Hyundai Elantra 2008 Owner's Manual

Features of your vehicle128 47. Category Search ButtonPress this button to search another cate-
gory while listening to current channel
(LCD will display "CAT"). (Press [ ] to
search in the higher categories and [ ],
lower categories. Press 8 when you want
to choose the category you want and the
system will receive the channel on the
top of the list in the selected category.)8. Channel Search Control and
SelectorWhile listening to XM broadcast, rotate
this control to the right or left to search
other channels while listening to current
channel. (Turn to the right to search
higher channels and left, lower channels.
When you find the channel you want,
press the button to select the channel.)✽ ✽
NOTICERotate this control to right or left during
category search, the LCD will display
"" and press this button to select
the channel you want within the catego-
ry you want.

5
Before driving / 5-3
Key positions / 5-4
Starting the engine / 5-5
Manual transaxle / 5-7
Automatic transaxle / 5-10
Brake system / 5-16
Cruise control system / 5-26
Economical operation / 5-30
Special driving conditions / 5-32
Winter driving / 5-35
Trailer towing / 5-39
Vehicle load limit / 5-47
Weight of the vehicle / 5-52
Driving your vehicle

Driving your vehicle2 5
WARNING
- ENGINE EXHAUST CAN BE DANGEROUS!
Engine exhaust fumes can be extremely dangerous. If, at any time, you smell exhaust fumes inside the vehicle, open the win-
dows immediately.
• Do not inhale exhaust fumes.
Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can cause unconsciousness and death by asphyxia-
tion.

The exhaust system should be checked whenever the vehicle is raised to change the oil or for any other purpose. If you hear
a change in the sound of the exhaust or if you drive over something that strikes the underneath side of the car, have the
exhaust system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Hyundai dealer.

Letting the engine idle in your garage, even with the garage door open, is a hazardous practice. Never run the engine in your
garage any longer than it takes to start the engine and back the car out.

If it is necessary to idle the engine for a prolonged period with people inside the car, be sure to do so only in an open area
with the air intake set at "Fresh" and fan operating at one of the higher speeds so fresh air is drawn into the interior.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open because you are carrying objects that make this necessary:
1. Close all windows.
2. Open side vents.
3. Set the air intake control at "Fresh", the air flow control at "Floor" or "Face" and the fan at one of the higher speeds.
To assure proper operation of the ventilation system, be sure the ventilation air intakes located just in front of the windshield are
kept clear of snow, ice, leaves or other obstructions.

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-
ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind
you if you intend to back up.Necessary inspections Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, “Maintenance”.Before starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are
easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview
mirrors. Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into “Drive” or “Reverse”.
PROPOSITION 65 WARN-
ING
Engine exhaust and a wide variety
of automobile components and
parts, including components found
in the interior furnishings in a vehi-
cle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, cer-
tain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component
wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm.

Driving your vehicle4 5
Illuminated ignition switch Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 30 sec-
onds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch positionLOCKThe steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position.
OUN036001
OUN036002
WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.
Driving while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more dan-
gerous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
KEY POSITIONS

55
Driving your vehicle
ACC (Accessory)The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf difficulty is experienced in turning the
ignition key to the ACC position, turn
the steering wheel right and left to
release the tension and then turn the
key.ONThe warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the
engine is not running to prevent battery
discharge.
STARTTurn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in this
position.
Starting the gasoline engine 1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Manual Transaxle- Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
while turning the ignition switch to the
start position.
Automatic Transaxle- Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when
the shift lever is in the N (Neutral)
position.
WARNING -
Ignition key
Never turn the ignition switch to
LOCK or ACC while the vehicle is
moving. This would result in loss
of directional control and braking
function, which could cause an
accident.
The anti-theft steering column lock
is not a substitute for the parking
brake. Before leaving the driver’s
seat, always make sure the shift
lever is engaged in P (Park) for the
automatic transaxle and set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement may occur
if these precautions are not taken.
Never reach for the ignition switch,
or any other controls through the
steering wheel while the vehicle is
in motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily injury
or death.
Do not place any movable objects
around the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an acci-
dent.
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski
boots,etc.) may interfere with your
ability to use the brake and acceler-
ator pedal, and the clutch (if
equipped).STARTING THE ENGINE

Driving your vehicle6 53. Turn the ignition switch to START and
hold it there until the engine starts (a
maximum of 10 seconds), then
release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below
0°F / -18°C) or after the vehicle has
not been operated for several days, let
the engine warm up without depress-
ing the accelerator.Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing
the accelerator.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for more
than 10 seconds. If the engine stalls
or fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds
before re-engaging the starter.
Improper use of the starter may
damage it.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you are in
motion, do not attempt to move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position. If
traffic and road conditions permit,
you may put the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position while the vehicle
is still moving and turn the ignition
switch to the START position in an
attempt to restart the engine.

57
Driving your vehicle
Manual transaxle operationThe manual transaxle has 5 forward
gears.
This shift pattern is imprinted on the shift
knob. The transaxle is fully synchronized
in all forward gears so shifting to either a
higher or a lower gear is easily accom-
plished.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, then release it slowly.
The gearshift lever must be returned to
the neutral position before shifting into R
(Reverse). The ring located immediately
below the shift knob must be pulled
upward while moving the shift lever to the
R position.Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into R (Reverse).
Never operate the engine with the
tachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OHD056002
The ring (1) must be pulled up while moving the shift lever. The shift lever can be moved without pulling the ring (1).

Driving your vehicle8 5
To shift into reverse, rest the lever in
neutral for at least 3 seconds after your
car is completely stopped. Then move
the lever into the reverse position.
During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and
it's hard to shift into 1st or R (Reverse),
put the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi-
tion and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.
CAUTION
When downshifting from fifth
gear to fourth gear, caution
should be taken not to inadver-
tently press the gear shift lever
sideways in such a manner that
second gear is engaged. Such a
drastic downshift may cause the
engine speed to increase to the
point that the tachometer will
enter the red-zone. Such over-
revving of the engine may possi-
bly cause engine damage.
Do not downshift more than 2
gears or downshift the gear when
the engine is running at high
speed (5,000 RPM or higher).
Such a downshifting may damage
the engine.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear
and damage, do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch
pedal. Also, don’t use the clutch
to hold the vehicle stopped on an
uphill grade, while waiting for a
traffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a
handrest during driving, as this
can result in premature wear of
the transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then make
sure the transaxle is shifted into 1st
gear when the vehicle is parked on
a level or uphill grade, and shifted
into R (Reverse) on a downhill
grade. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
these precautions are not followed
in the order identified.

59
Driving your vehicle
Using the clutchThe clutch should be pressed all the way
to the floor before shifting, then released
slowly. The clutch pedal should always be
fully released while driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes unnec-
essary wear. Use the foot brake or park-
ing brake to hold the car on an incline. Do
not operate the clutch pedal rapidly and
repeatedly.DownshiftingWhen you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is traveling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
Good driving practices Never take the car out of gear and
coast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the car in
gear.
Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction.
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.
Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter cross
winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your car.
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.
Exercise extreme caution when driving
on a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating 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
Always buckle-up! In a collision,
an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner-
ing or turning.
Do not make quick steering
wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of rollover is greatly
increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speeds.
Loss of control often occurs if
two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
In the event your vehicle leaves
the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed lim-
its.