2008 Hyundai Sonata cooling

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
112
Face-Level
When selecting the "Face-Level" mode, the
indicator light will come on, causing air to be
discharged through the face level vents.
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B980D01Y-AATHeating and Cooling System OffPress the "OFF" button to stop the operation of
the heating and cooling system.
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Air Flow ControlThis is used to direct the flow of air. Air can be
directed to the floor, dashboard outlets, or
windshield. Four symbols are used to represent
Face, Bi-Level, Floor, Floor-Defrost position.
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2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
17
SMOOTH CORNERINGC150A01A-AATAvoid 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.
C160A01A-AATThe 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 ConditionsTo 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 of 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.WINTER DRIVING
C160D01A-AATCheck Battery and CablesWinter 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.C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
CoolantYour Hyundai is delivered with high quality
ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling system. It
is the only type of coolant that should be used
because it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water pump and
prevents freezing. Be sure to replace or replen-
ish your coolant in accordance with the main-
tenance schedule in Section 5. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure that its
freezing point is sufficient for the temperatures
anticipated during the winter.

34WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
!!
!
WARNING:
While the engine is running, keep hair,
hands and clothing away from moving parts
such as the fan and drive belts to prevent
injury.
5. If the water pump drive belt is broken or
engine coolant is leaking out, stop the engine
immediately and call the nearest Hyundai
dealer for assistance.
WARNING:
Do not remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. This can allow coolant to be
blown out of the opening and cause seri-
ous burns.6. If you cannot find the cause of the overheat-
ing, wait until the engine temperature has
returned to normal. Then, if coolant has been
lost, carefully add coolant to the reservoir
(page 6-9) to bring the fluid level in the
reservoir up to the halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for fur-
ther signs of overheating. If overheating
happens again, call a Hyundai dealer for
assistance.
CAUTION:
Serious loss of coolant indicates there is a
leak in the cooling system and this should
be checked as soon as possible by a Hyundai
dealer.
D030A02A-AATIf your temperature gauge indicates overheat-
ing, you experience a loss of power, or hear loud
pinging or knocking, the engine is probably too
hot. If this happens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe
to do so.
2. Place the gear selector lever in "P" (auto-
matic) or neutral (manual transaxle) and set
the parking brake. If the air conditioning is on,
turn it off.
3. If engine coolant is running out under the car
or steam is coming out from the hood, stop
the engine. Do not open the hood until the
coolant has stopped running or the steaming
has stopped. If there is no visible loss of
engine coolant and no steam, leave the
engine running and check to be sure the
engine cooling fan is operating. If the fan is
not running, turn the engine off.
4. Check to see if the water pump drive belt is
missing. If it is not missing, check to see that
it is tight. If the drive belt seems to be
satisfactory, check for coolant leaking from
the radiator, hoses or under the car. (If the
air conditioning had been in use, it is normal
for cold water to be draining from it when you
stop).

6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
9
G050B01A-AATRecommended Engine CoolantUse a high quality ethylene-glycol coolant in a
50/50 mix with water. The engine coolant should
be compatible with aluminum engine parts.
Additional corrosion inhibitors or additives should
not be used. The cooling system must be
maintained with the correct concentration and
type of engine coolant to prevent freezing and
corrosion. Never allow the concentration of
antifreeze to exceed the 60% level or go below
the 35% level, or damage to the cooling system
may result. For proper concentration when
adding or replacing the engine coolant, refer to
the following table.
Ambient
temperature
°F (°C)
5 (-15)
-13 (-25)
-31 (-35)
-49 (-45)
65%
60%
50%
40% 35%
40%
50%
60%Water Antifreeze
solution Engine Coolant concentration
G050C01NF-GATTo Check the Coolant LevelThe coolant level can be seen on the side of the
plastic coolant reservoir. The level of the cool-
ant should be between the "L" and "F" lines on
the reservoir when the engine is warm with it at
idle . If the level is below the "L" mark, add engine
coolant to bring it up to "F". If the level is low,
inspect for coolant leaks and recheck the fluid
level frequently. If the level drops again, visit
your Hyundai dealer for an inspection and
diagnosis of the reason.
G050C01NFG050D01NF-GAT
To Change the Engine CoolantThe engine coolant should be changed at those
intervals specified in the vehicle maintenance
schedule in Section 5.
CAUTION:
o Engine coolant can damage the finish of
your car. If you spill engine coolant on
the car, wash it off thoroughly with clean
water.
o The engine in your vehicle has alumi-
num engine parts and must be protected
by an ethylene-glycol base coolant to
prevent corrosion and freezing.
Do not use hard water. Hard water can
cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
!
1. Park the car on level ground, set the parking
brake and remove the radiator cap when
cool.

