2009 Hyundai Elantra maintenance

513
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlways come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).3 (Third gear)
Use for towing a trailer during hill climb-
ing or to use engine braking downhill.
"3" automatically shifts between 1st, 2nd
and 3rd gears. This means that no shift-
up to 4th gear is performed. However, the
shift-up to 4th gear is done when the car
speed exceeds a certain value to prevent
the engine from over-revving. Manually
move the selector to "D" when returning
to normal driving condition.
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
performed. 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.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 sec-
ond gear until the vehicle has slowed
enough for low gear to engage. Do not
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h) in low gear.
"L" shifts to 1st gear only. However, shift
up to 2nd is performed when the car
exceeds a certain speed and, as speed
increases, the transaxle will shift up to
3rd gear to prevent over-revving the
engine.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• For smooth and safe operation,
depress the brake pedal when shifting
from "N" (Neutral) position or "P"
(Park) position to a forward or "R"
(Reverse) gear.
• Fully depress the brake pedal in order
to move the shift lever from the "P"
(Park) position to any of the other
positions.
• It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D", "3", "2", "L" position to
"P" position. The vehicle must be
fully stopped to avoid transaxle dam-
age.
CAUTION
Shift into "R" and "P" position
only when the vehicle has com-
pletely stopped.
Do not accelerate the engine in
reverse or any of the forward
positions with the brakes applied.
Always apply the footbrake when
shifting from "P" or "N", to "R",
"D","3", "2" or "L" position.
Check the automatic transaxle
fluid level regularly, and add fluid
as necessary.
See the maintenance schedule for
the proper fluid recommendation.

Driving your vehicle30 5Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
miles (kilometers) you can get from a gal-
lon (liter) of fuel. To operate your vehicle
as economically as possible, use the fol-
lowing driving suggestions to help save
money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-
ate 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 unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever
possible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you can
avoid unnecessary braking. This also
reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster
you drive, the more fuel your car uses.
Driving at a moderate speed, especial-
ly on the highway, is one of the most
effective ways to reduce fuel consump-
tion. Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption
and also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with your
foot resting on the brake pedal may
cause the brakes to overheat, which
reduces their effectiveness and may
lead to more serious consequences.
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.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned
correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption.
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 7. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see Section
7 for details). Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption and also contribute to corro-
sion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than
necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
Remember, your vehicle does not
require extended warm-up. After the
engine has started, allow the engine to
run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to plac-
ing the vehicle in gear. In very cold
weather, however, give your engine a
slightly longer warm-up period.
Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine.
Lugging is driving too slowly in too
high a gear resulting 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 avoid-
ed by shifting at the recommended
speeds.ECONOMICAL OPERATION

531
Driving your vehicle
Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is operat-
ed by engine power so your fuel econ-
omy is reduced when you use it.
Open windows at high speeds can
reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds
and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized
Hyundai dealer perform scheduled
inspections and maintenance.
WARNING
- Engine off dur-
ing motion
Never turn the engine off to coast
down hills or anytime the vehicle is
in motion. The power steering and
power brakes will not function
properly without the engine run-
ning. Instead, keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect. In
addition, turning off the ignition
while driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering which
could cause serious injury or
death.

537
Driving your vehicle
Use high quality ethylene glycol
coolantYour vehicle 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 cooling system, lubri-
cates the water pump and prevents
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish
your coolant in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in Section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested to
assure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.Check battery and cablesWinter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in Section
7. The level of charge in your battery can
be checked by an authorized Hyundai
dealer or a service station.
Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessaryIn 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
an authorized Hyundai dealer.Check spark plugs and ignition
systemInspect your spark plugs as described in
Section 7 and replace them if necessary.
Also check all ignition wiring and compo-
nents to be sure they are not cracked,
worn or damaged in any way.
To keep locks from freezingTo keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in systemTo keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized Hyundai
dealer and most auto parts outlets. Do
not use engine coolant or other types of
anti-freeze as these may damage the
paint finish.

543
Driving your vehicle
When you are ready to leave after park-
ing on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral
or automatic transaxle in P (Park),
apply your brakes and hold the brake
pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance when trailer towing Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-
tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.
WARNING
- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.
CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
in hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. If the coolant gauge indicates
over-heating, switch off the A/C
and stop the vehicle in a safe area
to cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle
fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped
with the air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan to
improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.

7
Engine compartment / 7-2
Maintenance services / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-5
Scheduled maintenance service / 7-7
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items / 7-12
Engine oil / 7-15
Engine coolant / 7-16
Brakes and clutch fluid / 7-19
Automatic transaxle fluid / 7-20
Washer fluid / 7-22
Parking brake / 7-22
Air cleaner / 7-23
Climate control air filter / 7-25
Wiper blades / 7-27
Battery / 7-29
Tires and wheels / 7-32
Fuses / 7-45
Light bulbs / 7-54
Appearance care / 7-59
Emission control system / 7-65
California perchlorate notice / 7-67
Maintenance

Maintenance2 7ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OHD076002
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Positive battery terminal
8. Auto transaxle oil dipstick*
9. Radiator cap
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
* : if equipped
■ ■
Gasoline Engine (2.0L)

73
Maintenance
MAINTENANCE SERVICESYou should exercise the utmost care to
prevent damage to your vehicle and
injury to yourself whenever performing
any maintenance or inspection proce-
dures.
Should you have any doubts concerning
the inspection or servicing of your vehi-
cle, we strongly recommend that you
have an authorized Hyundai dealer per-
form this work.
An authorized Hyundai dealer has facto-
ry-trained technicians and genuine
Hyundai parts to service your vehicle
properly. For expert advice and quality
service, see an authorized Hyundai deal-
er.
Inadequate, incomplete or insufficient
servicing may result in operational prob-
lems with your vehicle that could lead to
vehicle damage, an accident, or person-
al injury.
Owner’s responsibility ✽ ✽
NOTICEMaintenance Service and Record
Retention are the owner's responsibility. You should retain documents that show
proper maintenance has been performed
on your vehicle in accordance with the
scheduled maintenance service charts
shown on the following pages. You need
this information to establish your compli-
ance with the servicing and maintenance
requirements of your vehicle warranties.
Detailed warranty information is provided
in your Owner’s Handbook & Warranty
Information Book.Repairs and adjustments required as a
result of improper maintenance or a lack
of required maintenance are not covered.
We recommend you have your vehicle
maintained and repaired by an author-
ized Hyundai dealer. An authorized
Hyundai dealer meets Hyundai’s high
service quality standards and receives
technical support from Hyundai in order
to provide you with a high level of service
satisfaction.