2004 Hyundai Sonata Owner's Manual

4. CORROSION PREVENTION &
APPEARANCE CARE
Corrosion protection ......................................................................... 4-2
To help prevent corrosion ................................................................ 4-2
Washing and waxing ........................................................................ 4-3
Cleaning the interior ......................................................................... 4-4
4

4- 2 CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE
E020B01A-AATKeep Your Car Clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is to keep
your car clean and free of corrosive materials.
Attention to the underside of the car is particu-
larly important.
o If you live in a high-corrosion area — where
road salts are used, near the ocean, areas
with industrial pollution, acid rain, etc.—, you
should take extra care to prevent corrosion.
In winter, hose off the underside of your car
at least once a month and be sure to clean
the underside thoroughly when winter is
over.
o When cleaning underneath the car, give
particular attention to the components under
the fenders and other areas that are hidden
from view. Do a thorough job; just dampening
the accumulated mud rather than washing it
away will accelerate corrosion rather than
prevent it. Water under high pressure and
steam are particularly effective in removing
accumulated mud and corrosive materials.
o When cleaning lower door panels, rocker
panels and frame members, be sure that
drain holes are kept open so that moisture
can escape and not be trapped inside to ac-
celerate corrosion.
E020A01A-AAT
TO HELP PREVENT CORROSION
You can help prevent corrosion from getting
started by observing the following:
E010D01A-AATMoisture Breeds Corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in which corro-
sion is most likely to occur. For example, cor-
rosion is accelerated by high humidity, particu-
larly when temperatures are just above freez-
ing. In such conditions, the corrosive material is
kept in contact with the car surfaces by mois-
ture that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it is slow
to dry and holds moisture in contact with the
vehicle. Although the mud appears to be dry, it
can still retain the moisture and promote corro-
sion.
High temperatures can also accelerate corro-
sion of parts that are not properly ventilated so
the moisture can be dispersed. For all these
reasons, it is particularly important to keep your
car clean and free of mud or accumulations of
other materials. This applies not only to the
visible surfaces but particularly to the underside
of the car.
E010C01A-AATHigh-Corrosion Areas
If you live in an area where your car is regularly
exposed to corrosive materials, corrosion pro-
tection is particularly important. Some of the
common causes of accelerated corrosion are
road salts, dust control chemicals, ocean air
and industrial pollution.
E010B01A-AATCommon Causes of Corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion on your
car are:
o Road salt, dirt and moisture that is allowed to
accumulate underneath the car.
o Removal of paint or protective coatings by
stones, gravel, abrasion or minor scrapes
and dents which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion.
E010A01A-AATCORROSION PROTECTION
Protecting Your Hyundai from Corro-
sion
By using the most advanced design and con-
struction practices to combat corrosion,
Hyundai produces cars of the highest quality.
However, this is only part of the job. To achieve
the long-term corrosion resistance your
Hyundai can deliver, the owner's cooperation
and assistance is also required.

CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE 4- 3
E020E01A-AATDon't Neglect the Interior
Moisture can collect under the floor mats and
carpeting to cause corrosion. Check under the
mats periodically to be sure the carpeting is dry.
Use particular care if you carry fertilizers, clean-
ing materials or chemicals in the car.
These should be carried only in proper contain-
ers and any spills or leaks should be cleaned up,
flushed with clear water and thoroughly dried.
E020D01A-AATKeep Paint and Trim in Good Condition
Scratches or chips in the finish should be
covered with "touch-up" paint as soon as pos-
sible to reduce the possibility of corrosion. If
bare metal is showing through, the attention of
a qualified body and paint shop is recommended.
E020C01A-AATKeep Your Garage Dry
Don't park your car in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. This creates a favorable environment
for corrosion. This is particularly true if you
wash your car in the garage or drive it into the
garage when it is still wet or covered with snow,
ice or mud. Even a heated garage can contrib-
ute to corrosion unless it is well ventilated so
moisture is dispersed.
E030A01A-AATWASHING AND WAXING
Washing Your Hyundai
Never wash your car when the surface is hot
from being in the sun. Always wash your car in
the shade.
Wash your car frequently. Dirt is abrasive and
can scratch the paint if it is not removed. Air
pollution or acid rain may damage the paint and
trim through chemical action if pollutants are
allowed to remain in contact with the surface. If
you live near the ocean or in an area where road
salts or dust control chemicals are used, you
should pay particular attention to the underside
of the car. Start by rinsing the car to remove dust
and loose dirt. In winter, or if you have driven
through mud or muddy water, be sure to thor-
oughly clean the underside as well. Use a hard
direct stream of water to remove accumulations
of mud or corrosive materials. Use a good
quality car-washing solution and follow the
manufacturer's directions on the package.
These are available at your Hyundai dealer or
auto parts outlet. Don't use strong household
detergents, gasoline, strong solvents or abra-
sive cleaning powders as these may damage
the finish.
Use a clean sponge or cloth, rinse it frequently
and don't damage the finish by rubbing too hard.
For stubborn spots, dampen them frequently
and remove them a little at a time.
To clean whitewall tires, use a stiff brush or
soapy steel-wool scouring pad.To clean plastic wheel covers, use a clean
sponge or soft cloth and water.
To clean cast aluminum alloy wheels, use a mild
soap or neutral detergent. Do not use abrasive
cleaners. Protect the bare-metal surfaces by
cleaning, polishing and waxing. Because alumi-
num is subject to corrosion, be sure to give
aluminum alloy wheels special attention in win-
ter. If you drive on salted roads, clean the
wheels thoroughly afterwards.
After washing, be sure to rinse thoroughly. If
soapy water dries on the finish, streaking will
result.
When the weather is warm and the humidity low,
you may find it necessary to rinse each section
immediately after washing to avoid streaking.
After rinsing, dry the car using a damp chamois
or soft, absorbent cloth. The reason for drying
the car is to remove water from the car so it will
dry without water spots. Don't rub, this can
damage the finish.
If you find any nicks or scratches in the paint,
use touch-up paint to cover them to prevent
corrosion. To protect the paintwork of the car
against corrosion, you must clean your Hyundai
(at least once a month). Give special attention
to the removal of salt, mud and other sub-
stances on the underside of the splashboards
of the car. Make sure that the outlets and the

4- 4 CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE
E040B01A-AATTo Clean the Leather Upholstery
(If installed)
In the normal course of use, leather upholstered
surfaces will, like any material, pick-up dust and
dirt. This dust and dirt must be cleaned off or it
may work into the surface of the leather, caus-
ing damage.
Fine leather needs care, and should be cleaned
when necessary. Washing leather thoroughly
with soap and water will keep your leather
lustrous, beautiful and ensure you have many
years of wear.
E040A01A-AATCLEANING THE INTERIOR
To Clean the Vinyl Upholstery
To clean the vinyl upholstery, first remove loose
dirt and dust with a vacuum cleaner. Then apply
a solution of mild soap or detergent and water
using a clean sponge or soft cloth. Allow this to
stay on the surface to loosen the dirt, then wipe
with a clean damp sponge or cloth. If all the dirt
stains are not removed, repeat this procedure
until the upholstery is clean. Do not use gaso-
line, solvent, paint thinner or other strong clean-
ers.
E030E01A-AATMaintaining Bumpers
Special precautions must be observed to pre-
serve the appearance of the bumpers on your
Hyundai. They are:
o Be careful not to spill battery electrolyte or
hydraulic brake fluid on the bumpers. If you
do, wash it off immediately with clear water.
o Be gentle when cleaning the bumper sur-
faces. They are made of soft plastic and the
surface can be damaged if mistreated. Do
not use abrasive cleaners. Use warm water
and mild soap or car-washing solution.
o Do not expose the bumpers to high tem-
peratures. For example, if you have your car
repainted, do not leave the bumpers on the
car if the car is going to be placed in a high-
temperature paint booth.
E030D01A-AATWhen to Wax Again
You should polish and wax the car again when
water no longer beads on a clean surface but
spreads out over a larger area.
E030C01A-AATPolishing and Waxing
Always wash and dry the car before polishing
or waxing or using a combination cleaner and
wax. Use a good quality commercial product
and follow the manufacturer's directions on the
container. Polish and wax the bright trim pieces
as well as the paint.
E030B01A-AAT
Spot Cleaning
Don't use gasoline, strong solvents or corro-
sive cleaning agents. These can damage the
finish of the car. To remove road tar, use
turpentine on a clean, soft cloth. Be gentle.
To remove dead insects or tree sap, use warm
water and mild soap or car-washing solution.
Soak the spot and rub gently. If the paint has lost
its luster, use a commercial car-cleaning polish. underside of the doors are open. Paint damage
can be caused by small accumulation of tar,
industrial precipitation, tree resin, insects and
bird droppings, when not removed immediately.
If water alone is not strong enough to remove the
accumulated dirt, use a mild car washing solu-
tion. Be sure to rinse the surface after washing
to remove the solution. Never allow the solution
to dry on the painted surfaces.

CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE 4- 5
Take a piece of cheese cloth and using any mild
soap and lukewarm water, work up a good
lather. Thoroughly wash the leather. Wipe clean
with a slightly damp cloth and dry with soft cloth.
Do this as often as the leather becomes
soiled.
During tanning operations, sufficient oils are
incorporated through processing that none need
be applied during the life of the leather. Oil
applied to the finished surface will in no way help
the leather and may do more harm than good.
Varnishes and furniture polishes should never
be used under any conditions.E040D01A-AATCleaning the Seat Belts
To clean the seat belts, use a cloth or sponge
with mild soap or detergent and warm water. Do
not use strong detergents, dye, bleach or abra-
sive materials on the seat belts as this may
weaken the fabric.
While cleaning the belts, inspect them for ex-
cessive wear, cuts, fraying or other signs of
damage and replace them if necessary.
E040C01A-AATCleaning the Carpets
Use a foam-type carpet cleaner. Cleaners of
this type are available in aerosol cans in liquid
form or powder. Read the instructions and
follow them exactly. Using a vacuum cleaner
with the appropriate attachment, remove as
much dirt from the carpets as possible. Apply
the foam following the manufacturer's direc-
tions, then rub in overlapping circles. Do not add
water. These cleaners work best when the
carpet is kept as dry as possible.
E050A01A-AATAny Questions?
If you have any questions about the care of your
car, consult your Hyundai dealer.
E040E01A-AATCleaning the Windows
You may use any household window cleaner on
the windows. However, when cleaning the in-
side of the rear window be careful not to damage
the rear window defroster wiring.

5. VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
REQUIREMENTS
Maintenance intervals ...................................................................... 5-2
Scheduled maintenance ................................................................... 5-4
Maintenance under severe usage conditions ................................... 5-6
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items .................................. 5-7
5

5- 2 VEHICLE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
F010D01A-AATGeneral Checks
These are the regular checks you should per-
form when you drive your Hyundai or you fill the
fuel tank. A list of these items will be found on
page 6-4.
F010C01A-AATSpecified Scheduled Procedures
These are the procedures such as inspections,
adjustments and replacements that are listed in
the maintenance charts starting on page 5-4.
These procedures must be performed at the
intervals shown in the maintenance schedule to
assure that your warranty remains in effect.
Although it is strongly recommended that they
be performed by the trained technicians at your
Hyundai dealer, these procedures may be per-
formed at any qualified service facility.
It is suggested that genuine Hyundai service
parts be used for any required repairs or re-
placements. Other parts of equivalent quality
such as engine oil, engine coolant, manual or
auto transaxle oil, brake fluid and so on which
are not supplied by Hyundai Motor Company or
its distributor may be used without affecting
your warranty coverage but you should always
be sure these are equivalent to the quality of the
original Hyundai parts. Your Owner's Hand-
book provides further information about your
warranty coverage.
F010A01A-AATMAINTENANCE INTERVALS
Service Requirements
To ensure that you receive the greatest number
of miles of satisfying operation from your Hyundai,
certain maintenance procedures must be per-
formed. Although careful design and engineer-
ing have reduced these to a minimum, those that
are required are of the utmost importance.
It is your responsibility to have these mainte-
nance procedures performed to comply with
the terms of the warranties covering your new
Hyundai. The Owner's Handbook supplied with
your new vehicle provides further information
about these warranties.
F010B01A-AATMaintenance Requirements
The maintenance required for your Hyundai
can be divided into three main areas:
o Specified scheduled procedures
o General checks
o Do-it-yourself maintenance
F010E01A-AATDo-It-Yourself Maintenance
If you are mechanically inclined, own a few tools
that are required and want to take the time to do
so, you can inspect and service a number of
items. For more information about doing it your-
self, see Section 6.
F010F01A-AATA Few Tips
o Whenever you have your Hyundai serviced,
keep copies of the service records in your
glovebox. This will help ensure that you can
document that the required procedures have
been performed to keep your warranties in
effect. This is especially important when
service is not performed by an authorized
Hyundai dealer.
o If you choose to do your own maintenance
and repairs, you may find it helpful to have
an official Hyundai Shop Manual. A copy of
this publication may be purchased at your
Hyundai dealer's parts department.

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS 5- 3
F020A02Y-AATSCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
REQUIREMENTS
o Inspection should be performed any time a
malfunction is experienced or suspected.
o Receipts for all emission control system
services should be retained to demonstrate
compliance with conditions of the emissions
system warranty.
o After 120 months or 150,000 miles (240,000
km), continue to follow the prescribed main-
tenance intervals.
o For severe usage maintenance require-
ments, see page 5-6 of this section.