Page 409 of 503

7-25
7
Maintenance
Valve clearance
(Lambda engine)
Inspect for excessive valve noise
and/or engine vibration and adjust if
necessary. Have an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer perform the opera-
tion.
Cooling system
Check cooling system components,
such as radiator, coolant reservoir,
hoses and connections for leakage
and damage. Replace any damaged
parts.
Engine coolant
The coolant should be changed at
the intervals specified in the mainte-
nance schedule.
Automatic transmission fluid
Automatic transmission 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 mainte-
nance at the beginning of this chap-
ter.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Automatic transmission fluid color
is basically red.
As the vehicle is driven, the auto-
matic transmission fluid will begin
to look darker. This is a normal con-
dition and you should not judge the
need to replace the fluid based upon
the changed color.
The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transmission
malfunction and failure. Use
only the specified automatic
transmission fluid (refer to
“Recommended Lubricants and
Capacities” in chapter 8).
CAUTION
Page 410 of 503

7-26
Maintenance
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and
any leakage. Replace any deteriorat-
ed or damaged parts immediately.
Brake fluid
Check brake fluid level in the brake
fluid reservoir. The level should be
between the MIN and the MAX
marks on the side of the reservoir.
Use only hydraulic brake fluid con-
forming to DOT 3 or DOT 4 specifi-
cation.
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system
including the parking brake pedal
and cables.
Brake discs, pads, calipers
and rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear,
discs for run out and wear, and
calipers for fluid leakage.
Exhaust pipe and muffler
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes,
muffler and hangers for cracks, dete-
rioration, or damage. Start the
engine and listen carefully for any
exhaust gas leakage. Tighten con-
nections or replace parts as neces-
sary.
Suspension mounting bolts
Check the suspension connections
for looseness or damage. Retighten
to the specified torque.
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball joint
With the vehicle stopped and the
engine off, check for excessive free-
play in the steering wheel. Check the
linkage for bends or damage. Check
the dust boots and ball joints for
deterioration, cracks, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
Drive shafts and boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and
clamps for cracks, deterioration, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts and, if necessary, repack the
grease.
Air conditioning refrigerant
Check the air conditioning lines and
connections for leakage and dam-
age.
Page 411 of 503

7-27
7
Maintenance
E
EN
N G
GI
IN
N E
E
O
O I
IL
L
Checking the engine oil level
1. Follow all of the oil manufacturer’s
precautions.
2. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground in P (Park) with the parking
brake set and the wheels blocked.
3. Turn the engine on and allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
4. Turn the engine off and wait about five minutes for the oil to return to
the oil pan.
5. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and re-insert it fully.
6. Pull the dipstick out again andcheck the level. The level should
be between F and L.
7. If it is near or at L, add enough oil to bring the level to F.
✽ ✽NOTICE
To prevent damage to your engine:
• Do not overfill with engine oil.
Add oil in small quantities and
recheck level to ensure engine is
not overfilled.
• Do not spill engine oil when adding or changing engine oil. Use
a funnel to help prevent oil from
being spilled on engine compo-
nents. Wipe off spilled oil immedi-
ately
ODH073002
ODH073061L
■ Lambda 3.8L
■Tau 5.0L
Page 412 of 503
7-28
Maintenance
✽
✽NOTICE
Use only the specified engine oil
(refer to “Recommended Lubricants
and Capacities” in chapter 8).
Checking the engine oil and
filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer
according to the Maintenance
Schedule at the beginning of this
chapter. CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
WARNING
Engine oil contains chemicals
known to the State of California
to cause cancer, birth defects
and reproductive harm. Used
engine oil may cause irritation
or cancer of the skin if left in
contact with the skin for pro-
longed periods of time. Always
protect your skin by washing
your hands thoroughly with
soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used
oil.
WARNING
ODH073003
ODH073062L
■
Lambda 3.8L
■Tau 5.0L
Page 413 of 503

7-29
7
Maintenance
E
EN
N G
GI
IN
N E
E
C
C O
O O
OL
LA
A N
N T
T
The 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 cli-
mate.Checking the engine coolant
level
Never remove the
radiator cap or the
drain plug while the
engine and radiator
are hot. Hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure, causing serious
injury.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
Turn the engine off and wait
until the engine cools down.
Use extreme care when remov-
ing 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
cooling system. When you are
sure all the pressure has been
released, press down on the
cap, using a thick towel, and
continue turning counterclock-
wise to remove it.
ODH073005
Page 414 of 503

7-30
Maintenance
The electric motor for the cooling fan
is controlled by engine coolant tem-
perature, refrigerant pressure and
vehicle speed. As the engine coolant
temperature decreases, the electric
motor will automatically shut off. This
is a normal condition. If your vehicle
is equipped with GDI, the electric
motor for the cooling fan may begin
to operate at any time and continue
to operate until you disconnect the
negative battery cable. Check the condition and connections
of all cooling system hoses and
heater hoses. Replace any swollen
or deteriorated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between the F and the L marks on
the side of the coolant reservoir
when the engine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
distilled (deionized) water to bring
the level to the F mark, but do not
overfill. If frequent additions are
required, we recommend that you
see an authorized HYUNDAI dealer
for a cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant
When adding coolant, use only
deionized water, distilled water or
soft water for your vehicle and
never mix hard water in the coolant
filled at the factory.
An improper coolant mixture can result in severe malfunction or
engine damage.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be
protected by an ethylene-glycol-
based coolant to prevent corrosion
and freezing.
Do not use alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the spec-
ified 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.
The electric motor for
the cooling fan may
continue to operate
or start up when the
engine is not running
and can cause serious injury.
Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from the rotating fan
blades of the cooling fan.WARNING
ODH073004
Page 415 of 503

7-31
7
Maintenance
For mixing percentage, refer to the
following table:
✽ ✽NOTICE
If in doubt about the mix ratio, a
50% water and 50% antifreeze mix
is the easiest to mix together as it
will be the same quantity of each. It
is suitable to use for most tempera-
ture ranges of -31°F and higher.
Changing engine coolant
Have coolant changed by an author-
ized HYUNDAI dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the
beginning of this chapter.
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage
(volume)
Antifreeze Water
5°F (-15°C) 35 65
-13°F (-25°C) 40 60
-31°F (-35°C) 50 50
-49°F (-45°C) 60 40
Do not use engine coolant or
antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Engine coolant can severely
obscure visibility when
sprayed on the windshield
and may cause loss of vehicle
control resulting in an acci-
dent.
Engine coolant may also
cause damage to paint and
body trim.
WARNING
To prevent damage to engine
parts, put a thick towel around
the radiator cap before refilling
the coolant to prevent the
coolant from overflowing into
engine parts, such as the gener-
ator.
CAUTION
Page 416 of 503

7-32
Maintenance
B
BR
RA
A K
KE
E
F
F L
LU
U I
ID
D
Checking the brake fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir
periodically. The fluid level should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap
and adding brake fluid, clean the
area around the reservoir cap thor-
oughly to prevent brake fluid contam-
ination. If the level is low, add the specified
brake fluid to the MAX level. The level
will fall with accumulated mileage.
This is a normal condition associated
with the wear of the brake linings. If
the fluid level is excessively low, have
the brake system checked by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
If the brake system requires fre-
quent additions of fluid this
could indicate a leak in the
brake system. Have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
WARNING
Do not allow brake fluid to come
in contact with your eyes. If
brake fluid comes in contact
with your eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least 15
minutes and get immediate
medical attention.
WARNING
ODH073006