Hyundai Elantra 2008 Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle50 5To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.
The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
WARNING -
Over loading
Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
cause an accident or vehicle
damage. You can calculate the
weight of your load by weigh-
ing the items (or people)
before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to over-
load your vehicle.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR, either
the maximum front or rear
GAWR and vehicle capacity
weight. If you do, parts, includ-
ing tires on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the
way your vehicle handles and
braking ability. This could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
WARNING
Overloading your vehicle can
cause heat buildup in your
vehicle's tires and possible
tire failure that could lead to a
crash.
Overloading your vehicle can
cause increased stopping dis-
tances that could lead to a
crash.
A crash resulting from poor
handling vehicle damage, tire
failure, or increased stopping
distances could result in seri-
ous injury or death.

551
Driving your vehilcle
WARNING -
Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put items in the cargo area of
your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Never stack items, like suit-
cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure it.
Do not drive with a seat folded
down unless necessary.
CAUTION
Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would
not be covered by your war-
ranty. Do not overload your
vehicle.
Using heavier suspension
components to get added
durability might not change
your weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load your
vehicle the right way.

Driving your vehicle52 5This section will guide you in the proper
loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to
keep your loaded vehicle weight within its
design rating capability, with or without a
trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of the vehicle
design performance. Before loading your
vehicle, familiarize yourself with the fol-
lowing terms for determining your vehi-
cle's weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle's specifications
and the compliance label:
Base curb weight
This is the weight of the vehicle including
a full tank of fuel and all standard equip-
ment. It does not include passengers,
cargo, or optional equipment.
Vehicle curb weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your dealer
plus any aftermarket equipment.
Cargo weight
This figure includes all weight added to
the Base Curb Weight, including cargo
and optional equipment.GAW (Gross axle weight)
This is the total weight placed on each
axle (front and rear) - including vehicle
curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating)This is the maximum allowable weight
that can be carried by a single axle (front
or rear). These numbers are shown on
the compliance label.
The total load on each axle must never
exceed its GAWR.
GVW (Gross vehicle weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus actual
Cargo Weight plus passengers.
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating)
This is the maximum allowable weight of
the fully loaded vehicle (including all
options, equipment, passengers and
cargo). The GVWR is shown on the com-
pliance label located on the driver’s door
sill.
Overloading
WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE
WARNING -
Vehicle weight
The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your vehi-
cle are on the manufacturer's label
attached to the driver's center pil-
lar. Exceeding these ratings can
cause an accident or vehicle dam-
age. You can calculate the weight of
your load by weighing the items
(and people) before putting them in
the vehicle. Be careful not to over-
load your vehicle.

6
Road warning / 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving / 6-2
If the engine will not start / 6-3
Emergency starting / 6-4
If the engine overheats / 6-5
Tires pressure monitoring system (TPMS) / 6-7
If you have a flat tire / 6-12
Towing / 6-20
What to do in an emergency

What to do in an emergency2 6ROAD WARNING Hazard warning flasher The hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle.It should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehi-
cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Depress the flasher switch with the igni-
tion switch in any position. The flasher
switch is located in the center console
switch panel. All turn signal lights will
flash simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
The turn signals do not work when the
hazard flasher is on.
Care must be taken when using the
hazard warning flasher while the vehi-
cle is being towed.
If you have a flat tire while drivingIf a tire goes flat while you are driving:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal
and let the car slow down while driving
straight ahead. Do not apply the brakes
immediately or attempt to pull off the
road as this may cause a loss of con-
trol. When the car has slowed to such
a speed that it is safe to do so, brake
carefully and pull off the road. Drive off
the road as far as possible and park on
firm, level ground. If you are on a divid-
ed highway, do not park in the median
area between the two traffic lanes.
2. When the car is stopped, turn on your
emergency hazard flashers, set the
parking brake and put the transaxle in
P (automatic transaxle) or reverse
(manual transaxle).
3. Have all passengers get out of the car.
Be sure they all get out on the side of
the car that is away from traffic.
4. When changing a flat tire, follow the
instruction provided later in this sec-
tion.IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
WHILE DRIVING
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63
What to do in an emergency
If engine stalls while driving1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try to start the engine again. If your
vehicle will not start, contact an
authorized Hyundai dealer or seek
other qualified assistance.
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly1. If your car has an automatic transaxle,
be sure the gear selector lever is in N
(Neutral) or P (Park) and the emer-
gency brake is set.
2. Check the battery connections to be
sure they are clean and tight.
3. Turn on the interior light. If the light
dims or goes out when you operate the
starter, the battery is discharged.
4. Check the starter connections to be
sure they are securely tightened.
5. Do not push or pull the vehicle to start
it. See instructions for "Jump starting".
If engine turns over normally but
does not start1. Check fuel level.
2. With the ignition switch in the OFF
position, check all connectors at igni-
tion, coil and spark plugs. Reconnect
any that may be disconnected or
loose.
3. Check the fuel line in the engine com-
partment.
4. If the engine still does not start, call an
authorized Hyundai dealer or seek
other qualified assistance.
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
WARNING
If the engine will not start, do not
push or pull the car to start it. This
could result in a collision or cause
other damage. In addition, push or
pull starting may cause the catalyt-
ic converter to be overloaded and
create a fire hazard.

What to do in an emergency4 6EMERGENCY STARTINGJump starting Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.
Jump starting procedure 1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-
volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow the vehicles to
touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence shown in the illustration.
First connect one end of a jumper
cable to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery (1), then connect
the other end to the positive terminal
on the booster battery (2). Proceed to
connect one end of the other jumper
cable to the negative terminal of the
booster battery (3), then the other end
to a solid, stationary, metallic point (for
example, the engine lifting bracket)
away from the battery (4). Do not con-
nect it to or near any part that moves
when the engine is cranked.
Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct battery
terminals or the correct ground. Do not
lean over the battery when making
connections.
CAUTION
Use only a 12-volt jumper system.
You can damage a 12-volt starting
motor, ignition system, and other
electrical parts beyond repair by
use of a 24-volt power supply (either
two 12-volt batteries in series or a
24-volt motor generator set).
WARNING
- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks away
from the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame or
sparks.
Do not attempt to jump start the
vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
WARNING
- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.
1VQA4001
Discharged battery Jumper Cables
Booster battery
(-)
(+)
(+)
(-)

65
What to do in an emergency
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent, you should have your vehi-
cle checked by an authorized Hyundai
dealer.Push-starting Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, you experience a loss of power,
or hear loud pinging or knocking, the
engine is probably too hot. If this hap-
pens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it
is safe to do so.
2. Place the gear selector lever in P
(automatic transaxle) or neutral (man-
ual transaxle) and set the parking
brake. If the air conditioning is on, turn
it off.
3. If engine coolant is running out under
the car or steam is coming out from
the hood, stop the engine. Do not open
the hood until the coolant has stopped
running or the steaming has stopped.
If there is no visible loss of engine
coolant and no steam, leave the
engine running and check to be sure
the engine cooling fan is operating. If
the fan is not running, turn the engine
off.
4. Check to see if the water pump drive
belt is missing. If it is not missing,
check to see that it is tight. If the drive
belt seems to be satisfactory, check for
coolant leaking from the radiator,
hoses or under the car. (If the air con-
ditioning had been in use, it is normal
for cold water to be draining from it
when you stop).5. If the water pump drive belt is broken
or engine coolant is leaking out, stop
the engine immediately and call the
nearest authorized Hyundai dealer for
assistance.
CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.
CAUTION
- Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable
from the negative terminal of the
booster battery to the negative ter-
minal of the discharged battery.
This can cause the discharged bat-
tery to overheat and crack, releas-
ing battery acid.
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
WARNING
While the engine is running, keep
hair, hands and clothing away from
moving parts such as the fan and
drive belts to prevent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This can
allow coolant to be blown out of the
opening and cause serious burns.

What to do in an emergency6 66. If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine tem-
perature has returned to normal. Then,
if coolant has been lost, carefully add
coolant to the reservoir to bring the
fluid level in the reservoir up to the
halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for
further signs of overheating. If over-
heating happens again, call an author-
ized Hyundai dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates
there is a leak in the cooling system
and this should be checked as soon
as possible by an authorized
Hyundai dealer.

67
What to do in an emergency
TIRES PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) (IF EQUIPPED) (1) Low Tire Pressure Telltale
(2) TPMS Malfunction Indicator
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehi-
cle manufacturer on the vehicle plac-
ard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper inflation pressure for those
tires.)As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low
tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire caus-
es the tire to overheat and can lead
to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle’s han-
dling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s responsi-
bility to maintain correct tire pres-
sure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS mal-
function indicator is provided by a
separate telltale, which displays the
symbol "TPMS" when illuminated.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of rea-
sons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
indicator after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
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