2020 Hyundai Elantra Owner's Manual

7-75
7
Maintenance
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Exterior Care
Exterior general caution
It is very important to follow the label
directions when using any chemical
cleaner or polish. Read all warning
and caution statements that appear
on the label.
High-pressure washing
When using high-pressure wash-
ers, make sure to maintain suffi-
cient distance from the vehicle.
Insufficient clearance or excessive
pressure can lead to component
damage or water penetration.
Do not spray the camera, sensors or its surrounding area directly with
a high pressure washer. Shock
applied from high pressure water
may cause the device to not oper-
ate normally.
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or plastic covers)or
connectors as they may be dam-
aged if they come into contact with
high pressure water.
Do not use any high-pressure noz- zles, which induce either one-direct
water stream or water swirling.
Protecting your vehicle’s finish
Washing
To help protect your vehicle’s finish
from rust and deterioration, wash it
thoroughly and frequently at least
once a month with lukewarm or cold
water.
If you use your vehicle for off-road
driving, you should wash it after each
off-road trip. Pay special attention to
the removal of any accumulation of
salt, dirt, mud, and other foreign
materials. Make sure the drain holes
in the lower edges of the doors and
rocker panels are kept clear and
clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial pollution and similar
deposits can damage your vehicle’s
finish if not removed immediately.
Even prompt washing with plain
water may not completely remove all
these deposits. A mild soap, safe for
use on painted surfaces, should be
used.
After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with lukewarm or cold water.
Do not allow soap to dry on the fin-
ish. Do not use strong soap, chemi-
cal detergents or hot water, and
do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or when the body of the
vehicle is warm.
Be careful when washing the side windows of your vehicle.
Especially, with high-pressure
water, water may leak through
the windows and wet the interi-
or.
To prevent damage to the plastic parts, do not clean with chemi-
cal solvents or strong deter-
gents.
NOTICE
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water before getting on the
road. If braking performance is
impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly while
maintaining a slow forward
speed.
WARNING

7-76
Maintenance
Water washing in the engine compartment including high
pressure water washing may
cause the failure of electrical cir-
cuits located in the engine com-
partment.
Never allow water or other liq- uids to come in contact with
electrical/electronic compo-
nents inside the vehicle as this
may damage them. Matte paint finish vehicle (if
equipped)
Automatic car wash which uses
rotating brushes should not be
used as this can damage the sur-
face of your vehicle. A steam
cleaner which washes the vehicle
surface at high temperature may
result the oil to adhere and leave
stains that is difficult to remove.
Use a soft cloth (e.g. microfiber
towel or sponge) when washing
your vehicle and dry with a
microfiber towel. When you hand
wash your vehicle, you should not
use a cleaner that finishes with
wax. If the vehicle surface is too
dirty (sand, dirt, dust, contami-
nant, etc.), clean the surface with
water before washing the car.
Waxing
A good coat of wax provides a barri-
er between your paint and environ-
mental contamination.
Keeping a good coat of wax on your
vehicle will help protect it.
Wax the vehicle when water will no
longer bead on the paint.
Always wash and dry the vehicle
before waxing. Use a good quality
liquid or paste wax, and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions. Wax all
metal trim to protect it and to main-
tain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materi-
als with a spot remover will usually
strip the wax from the finish. Be sure
to re-wax these areas even if the rest
of the vehicle does not yet need wax-
ing.
NOTICE
NOTICE
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7
Maintenance
Wiping dust or dirt off the bodywith a dry cloth will scratch the
finish.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plat-
ed or anodized aluminum parts.
This may result in damage to the
protective coating and cause
discoloration or paint deteriora-
tion.
Matte paint finish vehicle (if
equipped)
Do not use any polish protector
such as a detergent, an abrasive
and a polish. In case wax is
applied, remove the wax immedi-
ately using a silicon remover and
if any tar or tar contaminant is on
the surface use a tar remover to
clean. However, be careful not to
apply too much pressure on the
painted area.
Repairing your vehicle's finish
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly
rust and may develop into a major
repair expense.
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or
replacement, be sure the body
shop applies anti-corrosion mate-
rials to the parts repaired or
replaced.
Matte paint finish vehicle (if
equipped)
In case of matte paint finish vehi-
cles, it is impossible to modify
only the damaged area and repair
of the whole part is necessary. If
the vehicle is damaged and paint-
ing is required, we recommend
that you have your vehicle main-
tained and repaired by an author-
ized HYUNDAI dealer. Take
extreme care, as it is difficult to
restore the quality after the repair.
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects, use a tar remover, not a scraper or
other sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright- metal parts from corrosion, apply a
coating of wax or chrome preser-
vative and rub to a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or
preservative. If necessary, coat the
parts with non-corrosive petroleum
jelly or other protective compound.
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed, acceler-
ated rusting can occur on underbody
parts such as the fuel lines, frame,
floor pan and exhaust system, even
though they have been treated with
rust protection.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE

