2011 Hyundai Elantra radiator

Your vehicle at a glance
4 2
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OMD070047N
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.1. Engine oil filler cap ...........................7-21
2. Engine oil dipstick .............................7-21
3. Brake/clutch fluid reservoir ...............7-25
4. Positive battery terminal ...................7-33
5. Negative battery terminal..................7-33
6. Fuse box ...........................................7-50
7. Air cleaner.........................................7-27
8. Radiator cap .....................................7-24
9. Engine coolant reservoir ...................7-23
10. Windshield washer fluid reservoir ...7-26

445
Features of your vehicle
When the door is open, or if the engine is
not started within 1 minute, the tachometer
pointer may move slightly in ON position
with the engine OFF. This movement is
normal and will not affect the accuracy of
the tachometer once the engine is running.
Engine temperature gauge
This gauge shows the temperature of the
engine coolant when the ignition switch
is ON.
Do not continue driving with an overheat-
ed engine. If your vehicle overheats, refer
to “If the engine overheats” in section 6.
OMD040048N
CAUTION
If the gauge moves beyond the nor-
mal range area toward the “H” posi-
tion, it indicates overheating that
may damage the engine.
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine within
the tachometer's RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine dam-
age.
WARNING
Never remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. The engine
coolant is under pressure and
could cause severe burns. Wait
until the engine is cool before
adding coolant to the reservoir.

What to do in an emergency
6 6
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, you experience a loss of power,
or hear loud pinging or knocking, the
engine is probably too hot. If this hap-
pens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it
is safe to do so.
2. Place the shift lever in P (automatic
transaxle) or neutral (manual transaxle)
and set the parking brake. If the air con-
ditioning 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 con-
ditioning had been in use, it is normal
for cold water to be draining from it
when you stop.)
5. If the water pump drive belt is broken
or engine coolant is leaking out, stop
the engine immediately and call the
nearest authorized HYUNDAI dealer
for assistance.6. If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine tem-
perature has returned to normal. Then,
if coolant has been lost, carefully add
coolant to the reservoir to bring the
fluid level in the reservoir up to the
halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for
further signs of overheating. If over-
heating happens again, call an author-
ized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
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.CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates
there is a leak in the cooling system
and this should be checked as soon
as possible by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This may
result in coolant being blown out of
the opening and cause serious
burns.

Maintenance
2 7
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OMD070047N
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.1. Engine oil filler cap
2. Engine oil dipstick
3. Brake/clutch fluid reservoir
4. Positive battery terminal
5. Negative battery terminal
6. Fuse box
7. Air cleaner
8. Radiator cap
9. Engine coolant reservoir
10. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
* : if equipped

75
Maintenance
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of the
exhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering
wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns
slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for
unusual sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper-
ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park)
function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle
(water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
At least monthly:
Check coolant level in the engine
coolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior
lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all
tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall):
Check radiator, heater and air condi-
tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check windshield washer spray and
wiper operation. Clean wiper blades
with clean cloth dampened with wash-
er fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields
and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear
and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel
lug nuts.
At least once a year:
Clean body and door drain holes.
Lubricate door hinges and checks, and
hood hinges.
Lubricate door and hood locks and
latches.
Lubricate door rubber weatherstrips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic
transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.

719
Maintenance
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine HYUNDAI air cleaner filter is
recommended when the filter is
replaced.
Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.
Cooling system
Check cooling system components, such
as radiator, coolant reservoir, hoses and
connections for leakage and damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
Coolant
The coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.
Automatic transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Automatic transaxle fluid should not be
checked under normal usage conditions.
But in severe conditions, the fluid should
be changed at an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer in accordance to the scheduled
maintenance at the beginning of this
chapter.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Automatic transaxle fluid color is basi-
cally red.
As the vehicle is driven, the automatic
transaxle fluid will begin to look darker.
It is normal condition and you should
not judge the need to replace the fluid
based upon the changed color.
Manual transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to the maintenance schedule.
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.
Brake/clutch fluid
Check brake fluid level in the brake fluid
reservoir. The level should be between
“MIN” and “MAX” marks on the side of
the reservoir. Use only hydraulic brake
fluid conforming to DOT 3 or DOT 4
specification.
CAUTION
The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transaxle malfunc-
tion and failure.
Use only specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to
“Recommended lubricants and
capacities” in section 8.)

721
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach
normal operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few
minutes (about 5 minutes) for the oil to
return to the oil pan.
4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and
re-insert it fully.5. Pull the dipstick out again and check
the level. The level should be between
F and L.
If it is near or at L, add enough oil to bring
the level to F.Do not overfill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil from
being spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended lubricants and capaci-
ties” in section 8.)
WARNING - Radiator hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may be
hot enough to burn you.
CAUTION
Do not overfill with engine oil.
Engine damage may result.
Do not spill engine oil, when
adding or changing engine oil. If
you drop the engine oil on the
engine room, wipe it off immedi-
ately.
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723
Maintenance
The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the factory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at the
beginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate.
Checking the coolant level
Check the condition and connections of
all cooling system hoses and heater
hoses. Replace any swollen or deterio-
rated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F and L marks on the side of the
coolant reservoir when the engine is
cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
distilled (deionized) water. Bring the level
to F, but do not overfill. If frequent addi-
tions are required, see an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for a cooling system
inspection.
OMD070004N
(Continued)
Even if the engine is not operat-
ing, do not remove the radiator
cap or the drain plug while the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
ENGINE COOLANT
WARNING- Removing
radiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radi-
ator cap while the engine is oper-
ating or hot. Doing so might lead
to cooling system and engine
damage and could result in seri-
ous personal injury from escap-
ing hot coolant or steam.
Turn the engine off and wait until it
cools down. Use extreme care
when removing the radiator cap.
Wrap a thick towel around it, and
turn it counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure is released from the cool-
ing system. When you are sure all
the pressure has been released,
press down on the cap, using a
thick towel, and continue turning
counterclockwise to remove it.
(Continued)
WARNING
The electric motor (cooling fan) is
controlled by engine coolant tem-
perature, refrigerant pressure and
vehicle speed. It may sometimes
operate even when the engine is
not running. Use extreme caution
when working near the blades of
the cooling fan so that you are not
injured by a rotating fan blades. As
the engine coolant temperature
decreases, the electric motor will
automatically shut off. This is a nor-
mal condition.