2012 Hyundai Sonata flat tire

What to do in an emergency18
6Important - use of compact spare tireYour vehicle is equipped with a com-
pact spare tire. This compact spare
tire takes up less space than a regu-
lar-size tire. This tire is smaller than a
conventional tire and is designed for
temporary use only.
The compact spare should be inflat-
ed to 60 psi (420 kPa).
✽ ✽NOTICECheck the inflation pressure after
installing the spare tire. Adjust it to
the specified pressure, as necessary.
When using a compact spare tire,
observe the following precautions:
 Under no circumstances should
you exceed 50 mph (80 km/h); a
higher speed could damage the
tire.
 Ensure that you drive slowly enough for the road conditions to
avoid all hazards. Any road hazard,
such as a pothole or debris, could
seriously damage the compact
spare.
 Any continuous road use of this tire could result in tire failure, loss of
vehicle control, and possible per-
sonal injury.
 Do not exceed the vehicle’s maxi- mum load rating or the load-carry-
ing capacity shown on the sidewall
of the compact spare tire.
 Avoid driving over obstacles. The compact spare tire diameter is
smaller than the diameter of a con-
ventional tire and reduces the
ground clearance approximately 1
inch (25 mm), which could result in
damage to the vehicle.
WARNING
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use only. Do not
operate your vehicle on this
compact spare at speeds over
50 mph (80 km/h). The original
tire should be repaired or
replaced as soon as is possible
to avoid failure of the spare
possibly leading to personal
injury or death.
CAUTION
 You should drive carefully when the compact spare is inuse. The compact spareshould be replaced by theproper conventional tire andrim at the first opportunity.
 The operation of this vehicle is not recommended withmore than one compact sparetire in use at the same time.

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.

Maintenance67While 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-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 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 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, andhood 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.

737
Maintenance
CAUTION
 Underinflation also results inexcessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the proper levels. If atire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by an author-ized HYUNDAI dealer.
 Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.
TIRES AND WHEELS Tire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.
Recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold Tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
one mile (1.6 km).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, vehicle
handling, and minimum tire wear.
For recommended inflation pressure,
refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
WARNING - Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation can lead
to severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for long periods at high speeds.
OYF089002

Maintenance38
7
Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.How to checkUse a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
WARNING - Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
 Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than one mile (1.6km) since startup.)
 Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
 Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if yourvehicle is equipped with one.
 Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
 Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 4 to 6 psi (28 to 41kPa). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres-sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
 Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisturecould get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If avalve cap is missing, install anew one as soon as possible.

739
Maintenance
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
WARNING
 Inspect your tires frequently
for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
 Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tire
failure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. The
recommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on
the tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
 Worn tires can cause acci- dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
 Remember to check the pres- sure of your spare tire.
HYUNDAI recommends that
you check the spare every
time you check the pressure
of the other tires on your vehi-
cle.

Maintenance42
7Compact spare tire replacement A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new vehicle and should be mounted
on the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire. Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
Tire traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. To reduce the possibility of
losing control, slow down whenever
there is rain, snow or ice on the road.
Tire maintenance
In addition to proper inflation, correct
wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check the
wheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should
always be rebalanced if it is removed
from the wheel.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
and odometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.

745
Maintenance
5. Maximum permissible inflationpressureThis number is the greatest amount
of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tire and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.6. Maximum load ratingThis number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tire. When
replacing the tires on the vehicle,
always use a tire that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tire.
7. Uniform tire quality grading Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example: TREAD wear 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE ATread wearThe tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicle
may vary with respect to grade.
Traction - AA, A, B & C The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.