weight Hyundai Sonata 2004 Owner's Manual

1- 2 FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
CAUTION:Your Hyundai's New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty may not cover damage to the fuel
system and any performance problems that
are caused by the use of fuels containing
methanol or fuels containing MTBE (Methyl
Tertiary Butyl Ether) over 15.0% vol. (Oxy-
gen Content 2.7% weight.)B010B01A-AATWhat About Gasohol?
Gasohol (a mixture of 90% unleaded gasoline
and 10% ethanol or grain alcohol) may be used
in your Hyundai. However, if your engine devel-
ops driveability problems, the use of 100%
unleaded gasoline is recommended. Fuels with
unspecified quantities of alcohol, or alcohols
other than ethanol, should not be used.
B010A02A-AATFUEL RECOMMENDATIONS
Use Unleaded Gasoline
Unleaded gasoline with a Pump Octane
Rating of 87 (Research Octane Number 91)
or higher must be used in your Hyundai.
If leaded gasoline is used, it will cause the
catalytic converter to become ineffective and
the emission control system to malfunction.
This can also result in increased maintenance
expense.
To avoid accidental use of leaded fuel, the larger
nozzle used with leaded gasoline at service
stations cannot be inserted into the fuel tank
opening of your Hyundai.
B010C01A-AAT
Use of MTBE
Hyundai recommends that fuels containing
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) over 15.0%
vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7% weight) should not
be used in your Hyundai.
Fuel containing MTBE over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen
Content 2.7% weight) may reduce vehicle per-
formance and produce vapor lock or hard
starting.
B010D01A-AATDo Not Use Methanol
Fuels containing methanol (wood alcohol) should
not be used in your Hyundai. This type of fuel
can reduce vehicle performance and damage
components of the fuel system.
B010E01A-AATGasolines for Cleaner AirTo help contribute to cleaner air, Hyundai rec-
ommends that you use gasolines treated with
detergent additives, which help prevent deposit
formation in the engine. These gasolines will
help the engine run cleaner and the Emission
Control System performance.
!
CAUTION:o Do not "TOP-OFF" after the first nozzle
shut off when refueling.
o The fuel cap must be tightened at least
3 clicks, otherwise " " light may
illuminate.
B010A03Y-1
UNLEADED
FUEL ONLY
!

FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI 1- 11
!
B080C01A-AATAdjusting Seatback Angle
To recline the seatback, lean forward to take
your weight off it, then pull up on the recliner
control lever at the outside edge of the seat. Now
lean back until the desired seatback angle is
achieved. To lock the seatback into position,
release the recliner control lever.
WARNING:To minimize risk of severe injury in the
event of a collision or a sudden stop, both
the driver and passenger seatbacks should
always be in an upright position while the
vehicle is in motion. The protection pro-
vided by the seat belts and airbags may be
reduced significantly when the seatbacks
are reclined. There is greater risk that the
driver and passenger will slide under the
seat belt which may result in serious injury
if a crash occurs when the seatbacks are
reclined. The seat belt cannot provide full
protection to an occupant if the seat back
is reclined.
B080D01L-GATAdjustable Headrests
Headrests are designed to help reduce the risk
of neck injuries.
To raise the headrest, pull it up. To lower it, push
it down while pressing the lock knob.
If equipped with a horizontally adjustable type of
headrest, pull on the top.
B080C02YHXG200J
Lock Knob

