2012 Hyundai Sonata check engine light

455
Features of your vehicle
Parking brake & brakefluid warning light
Parking brake warning
This light is illuminated when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch in
the START or ON position. The warning
light should go off when the parking
brake is released whilst the engine is
running. Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have the vehicle towed to any autho-
rised HYUNDAI dealer for a brake sys-
tem inspection and necessary repairs.
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diago-
nal braking systems. This means you still
have braking on two wheels even if one
of the dual systems should fail. With only
one of the dual systems working, more
than normal pedal travel and greaterpedal pressure are required to stop the
car. Also, the car will not stop in as short
a distance with only a portion of the
brake system working. If the brakes fail
whilst you are driving, shift to a lower
gear for additional engine braking and
stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
CAUTION
If the oil pressure warning light stays on whilst the engine is run-
ning, serious engine damage mayresult. The oil pressure warninglight comes on whenever there is insufficient oil pressure. In normal
operation, it should come on whenthe ignition switch is turned on,then go out when the engine is
started. If the oil pressure warninglight stays on whilst the engine isrunning, there is a serious malfunc-tion.
If this happens, stop the car assoon as it is safe to do so, turn off the engine and check the oil level. Ifthe oil level is low, fill the engine oilto the proper level and start the
engine again. If the light stays onwith the engine running, turn theengine off immediately. In any instance where the oil light stays on
when the engine is running, theengine should be checked by an authorised HYUNDAI dealer beforethe car is driven again.

457
Features of your vehicle
Charging system warninglight
This warning light indicates a malfunction
of either the generator or electricalcharging system.
If the warning light comes on whilst the
vehicle is in motion:
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the alterna- tor drive belt for looseness or break-
age.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a prob- lem exists somewhere in the electrical
charging system. Have an authorised
HYUNDAI dealer correct the problem
as soon as possible.
Trunk lid open warning
light
This warning light illuminates when a
trunk lid is not closed securely with the
ignition in any position.
Door open position indica-
tor
This indicator illuminates when a door is
not closed securely.
The indicator displays which door isopened.
Immobiliser indicator (if equipped)
Without smart key system This light illuminates when the immobilis-
er key is inserted and turned to the ON
position to start the engine.
At this time, you can start the engine. The
light goes out after the engine is running.
If this light blinks when the ignition switch
is in the ON position before starting the
engine, have the system checked by an
authorised HYUNDAI dealer.
With smart key system (if equipped)
If any of the following occurs in a vehicle
equipped with the smart key, the immo-
biliser indicator illuminates, blinks or the
light goes off.
When the smart key is in the vehicle, if the engine start/stop button is turned
to the ACC or ON position, the indica-
tor will illuminate. However, when the
smart key is not in the vehicle, if the
engine start/stop button is depressed,
the indicator will blink for a few minutes
to indicate that you will not be able to
start the engine.

Features of your vehicle
58
4
When the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position and the indicator turns
off after 2 seconds, the system may
have a problem. Have the vehicle
checked by an authorised HYUNDAI
dealer.
When the battery is weak, if the engine start/stop button is depressed, the indi-
cator will blink and you will not be able
to start the engine. However, you may
still be able to start the engine by
inserting the smart key in the smart
key holder. If smart key system related
parts have a problem, the indicator
blinks.Low fuel level warning light
This warning light indicates the fuel tank
is nearly empty. When it comes on, you
should add fuel as soon as possible.
Driving with the fuel level warning light on
or with the fuel level below “E” can causethe engine to misfire and damage the
catalytic converter.
Malfunction indicator light
(MIL) (check engine light)
This indicator light is part of the Engine
Control System which monitors various
emission control system components. If
this light illuminates whilst driving, it indi-cates that a potential malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the emis-sion control system. This light will also illuminate when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON posi-
tion, and will go out in a few seconds
after the engine is started. If it illuminates
whilst driving, or does not illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, take your vehicle to your
nearest authorised HYUNDAI dealer and
have the system checked.
Generally, your vehicle will continue to be
drivable, but have the system checked by
an authorised HYUNDAI dealer promptly.

