2012 Hyundai Elantra coolant reservoir

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

Features of your vehicle
46 4
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge indicates the approxi-
mate amount of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank.
The fuel tank capacity is given in
section 8.The fuel gauge is supplement-
ed by a low fuel warning light, which will
illuminate when the fuel tank is near
empty.
On inclines or curves, the fuel gauge
may fluctuate or the low fuel warning light
may come on earlier than usual due to
the movement of fuel in the tank.
WARNING- Fuel gauge
Running out of fuel can expose
vehicle occupants to danger.
You must stop and obtain addition-
al fuel as soon as possible after the
warning light comes on or when the
gauge indicator comes close to the
E level.
CAUTION
Avoid driving with a extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damag-
ing the catalytic converter.OMD040050N
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.
This is a 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.)

Maintenance
22 7
Changing the engine oil and filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the begin-
ning of this section.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
CALIFORNIA PROPOSI-
TION 65 WARNING
Engine oil contains chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer, birth defects, and
reproductive harm.
Used engine oil may cause irrita-
tion or cancer of the skin if left in
contact with the skin for prolonged
periods of time. Used engine oil
contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory ani-
mals. Always protect your skin by
washing your hands thoroughly
with soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used oil.
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.
(Continued)

723
Maintenance
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)
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.
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.WARNING
The electric motor
(cooling fan) is con-
trolled by engine
coolant temperature,
refrigerant pressure
and vehicle speed. It may some-
times 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 tem-
perature decreases, the electric
motor will automatically shut off.
This is a normal condition.