Hyundai Accent 2009 Owner's Manual

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI8
!
o Exercise extreme caution when driv-
ing on a slippery surface. Be espe-
cially careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or shifting gears. On a slippery
surface, an abrupt change in vehicle
speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out
of control.
WARNING:
o Always buckle-up! In a collision, an
unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured or
killed than a properly belted occu-
pant.
o Avoid high speeds when cornering
or turning.
o Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly in-
creased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver oversteers to reenter
the roadway.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply. In-
stead, slow down before pulling back
into the travel lanes.
o Never exceed posted speed limits.
C070D03O-AATGood Driving Practiceso Never take the car out of gear and
coast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the car in
gear.
o Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction. In-
stead, when you are driving down a
long hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. When you do this, engine brak-
ing will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
o Slow down when you encounter cross
winds. This gives you much better
control of your car.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped
before you attempt to shift into reverse.
The transaxle can be damaged if you
do not. To shift into reverse, depress
the clutch, move the shift lever to neu-
tral, wait three seconds, then shift to
the reverse position.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
92
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLEC090A01A-AATThe highly efficient Hyundai automatic
transaxle has four forward speeds and
one reverse speed. It has a conventional
shift pattern as shown in the illustration.
OMC035014
CAUTION:
Never shift into "R" or "P" position
while the car is moving.
!
NOTE:
Depress the brake pedal and push
the button when shifting
Push the button when shifting
The selector lever can be shifted
freely.
For optimum fuel economy, accelerate
gradually. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift to the second, third and over-
drive gears.
C090B02A-AATThe function of each position is as
follows:
o P (Park):Use to hold the vehicle in place when
parking or while starting the engine.
Whenever parking the car, apply the park-
ing brake and shift the selector lever to
the "P" (Park) position.
CAUTION:
Never place the selector lever in the
"P" (Park) position unless the vehicle is
fully stopped. Failure to observe this
caution will cause severe damage to
the transaxle.
!

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
10
C090H01A-AATNOTE:o For smooth and safe operation, de-
press the brake pedal when shifting
from "Neutral" position or "Park"
position to a forward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully
depressed in order to move the shift
lever from the "P" (Park) position to
any of the other positions.
o It is always possible to shift from
"R", "N", "D", "2", "L" position to "P"
position.
C090G01A-AATo L (Low gear):Use for driving up a very steep grade or
for engine braking when descending
steep hills. When downshifting to "L", the
transaxle will temporarily remain in sec-
ond gear until the vehicle has slowed
enough for low gear to engage. Do not
exceed 31 mph (50 km/h) in low gear.C090F01A-AATo 2 (Second gear):Use for driving on a slippery road, hill
climbing or engine braking downhill. "2"
automatically shifts between first and
second gears.
This means that no shift-up to 3rd gear is
performed. However, the shift-up to third
gear is done when the car speed ex-
ceeds a certain value to prevent the en-
gine from over-revving.
Manually move the selector to "D" return-
ing to normal driving condition.
C090C01A-AATo R(Reverse):Use for backing up the vehicle. Bring the
car to a complete stop before shifting the
selector lever to "R" position.C090D02A-AATo N (Neutral):In the "N" position, the transaxle is in
neutral position, which means that no
gears are engaged. The engine can be
started with the shift lever in "N" position,
although this is not recommended except
if the engine stalls while the car is mov-
ing.C090E02A-AATo D (Drive):Use for normal driving. Bring the car to a
complete stop before shifting the selector
to "D" position. The transaxle will auto-
matically shift through a four-gear se-
quence. Never downshift manually to "2"
position or "L" position when vehicle
speed is more than 60 mph (96 km/h).

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
112
C090I05A-AAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into "R", "D" and "P" position
only when the vehicle has completely
stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in re-
verse or any of the forward positions
with the brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when
shifting from "P" or "N", to "R", "D",
"2" or "L" position.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always
set the parking brake, shift the
transaxle into "P" (Park) position and
turn off the ignition when you leave
the vehicle, even momentarily. Never
leave the vehicle unattended while
the engine is running.
o When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards. Shifting
the shift lever into 2nd gear will help
prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
!
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid
level regularly, and add fluid as nec-
essary.
o See the maintenance schedule for
the proper fluid recommendation.
C090P01A-AATOverdrive SwitchWhen the overdrive switch is turned on,
the transaxle will automatically upshift to
the second, third and overdrive gears.
