2012 Hyundai Elantra coolant

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
Tachometer
The tachometer indicates the approxi-
mate number of engine revolutions per
minute (rpm).
Use the tachometer to select the correct
shift points and to prevent lugging and/or
over-revving the engine.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.
OMD040046N

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.

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 tires.
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 DRIVING
CALIFORNIA PROPOSI-
TION 65 WARNING
Engine exhaust and a wide variety
of automobile components and
parts, including components found
in the interior furnishings in a vehi-
cle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, cer-
tain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component
wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm.
WARNING
Driving while distracted can result
in a loss of vehicle control, that
may lead to an accident, severe
personal injury, and death. The dri-
ver’s primary responsibility is in
the safe and legal operation of a
vehicle, and use of any handheld
devices, other equipment, or vehi-
cle systems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a vehicle
or which are not permissible by law
should never be used during oper-
ation of the vehicle.

535
Driving your vehicle
Active ECO operation
Active ECO helps improve fuel efficiency
by controlling the engine and transaxle.
But fuel-efficiency can be changed by the
driver's driving habits and road conditions.
When the Active ECO button is
pressed the ECO indicator (green) will
illuminate to show that the Active ECO
is operating.
When the Active ECO is activated, it
does not turn off even though the
engine is restarted again. To turn off
the system, press the active ECO but-
ton again.
If Active ECO is turned off, it will return
to the normal mode.
Limitation of Active ECO opera-
tion:
If the following conditions occur while
Active ECO is operating, the system
operation is limited even though there is
no change in the ECO indicator.
When the coolant temperature is low:
The system will be limited until engine
performance becomes normal.
When driving up a hill: The system will
be limited to gain power when driving
uphill because the engine torque is
restricted.
When using sports mode: The system
will be limited according to the shift
location.
When the accelerator pedal is deeply
pressed for a few seconds: The system
will be limited, judging that the driver
wants to speed up.
ACTIVE ECO SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
OMD050030

541
Driving your vehicle
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to
specification. Low tire inflation pressures
will result in overheating and possible
failure of the tires.
Avoid using worn or damaged tires which
may result in reduced traction or tire fail-
ure.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure shown on the tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
High speed travel consumes more fuel
than urban motoring. Do not forget to
check both engine coolant and engine
oil.
Drive belt
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated
tires can cause poor handling,
loss of vehicle control, and sud-
den tire failure leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even death.
Always check tires for proper
inflation before driving. For prop-
er tire pressures, refer to “Tires
and wheels” in section 8.
Driving on tires with no or insuffi-
cient tread is dangerous. Worn-
out tires can result in loss of
vehicle control, collisions, injury,
and even death. Worn-out tires
should be replaced as soon as
possible and should never be
used for driving. Always check
the tire tread before driving your
car. For further information and
tread limits, refer to “Tires and
wheels” in section 7.
OMG015008
CAUTION
A loose or damaged drive belt may
result in overheating of the engine.
Inspect your drive belt for proper
tension, or have your Hyundai deal-
er inspect this at the normal service
intervals listed in section 7.

Driving your vehicle
44 5
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 the
maintenance schedule in section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested to
assure 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 authorized 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 authorized 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- Tire chains
The use of chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h)
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 them
hitting the vehicle.

545
Driving your vehicle
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer and most auto parts outlets. Do
not use engine coolant or other types of
anti-freeze as these may damage the
paint finish.
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen when there
is an accumulation of snow or ice around
or near the rear brakes or if the brakes
are wet. If there is a risk of the parking
brake may freezing, apply it only tem-
porarily while you put the shift lever in P
(automatic transaxle) or in first or reverse
gear (manual transaxle) and block the
rear wheels so the vehicle cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumu-
late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the car to be sure the move-
ment of the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er where you drive your car, you should
carry appropriate emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or chains,
flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket,
etc.