battery Hyundai Elantra 2008 Owner's Guide

511
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operationThe highly efficient automatic transaxle
has 4 forward speeds and one reverse
speed. The individual speeds are select-
ed automatically, depending on the posi-
tion of the shift lever.
All normal forward driving is done with
the shift lever in the D (Drive) position.
To move the shift lever from the P (Park)
position, the brake pedal must be
depressed with the ignition switch ON.✽ ✽
NOTICEThe first few shifts on a new vehicle, if
the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module).
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to a
forward or reverse gear.
WARNING
- Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
putting a car into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-
tified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do
not hold the vehicle stationary
with engine power. Use the serv-
ice brake or the parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P
(Park) into D (Drive), or R
(Reverse) when the engine is
above idle speed.

521
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the engine
may not run as smoothly and the ABS
warning light may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your
ABS is malfunctioning.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
Electronic stability control (ESC)
(If equipped)The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is designed to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering manuevers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies the
brakes at individual wheels and
intervenes in the engine management
system to stabilize the vehicle.
CAUTION
When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road,
and operate your brakes continu-
ously, the ABS will be active con-
tinuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your car
over to a safe place and stop the
engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light is off, then your
ABS system is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a prob-
lem with the ABS. Contact an
authorized Hyundai dealer as
soon as possible.
WARNING
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when cor-
nering. Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) will not prevent accidents.
Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers and hydroplaning on
wet surfaces can still result in seri-
ous accidents. Only a safe and
attentive driver can prevent acci-
dents by avoiding maneuvers that
cause the vehicle to lose traction.
Even with ESC installed, always fol-
low all the normal precautions for
driving - including driving at safe
speeds for the conditions.
OHD056007N

537
Driving your vehicle
Use high quality ethylene glycol
coolantYour vehicle is delivered with high quality
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
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish
your coolant in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in Section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested to
assure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.Check battery and cablesWinter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in Section
7. The level of charge in your battery can
be checked by an authorized Hyundai
dealer or a service station.
Change 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
an authorized Hyundai dealer.Check spark plugs and ignition
systemInspect your spark plugs as described in
Section 7 and replace them if necessary.
Also check all ignition wiring and compo-
nents to be sure they are not cracked,
worn or damaged in any way.
To keep locks from freezingTo 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.Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in systemTo keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. 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
anti-freeze as these may damage the
paint finish.

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.

7
Engine compartment / 7-2
Maintenance services / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-5
Scheduled maintenance service / 7-7
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items / 7-12
Engine oil / 7-15
Engine coolant / 7-16
Brakes and clutch fluid / 7-19
Automatic transaxle fluid / 7-20
Washer fluid / 7-22
Parking brake / 7-22
Air cleaner / 7-23
Climate control air filter / 7-25
Wiper blades / 7-27
Battery / 7-29
Tires and wheels / 7-32
Fuses / 7-45
Light bulbs / 7-54
Appearance care / 7-59
Emission control system / 7-65
California perchlorate notice / 7-67
Maintenance

Maintenance2 7ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OHD076002
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Positive battery terminal
8. Auto transaxle oil dipstick*
9. Radiator cap
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
* : if equipped
■ ■
Gasoline Engine (2.0L)

Maintenance6 7At least monthly: Check coolant level in the engine
coolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior
lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all
tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) : Check radiator, heater and air condi-
tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check windshield washer spray and
wiper operation. Clean wiper blades
with clean cloth dampened with wash-
er fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields
and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear
and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel
lug nuts.
At least once a year : Clean body and door drain holes.
Lubricate door hinges and checks, and
hood hinges.
Lubricate door and hood locks and
latches.
Lubricate door rubber weatherstrips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic
transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean battery and terminals.
Check the brake (and clutch) fluid
level.

729
Maintenance
For best battery service Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the
battery immediately with a solution of
water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for
an extended time, disconnect the bat-
tery cables.
WARNING
- Battery
dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and
all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com-
bustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the
reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)
(Continued)
If any electrolyte gets into
your eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensa-
tion, get medical attention
immediately.
Wear eye protection when
charging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
(Continued)
BATTERY
OHD076024