When the overdrive switch is turned off,
the transaxle will not upshift to the over-
drive gear. For normal driving, the selec-
tor lever should be left in the "D" position
and the overdrive switch turned on.
If you need to accelerate rapidly, press
the accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor. The transaxle will automatically shift
to a lower gear, depending on the vehicle
speed and load.
OMC035016

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
12
WARNING:
o Always buckle-up! In a collision, an
unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured or
killed than a properly belted occu-
pant.
o Avoid high speeds when cornering
or turning.
o Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly in-
creased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.
o Loss of control often occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver oversteers to reenter
the roadway.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply. In-
stead, slow down before pulling back
into the travel lanes.
o Never exceed posted speed limits.
!
o Exercise extreme caution when driv-
ing on a slippery surface. Be espe-
cially careful when braking, accelerat-
ing or shifting gears. On a slippery
surface, an abrupt change in vehicle
speed can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle to go out
of control.
o Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly de-
pressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.
o Turn the overdrive switch on for good
fuel economy and smooth driving. If
engine braking is needed in the "D"
range or if repeated upshifting and
downshifting between the 3rd and 4th
gear is needed when climbing a gentle
slope, it is recommended that the over-
drive switch be turned off. Turn the
overdrive switch back on immediately
afterward.
C090N07A-AATGood Driving Practiceso Never move the gear selector lever
from "P" or "N" to any other position
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
o Never move the gear selector lever
into "P" when the vehicle is in motion.
o Be sure the car is completely stopped
before you attempt to shift into "R" or
"D".
o Never take the car out of gear and
coast down a hill. This may be ex-
tremely hazardous. Always leave the
car in gear when moving.
o Do not "ride" the brakes. This can
cause them to overheat and malfunc-
tion. Instead, when you are driving
down a long hill, slow down and shift
to a lower gear. When you do this,
engine braking will help slow the car.
o Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. Otherwise, the lower gear may
not be engaged.
o Always use the parking brake. Do not
depend on placing the transaxle in "P"
to keep the car from moving.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
132
!
o 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 opera-
tion the vehicle may suddenly move
forward of backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury to nearby
people or damage to objects.
WARNING:
!
WARNING:
ABS will not prevent accidents due to
improper or dangerous driving maneu-
vers. Even though vehicle control is
improved during emergency braking,
always maintain a safe distance be-
tween you and objects ahead. Vehicle
speeds should always be reduced dur-
ing extreme road conditions.
The braking distance for cars equipped
with an anti-lock braking system may
be longer than for those without it in the
following road conditions.
During these conditions the veicle
should be driven at reduced speeds.
o Rough, gravel or snow-covered
roads.
o With tire chains installed.
o On roads where the road surface is
pitted or has different surface height.
These roads should be driven at re-
duced speeds. The safety features of
an ABS equipped vehicle should not be
tested by high speed driving or corner-
ing. This could endanger the safety of
yourself or others.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYS-
TEMC120A01MC-AAT(If Installed)The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is
designed to prevent wheel lock-up dur-
ing sudden braking or on hazardous road
surfaces. The ABS control module moni-
tors the wheel speed and controls the
pressure applied to each brake. Thus, in
emergency situations or on slick roads,
ABS will increase vehicle control during
braking.NOTE:o A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the ve-
hicle begins to move after the engine
is started. These conditions are nor-
mal and indicate that the anti-lock
brake system is functioning prop-
erly.
o During ABS operation, a slight pulsa-
tion may be felt in the brake pedal
when the brakes are applied. Also, a
noise may be heard in the engine
compartment while braking. These
conditions are normal and indicate
that the anti-lock brake system is
functioning properly.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
14
o After being parked, check to be sure
the parking brake is not engaged and
that the parking brake indicator light is
out before driving away.
o Driving through water may get the
brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the car is washed. Wet brakes
can be dangerous! Your car will not
stop as quickly if the brakes are wet.
Wet brakes may cause the car to pull
to one side. To dry the brakes, apply
the brakes lightly until the braking ac-
tion returns to normal, taking care to
keep the car under control at all times.
If the braking action does not return to
normal, stop as soon as it is safe to do
so and call your Hyundai dealer for
assistance.
o Don't coast down hills with the car out
of gear. This is extremely hazardous.
