2012 Hyundai Sonata warning lights

477
Features of your vehicle
INTERIOR LIGHT
Automatic turn off function (if equipped)
The interior lights automatically turn off
approximately 20 minutes after the igni-
tion switch is turned off.
If your vehicle is equipped with the theft
alarm system, the interior lights automat-
ically turns off approximately 5 seconds
after the system is armed stage. M
ap lamp
Push the lens to turn the map lamp on or off. This light produces a spot beam
for convenient use as a map lamp at
night or as a personal lamp for the driv-
er and the front passenger.
DOOR : In the DOOR position, the
map lamp and the room lamp
come on when any door isopened regardless of the igni-
tion switch position. When
doors are unlocked by the
transmitter (or smart key), themap lamp and the room lamp
come on for approximately 30
seconds as long as any dooris not open. The map lamp and the room
lamp goes out gradually after
approximately 30 seconds if
the door is closed. However, if
the ignition switch is ON or all
doors are locked, the maplamp and the room lamp will
turn off immediately. If a dooris opened with the ignition
switch in the ACC or LOCKposition, the map lamp and
the room lamp stays on for
about 20 minutes. However, ifa door is opened with the igni-
tion switch in the ON position,the map lamp and the room
lamp stays on continuously.
OFF : The lights turn off even if a door is opened.
❈ When the lamp is turned ON
by pressing the lens (1), the
lamp does not turn off even if
the switch (2) is in the OFFposition.
ON : The map lamp and the room lamp stay on at all times.
CAUTION
Do not use the interior lights for
extended periods when the engine
is not running.
It may cause battery discharge.
OYF049104K
WARNING
Do not use the interior lights when
driving in the dark. Accidents could
happen because the view may be
obscured by interior lights.

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
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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.

543
Driving your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
The ESP (or ESC) system should be
turned OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in cor-
ners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration. If you follow
these suggestions, tyre wear will be held
to a minimum. Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, here
are some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
WARNING - Spinning tyres
Do not spin the wheels, especially at speeds more than 56 km/h (35
mph). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tyre to overheat
which could result in tyre damage
that may injure bystanders.
OMC035004
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward of backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people orobjects.
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553
Driving your vehicle
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.

What to do in an emergency
2
6
ROAD WARNING
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehi-cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Depress the flasher switch with the igni-
tion switch in any position. The flasher
switch is located in the centre console
switch panel. All turn signal lights will
flash simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
The turn signals do not work when the hazard flasher is on.
Care must be taken when using the hazard warning flasher whilst the vehi-
cle is being towed.
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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.