.
C070A02A-AAT
OPERATING THE MANUAL
TRANSAXLE
Your Hyundai's manual transaxle has a con-
ventional shift pattern. This shift pattern is im-
printed on the shift knob. The transaxle is fully
synchronized in all forward gears so shifting to
either a higher or a lower gear is easily accom-
plished.
NOTE:o To shift into reverse, rest the lever in
neutral for at least 3 seconds after your
car is completely stopped. Then move
the lever into the reverse position.
o During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not harm-
ful to the transaxle.
o If you've come to a complete stop and
it's hard to shift into 1st or R(Reverse),
put the shift lever in N(Neutral) position
and release the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down, and then shift into 1st
or R(Reverse) gear position.
o Do not use the shift lever as a handrest
during driving, as this can result in pre-
mature wear of the transaxle shift forks.
!CAUTION:When downshifting from fifth gear to fourth
gear, caution should be taken not to inad-
vertently press the gear lever sideways in
such a manner that second gear is en-
gaged. Such a drastic downshift may cause
the engine speed to increase to the point
that the tachometer will enter the red-zone.
Such over-revving of the engine may pos-
sibly cause engine damage.
HEF-238

2- 6 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
!
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 ve-
hicle speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out of
control.C070E02A-AATRecommended Shift Points
The shift points as shown on the chart are
recommended for optimum fuel economy and
performance.
Shift
from-to
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5Recommended
mph (km/h)
15 (20)
25 (40)
35 (55)
45 (75)
C070B01A-AATUsing the Clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way to the
floor before shifting, then released slowly. The
clutch pedal should always be used after fully
returning to the original position. 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.
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
WARNING:o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel move-
ments, such as sharp lane changes or
fast, sharp turns.
o Always wear your seat belts.
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, un unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seatbelt.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 13
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
transaxle to overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.
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 pos-
sible. 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
increase wear on these components. In
addition, 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
inflation, either too much or too little, results
in unnecessary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
o Be sure that the wheels are aligned cor-
rectly. Improper alignment can result from
hitting curbs or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. 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
Section 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.
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.
C160A01A-AATWINTER 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:
C150A01A-AAT
SMOOTH CORNERING
Avoid braking or gear changing in corners,
especially 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.

6- 2 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. Brake Booster
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Clutch fluid reservoir (If installed)
5. Under hood junction box 6. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil level dipstick
9. Engine cover
G010A02Y-GATENGINE COMPARTMENT (2.4 DOHC)
10.Automatic transaxle fluid level dipstick
(If installed)
11.Radiator cap
12.Air cleaner
13.Coolant reservoir cap
14.Battery
HEF-064
12345
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

6- 4 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
G020C01A-AATVehicle Interior
The following should be checked each time
when the vehicle is driven:
o Lights operation
o Windshield wiper operation
o Horn operation
o Defroster, heating system operation (and air
conditioning, if installed)
o Steering operation and condition
o Mirror condition and operation
o Turn signal operation
o Accelerator pedal operation
o Brake operation, including parking brake
o Manual transaxle operation, including clutch
operation
o Automatic transaxle operation, including
"Park" mechanism operation
o Seat control condition and operation
o Seat belt condition and operation
o Sunvisor operation
If you notice anything that does not operate
correctly or appears to be functioning incor-
rectly, inspect it carefully and seek assistance
from your Hyundai dealer if service is needed.
G020B01A-AATVehicle Exterior
The following should be checked monthly:
o Overall appearance and condition
o Air filter condition
o Wheel condition and wheel nut torque
o Exhaust system condition
o Light condition and operation
o Windshield glass condition
o Wiper blade condition
o Paint condition and body corrosion
o Fluid leaks
o Door and hood lock condition
o Tire pressure and condition (including spare
tire)
G020A01A-AATGENERAL CHECKS
Engine Compartment
The following should be checked regularly:
o Engine oil level and condition
o Transaxle fluid level and condition
o Brake fluid level
o Clutch fluid level
o Engine coolant level
o Windshield washer fluid level
o Accessory drive belt condition
o Engine Coolant hose condition
o Fluid leaks (on or below components)
o Power steering fluid level
o Battery condition

DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE 6- 15
!
G130A01A-AATCHECKING THE CLUTCH FLUID
To Check the Clutch FluidG130B02A-AATTo Replace the Fluid
Recommended brake fluid conforming to DOT
3 or DOT 4 specification should be used. The
reservoir cap must be fully tightened to avoid
contamination from foreign matter or moisture.
NOTE:Do not allow any other liquids to contami-
nate the brake fluid. Seal damage will result.
WARNING:Handle brake fluid carefully. It can damage
your vision if it gets into your eyes. Use only
DOT 3 or DOT 4 specification fluid from a
sealed container. Do not allow the fluid can
or reservoir to remain open any longer than
required. This will prevent entry of dirt and
moisture which can damage the brake sys-
tem and cause improper operation.
To add brake fluid, first wipe away any dirt then
unscrew the fluid reservoir cap. Slowly pour the
recommended fluid into the reservoir. Do not
overfill. Carefully replace the cap on the reser-
voir and tighten.
!
The clutch fluid level in the master cylinder
should be checked when performing other un-
der hood services. The system should be
checked for leakage at the same time. Check
to make certain that the clutch fluid level is
always between the "MAX" and "MIN" level
markings on the fluid reservoir. Fill as required.
Fluid loss indicates a leak in the clutch system
which should be inspected and repaired imme-
diately. Consult your Hyundai dealer.
WARNING:Use caution when handling brake fluid. It
can damage your vision if you get it in your
eyes. It will also damage your vehicle's
paint if spilled on it and not removed imme-
diately.
G140A01A-AATAIR CONDITIONING CARE
Keeping the Condenser Clean
The air conditioning condenser (and engine
radiator) should be checked periodically for
accumulation of dirt, dead insects, leaves, etc.
These can interfere with maximum cooling ef-
ficiency. When removing such accumulations,
brush or hose them away carefully to avoid
bending the cooling fans.
G130A01Y
!

DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE 6- 17
G160A01A-AATCHECKING CLUTCH PEDAL
FREE-PLAY
With the engine off, press lightly on the clutch
pedal until you feel a change in resistance. This
is the clutch pedal free-play. The free-play
should be within the limits specified in the illus-
tration. If it is not, have it inspected by your
Hyundai dealer and adjusted or repaired if
necessary.
G170A02A-AATCHECKING BRAKE PEDAL
FREE-PLAY
With the engine off, press down on the brake
pedal several times to reduce the vacuum in the
brake booster.
Then, using your hand, press down slowly on
the brake pedal until you feel a change in
resistance. This is the brake pedal free-play.
The free-play should be within the limits speci-
fied in the illustration above. If it is not, have it
inspected by your Hyundai dealer and adjusted
or repaired if necessary.
G160A01EHXGS508
0.24~0.51 in.
(6~13 mm)0.12~0.31 in.
(3~8 mm)
G180A01A-AATCHECKING BRAKE PEDAL
CLEARANCE
You need a helper to check the brake pedal
clearance. With the engine running, have your
helper press down on the brake pedal several
times and then hold it down with a force of about
110 lbs (50 kg, 490 N). The brake pedal clear-
ance is the distance from the top surface of the
brake pedal to the asphalt sheeting under the
floor mat.
If the brake pedal clearance is not within the
limits specified in the illustration, have it in-
spected by your Hyundai dealer and adjusted
or repaired if necessary.
G180A01L
2.95 in. (75 mm)