459
Features of your vehicle
Engine coolant tempera-ture warning light (if equipped)
The warning light illuminates if the tem-
perature of the engine coolant is above125±2.5°C (257±4.5°F).
Do not continue driving with an overheat-
ed engine. If your vehicle overheats, refer
to “Overheating” in section 6.
✽✽ NOTICE
If the engine coolant temperature warn-
ing light illuminates, it indicates over-
heating that may damage the engine.
ESP (Electronic Stability Program) indicator (if equipped)
The ESP indicator will illuminate when
the ignition switch is turned ON, but
should go off after approximately 3 sec-
onds. When the ESP is on, it monitors the
driving conditions. Under normal driving
conditions, the ESP indicator will remain
off. When a slippery or low traction con-dition is encountered, the ESP will oper-
ate, and the ESP indicator will blink to
indicate the ESP is operating. But, if the ESP system malfunctions the
indicator illuminates and stays on. Take
your vehicle to an authorised HYUNDAI
dealer and have the system checked.
ESP OFF indicator
(if equipped)
The ESP OFF indicator will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned ON,
but should go off after approximately 3
seconds. To switch to ESP OFF mode,
press the ESP OFF button. The ESPOFF indicator will illuminate indicating
the ESP is deactivated.
CAUTION
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction Indicator Light illumi-
nated may cause damage to theemission control systems whichcould effect drivability and/or fuel economy.
CAUTION
If the Malfunction Indicator Lightilluminates, potential catalytic con-verter damage is possible which could result in loss of engine
power. Have the Engine ControlSystem inspected as soon as pos-sible by an authorised HYUNDAIdealer.

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
Driving whilst 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.

55
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 30 sec-onds when the door is closed.Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key towardthe LOCK position.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.
✽✽
NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turn
the key whilst turning the steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the engine is not running to prevent the bat-tery from discharging.
KEY
OYF059017NOYF059016

59
Driving your vehicle
ON
Press the engine start/stop button whilst
it is in the ACC position without depress-
ing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not leave
the button in the ON position if the engine
is not running to prevent the battery fromdischarging.
START
To start the engine, press the brake
pedal and press the engine start/stop
button with the shift lever in the P (Park)
or the N (Neutral) position. For your safe-
ty, start the engine with the shift lever in
the P (Park) position.
✽✽NOTICE
 If you press the engine start/stop but- ton without depressing the brake
pedal, the engine does not start and
the engine start/stop button changes
as follow :
OFF →
→
ACC →→
ON →→
OFF
 If you leave the engine start/stop but-
ton in the ACC or the ON position for
a long time, the battery may be dis-
charged.
WARNING
Never press the engine start/stop button whilst the vehicle is in
motion. This would result in theengine turning off and loss of
power assist for the steering and
brakes, which may lead to loss of
directional control and braking
function, which could cause anaccident.
The anti-theft steering column lock is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving the
driver’s seat, always make sure
the shift lever is engaged in P
(Park),set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement may occur if theseprecautions are not taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the enginestart/stop button, or any other
controls through the steering
wheel whilst the vehicle is in
motion. The presence of yourhand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control,
an accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s seat as they
may move whilst driving, inter-
fere with the driver and lead to anaccident.

Driving your vehicle
22
5
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces. BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING
- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest- ing on the brake pedal. This will create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increasedstopping distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brakeapplication will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may impair the vehi- cle’s ability to safely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to oneside when the brakes are applied.
Applying the brakes lightly will
indicate whether they have been
affected in this way. Always test
your brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them lightly
whilst maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performancereturns to normal.
(Continued)(Continued)
Always, confirm the position ofthe brake and accelerator pedal
before driving. If you don't checkthe position of the accelerator
and brake pedal before driving,
you may depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It maycause a serious accident.