06
6-61
The severe weather conditions of winter
quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving
problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or Icy Conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid
acceleration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially
very hazardous practices. During
deceleration, use engine braking to the
fullest extent. Sudden brake applications
on snowy or icy roads may cause the
vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires or to
install tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or chains,
a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket,
etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size
and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of
your vehicle may be adversely affected.
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure to use 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. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle's
original equipment tires. Check with
the tire dealer for maximum speed
recommendations.
Information
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions against
their use.
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 preferred over the
use of tire chains.
If the road and weather conditions
require the use of tire chains, be sure to
use tire chains that have been properly
selected for the size of tire on your
HYUNDAI vehicle.
Be sure to follow the guidelines and
installation instructions provided from
the tire chain manufacturer.
Damage to your vehicle caused by
improper tire chain use is not covered by
your vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.
WARNING
The use of tire chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling:
[ Drive less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
or the chain manufacturer'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.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has 235/40R18 size tires,
do not use tire chain; they can damage
your vehicle (wheel, suspension and
body).
WINTER DRIVING
06
6-63
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the
battery and cables as described in
chapter 8. The level of charge in your
battery can be checked by an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer or a service station.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as described in
chapter 8 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.
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 instructions on the
container.
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
antifreeze as these may damage the
paint finish.
Do not let your parking brake freeze
Under 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 temporarily while you put the
gear selector lever in P and block the
rear wheels so the car cannot roll. Then
release the parking brake.
Do not 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 car to be sure the
movement of the front wheels and the
steering components is not obstructed.
Don't place foreign objects
or materials in the engine
compartment
Placement of foreign object or materials
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.
To keep locks from freezing
To 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.
Drive your vehicle when water vapor
condenses and accumulates inside
the exhaust pipes
When the vehicle is stopped for a
long time in winter while the engine is
running, water vapor may condense and
accumulate inside the exhaust pipes.
Water in the exhaust pipes may cause
noise, etc., but it is drained driving at
medium to high speed.
09
9-27
Blade Inspection
Contamination of either the windshield
or the wiper blades with foreign matter
can reduce the effectiveness of the
windshield wiper functionality. Common
sources of contamination are insects,
tree sap, and hot wax treatments used
by some commercial car washes. If the
blades are not wiping properly, clean
both the window and the blades with a
clean cloth dampened with washer fluid.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the wiper blades,
arms or other components, do not:
[ Use gasoline, kerosene, paint
thinner, or other solvents on or near
them.
[ Attempt to move the wipers
manually.
[ Use non-specified wiper blades.
Information
Commercial hot waxes applied by
automatic car washes have been known to
make the windshield difficult to clean.
Blade Replacement
When the wipers no longer clean
adequately, the blades may be worn or
cracked, and require replacement.
NOTICE
[ In order to prevent damage to the
hood and the wiper arms, the wiper
arms should only be lifted when in
the top wiping position.
[ Always return the wiper arms to the
windshield before driving.
NOTICE
The use of a non-specified wiper blade
could result in wiper malfunction and
failure.
WIPER BLADES