winter tires Hyundai Accent 2009 Owner's Manual

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.

3
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
7
!
CAUTION:
In winter or cold weather, the low
tire pressure telltale may be illumi-
nated if the tire pressure was ad-
justed to the recommended tire in-
flation pressure in warm weather. It
does not mean your TPMS is mal-
functioning because the decreased
temperature leads to a proportional
lowering of tire pressure.
When you drive your vehicle from a
warm area to a cold area or from a
cold area to a warm area, or the
outside temperature is greatly
higher or lower, you should check
the tire inflation pressure and ad-
just the tires to the recommended
tire inflation pressure.
WARNING:
Significantly low tire pressure
makes the vehicle unstable and can
contribute to loss of vehicle control
and increased braking distances.
Continued driving on low pressure
tires will cause the tires to overheat
and fail.
TPMS (Tire Pressure Moni-
toring System) Malfunction
Indicator
The TPMS malfunction indicator comes
on and stays on when there is a
problem with the Tire Pressure Moni-
toring System. If the system is able to
correctly detect an under-inflation warn-
ing at the same time as system failure
then it will illuminate both the TPMS
malfunction and the low tire pressure
telltale e.g. if Front Left sensor fails,
the TPMS malfunction indicator turns
on, but if Front Right, Rear Left, or
!
Rear Right tire is under-inflated, the
low tire pressure telltale may turn on at
the same time as the TPMS malfunc-
tion indicator. Have the system
checked by an authorized Hyundai
dealer as soon as possible to deter-
mine the cause of the problem.
NOTE:
o The TPMS malfunction indicator
may be illuminated if the vehicle is
moving around electric power sup-
ply cables or radio transmitters
such as police stations, govern-
ment and public offices, broad-
casting stations, military installa-
tions, airports, or transmitting tow-
ers, etc. which can interfere with
normal operation of the Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring System (TPMS).
o The TPMS malfunction indicator
may be illuminated if snow chains
or some electronic devices, such
as notebook computers, are used
in the vehicle. This can interfere
with normal operation of the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS).

44
CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE4
Use a clean sponge or cloth, rinse it
frequently and don't damage the finish by
rubbing too hard. For stubborn spots,
dampen them frequently and remove
them a little at a time.
To clean whitewall tires, use a stiff brush
or soap-impregnated steel-wool scour-
ing pad.
To clean plastic wheel covers, use a
clean sponge or soft cloth and water.
To clean cast aluminum alloy wheels,
use a mild soap or neutral detergent. Do
not use abrasive cleaners. Protect the
bare-metal surfaces by cleaning, polish-
ing and waxing. Because aluminum is
subject to corrosion, be sure to give alu-
minum alloy wheels special attention in
winter. If you drive on salted roads, clean
the wheels thoroughly afterwards.
After washing, be sure to rinse thoroughly.
If soapy water dries on the finish, streak-
ing will result.
When the weather is warm and the hu-
midity low, you may find it necessary to
rinse each section immediately after wash-
ing to avoid streaking.After rinsing, dry the car using a damp
chamois or soft, absorbent cloth. The rea-
son for drying the car is to remove water
from the car so it will dry without water
spots. Don't rub, this can damage the
finish.
If you find any nicks or scratches in the
paint, use touch-up paint to cover them to
prevent corrosion. To protect the
paintwork of the car against corrosion,
you must clean your Hyundai (at least
once a month). Give special attention to
the removal of salt, mud and other sub-
stances on the underside of the
splashboards of the car. Make sure that
the outlets and the underside of the doors
are open. Paint damage can be caused
by small accumulation of tar, industrial
precipitation, tree resin, insects and bird
droppings, when not removed immedi-
ately.
If water alone is not strong enough to
remove the accumulated dirt, use a mild
car washing solution. Be sure to rinse the
surface after washing to remove the solu-
tion. Never allow the solution to dry on the
painted surfaces.
WASHING AND WAXINGE030A02A-AATWashing Your HyundaiNever wash your car when the surface is
hot from being in the sun. Always wash
your car in the shade.
Wash your car frequently. Dirt is abrasive
and can scratch the paint if it is not re-
moved. Air pollution or acid rain may
damage the paint and trim through chemi-
cal action if pollutants are allowed to
remain in contact with the surface. If you
live near the ocean or in an area where
road salts or dust control chemicals are
used, you should pay particular attention
to the underside of the car. Start by rins-
ing the car to remove dust and loose dirt.
In winter, or if you have driven through
mud or muddy water, be sure to thor-
oughly clean the underside as well. Use
a hard direct stream of water to remove
accumulations of mud or corrosive mate-
rials. Use a good quality car-washing
solution and follow the manufacturer's
directions on the package. These are
available at your Hyundai dealer or auto
parts outlet. Don't use strong household
detergents, gasoline, strong solvents or
abrasive cleaning powders as these may
damage the finish.