2009 Hyundai Elantra brake light

Introduction
6
1
INDICATOR SYMBOLS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Door ajar warning light
Seat belt warning light
High beam indicator
Turn signal indicator lights
Front fog light indicator (If equipped)
ABS warning light (If equipped)
Hand brake & Brake fluid warning
Engine oil pressure warning
Charging system warning
ESP indicator (If equipped)
ESP OFF indicator (If equipped)
Malfunction indicator lamp (If equipped)
Air bag warning light (If equipped)
Cruise indicator (If equipped)
Cruise SET indicator (If equipped)
Immobiliser indicator
Low fuel level warning
Electronic power steering (EPS) system warning light
Boot lid open warning light
* For more detailed explanations, refer to section 4, “Instrument cluster”.
Engine coolant temperature warning light

439
Features of your vehicle
Warnings and indicators
All warning lights are checked by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). Any light that does not illuminate
should be checked by an authorised
Hyundai dealer.
After starting the engine, check to make
sure that all warning lights are off. If anyare still on, this indicates a situation that
needs attention. When releasing the
hand brake, the brake system warning
light should go off. The fuel warning light
will stay on if the fuel level is low.
Air bag warning light (if equipped)
This warning light will illuminate for
approximately 6 seconds each time you
turn the ignition switch to the ON posi-tion. This light also comes on when the SRS
is not working properly. If the AIRBAG
warning light does not come on, or con-
tinuously remains on after operating for
about 6 seconds when you turned the
ignition switch to the ON position or start-
ed the engine, or if it comes on while
driving, have the SRS inspected by an
authorised Hyundai dealer.
Anti-lock brake system(ABS) warning light (if equipped)
This light illuminates if the ignition switch
is turned to ON and goes off in approxi-
mately 3 seconds if the system is operat-
ing normally.
If the ABS warning light remains on,
comes on while driving, or does not
come on when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position, this indicates
that there may be a problem with the
ABS.
If this occurs, have your vehicle checked
by an authorised Hyundai dealer as soon
as possible. The normal braking system
will still be operational, but without the
assistance of the anti-lock brake system. Electronic brake force distri-bution (EBD) system warninglight
If two warning lights illumi- nate at the same time while
driving, your vehicle has a
problem with ABS and EBDsystem.
In this case, your ABS and regular brake
system may not work normally. Have the
vehicle checked by an authorised
Hyundai dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the both ABS and Brake warning
lights are on and stay on, your vehi-
cle’s brake system will not work
normally. So you may experience
an unexpected and dangerous situ-
ation during sudden braking. In this
case, avoid high speed driving and
abrupt braking. Have your vehicle
checked by an authorised Hyundai
dealer as soon as possible.

441
Features of your vehicle
Hand brake & brake fluidwarning
Hand brake warning This light is illuminated when the hand
brake is applied with the ignition switch in
the START or ON position. The warning
light should go off when the hand brakeis released. Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have it towed to any authorised
Hyundai dealer for a brake system
inspection and necessary repairs. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diago-
nal braking systems. This means you still
have braking on two wheels even if one
of the dual systems should fail. With only
one of the dual systems working, more
than normal pedal travel and greaterpedal pressure are required to stop the
car. Also, the car will not stop in as short
a distance with only a portion of the
brake system working. If the brakes fail
while you are driving, shift to a lower gear
for additional engine braking and stop the
car as soon as it is safe to do so.
To check bulb operation, check whether
the hand brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the ignition switchis in the ON position.
CAUTION
If the oil pressure warning light
stays on while the engine is run- ning, serious engine damage mayresult. The oil pressure warning
light comes on whenever there isinsufficient oil pressure. In normaloperation, it should come on whenthe ignition switch is turned on,
then go out when the engine isstarted. If the oil pressure warninglight stays on while the engine is running, there is a serious malfunc-
tion.
If this happens, stop the car assoon as it is safe to do so, turn offthe engine and check the oil level. If
the oil level is low, fill the engine oilto the proper level and start theengine again. If the light stays onwith the engine running, turn the
engine off immediately. In anyinstance where the oil light stays onwhen the engine is running, the engine should be checked by an
authorised Hyundai dealer beforethe car is driven again.
WARNING
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light on is dangerous. If the brake
warning light remains on, have the
brakes checked and repaired imme-
diately by an authorised Hyundai
dealer.

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tyres.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, “Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors. Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
Release the hand brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into “Drive” or “Reverse”.
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.Driving while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more dan-
gerous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driveror call a cab.
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be care-ful not to depress the accelerator
pedal for a long period of time. It
may overheat the engine or exhaust
system and cause fire.

Driving your vehicle
4
5
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 10 sec-onds when the door is closed. Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key towardthe LOCK position.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.
✽✽
NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turnthe key while turning the steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the engine is not running to prevent batterydischarge.
START
Turn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in thisposition.
KEY POSITIONS
OUN036001OUN036002

57
Driving your vehicle
To shift into reverse, rest the lever inneutral for at least 3 seconds after your
car is completely stopped. Then move
the lever into the reverse position.
During cold weather, shifting may be difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
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.CAUTION
When downshifting from fifth
gear to fourth gear, cautionshould be taken not to inadver-tently press the gear shift lever
sideways in such a manner thatsecond gear is engaged. Such a drastic downshift may cause theengine speed to increase to the
point that the tachometer will enter the red-zone. Such over-revving of the engine may possi- bly cause engine damage.
Do not downshift more than 2 gears or downshift the gear whenthe engine is running at high speed (5,000 RPM or higher).
Doing so may damage the engine.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutch
pedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped on an uphill grade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear of the transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the hand brake fully and
shut the engine off. Then make sure
the transaxle is shifted into 1st gear
when the vehicle is parked on a
level or uphill grade, and shifted
into R (Reverse) on a downhill
grade. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
these precautions are not followed
in the order identified.

Driving your vehicle
10
5
Automatic transaxle operation
The highly efficient automatic transaxle
has 4 forward gears and one reverse
gear. The individual gears are selected
automatically, depending on the position
of the shift lever.
All normal forward driving is done with
the shift lever in the D (Drive) position.
To move the shift lever from the P (Park)
position, the brake pedal must bedepressed.
✽✽
NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normalcondition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle ControlModule).
For smooth operation, depress the brake pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to a forward or reverse gear.
Transaxle ranges
The indicator lights in the instrument
cluster indicate the shift lever position
when the ignition switch is in the ONposition.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the frontwheels from rotating.
WARNING - Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, beforeputting a car into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the hand brake fully and shut
the engine off. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement canoccur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for- ward gear position with the
brakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do not hold the vehicle stationarywith engine power. Use the serv-ice brake or the hand brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine is above idle speed.

511
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not locked.
The vehicle will roll freely even on the
slightest incline unless the hand brake or
service brakes are applied. D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (Drive).
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion will cause the
drive wheels to lock which will
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) position in place of the hand brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the hand brake fully.
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position. Set the
hand brake fully, shut the engine
off and take the key with you.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if you do
not follow these precautions in
the order specified.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged if
you shift into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R while the vehicle is in motion, except asexplained in “Rocking the Vehicle”,
in this manual.