1- 16 FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
!
!
B150C02A-AATLarger Children
Children who are too large for child restraint
systems should occupy the rear seat and use
the available lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion
should be fastened snug on the hips and as low
as possible. Check belt fit periodically. A child's
squirming could put the belt out of position.
Children are afforded the most safety in the
event of an accident when they are restrained
by a proper restraint system in the rear seat. If
a larger child (over age 13) must be seated in
the front seat, the child should be securely
restrained by the available lap/shoulder belt and
the seat should be placed in the rearmost
position. Children under the age of 13 should be
restrained securely in the rear seat. NEVER
place a rear facing child seat in the front seat of
a vehicle.
B150D01A-AATPregnant Women
The use of a seat belt is recommended for
pregnant women to lessen the chance of injury
in an accident. When a seat belt is used, the lap
belt portion should be placed as low and snugly
as possible on the hips, not across the abdo-
men. For specific recommendations, consult a
physician.
B150A02A-AATSEAT BELT PRECAUTIONSB150B03Y-AATInfant or Small ChildAll 50 states have child restraint laws. You
should be aware of the specific requirements in
your state. Child and/or infant safety seats must
be properly placed and installed in the rear seat.
Information about the use of these restraints
begins on page 1-22.
WARNING:Every person in your vehicle needs to be
properly restrained at all times, including
infants and children. In a collision, an unre-
strained child can become a "missile" in-
side the car. The force required to hold a
child on your lap could be so great that you
could not hold the child. Any child riding in
the vehicle should always be in a proper
restraint in the rear seat of the vehicle.
NOTE:Small children are best protected from in-
jury in an accident when properly restrained
in the rear seat by a child restraint system
that meets the requirements of the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Before
buying any child restraint system, make
sure that it has a label certifying that it
meets Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
The restraint must be appropriate for your
child's height and weight. Check the label
on the child restraint for this information.
See page 1-22.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle must wear their
seat belts at all times. Note that this vehicle
is equipped with a Supplemental Restraint
(Airbag) System as discussed beginning
on page 1-28. The seat belts must be used
in conjunction with the supplemental
airbag system. State laws require that some
or all occupants of the vehicle use seat
belts. The possibility of increased injury or
severity of injury in an accident will be
increased if this elementary safety precau-
tion is not observed.
In addition, follow the other instructions
provided in this section.

FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI 1- 31
!
!
B990A04Y-AATPASSENGER PRESENCE DETECTION
The passenger presence detection system
detects the presence of a passenger in the right
front seat. If no passenger is recognized on the
front passenger seat, the deployment of the
front passenger and/or side airbag and seat belt
pretensioner will be prevented.
This system is designed to prevent the replace-
ment of airbag components that deploy need-
lessly in an accident.
NOTE:Luggage or other cargo heavier than 33 lbs
(15 kg) should not be placed on the passen-
ger front seat. This can allow the deploy-
ment of the front passenger and/or side air
bag in the case of an accident.
WARNING:The Passenger Presence Detection system
is not intended to prevent airbag deploy-
ment while a child is in the front passen-
ger's seat. It is intended only as a means to
reduce unnecessary collision damage re-
pair expense by preventing airbag and seat
belt pretensioner deployment when the
right front passenger seat is unoccupied.
Deployment is still possible if only a few
pounds are placed upon the seat. There-
fore, children must not be transported inthe front seat. All children must be seated
in the rear seat and properly restrained with
the vehicle's restraint system or a child
restraint system appropriate for the child's
size and weight.
B990B03Y-AATSide Impact Airbag (If installed)
Your Hyundai is equipped with a side impact
airbag in each front seat. The purpose of the
airbag is to provide the vehicle's driver and/or
the front passenger with additional protection
than that offered by the seat belt alone. The side
impact airbags are designed to deploy only
during certain side-impact collisions, depend-
ing on the crash severity, angle, speed and point
of impact. The side impact air bags are not
designed to deploy in all side impact situations.
WARNING:o For best protection from the side impact
airbag system and to avoid being injured
by the deploying side impact airbag,
both front seat occupants should sit in
an upright position with the seat belt
properly fastened. The driver's hands
should be placed on the steering wheel
at the 9:00 and 3:00 o'clock positions.
The passenger's arms and hands should
be placed in their laps.
o Do not use any accessory seat covers.
o Use of seat covers could reduce or pre-
vent the effectiveness of the system.
o Do not install any accessories on the
side or near the side impact airbag.
o Do not use excessive force on the side of
the seat.
B990B02YHTB072
Side airbag
sensor

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 13
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. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.
C140A01A-AATDRIVING FOR ECONOMY
You can save fuel and get more miles from your
car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate
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 pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unneces-
sary 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, especially on the high-
way, is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components. In
addition, driving with your foot resting on the
brake pedal may cause the brakes to over-heat, which reduces their effectiveness and
may lead to more serious consequences.
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 cor-
rectly. Improper alignment can result from
hitting curbs or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment 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 maintenance
costs, maintain your car in accordance with
the maintenance schedule in Section 5. If
you drive your car in severe conditions,
more frequent 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 impor-
tant 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 corro-
sion.
o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary
weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than neces-
sary. 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. As soon as the engine
is running smoothly, you can drive away. In
very cold weather, however, give your en-
gine 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 result-
ing in the engine bucking. If this happens,
shift to a lower gear. Over-revving is racing
the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be
avoided by shifting at the recommended
speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The air
conditioning system is operated by engine
power so your fuel economy is reduced
when you use it.
C160A01A-AATWINTER DRIVING
The 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:
C150A01A-AAT
SMOOTH CORNERING
Avoid braking or gear changing in corners,
especially when roads are wet. Ideally, corners
should always be taken under gentle accelera-
tion. If you follow these suggestions, tire wear
will be held to a minimum.

