2011 Hyundai Sonata check engine

Driving your vehicle
48
5
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.
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.WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.

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.

What to do in an emergency
4
6
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly
1. If your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle, be sure the shift lever is in N
(Neutral) or P (Park) and the emer-
gency brake is set.
2. Check the battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight.
3. Turn on the interior light. If the light dims or goes out when you operate the
starter, the battery is discharged.
4. Check the starter connections to be sure they are securely tightened.
5. Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. See instructions for "Jump starting". If engine turns over normally but
does not start
1. Check fuel level.
2. With the ignition switch in the LOCK
/OFF position, check all connectors at
the ignition coils and spark plugs.
Reconnect any that may be discon-
nected or loose.
3. If the engine still does not start, call an authorised HYUNDAI dealer or seek
other qualified assistance.
WARNING
If the engine will not start, do not
push or pull the vehicle to start it.This could result in a collision or
cause other damage. In addition,
push or pull starting may cause the
catalytic converter to be over-
loaded and create a fire hazard.

What to do in an emergency
6
6
Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-
volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehi- cle, do not allow the vehicles to touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence shown in the illustration.Connect one end of the first jumper
cable to the positive battery terminal of
the vehicle (1) and then connect the
other end to the positive battery termi-
nal of the booster battery (2). Proceed to connect the second jumper
cable to the negative battery terminal
of the booster battery (3) and then con-
nect the other end to an exposed metal
surface on the vehicle engine. DO NOT
CONNECT THIS CABLE TO THE
NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL OFTHE VEHICLE. Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct battery
terminals or the correct ground. Do not
lean over the battery when making
connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent, you should have your vehi- cle checked by an authorised HYUNDAIdealer.
Push-starting
Your manual transaxle-equipped vehicle
should not be push-started because itmight damage the emission control sys-tem.
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.
CAUTION - Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable
from the negative terminal of thebooster battery to the negative ter-minal of the discharged battery.
This can cause the discharged bat-tery to overheat and crack, releas-ing battery acid.
WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.

67
What to do in an emergency
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 conditioning is on, turn it off.
3. If engine coolant is running out under the car or steam is coming out from
the bonnet, stop the engine. Do notopen the bonnet 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 operat-
ing. 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 authorised 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 autho-
rised HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
WARNING
Whilst the engine is running, keep
hair, hands and clothing away from
moving parts such as the fan and
drive belts to prevent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This can
allow coolant to be blown out of the
opening and cause serious burns.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates there is a leak in the cooling systemand this should be checked as soonas possible by an authorised HYUNDAI dealer.

Maintenance
4
7
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an authorised HYUNDAIdealer at the frequencies indicated to
help ensure safe, dependable operation
of your vehicle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labour, parts and
lubricants used. Owner maintenance schedule
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant reser-
voir.
Check the windscreen washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tyres.
WARNING - Maintenance
work
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can be dangerous. You
can be seriously injured whilst
performing some maintenance
procedures. If you lack sufficient
knowledge and experience or the
proper tools and equipment to do
the work, have it done by an
authorised HYUNDAI dealer.
Working under the bonnet with the engine running is dangerous.
It becomes even more dangerous
when you wear jewelry or loose
clothing. These can become
entangled in moving parts and
result in injury. Therefore, if you
must run the engine whilst work-
ing under the bonnet, make cer-
tain that you remove all jewelry
(especially rings, bracelets,
watches, and necklaces) and all
neckties, scarves, and similar
loose clothing before gettingnear the engine or cooling fans.
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns
or other serious injury.

75
Maintenance
Whilst operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of theexhaust 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-aheadposition.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
elling 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 enginecoolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tyres 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 windscreen 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 tyres and loose wheel nuts.

77
Maintenance
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change.*1
: Adjust alternator and power steering (and water pump drive belt) and air conditioner drive belt (if equipped).
Inspect and if necessary correct or replace.
* 2
: Check the engine oil level and leak every 500 km or before starting a long trip.
* 3
: For your convenience, it can be replaced prior to it's interval when you do maintenance of other items.
NORMAL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496
Km×1,000153045607590105120
Drive belts *
1IIII
Engine oil and engine oil filter * 2RRRRRRRR
Air cleaner filterIIRIIRII
Spark plugs2.0 LReplace every 40,000 km *3
2.4 LReplace every 168,000 km * 3
MAINTENANCE
INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE ITEM