change Hyundai Sonata 2012 Owner's Manual

All information in this Owner's Manual is current at the time of publication.
However, Hyundai reserves the right to make changes at any time so that
our policy of continual product improvement may be carried out.
This manual applies to all Hyundai models and includes descriptions and
explanations of optional as well as standard equipment. As a result, you may
find material in this manual that does not apply to your specific vehicle.O
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LOperation
Maintenance
Specifications

Introduction41"E85" fuel is an alternative fuel com-
prised of 85 percent ethanol and 15 per-
cent gasoline, and is manufactured
exclusively for use in Flexible Fuel
Vehicles. “E85” is not compatible with
your vehicle. Use of “E85” may result in
poor engine performance and damage to
your vehicle's engine and fuel system.
HYUNDAI recommends that customers
do not use fuel with an ethanol content
exceeding 10 percent.
Do not use methanolFuels containing methanol (wood alco-
hol) should not be used in your vehicle.
This type of fuel can reduce vehicle per-
formance and damage components of
the fuel system.Fuel AdditivesHYUNDAI recommends that you use
good quality gasolines treated with deter-
gent additives such as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, which help prevent
deposit formation in the engine. These
gasolines will help the engine run clean-
er and enhance performance of the
Emission Control System. For more infor-
mation on TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline, please go to the website
(www.toptiergas.com)For customers who do not use TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline regularly, and have
problems starting or the engine does not
run smoothly, additives that you can buy
separately may be added to the gasoline.
If TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is not
available, add one bottle of additive to the
fuel tank at every 7,500mile or every
engine oil change is recommended.
Additives are available from your author-
ized HYUNDAI dealer along with infor-
mation on how to use them. Do not mix
other additives.
Operation in foreign countriesIf you are going to drive your vehicle in
another country, be sure to:
 Observe all regulations regarding reg-
istration and insurance.
 Determine that acceptable fuel is avail- able.
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warrantymay not cover damage to the fuelsystem and any performance prob- lems that are caused by the use offuels containing methanol.
CAUTION
Never use gasohol which containsmethanol. Discontinue use of any gasohol product which impairs dri-vability.
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warrantydoes not cover damage to the fuelsystem or any performance prob- lems caused by the use of “E85” fuel.

35
Safety features of your vehicle
Front seatManual adjustmentForward and rearward
To move the seat forward or rearward:
1. Pull the seat slide adjustment lever upand hold it.
2. Slide the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seat is locked in place.
Adjust the seat before driving, and make
sure the seat is locked securely by trying
to move forward and rearward without
using the lever. If the seat moves, it is not
locked properly. Seatback angle
To recline the seatback:
1. Lean forward slightly and lift up the
seatback recline lever.
2. Carefully lean back on the seat and adjust the seatback of the seat to the
position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seatback is locked in place. (The lever
MUST return to its original position for
the seatback to lock.) Seat cushion height (for driver’s seat)
To change the height of the seat cushion,
push the lever upwards or downwards.
• To lower the seat cushion, push the
lever down several times.
 To raise the seat cushion, pull the lever up several times.
OYF039003
OYF039004
OYF039002

Safety features of your vehicle10
3During mild weather or under conditions
where the operation of the seat warmer
is not needed, keep the switches in the
"OFF" position.
 The temperature setting of the seat is
changed as follows :✽ ✽ NOTICEWith the seat warmer switch in the LO
or HI position, the heating system in the
seat turns on or off automatically
depending on the seat temperature.
CAUTION
 When cleaning the seats, do not
use an organic solvent such asthinner, benzene, alcohol and gasoline. Doing so may damagethe surface of the heater or seats.
 To prevent overheating the seat warmer, do not place anything onthe seats that insulates againstheat, such as blankets, cushions or seat covers on the seats whilethe seat warmer is in operation.
 Do not place heavy or sharp objects on seats equipped withseat warmers. Damage to the seat warming components could occur.
WARNING
- Seat warmer burns
Passengers should use extreme
caution when using seat warmers
due to the possibility of excess
heating or burns. The occupants
must be able to feel if the seat is
becoming too warm and to turn the
seat warmer off. The seat warmer
may cause burns even at low tem-
peratures, especially if used for
long periods of time. In particular,
the driver must exercise extreme
care for the following types of pas-
sengers:
1. Infants, children, elderly or dis-
abled persons, or hospital outpa-
tients
2. Persons with sensitive skin or those that burn easily
3. Fatigued individuals
4. Intoxicated individuals
5. Individuals taking medication that can cause drowsiness or
sleepiness (sleeping pills, cold
tablets, etc.)
Switch
position LO Center HI
Temperature
LOW
OFF
HIGH

