2011 Hyundai Sonata maintenance

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 sec-
tion 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 parking 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 D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
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.
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous. Driving under the influence of alco-
hol is a major contributor to the
National Road Toll every year. Evena small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment. Driving whilst under
the influence of drugs is as danger-
ous or more dangerous than driv-ing 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.

535
Driving your vehicle
Your 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
kilometers (miles) you can get from a litre
(gallon) 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 "kangaroo" 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 pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing 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 tyres. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tyre
wear. Check the tyre pressures at leastonce a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting kerbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tyre 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 carin accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequentmaintenance 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.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

Driving your vehicle
36
5
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 "labour" or "over-rev" the engine. Labouring is driving too slowly in toohigh 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. 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 authorised
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
whilst driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering which
could cause serious injury ordeath.

543
Driving your vehicle
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
Your 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 themaintenance schedule in section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested toassure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter 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 authorised HYUNDAI
dealer or a service station.Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessary In some climates it is recommended that
a lower viscosity "winter weight" oil be
used during cold weather. See section 8
for recommendations. If you aren't sure
what weight oil you should use, consult
an authorised HYUNDAI dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition system
Inspect 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.
WARNING
- Tyre chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 30 km/h (20 mph) or the chain manufacturer’s rec-
ommended speed limit, whichev-
er is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other
road hazards, which may cause
the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel braking.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size or
improperly installed can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.

Driving your vehicle
50
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 whilst 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 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.
CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv- ing. If the coolant gauge indicatesover-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.
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.

7
Engine compartment / 7-2
Maintenance services / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-4
Scheduled maintenance service / 7-6
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items / 7-13
Engine oil / 7-16
Engine coolant / 7-18
Brake/clutch fluid / 7-21
Power steering fluid / 7-22
Washer fluid / 7-23
Parking brake / 7-24
Air cleaner / 7-25
Climate control air filter / 7-27
Wiper blades / 7-29
Battery / 7-31
Tyres and wheels / 7-34
Fuses / 7-44
Light bulbs / 7-55
Appearance care / 7-62
Emission control system / 7-68
Maintenance

Maintenance
2
7
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine coolant reservoir
3. Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
4. Radiator cap
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Engine oil dipstick
7. Brake fluid reservoir
8. Air cleaner
9. Fuse box10.
Positive battery terminal
11. Negative battery terminal
OYF019003R/OYF079060R-1
■■ 2.0L
■
■ 2.4L

73
Maintenance
MAINTENANCE SERVICES
You 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 authorised HYUNDAI dealer
perform this work.
An authorised HYUNDAI dealer has fac-
tory-trained technicians and genuine
HYUNDAI parts to service your vehicle
properly. For expert advice and quality
service, see an authorised HYUNDAI
dealer.
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
✽✽
NOTICE
Maintenance 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 Service Passport. 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 autho-
rised HYUNDAI dealer. An authorised
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. Owner maintenance precautions
Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for the maintenance
items that are easy to perform.
As explained earlier in this section, sev-
eral procedures can be done only by an
authorised HYUNDAI dealer with special
tools.
✽✽
NOTICE
Improper owner maintenance during
the warranty period may affect warran-
ty coverage. For details, read the sepa-
rate Service Passport provided with the
vehicle. If you're unsure about any serv-
icing or maintenance procedure, have it
done by an authorised HYUNDAI deal-
er.