2012 Hyundai Sonata Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle38
5Hazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow
these suggestions:
 Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-
tance for braking.
 Avoid sudden in braking or steering.  If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
 Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or other non-slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when stalled
in ice, snow, or mud.
Rocking the vehicle If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your front wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between 1st (First)
and R (Reverse) in vehicles equipped
with a manual transaxle or R (Reverse)
and any forward gear in vehicles
equipped with an automatic transaxle.
Do not race the engine, and spin the
wheels as little as possible. If you are still
stuck after a few tries, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating and possible dam-
age to the transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
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WARNING -
ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
WARNING
- Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. Be
careful when downshifting on slip-
pery surfaces.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may causeengine over-heating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.

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Driving your vehicle
✽
✽NOTICEThe ESC system should be turned OFF
prior to rocking the vehicle.
Smooth corneringAvoid 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, tire 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 tires
Do not spin the wheels, especially
at speeds more than 35 mph (56
km/h). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tire to overheat
which could result in tire damage
that may injure bystanders.
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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 or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.

Driving your vehicle40
5 Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other driver's headlights.
 Keep your headlights clean and prop- erly aimed on vehicles not equipped
with the automatic headlight aiming
feature. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night.
 Avoid staring directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
 A heavy rainfall will make it harder tosee and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
 Keep your windshield wiping equip- ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield.
 If your tires are not in good condition, making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
 Turn on your headlights to make it eas- ier for others to see you.
 Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
 If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.
Driving in flooded areas Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.

541
Driving your vehicle
Highway drivingTiresAdjust 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.✽ ✽NOTICENever exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure shown on the tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oilHigh speed travel consumes more fuel
than urban motoring. Do not forget to
check both engine coolant and engine
oil.Drive beltA loose or damaged drive belt may result
in overheating of the engine.
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.
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Driving your vehicle42
5More severe weather conditions of winter
result in greater wear and other prob-
lems. To minimize winter driving problem,
you should follow these suggestions:
Snowy or icy conditionsTo drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires or to
install tire chains on your tires. If snow
tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do so
may adversely affect the safety and han-
dling of your car. Furthermore, speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake appli-
cations, and sharp turns are potentially
very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking
to the fullest extent. Sudden brake appli-
cations on snowy or icy roads may cause
skids to occur. You need to keep suffi-
cient distance between the vehicle in
operation in front and your vehicle. Also,
apply the brake gently. It should be noted
that installing tire chains on the tire will
provide a greater driving force, but will
not prevent side skids.✽ ✽
NOTICETire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.
Snow tires If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regu- lations for possible restrictions againsttheir use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING
- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety
and handling of your vehicle may
be adversely affected.
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543
Driving your vehicle
Tire chains Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by mount-
ing some types of snow chains on them.
Therefore, the use of snow tires is rec-
ommended instead of snow chains. Do
not mount tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels; snow
chains may cause damage to the wheels.
If snow chains must be used, use wire-
type chains with a thickness of less than
0.47 in (12 mm). Damage to your vehicle
caused by improper snow chain use is
not covered by your vehicle manufactur-
ers warranty.
When using tire chains, install them on
the front tires only.Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the manu-
facturer's instructions and mount them as
tightly as you can. Drive slowly with
chains installed. If you hear the chains
contacting the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make contact,
slow down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving on
cleared roads.
CAUTION
 Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type for yourtires. Incorrect snow chains can cause damage to the vehicle bodyand suspension and may not becovered by your vehicle manufac- turer warranty. Also, the snowchain connecting hooks may be damaged from contacting vehiclecomponents causing the snowchains to come loose from the tire. Make sure the snow chainsare SAE class “S” certified.
 Always check chain installation for proper mounting after drivingapproximately 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to 1 km) to ensure safe mounting.Retighten or remount the chainsif they are loose.
WARNING - Mounting chains
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning flashers and place
a triangular emergency warning
device behind the vehicle if avail-
able. Always place the vehicle in P
(Park), apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before installing
snow chains.
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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.

545
Driving your vehicle
To keep locks from freezingTo 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 systemTo 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
freezeUnder 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 the parking
brake may freeze, apply it only temporar-
ily while you put the shift lever in P (auto-
matic 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 underneathUnder 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 equipmentDepending 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.