321
Safety features of your vehicle
Seat belts - Front passenger and rearseat 3-point system with combination locking retractorTo fasten your seat belt:
Combination retractor type seat belts are
installed in the rear seat positions to help
accommodate the installation of child
restraint systems. Although a combina-
tion retractor is also installed in the front
passenger seat position, it is strongly
recommended that children always be
seated in the rear seat. NEVER place
any infant restraint system in the front
seat of the vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the fea-
tures of both an emergency locking
retractor seat belt and an automatic lock-
ing retractor seat belt. To fasten your seat
belt, pull it out of the retractor and insert
the metal tab into the buckle. There will
be an audible "click" when the tab locks
into the buckle. When not securing a
child restraint, the seat belt operates in
the same way as the driver's seat belt
(Emergency Locking Retractor Type). It
automatically adjusts to the proper length
only after the lap belt portion of the seat
belt is adjusted manually so that it fits
snugly around your hips. When the seat belt is fully extended from
the retractor to allow the installation of a
child restraint system, the seat belt oper-
ation changes to allow the belt to retract,
but not to extend (Automatic Locking
Retractor Type). Refer to “Using a child
restraint system” in this section.
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlthough the combination retractor
provides the same level of protection for
seated passengers in either emergency
or automatic locking modes, it is recom-
mended that seated passengers use the
emergency locking feature for improved
convenience. The automatic locking
function is intended to facilitate child
restraint installation. To convert from
the automatic locking feature to the
emergency locking operation mode,
allow the unbuckled seat belt to fully
retract.
B200A02NF
WARNING
You should place the lap belt por-
tion as low as possible and snugly
across your hips, not on your waist.
If the lap belt is located too high on
your waist, it may increase the
chance of injury in the event of a
collision. Both arms should not be
under or over the belt. Rather, one
should be over and the other under,
as shown in the illustration.
Never wear the seat belt under the
arm nearest the door.

331
Safety features of your vehicle
For safety reasons, we recommend that
the child restraint system be used in the
rear seats.
Since all passenger seat belts move
freely under normal conditions and only
lock under extreme or emergency condi-
tions (emergency locking mode), you
must manually change these seat belts
to the automatic locking mode to secure
a child restraint.
Placing a passenger seat belt intothe automatic locking mode The automatic locking mode will help
prevent the normal movement of the
child in the vehicle from causing the seat
belt to loosen and compromise the child
restraint system. To secure a child
restraint system, use the following proce-
dure.
WARNING
- Child seat
installation
 A child can be seriously injured or killed in a collision if the child
restraint is not properly anchored
to the vehicle and the child is not
properly restrained in the child
restraint. Before installing the
child restraint system, read the
instructions supplied by the child
restraint system manufacturer.
 If the seat belt does not operate as described in this section, have
the system checked immediately
by your authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
 Failure to observe this manual's instructions regarding child
restraint systems and the
instructions provided with the
child restraint system could
increase the chance and/or
severity of injury in an accident.
WARNING
Never place a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seat, because of the danger that an
inflating passenger-side air bag
could impact the rear-facing child
restraint and kill the child.
E2MS103005

357
Safety features of your vehicle
Air bag inflation conditionsFront air bags
Front air bags are designed to inflate in a
frontal collision depending on the intensi-
ty, speed or angles of impact of the front
collision.
WARNING
 Do not hit or allow any objects toimpact the locations where air
bags or sensors are installed.
This may cause unexpected air
bag deployment, which could
result in serious personal injury
or death.
 If the installation location or angle of the sensors is altered in
any way, the air bags may deploy
when they should not or they may
not deploy when they should,
causing severe injury or death.
Therefore, do not try to perform
maintenance on or around the air
bag sensors. Have the vehicle
checked and repaired by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 Problems may arise if the sensorinstallation angles are changed
due to the deformation of the
front bumper, body or B pillars or
front door where side collision
sensors are installed. Have the
vehicle checked and repaired by
an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
 Your vehicle has been designed to absorb impact and deploy the
air bag(s) in certain collisions.
Installing bumper guards or
replacing a bumper with non-gen-
uine parts may adversely affect
your vehicle’s collision and air
bag deployment performance.
1JBA3513

