2014 Hyundai Sonata Owner's Manual

5-72
Driving your vehicle
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner than other types of tires, they
may be damaged by mounting some
types of tire chains on them.
Therefore, the use of snow tires is
recommended instead of tire chains.
Do not mount tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels; if
unavoidable use a wire type chain. If
tire chains must be used, use gen-
uine HYUNDAI parts and install the
tire chain after reviewing the instruc-
tions provided with the tire chains.
Damage to your vehicle caused by
improper tire chain use is not cov-
ered by your vehicle manufacturer’s
warranty.
Information
• Install tire chains on the front tires.
It should be noted that installing tire
chains on the tires will provide a
greater driving force, but will not
prevent side skids.
• Do not install studded tires without
first checking local and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
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The use of tire chains may
adversely affect vehicle han-
dling:
•Drive less than 30 km/h (20
mph) or the chain manufactur-
er’s recommended speed
limit, whichever 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.
WARNING

5-73
Driving your vehicle
5
Chain Installation
When installing tire chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly possible. Drive
slowly (less than 30 km/h (20 mph))
with chains installed. If you hear the
chains contacting the body or chas-
sis, stop and tighten them. If they still
make contact, slow down until the
noise stops. Remove the tire chains
as soon as you begin driving on
cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning Flasher and place a
triangular emergency warning device
behind the vehicle (if available).
Always place the vehicle in P (Park),
apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine before installing snow
chains.
When using tire chains:
•Wrong size chains or improperly
installed chains can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, sus-
pension, body and wheels.
•Use SAE “S” class or wire
chains.
•If you hear noise caused by
chains contacting the body,
retighten the chain to prevent
contact with the vehicle body.
•To prevent body damage,
retighten the chains after driving
0.5~1.0 km (0.3~0.6 miles).
•Do not use tire chains on vehi-
cles equipped with aluminum
wheels. If unavoidable, use a
wire type chain.
•Use wire chains less than 12 mm
(0.47 in) wide to prevent damage
to the chain’s connection.
Winter Precautions
Use high quality ethylene glycol
coolant
Yo u r v e h i c l e i s d e l i v e r e d w i t h h i g h
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 cool-
ing system, lubricates 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.
NOTICE

5-74
Driving your vehicle
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on
the battery system.Visually inspect
the battery and cables as
described in chapter 7.We recom-
mend that the level of charge in your
battery be checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessary
In 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, we recommend that you
consult an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in section 7 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.
To keep locks from freezing
To k e e p t h e l o c k s f r o m f r e e z i n g ,
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 heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er 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.

5-75
Driving your vehicle
5
Don't let your parking brake freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to hap-
pen 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 temporarily
while you put the shift lever in P
(automatic 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 accumulate
underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or
chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, shovel, jumper cables, window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, blanket, etc.
Don't place foreign objects or
materials in the engine compart-
ment
Placement of foreign object or mate-
rials which prevent cooling of the
engine, in the engine compartment,
may cause a failure or combustion.
The manufacturer is not responsible
for the damage caused by such
placement.

5-76
Driving your vehicle
If you are considering to tow with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your country's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine legal
requirements. Since laws vary the
requirements for towing trailers, cars,
or other types of vehicles or appara-
tus may differ. Ask an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for further details
before towing.
Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly. Damage to your vehi-
cle caused by improper trailer towing
is not covered by your vehicle manu-
facturer’s warranty.
This section contains many time-
tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Please read this
section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Information - For Europe
• The technically permissible maxi-
mum load on the rear axle(s) may be
exceeded by not more than 15 %
and the technically permissible
maximum laden mass of the vehicle
may be exceeded by not more than
10% or 100 kg (220.4 lbs), whichev-
er value is lower. In this case, do not
exceed 100 km/h (62.1 mph) for
vehicle of category M1 or 80 km/h
(49.7 mph) for vehicle of category
N1.
• When a vehicle of category M1 is
towing a trailer, the additional load
imposed at the trailer coupling
device may cause the tire maximum
load ratings to be exceeded, but not
by more than 15%. In this case, do
not exceed 100 km/h (62.1 mph) and
increase the tire inflation pressure
by at least 0.2 bar.
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TRAILER TOWING (FOR EUROPE)
Take the following precautions:
•If you don't use the correct
equipment and/or drive
improperly, you can lose con-
trol of the vehicle when you
are pulling a trailer. For exam-
ple, if the trailer is too heavy,
the braking performance may
be reduced. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer
only if you have followed all
the steps in this section.
•Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW
(Gross Combination Weight),
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight),
GAW (Gross Axle Weight ) and
trailer tongue load are all with-
in the limits.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
5
If you decide to pull a trailer?
Here are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
•Consider using a sway control.You
can ask a trailer hitch dealer about
sway control.
•Do not do any towing with your
vehicle during its first 2,000 km
(1,200 miles) in order to allow the
engine to properly break in. Failure
to heed this caution may result in
serious engine or transaxle dam-
age.
•When towing a trailer, be sure to
consult an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer for further information on
additional requirements such as a
towing kit, etc.
•Always drive your vehicle at a mod-
erate speed (less than 100 km/h
(60 mph)) or posted towing speed
limit.
•On a long uphill grade, do not
exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the
posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower.
•Carefully observe the weight and
load limits provided in the following
pages.
Trailer weight
What is the maximum safe weight of
a trailer? It should never weigh more
than the maximum trailer weight with
trailer brakes. But even that can be
too heavy. It depends on how you
plan to use your trailer. For example,
speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how often your
vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all
important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special
equipment that you have on your
vehicle.
Tongue load
The tongue load is an important
weight to measure because it affects
the total Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. The trailer
tongue should weigh a maximum of
10% of the total loaded trailer weight,
within the limits of the maximum trail-
er tongue load permissible.
After you've loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be
able to correct them simply by mov-
ing some items around in the trailer.
OLMB053047
Tongue LoadTotal Trailer Weight
OLMB053048
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle Weight

5-78
Driving your vehicle
Take the following precautions:
•Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load;
the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the total
trailer load.
•Never exceed the maximum
weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check
weights and loading at a com-
mercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with
scales.
WARNING
M/T : Manual transaxle
A/T : Automatic transaxle
Engine
Item
Gasoline Engine
2.0L MPI2.4L MPI2.4L GDI
M/T A/TA/TA/T
Maximum trailer
weight
kg (Ibs.)
Without brake
System
650
(1433)
400
(882)
400
(882)
400
(882)
With brake
System
1300
(2866)
800
(1764)
800
(1764)
800
(1764)
Maximum permissible static
vertical load on the coupling
device
kg (Ibs.)
70
(154)
70
(154)
70
(154)
70
(154)
Recommended distance from
rear wheel center to coupling
point
mm (inch)
1185
(46.6)
Reference weight and distance when trailer towing a trailer

5-79
Driving your vehicle
5
Trailer towing equipment
Hitches
Information
• The mounting hole for hitches are
located on both sides of the under-
body behind the rear tires.
• Install a trailer after removing the
under cover on the left side of the
vehicle. After using the trailer, rein-
stall the under cover to its original
position.
It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
•Do you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch. If you
don’t seal them, carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle, as well as dirt
and water.
•The bumpers on your vehicle are
not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
•A HYUNDAI trailer hitch accessory
is available at an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Safety chains
Yo u s h o u l d a l w a y s a t t a c h c h a i n s
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack so you can turn
with your trailer. And, never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
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