7-78
Maintenance
Thoroughly flush the vehicle under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm or cold water once a month,
after off-road driving and at the end
of each winter. Pay special attention
to these areas because it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker
panels, and frame members have
drain holes that should not be
allowed to clog with dirt; trapped
water in these areas can cause rust-
ing.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
Do not use abrasive cleaner, pol- ishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum
wheels.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, clean the
wheels after driving on salted
roads.
Do not wash the wheels with high-speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any cleaners con- taining acid or alkaline deter-
gents.
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corro-
sion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, HYUNDAI produces cars
of the highest quality. However, this is
only part of the job. To achieve the
long-term corrosion resistance your
vehicle can deliver, the owner’s
cooperation and assistance is also
required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
Road salt, dirt and moisture that isallowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion.
NOTICE
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water. If braking performance
is impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly while
maintaining a slow forward
speed.
WARNING

7-79
7
Maintenance
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehi-
cle is regularly exposed to corrosive
materials, corrosion protection is
particularly important. Some of the
common causes of accelerated cor-
rosion are road salts, dust control
chemicals, ocean air and industrial
pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in
which corrosion is most likely to
occur. For example, corrosion is
accelerated by high humidity, partic-
ularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions,
the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the car surfaces by moisture
that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive
because it is slow to dry and holds
moisture in contact with the vehicle.
Although the mud appears to be dry,
it can still retain the moisture and
promote corrosion.
High temperatures can also acceler-
ate corrosion of parts that are not
properly ventilated so the moisture
can be dispersed. For all these rea-
sons, it is particularly important to
keep your vehicle clean and free of
mud or accumulations of other mate-
rials. This applies not only to the vis-
ible surfaces but particularly to the
underside of the vehicle.
To help prevent corrosion
Keep your car clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is
to keep your vehicle clean and free of
corrosive materials. Attention to the
underside of the vehicle is particular-
ly important.
If you live in a high-corrosion area— where road salts are used, near
the ocean, areas with industrial
pollution, acid rain, etc.—, you
should take extra care to prevent
corrosion. In winter, hose off the
underside of your vehicle at least
once a month and be sure to clean
the underside thoroughly when
winter is over.
When cleaning underneath the vehicle, pay particular attention to
the components under the fenders
and other areas that are hidden
from view. Do a thorough job; just
dampening the accumulated mud
rather than washing it away will
accelerate corrosion rather than
prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly
effective in removing accumulated
mud and corrosive materials.

7-80
Maintenance
When cleaning lower door panels, rocker panels and frame members,
be sure that drain holes are kept
open so that moisture can escape
and not be trapped inside to accel-
erate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don’t park your car in a damp, poor-
ly ventilated garage. This creates a
favorable environment for corrosion.
This is particularly true if you wash
your vehicle in the garage or drive it
into the garage when it is still wet or
covered with snow, ice or mud. Even
a heated garage can contribute to
corrosion unless it is well ventilated
so moisture is dispersed.
Keep paint and trim in good condition
Scratches or chips in the finish
should be covered with "touch-up"
paint as soon as possible to reduce
the possibility of corrosion. If bare
metal is showing through, the atten-
tion of a qualified body and paint
shop is recommended.
Bird droppings are highly corrosive
and may damage painted surfaces in
just a few hours. Always remove bird
droppings as soon as possible.
Interior Care
Interior general precautions
Prevent caustic solutions such as
perfume and cosmetic oil, from con-
tacting the interior parts because
they may cause damage or discol-
oration. If they do contact the interior
parts, wipe them off immediately.
See the instructions for the proper
way to clean vinyl.
Never allow water or other liq-uids to come in contact with
electrical/electronic compo-
nents inside the vehicle as this
may damage them.
When cleaning leather products (steering wheel, seats etc.), use
neutral detergents or low alco-
hol content solutions. If you use
high alcohol content solutions
or acid/ alkaline detergents, the
color of the leather may fade or
the surface may get stripped off.
NOTICE