Safety features of your vehicle62
3Additional safety precautions Never let passengers ride in the
cargo area or on top of a folded-
down back seat. All occupants should
sit upright, fully back in their seats with
their seat belts on and their feet on the
floor.
 Passengers should not move out of
or change seats while the vehicle is
moving. A passenger who is not wear-
ing a seat belt during a crash or emer-
gency stop can be thrown against the
inside of the vehicle, against other
occupants, or out of the vehicle.
 Each seat belt is designed to
restrain one occupant. If more than
one person uses the same seat belt,
they could be seriously injured or killed
in a collision.
 Do not use any accessories on seat
belts. Devices claiming to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the seat
belt can reduce the protection provided
by the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.
 Passengers should not place hard
or sharp objects between them-
selves and the air bags. Carrying
hard or sharp objects on your lap or in
your mouth can result in injuries if an
air bag inflates. 
Keep occupants away from the air
bag covers. All occupants should sit
upright, fully back in their seats with
their seat belts on and their feet on the
floor. If occupants are too close to the
air bag covers, they could be injured if
the air bags inflate.
 Do not attach or place objects on or
near the air bag covers. Any object
attached to or placed on the front or
side air bag covers could interfere with
the proper operation of the air bags.
 Do not modify the front seats.
Modification of the front seats could
interfere with the operation of the sup-
plemental restraint system sensing
components or side air bags.
 Do not place items under the front
seats. Placing items under the front
seats could interfere with the operation
of the supplemental restraint system
sensing components and wiring har-
nesses.
 Never hold an infant or child on your
lap. The infant or child could be seri-
ously injured or killed in the event of a
crash. All infants and children should
be properly restrained in appropriate
child safety seats or seat belts in the
rear seat.
Adding equipment to or modifying
your air bag-equipped vehicleIf you modify your vehicle by changing
your vehicle's frame, bumper system,
front end or side sheet metal or ride
height, this may affect the operation of
your vehicle's air bag system.
WARNING
 Sitting improperly or out of posi- tion can cause occupants to be
shifted too close to a deploying
air bag, strike the interior struc-
ture or be thrown from the vehicle
resulting in serious injury or
death.
 Always sit upright with the seat- back in an upright position, cen-
tered on the seat cushion with
your seat belt on, legs comfort-
ably extended and your feet on
the floor.
 Be careful not to cause impact to the doors when the ignition is
ON. The air bags may inflate.

45
Features of your vehicle
Immobilizer system (if equipped)Your vehicle is equipped with an elec-
tronic engine immobilizer system to
reduce the risk of unauthorized vehicle
use.
Your immobilizer system is comprised of
a small transponder in the ignition key
and electronic devices inside the vehicle.
With the immobilizer system, whenever
you insert your ignition key into the igni-
tion switch and turn it to ON, it checks
and determines and verifies if the ignition
key is valid.
If the key is determined to be valid, the
engine will start.
If the key is determined to be invalid, the
engine will not start.To activate the immobilizer system:Turn the ignition key to the OFF position.
The immobilizer system activates auto-
matically. Without a valid ignition key for
your vehicle, the engine will not start.To deactivate the immobilizer sys-tem:Insert the ignition key into the key cylin-
der and turn it to the ON position.
✽ ✽ NOTICEWhen starting the engine, do not use the
key with other immobilizer keys around.
Otherwise the engine may not start or
may stop soon after it starts. Keep each
key separate in order to avoid a starting
malfunction.
✽ ✽NOTICEIf you need additional keys or lose your
keys, consult an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
CAUTION
The transponder in your ignition
key is an important part of the immobilizer system. It is designedto give years of trouble-free service, however you should avoid expo-sure to moisture, static electricity and rough handling. Immobilizersystem malfunction could occur.
WARNING
In order to prevent theft of your
vehicle, do not leave spare keys
anywhere in your vehicle. Your
Immobilizer password is a cus-
tomer unique password and should
be kept confidential. Do not leave
this number anywhere in your vehi-
cle.
CAUTION
Do not change, alter or adjust the immobilizer system because itcould cause the immobilizer sys- tem to malfunction and should onlybe serviced by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.
Malfunctions caused by improperalterations, adjustments or modifi-cations to the immobilizer system are not covered by your vehiclemanufacturer warranty.
CAUTION
Do not put metal accessories nearthe ignition switch.
Metal accessories may interrupt thetransponder signal and may pre- vent the engine from being started.

Features of your vehicle64This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmfulinterference, and
2. This device must accept any interfer- ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
With a smart key, you can lock or unlock
a door (and trunk) and even start the
engine without inserting the key.
The functions of buttons on a smart key
are similar to the remote keyless entry.
(Refer to the “Remote keyless entry” in
this section.)
Smart key functionsCarrying the smart key, you may lock and
unlock the vehicle doors. Also, you may
start the engine. Refer to the following,
for more details.
OYF049211
SMART KEY (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could
void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment.