2009 Hyundai Sonata trailer

15
Introduction
A020202AUN
Biodiesel
Commercially supplied biodiesel blends of no more than 5% biodiesel, commonly
known as "B5 biodiesel" may be used in
your vehicle if it meets EN 14214 or
equivalent specifications. (EN stands for
"European Norm"). The use of biofuels
made from rapeseed methyl ester
(RME), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME),
vegetable oil methyl ester (VME) etc. ormixing diesel with biodiesel will cause
increased wear or damage to the engine
and fuel system. Repair or replacement
of worn or damaged components due to
the use of non approved fuels will not be
covered by the manufactures warranty.A030000AUN-EA
No special run-in period is needed. By
following a few simple precautions for the
first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to
the performance, economy and life of
your vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
While driving, keep your engine speed
(rpm, or revolutions per minute)
between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow.
Varying engine speed is needed to
properly run-in the engine.
Avoid hard stops, except in emergen- cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
Don't let the engine idle longer than 3 minutes at one time.
Don't tow a trailer during the first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of operation.
CAUTION
Do not let any petrol or water
enter the tank. This would make itnecessary to drain it out and tobleed the lines to avoid jamming
the injection pump and damagingthe engine.
In winter, in order to cut down incidents due to freezing, paraffinoil may be added to the fuel if the
temperature drops to below - 10°C(50°F). Never use more than20% paraffin oil.
CAUTION
Never use any fuel, whether diesel or B5 biodiesel that fails tomeet the latest petroleum indus-
try specification.
Never use any fuel additives or treatments that are not recom-mended or approved by the vehi-cle manufacturer.
VEHICLE RUN-IN PROCESS

449
Features of your vehicle
D170200AEN-EA Non-operational conditions of rear parking assist system
The rear parking assist system may
not operate properly when:
1. Moisture is frozen to the sensor. (It willoperate normally when the moisture has been cleared.)
2. The sensor is covered with foreign matter, such as snow or water, or the
sensor cover is blocked. (It will operate
normally when the material is removed
or the sensor is no longer blocked.)
3. Driving on uneven road surfaces (unpaved roads, gravel, bumps, gradi-ent).
4. Objects generating excessive noise (vehicle horns, loud motorcycle
engines, or truck air brakes) are within
range of the sensor.
5. Heavy rain or water spray exists.
6. Wireless transmitters or mobile phones are within range of the sensor.
7. Trailer towing The detecting range may decrease when:
1. The sensor is stained with foreign mat-
ter such as snow or water. (The sens-
ing range will return to normal when
removed.)
2. Outside air temperature is extremely hot or cold.
The following objects may not be rec-
ognized by the sensor:
1. Sharp or slim objects such as ropes, chains or small poles.
2. Objects which tend to absorb the sen- sor frequency such as clothes, spongy
material or snow.
3. Undetectable objects smaller than 1 m (40 in.) in height and narrower than 14
cm (6 in.) in diameter. D170300AEN Rear parking assist system pre- cautions
The rear parking assist system may
not sound sequentially depending on the speed and shapes of the objectsdetected.
The rear parking assist system may malfunction if the vehicle bumperheight or sensor installation has been
modified or damaged. Any non-factory
installed equipment or accessories
may also interfere with the sensor per-
formance.
The sensor may not recognize objects less than 40 cm (15 in.) from the sen-
sor, or it may sense an incorrect dis-
tance. Use caution.
When the sensor is frozen or stained with snow, dirt, or water, the sensor
may be inoperative until the stains are
removed using a soft cloth.
Do not push, scratch or strike the sen- sor. Sensor damage could occur.

5
Before driving / 5-3 Key positions / 5-4
Starting the engine / 5-5Manual transaxle / 5-8
Automatic transaxle / 5-11Brake system / 5-17Suspension system / 5-26
Cruise control system / 5-28Economical operation / 5-32Special driving conditions / 5-34
Winter driving / 5-38
Trailer towing / 5-42
Vehicle weight / 5-50
Driving your vehicle

Driving your vehicle
42
5
E140000AFD-EA
If you are considering towing with your
car, you should first check with your
country's Department of Motor Vehicles
to determine their legal requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for tow-
ing trailers, cars, or other types of vehi-
cles or apparatus may differ. Ask an
authorised HYUNDAI dealer for further
details before towing.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the trailer” thatappears later in this section.
Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and it has to be used properly.This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tyres are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
TRAILER TOWING
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section.
WARNING - Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well - or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps inthis section.
WARNING - Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, grossaxle weight and trailer tongue loadare all within the limits.

543
Driving your vehicle
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Towbars
It's important to have the correct towbar
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few rea-
sons why you’ll need the right towbar.
Here are some rules to follow:
Will you have to make any holes in thebody of your vehicle when you install a
trailer towbar? If you do, then be sure
to seal the holes later when you
remove the towbar.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can
get into your vehicle, as well as dirt and
water.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for towbars. Do not attach
rental towbars or other bumper-type
towbars to them. Use only a frame-
mounted towbar that does not attach to
the bumper.
✽✽ NOTICE
We recommend only genuine
HYUNDAI towbars (the towbars are
made and tested in Australia/NZ forlocal conditions).
E140200AUN-EA
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not
drop to the road if it becomes separated
from the towbar.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the towbar manufacturer or
by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just
enough slack so you can turn with your
trailer. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground. E140300AUN
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to your
country’s regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
loaded, then it needs its own brakes and
they must be adequate. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-
tem.
WARNING - Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.

Driving your vehicle
44
5
E140400AUN-EA Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer towbar
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tyres and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-ing.
E140401AUN
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns. E140402AUN-EA
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. Due
to the increased vehicle length, you’ll
need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
E140403AUN
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
E140404AUN-EA
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, kerbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden manoeuvres. Signal well
in advance.
E140405AFD-EA
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
An authorised HYUNDAI dealer can
assist you in installing the wiring harness.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.

545
Driving your vehicle
E140406ANF-EA
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transaxle,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimise heat build up
and extend the life of your transaxle.E140407AUN-EA
Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously injured or cause
fatality, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged if they begin a
downhill trajectory.
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift into
gear.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park- ing brake, and then shift to R
(Reverse) for a manual transaxle or P
(Park) for an automatic transaxle.
5. Release the brakes.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the enginecoolant temperature gauge to
ensure the engine does not over- heat.
If the needle of the coolant tem-perature gauge moves across thedial towards “H” (HOT), pull over
and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the engine to idleuntil it cools down. You may pro-
ceed once the engine has cooledsufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transaxle overheating.
WARNING - Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause seri-
ous injury or death, should the trail-
er break lose.

Driving your vehicle
46
5
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. E140500AUN-EA
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly towing 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 check frequently. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re towing, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and towbar. 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 towbar nutsand 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 can be seriously injured
or cause fatality.CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer usage, overheating might occurin 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 areato cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.