Keep the car in gear at all times, use
the brakes to slow down, then shift to
a lower gear so that engine braking
will help you maintain a safe speed.
o Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting
your foot on the brake pedal while
driving can be dangerous because it
can result in the brakes overheating
and losing their effectiveness. It also
increases the wear of the brake com-
ponents.o If a tire goes flat while you are driving,
apply the brakes gently and keep the
car pointed straight ahead while you
slow down. When you are moving
slowly enough for it to be safe to do so,
pull off the road and stop in a safe
place.
o If your car is equipped with an auto-
matic transaxle, don't let your car creep
forward. To avoid creeping forward,
keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal
when the car is stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill.
Firmly engage the parking brake and
place the gear selector lever in "P"
(automatic transaxle) or in first or re-
verse gear (manual transaxle). If your
car is facing downhill, turn the front
wheels into the curb to help keep the
car from rolling. If your car is facing
uphill, turn the front wheels away from
the curb to help keep the car from
rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to keep
the car from rolling, block the wheels.
GOOD BRAKING PRACTICES!
C130A02A-AAT
WARNING:
o Whenever leaving vehicle or park-
ing, always set the parking brake as
far as possible and fully engage the
vehicle's transaxle into the park po-
sition. Vehicles not fully engaged in
park with the parking brake set are
at risk for moving inadvertently and
injuring yourself or others.
o All vehicles should always have the
parking brake fully engaged when
parking to avoid inadvertent move-
ment of the car which can injure
occupants or pedestrians.
o Nothing should be carried on top of
the shelf panel behind the rear seat.
If there were an accident or a sudden
stop, such objects could move for-
ward and cause damage to the ve-
hicle or injure the occupants.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
152
DRIVING FOR ECONOMYC140A02A-AATYou can save fuel and get more miles
from your car if you follow these sugges-
tions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a mod-
erate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit"
starts or full-throttle shifts and maintain
a steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to that of the other traffic so you
don't have to change speeds unnec-
essarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever
possible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you can
avoid unnecessary braking. This also
reduces brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster
you drive, the more fuel your car uses.
Driving at a moderate speed, espe-
cially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-
sumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption
and also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with your
foot resting on the brake pedal may
cause the brakes to overheat, which
reduces their effectiveness and may
lead to more serious consequences. o Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged posi-
tion. 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 that the
parking brake may freeze, apply it only
temporarily while you put the gear
selector lever in "P" (automatic) or in
first or reverse gear (manual transaxle)
and block the rear wheels so the car
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
o Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade
with the accelerator pedal. This can
cause the transaxle to overheat. Al-
ways use the brake pedal or parking
brake.o Take care of your tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at least
once a month.
o Be sure that the wheels are aligned
correctly. Improper alignment can re-
sult from hitting curbs or driving too fast
over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption.
o Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced main-
tenance costs, maintain your car in
accordance with the maintenance
schedule in Section 5. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more fre-
quent maintenance is required (see
Section 5 for details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your Hyundai should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials.
It is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
16
WINTER DRIVINGC160A01A-AATThe more severe weather conditions of
winter result in greater wear and other
problems. To minimize the problems of
winter driving, you should follow these
suggestions: o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than
necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
o Remember, your Hyundai does not
require extended warm-up. After the
engine has started, allow the engine to
run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to plac-
ing the vehicle in gear. In very cold
weather, however, give your engine a
slightly longer warm-up period.
o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine.
Lugging is driving too slowly in too
high a gear resulting in the engine
bucking. If this happens, shift to a lower
gear. Over-revving is racing the en-
gine beyond its safe limit. This can be
avoided by shifting at the recommend-
ed speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is oper-
ated by engine power so your fuel
economy is reduced when you use it.
SMOOTH CORNERINGC150A01A-AATAvoid braking or gear changing in cor-
ners, especially when roads are wet. Ide-
ally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration. If you follow
these suggestions, tire wear will be held
to a minimum.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
172
C160D01A-AATCheck Battery and CablesWinter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in Section
6. The level of charge in your battery can
be checked by your Hyundai dealer or a
service station.C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
CoolantYour Hyundai is delivered with high qual-
ity 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 freez-
ing. Be sure to replace or replenish your
coolant in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule in Section 5. Before win-
ter, have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for the
temperatures anticipated during the win-
ter.
C160B01A-AATSnowy 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 to 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.NOTE:Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.
C160E01A-AATChange 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 9
for recommendations. If you aren't sure
what weight oil you should use, consult
your Hyundai dealer.C160F02A-AATCheck Spark Plugs and Ignition
SystemInspect your spark plugs 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.