overheating Hyundai Sonata

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
5
OPERATING THE MANUAL
TRANSAXLE (5 SPEED M/T)C070A01NF-GATThis 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 accomplished.
C070A01NF-A
4. Turn the ignition key to the "START" position
and release it when the engine starts.
After the engine has started, allow the engine
to run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing
the vehicle in gear.
The starter should not be operated for more
than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 15-30
seconds between starting attempts to pro-
tect the starter from overheating.
C050B01A-AATNormal Conditions:The Starting Procedure:
1. Insert key, and fasten the seat belt.
2. Depress the clutch pedal fully and place the
gearshift lever (manual transaxle) in neutral
or the selector lever (automatic transaxle) in
"P" (park) position.
3. After turning the ignition key to the "ON"
position, make certain all warning lights and
gauges are functioning properly before start-
ing the engine.
WARNING:
Be sure that the clutch is fully depressed
when starting a manual transaxle vehicle.
Your manual transaxle equipped vehicle
will not start unless the clutch pedal is fully
depressed. On a manual transaxle equipped
vehicle that can be started without de-
pressing the clutch, there is the potential to
cause damage to the vehicle or injury to
someone inside or outside the vehicle as a
result of the forward or backward move-
ment of the vehicle that will occur if the
clutch is not depressed when the vehicle is
started.
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2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
14
!GOOD BRAKING PRACTICESC130A01A-AAT
WARNING:
Nothing should be carried on top of the
shelf panel behind the rear seat. If there
were an accident or a sudden stop, such
objects could move forward and cause
damage to the vehicle or injure the occu-
pants.
o After being parked, check to be sure the
parking brake is not engaged and that the
parking brake indicator light is out before
driving away.
o Driving through water may get the brakes
wet. They can also get wet when the car is
washed. Wet brakes can be dangerous!
Your car will not stop as quickly if the brakes
are wet. Wet brakes may cause the car to
pull to one side. To dry the brakes, apply the
brakes lightly until the braking action returns
to normal, taking care to keep the car under
control at all times. If the braking action does
not return to normal, stop as soon as it is safe
to do so and call your Hyundai dealer for
assistance.o Don't coast down hills with the car out of gear.
This is extremely hazardous. Keep the car
in gear at all times, use the brakes to slow
down, then shift to a lower gear so that engine
braking will help you maintain a safe speed.
o Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting your
foot on the brake pedal while driving can be
dangerous because it can result in the brakes
overheating and losing their effectiveness. It
also increases the wear of the brake com-
ponents.
o If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply
the brakes gently and keep the car pointed
straight ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it to be safe
to do so, pull off the road and stop in a safe
place.
o If your car is equipped with an automatic
transaxle, don't let your car creep forward.
To avoid creeping forward, keep your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when the car is
stopped.
o Use caution when parking on a hill. Engage
the parking brake and place the gear selec-
tor lever in "P" (automatic transaxle) or in first
or reverse gear (manual transaxle). If your
car is facing downhill, turn the front wheels
into the curb to help keep the car from rolling.
If your car is facing uphill, turn the front
wheels away from the curb to help keep the
car from rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to keep the car
from rolling, block the wheels.
C310D01NF-AATIndicators and WarningThe indicators should illuminate when the igni-
tion key is turned to ON or START but should
go out after three seconds.
If the indicators do not illuminate, or the ESC or
ESC-OFF indicator does not go out after 3
seconds, have the vehicle checked by an
authorized dealer.
Should there be any unusual operation of the
device while driving, the ESC-OFF indicator
illuminates as a warning.
If the ESC-OFF indicator illuminates, drive your
car to a safe place and stop the engine.
Then, start the engine again to check if the ESC-
OFF indicator goes out.
If the indicator remains lit even after the engine
has been started, have your car checked by an
authorized Hyundai dealer.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
18
C160J01A-AATDon't Let Ice and Snow Accumulate
UnderneathUnder some conditions, snow and ice can build
up under the fenders and interfere with the
steering. When driving in severe winter condi-
tions where this may happen, you should peri-
odically check underneath the car to be sure the
movement of the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.C160I01L-AATDon't Let Your Parking Brake FreezeUnder some conditions your parking brake can
freeze in the engaged position. This is most
likely to happen when there is an accumulation
of snow or ice around or near the rear brakes
or if the brakes are wet. If there is a risk the
parking brake may freeze, apply it only tempo-
rarily while you put the gear selector lever in "P"
and block the rear wheels so the car cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
C160K01A-AATCarry Emergency EquipmentDepending on the severity of the weather where
you drive your car, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of the items
you may want to carry include tire chains, tow
straps or chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, a shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
HIGHER SPEED MOTORINGC170A01A-AATPre-Trip Inspections1. Tires:
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to specifica-
tion. Low tire inflation pressures will result in
overheating and possible failure of the tires.
Avoid using worn or damaged tires which may
result in reduced traction or tire failure.NOTE:Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure shown on the tires.
2. Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil:
High speed travel consumes more fuel than
urban motoring. Do not forget to check both
engine coolant and engine oil.
3. Drive belt:
A loose or damaged drive belt may result in
overheating of the engine.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
22
8. When parking your car and trailer, especially
on a hill, be sure to follow all the normal
precautions. Turn your front wheel into the
curb, set the parking brake firmly, and put the
transaxle in 1st or Reverse (manual) or Park
(automatic). In addition, place wheel chocks
at each of the trailer's tires.
9. If the trailer has electric brakes, start your
vehicle and trailer moving, and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the
brakes are working. This lets you check
your electrical connection at the same time.
10.During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
11.Avoid jerky starts, sudden acceleration or
sudden stops.
12.Avoid sharp turns and rapid lane changes.
13.Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the brakes
to overheat, resulting in reduced braking
efficiency.
14.When going down a hill, shift into a lower gear
and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending a long grade, downshift the
transaxle to a lower gear and reduce speed
to reduce chances of engine overloading
and/or overheating.
CAUTION:
If overheating should occur when towing,
(the temperature gauge reads near red zone),
taking the following action may reduce or
eliminate the problem.
1. Turn off the air conditioner.
2. Reduce highway speed.
3. Select a lower gear when going uphill.
4. While in stop and go traffic, place the
gear selector in park or neutral and idle
the engine at a higher speed.
!
VEHICLE LOAD LIMITC190F01JM-AATTire and Loading Information Label
I030A03NF-A
The tire label located on the driver's
side of the center pillar outer panel
gives the original tire size, cold tire
pressures recommended for your ve-
15.If you have to stop while going uphill, do not
hold the vehicle in place by pressing on the
accelerator. This can cause the automatic
transaxle to overheat. Use the parking brake
or footbrake.NOTE:When towing check transaxle fluid more
frequently.
I030A04NF-A

34WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
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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.
5. If the water pump drive belt is broken or
engine coolant is leaking out, stop the engine
immediately and call the nearest Hyundai
dealer for assistance.
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 seri-
ous burns.6. If you cannot find the cause of the overheat-
ing, wait until the engine temperature has
returned to normal. Then, if coolant has been
lost, carefully add coolant to the reservoir
(page 6-9) to bring the fluid level in the
reservoir up to the halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for fur-
ther signs of overheating. If overheating
happens again, call a 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 a Hyundai
dealer.
D030A02A-AATIf your temperature gauge indicates overheat-
ing, you experience a loss of power, or hear loud
pinging or knocking, the engine is probably too
hot. If this happens, 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" (auto-
matic) or neutral (manual 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 conditioning had been in use, it is normal
for cold water to be draining from it when you
stop).

6
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
9
G050B01A-AATRecommended Engine CoolantUse a high quality ethylene-glycol coolant in a
50/50 mix with water. The engine coolant should
be compatible with aluminum engine parts.
Additional corrosion inhibitors or additives should
not be used. The cooling system must be
maintained with the correct concentration and
type of engine coolant to prevent freezing and
corrosion. Never allow the concentration of
antifreeze to exceed the 60% level or go below
the 35% level, or damage to the cooling system
may result. For proper concentration when
adding or replacing the engine coolant, refer to
the following table.
Ambient
temperature
°F (°C)
5 (-15)
-13 (-25)
-31 (-35)
-49 (-45)
65%
60%
50%
40% 35%
40%
50%
60%Water Antifreeze
solution Engine Coolant concentration
G050C01NF-GATTo Check the Coolant LevelThe coolant level can be seen on the side of the
plastic coolant reservoir. The level of the cool-
ant should be between the "L" and "F" lines on
the reservoir when the engine is warm with it at
idle . If the level is below the "L" mark, add engine
coolant to bring it up to "F". If the level is low,
inspect for coolant leaks and recheck the fluid
level frequently. If the level drops again, visit
your Hyundai dealer for an inspection and
diagnosis of the reason.
G050C01NFG050D01NF-GAT
To Change the Engine CoolantThe engine coolant should be changed at those
intervals specified in the vehicle maintenance
schedule in Section 5.
CAUTION:
o Engine coolant can damage the finish of
your car. If you spill engine coolant on
the car, wash it off thoroughly with clean
water.
o The engine in your vehicle has alumi-
num engine parts and must be protected
by an ethylene-glycol base coolant to
prevent corrosion and freezing.
Do not use hard water. Hard water can
cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
!
1. Park the car on level ground, set the parking
brake and remove the radiator cap when
cool.