2012 Hyundai Elantra warning

Maintenance
4
7
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.
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.

75
Maintenance
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 the coolant level in coolant
reservoir.
Check the windscreen washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tyres.
Check the radiator and condenser. Check if the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked
with leaves, dirt or insects etc.
If any of the above parts are extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condi-
tion, take your vehicle to an authorised
HYUNDAI dealer.
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 the parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-mal).
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.

Maintenance
6
7
At least monthly:
Check the 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 tyres including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall):
Check the radiator, heater and air con- ditioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check the windscreen washer spray and wiper operation. Clean wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened with
washer fluid.
Check the headlight alignment.
Check the muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tyres and loose wheel lug nuts.
At least once a year:
Clean the body and door drain holes.
Lubricate the door hinges and checks,and bonnet hinges.
Lubricate the door and bonnet locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake/clutch fluid level.

Maintenance
22
7
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 reinsert it fully. 5. Pull the dipstick out again and check
the level. The level should be between
F (Full) and L (Low).
If it is near or at L (Low), add enough oil
to bring the level to F (Full).Do not over-
fill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil from being spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended lubricants and capac-ities” 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 the engine oil. It may damage the engine.
CAUTION
Do not spill engine oil, when adding or changing engine oil. If you dropthe engine oil on the engine room,
wipe it off immediately.
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723
Maintenance
Changing the engine oil and filter
Have the engine oil and filter changed by
an authorised HYUNDAI dealer accord-ing to the Maintenance Schedule at thebeginning of this section.The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the fac-
tory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at thebeginning of the winter season, and
before travelling to a colder climate.
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause skin irri- tation or cancer if left in contact
with the skin for prolonged periods
of time. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer
in laboratory animals. Always pro-
tect your skin by washing your
hands thoroughly with soap and
warm water as soon as possibleafter handling used oil.
ENGINE COOLANT

Maintenance
24
7
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 (Full) and L (Low) marked on
the side of the coolant reservoir when theengine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
distilled (deionized) water. Bring the level
to F (Full), but do not overfill. If frequent
additions are required, see an authorised
HYUNDAI dealer for a cooling systeminspection.
WARNING The electric motor (cool-
ing fan) is controlled byengine coolant tempera-
ture, refrigerant pres-
sure and vehicle speed.
It may sometimes operate evenwhen 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 normal condition.
(Continued)
Even if the engine is not operat- ing, do not remove the radiator cap or the drain plug whilst the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
OMD070004N
WARNING
Removing radiatorcap
Never attempt to remove the radi- ator cap whilst the engine is
operating or hot. Doing so mightlead to cooling system and
engine damage and could result
in serious personal injury fromescaping 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 whilst
the pressure is released from the
cooling system. When you aresure all the pressure has been
released, press down on the cap,
using a thick towel, and continue
turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
(Continued)

725
Maintenance
Recommended engine coolant
Use only soft (distilled) water in thecoolant mixture.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be pro-
tected by an ethylene-glycol-based
coolant to prevent corrosion and freez-ing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the specifiedcoolant.
Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze or less than
35% antifreeze, which would reduce
the effectiveness of the solution.
For mixture percentage, refer to the fol-
lowing table. Changing the coolant
Have the coolant changed by an autho-
rised HYUNDAI dealer according to theMaintenance Schedule at the beginningof this section.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth or fabric around
the radiator cap before refilling thecoolant in order to prevent the coolant from overflowing into
engine parts such as the alternator.
WARNING - Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windscreen and may
cause loss of vehicle control or
damage to paint and body trim.
WARNING
Radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and
steam may blow out under pres-
sure causing serious injury.
OMD071005L
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage
(volume)
Antifreeze Water
-15°C (5°F) 35 65
-25°C (-13°F) 40 60
-35°C (-31°F) 50 50
-45°C (-49°F) 60 40

Maintenance
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7
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking the brake/clutch fluid
level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. The fluid level should be
between MAX (Maximum) and MIN
(Minimum) marks on the side of the
reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap and
adding brake/clutch fluid, clean the area
around the reservoir cap thoroughly to
prevent brake/clutch fluid contamination. If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
(Maximum) level. The level will fall with
accumulated mileage. This is a normal
condition associated with the wear of the
brake linings and/or clutch disc (if
equipped). If the fluid level is excessively
low, have the brake system checked by
an authorised HYUNDAI dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch fluid.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricants or
capacities” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING - Loss of brake fluid
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorised HYUNDAI dealer.
WARNING - Brake/clutch fluid
When changing and adding
brake/clutch fluid, handle it careful-
ly. Do not let it come in contact with
your eyes. If brake/clutch fluid
come in contact with your eyes,
immediately flush them with a large
quantity of fresh tap water. Have
your eyes examined by a doctor as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
Do not allow brake/clutch fluid to contact the vehicle's body paint, as
paint damage will result.
Brake/clutch fluid, which has beenexposed to open air for an extendedtime should never be used as its quality cannot be guaranteed. It
should be properly disposed. Don'tput in the wrong kind of fluid. A few drops of mineral-based oil, such asengine oil, in your brake/clutch sys-
tem can damage brake/clutch sys-tem parts.
OMD071006R