2012 Hyundai Sonata cooling

Driving your vehicle44
5
Use high quality ethylene glycol
coolantYour 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 cablesWinter 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
necessaryIn 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
systemInspect 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 damageyour vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
 Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.

What to do in an emergency66IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATSIf 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 itis 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 systemand this should be checked as soonas possible by an authorizedHYUNDAI 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.

75
Maintenance
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer 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 labor, parts and
lubricants used.
Owner maintenance schedule When you stop for fuel: Check the engine oil level.
 Check coolant level in coolant reser-voir.
 Check the windshield washer fluid level.
 Look for low or under-inflated tires.
WARNING
- Maintenance work
 Performing maintenance work on
a vehicle can be dangerous. You
can be seriously injured while
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
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
 Working under the hood 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 while work-
ing under the hood, make certain
that you remove all jewelry (espe-
cially rings, bracelets, watches,
and necklaces) and all neckties,
scarves, and similar loose cloth-
ing before getting near the
engine or cooling fans.
OWNER MAINTENANCE
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.

Maintenance20
7Air cleaner filterA Genuine HYUNDAI air cleaner filter is
recommended when the filter is
replaced.Spark plugsMake sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.Valve clearance Inspect excessive valve noise and/or
engine vibration and adjust if necessary.
An authorized HYUNDAI dealer should
perform the operation.Cooling systemCheck cooling system components, such
as radiator, coolant reservoir, hoses and
connections for leakage and damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
CoolantThe coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.Manual transaxle fluid
(if equipped)Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to 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.✽ ✽
NOTICEAutomatic transaxle fluid color is basi-
cally red.
As the vehicle is driven, the automatic
transaxle fluid will begin to look darker.
It is normal condition and you should
not judge the need to replace the fluid
based upon the changed color.
Brake hoses and linesVisually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.Brake/clutch fluidCheck 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 trans -
axle fluid. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants and capacities” in sec-tion 8.)

Maintenance24
7The 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
(Continued)
 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.
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.
 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.
(Continued)
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. If your
vehicle is equipped with GDI, the
electric motor (cooling fan) may
operate until you disconnect the
negative battery cable.

725
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
specified coolant to provide protection
against freezing and corrosion. Bring the
level to F, but do not overfill. If frequent
additions are required, see an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for a cooling system
inspection.
Recommended engine coolant When adding coolant, use only deion-ized water or soft water for your vehicle
and never mix hard water in the
coolant filled at the factory. An improp-
er coolant mixture can result in serious
malfunction or engine damage.
 The engine in your vehicle has aluminum engine parts and must be protected by
an ethylene-glycol-based coolant to pre-
vent corrosion and freezing.
 DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the specified
coolant.
 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.
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.
5°F (-15°C) 35 65
-13°F (-25°C) 40 60
-31°F (-35°C) 50 50
-49°F (-45°C) 60 40Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage (volume)
Antifreeze Water
OYF079006-1
OYF079005N

Maintenance26
7
Changing the coolantHave coolant changed by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section.
Checking the brake/clutch fluid
level Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. The fluid level should be
between MAX and MIN 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
level. The level will fall with accumulated
mileage. This is a normal condition asso-
ciated with the wear of the brake linings.
If the fluid level is excessively low, have
the brake system or clutch (if equipped)
checked by an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
OYF079007N
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID
WARNING -
Coolant
 Do not use radiator coolant or
antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
 Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth or fabric aroundthe radiator cap before refilling thecoolant in order to prevent the coolant from overflowing intoengine parts such as generator.
WARNING
The cooling fan is controlled by
engine coolant temperature and
may sometimes operate even when
the engine is not running. Use
extreme caution when working near
the blades of the coolant fan so that
you are not injured by a rotating fan
blade. As the engine coolant tem-
perature decreases, the fan will
automatically shut off. This is a nor-
mal condition.

I3
Index
California perchlorate notice ··················\
··················\
·····7-76
Capacities (Lubricants) ··················\
··················\
················8-4
CareExterior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
········7-67
Interior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········7-71
Tire care··················\
··················\
··················\
···············7-37
Cargo weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
············5-51
Center console storage ··················\
··················\
·············4-105
Central door lock switch··················\
··················\
············4-19
Certification label ··················\
··················\
···············5-49, 8-6
Changing tires ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········6-13
Chains Tire chains ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········5-43
Checking tire inflation pressure··················\
··················\
·7-38
Child restraint system ··················\
··················\
················3-29 Passenger seat belt ··················\
··················\
················3-31
Tether anchor system··················\
··················\
·············3-33
Lower anchor system ··················\
··················\
············3-35
Child-protector rear door lock ··················\
··················\
···4-21
Climate control system (Automatic) ··················\
···········4-97 Air conditioning ··················\
··················\
··················\
4-100
Automatic heating and air conditioning··················\
··4-94
Manual heating and air conditioning ··················\
······4-95
Climate control system (Manual) ··················\
················4-83 Air conditioning ··················\
··················\
··················\
··4-90
Climate control air filter··················\
··················\
········4-92
Heating and air conditioning··················\
··················\
·4-84 Climate control air filter ··················\
··················\
············4-94
Climate control air filter ··················\
··················\
············7-30
Clock (Digital) ··················\
··················\
··················\
·······4-109
Clothes hanger ··················\
··················\
··················\
·······4-109
Combined instrument, see instrument cluster ···············4-50
Compact spare tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-18
Compact spare tire replacement ··················\
··················\
7-42
Compass mirror, see the Electric chromic mirror (ECM)
with homeLink system and compass ··················\
······4-41
Consumer information ··················\
··················\
·················8-8
Coolant ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···7-24
Cooling fluid, see engine coolant ··················\
················7-24
Crankcase emission control system ··················\
·············7-73
Cruise control system ··················\
··················\
················5-31
Cup holder ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············4-107
Curtain air bag ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········3-54
Dashboard, see instrument cluster ··················\
···············4-50
Dashboard illumination, see instrument panel illumination ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········4-51
Daytime running light··················\
··················\
················4-73
Defogging (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
··········4-101
Defogging logic (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
·4-103
Defroster (Rear window) ··················\
··················\
···········4-82
Defrosting (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
··········4-101
Digital clock··················\
··················\
··················\
···········4-109
Dimensions ··················\
··················\
··················\
················8-2C
D