2- 14 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
C160G01A-AATTo Keep Locks from Freezing
To 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 burning the
fingers.
C160D01A-AAT
Check Battery and Cables
Winter puts additional burdens on the battery
system. Visually inspect the battery 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.
C160F01A-AATCheck Spark Plugs and Ignition
System
Inspect your spark plugs as described in Sec-
tion 6 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.
C160E01A-AATChange to "Winter Weight" Oil if
Necessary
In 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.
C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
Coolant
Your Hyundai 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 cool-
ing system, lubricates the water pump and
prevents freezing. Be sure to replace or replen-
ish your coolant in accordance with the main-
tenance schedule in Section 5. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure that its
freezing point is sufficient for the temperatures
anticipated during the winter.
C160B01A-AATSnowy or Icy Conditions
To 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 of the original equipment tires. Failure
to do so may adversely affect the safety and
handling of your car. Furthermore, speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very hazardous
practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking to the
fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on
snowy or icy roads may cause skids to occur.
You need to keep sufficient 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.

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 17
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Trailer
2000 (907)
1000 (453)Maximum Towable Weight
C190E02Y-AATTrailer Weight Limit
o Tongue loads can be increased or de-
creased by re-distributing the load in the
trailer.
This can be verified by checking the total
weight of the loaded trailer and then checking
the load on the tongue.
NOTE:1. Never load the trailer with more weight in
the back than in the front. About 60% of
the trailer load should be in the front half
on the trailer and the remaining 40% in
the rear.
2. The total gross vehicle weight with trailer
must not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) shown on the
vehicle identification plate (see page 8-
2). The total gross vehicle weight is thecombined weight of the vehicle, driver,
all passengers and their luggage, cargo,
hitch, trailer tongue load and other op-
tional equipment.
3. The front or rear axle weight must not
exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) shown on the vehicle identifi-
cation plate (see page 8-1). It is possible
that your towing package does not ex-
ceed the GVWR but exceeds the GAWR.
Improper trailer loading and/or too much
luggage in the trunk can overload the
rear axle. Redistribute the load and check
the axle weight again.
WARNING:Improperly loading your car and trailer can
seriously affect its steering and braking
performance causing a crash in which you
may be seriously injured or killed.Lbs. (kg)
Tongue
200 (90.7)
100 (45.3) With Brake
Without Brake
C190E01L
C190E02L
Tongue load
Total trailer weight
Gross axle weight
Gross vehicle weight
!CAUTION:The following specifications are recom-
mended when towing a trailer. The loaded
trailer weight cannot safely exceed the val-
ues in the chart.

8- 2 CONSUMER INFORMATION & REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
I030A04Y-AATRECOMMENDED INFLATION PRES-
SURES
I020A01A-AATTIRE INFORMATION
The tires supplied on your new Hyundai are
chosen to provide the best performance for
normal driving.
I010B01A-AATEngine NumberI010A01L-AATVEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER (VIN)
The vehicle identification number (VIN) is the
number used in registering your car and in all
legal matters pertaining to its ownership, etc. It
can be found in three different places on your
car:
1. On the bulkhead between the engine and
passenger compartments.
2. On the left top side of the instrument panel
where it can be seen by looking down through
the windshield.
3. On the lower side of the center pillar outer
panel.The engine number is stamped on the engine
block as shown in the drawing.
The tire label located on the driver's door edge
gives the tire pressures recommended for your
vehicle.
TIRE SIZE
TIRE PRESSURE-COLD, kPa (PSI)
P205/65R15, P205/60R16
T125/70D15, T125/70R15REAR
210(30)
420(60)FRONT
230(33)
420(60) LOAD UP TO
2 PERSONSMAX.VEHICLE
WEIGHT LIMIT
REAR
230(33)
420(60) FRONT
210(30)
420(60)
HEF-173AI010B01Y
I030A02Y