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7
Maintenance
Cleaning the upholstery andinterior trim
Vinyl (if equipped)
Remove dust and loose dirt from
vinyl with a whisk broom or vacuum
cleaner. Clean vinyl surfaces with a
vinyl cleaner.
Fabric (if equipped)
Remove dust and loose dirt from fab-
ric with a whisk broom or vacuum
cleaner. Clean with a mild soap solu-
tion recommended for upholstery or
carpets. Remove fresh spots imme-
diately with a fabric spot cleaner. If
fresh spots do not receive immediate
attention, the fabric can be stained
and its color can be affected. Also, its
fire-resistant properties can be
reduced if the material is not proper-
ly maintained.
Using anything but recommended
cleaners and procedures may
affect the fabric's appearance and
fire-resistant properties.
Leather (if equipped)
Feature of Seat Leather
- Leather is made from the outerskin of an animal, which goes
through a special process to be
available for use. Since it is a nat-
ural object, each part differs in
thickness or density.
Wrinkles may appear as a natural result of stretching and shrinking
depending on the temperature
and humidity.
- The seat is made of stretchable fabric to improve comfort.
- The parts contacting the body are curved and the side supporting
area is high which provides driv-
ing comfort and stability.
- Wrinkles may appear naturally from usage. It is not a fault of the
products.
NOTICE
Wrinkles or abrasions which
appear naturally from usage
are not covered by warranty.
Belts with metallic acces-
sories, zippers or keys inside
the back pocket may damage
the seat fabric.
Make sure not to wet the seat.
It may change the nature of
natural leather.
Jeans or clothes which could
bleach may contaminate the
surface of the seat covering
fabric.
CAUTION

7-82
Maintenance
Caring for the leather seats - Vacuum the seat periodically toremove dust and sand on the
seat. It will prevent abrasion or
damage of the leather and main-
tain its quality.
- Wipe the natural leather seat cover often with dry or soft cloth.
- Use of proper leather protective may prevent abrasion of the
cover and helps maintain the
color. Be sure to read the instruc-
tions and consult a specialist
when using leather coating or
protective agent.
- Light colored (beige, cream beige) leather is easily contami-
nated and the stain is noticeable.
Clean the seats frequently.
- Avoid wiping with wet cloth. It may cause the surface to crack. Cleaning the leather seats
- Remove all contaminationsinstantly. Refer to instructions
below for removal of each con-
taminant.
- Cosmetic products (sunscreen, foundation, etc.)
Apply cleansing cream on a cloth
and wipe the contaminate spot.
Wipe off the cream with a wet
cloth and remove water with a dry
cloth.
- Beverages (coffee, soft drink, etc.)
Apply a small amount of neutral
detergent and wipe until contami-
nations do not smear.
- Oil Remove oil instantly with
absorbable cloth and wipe with
stain remover used only for natu-
ral leather.
- Chewing gum Harden the gum with ice and
remove gradually.
Cleaning the seat belt webbing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpet. Follow
the instructions provided with the
soap. Do not bleach or re-dye the
webbing because this may weaken
the seat belt.
Cleaning the interior windowglass
If the interior glass surfaces of the
vehicle become fogged (that is, cov-
ered with an oily, greasy or waxy
film), they should be cleaned with
glass cleaner. Follow the directions
on the glass cleaner container.
Do not scrape or scratch the
inside of the rear window. This
may result in damage to the rear
window defroster grid.
NOTICE