6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
10
3. Be sure your drain receptacle is in place.
Open the drain cock on the radiator. Allow all
the engine coolant to drain from the cooling
system, and then securely close the drain
cock.
4. Check Section 9 for the capacity of the
cooling system in your car. Then, following
the manufacturer's directions on the engine
coolant container, add the appropriate quan-
tity of coolant to the radiator.
5. Slowly fill the radiator with the proper coolant
mixture (see the "Recommended Engine
Coolant in previous page) until the fluid level
stays up in the radiator neck. And pump the
radiator hose in order to bleed the air.
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2. Wrap a thick cloth around the radiator cap
and slowly turn the radiator cap counter-
clockwise without pressing down on it, until
it stops. This relieves any pressure remain-
ing in the cooling system. When you are sure
that all the pressure has been released,
remove the radiator cap by pushing down
and turning counterclockwise.
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G050D01NF
6. Run the engine at idle until the coolant circu-
lates. If the cooling fan operates and the
coolant starts to circulate, add the coolant to
the reservoir.
7. To bleed the air in the cooling system, repeat
procedure 6 until the cooling fan operates
3~5 times.
8. Replace the radiator cap and turn it until
tightly installed. And then, add coolant to the
reservoir until the level is between "L" and
"F".
9. Stop the engine and check the coolant level
when the engine is cool. The level of the
coolant should be the "L" and "F" lines on the
reservoir. If the level is below the "L" line,
repeat the procedure 4~8 until the level
between "L" and "F".

6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
11
!!
10.Replace the reservoir cap and check to be
sure the drain cock and the radiator cap are
fully closed and not leaking.
CAUTION:
Recheck after a few days and add the cool-
ant if the level is below the "L" level.
WARNING:
The cooling fan is controlled by engine
coolant temperature and may sometimes
operate even when the engine is not run-
ning. Use extreme caution when working
near the blades of the coolant fan so that
you are not injured by a rotating fan blade.
As the engine coolant temperature de-
creases, the fan will automatically shut off.
This is a normal condition.
CAUTION:
o Operating your vehicle without using a
proper air cleaner filter in place can result
in excessive engine wear.
o When removing the air cleaner filter, be
careful that dust or dirt does not enter
the air intake. These may result in dam-
age to the air cleaner filter.
!
CHANGING THE AIR
CLEANER FILTERG070A03Y-AATThe replacement of the air cleaner filter is
performed in the following manner.
1. Unsnap the clips around the cover.
2. When this is done, the cover can be lifted off,
the old filter removed and the new filter put in
its place.
Genuine Hyundai replacement parts are rec-
ommended.
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6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
17
CHECKING THE BRAKES!
G120B01A-AATChecking the Brake Fluid Level
WARNING:Use caution when handling brake fluid. It
can damage your vision if it gets into your
eyes. It will also damage your vehicle's
paint if spilled on it and not removed imme-
diately.
!
WARNING:
The cooling fan is controlled by engine
coolant temperature and may sometimes
operate even when the engine is not run-
ning. Use extreme caution when working
near the blades of the cooling fan so that
you are not injured by a rotating fan blade.
As the engine coolant temperature de-
creases, the fan will automatically shut off.
This is a normal condition.
G120A01A-AAT
CAUTION:
Because brakes are essential to the safe
operation of the car, it is suggested that
they be checked and inspected by your
Hyundai dealer. The brakes should be
checked and inspected for wear at those
intervals specified in the vehicle mainte-
nance schedule in Section 5.
!
G120D01A-AATTo Check the Fluid LevelThe fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir should
be checked periodically. The level should be
between the "MIN" and "MAX" marks on the side
of the reservoir. If the level is at or below the
"MIN" mark, carefully add fluid to bring it up to
"MAX". Do not overfill.G120C02A-AATRecommended Brake FluidUse only hydraulic brake fluid conforming to
DOT 3 or DOT 4 specifications in your braking
system. Follow the instructions printed on the
container.

6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
18
G140C01A-AATLubricationTo lubricate the compressor and the seals in the
system, the air conditioning should be run for at
least 10 minutes each week. This is particularly
important during cool weather when the air
conditioning system is not otherwise in use.
!
G120E02A-AATAdding Brake Fluid
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.
AIR CONDITIONING CARE!
G140A01A-AATKeeping the Condenser CleanThe 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.G140B01A-AATChecking the Air Conditioning Opera-
tion1. Start the engine and let it run at a fast idle for
several minutes with the air conditioning set
at the maximum cold setting.
2. If the air coming out of the in-dash vents is
not cold, have the air conditioning system
inspected by your Hyundai dealer.
CAUTION:
Running the air conditioning system for
extended periods of time with a low refrig-
erant level may damage the compressor.
HNF5013