check engine light Hyundai Sonata

2- 18 DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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.
!
C190F01S-AATTrailer or Vehicle Towing Tips
1. Before towing, check hitch and safety chain
connections as well as proper operation of
the trailer running lights, brake lights, and
turn signals.
2. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed (Less than 60 mph)
3. Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
conditions.
4. To maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
fifth gear (manual transaxle) or overdrive
(automatic transaxle).
5. Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
6. Check the condition and air pressure of all
tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire
pressure can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire.
7. The vehicle/trailer combination is more af-
fected by crosswind and buffeting.
When being passed by a large vehicle, keep
a constant speed and steer straight ahead.
If there is too much wind buffeting slow down
to get out of the other vehicle's air turbulence.
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.
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.

3- 2 WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
!
!
D010A01A-AATIF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
D010B01A-AATIf Engine Doesn't Turn Over or Turns
Over Slowly
D010C01Y-AATIf Engine Turns Over Normally but Does
Not Start
1. Check fuel level.
2. Check all connectors at ignition, coil and
spark plugs. Re-connect any that may be
disconnected or loose.
3. Check the fuel line in the engine room.
4. If engine still refuses to start, call a Hyundai
dealer or seek other qualified assistance.
D010D01A-AATIf Engine Stalls While Driving
1. 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 a Hyundai dealer or
seek other qualified assistance.
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 addi-
tion, push or pull starting may cause the
catalytic converter to be overloaded and
create a fire hazard.
1. If your car has an automatic transaxle, be
sure the gear selector lever is in "N" or "P"
and the emergency 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" on the fol-
lowing pages.
D020A02A-AATJUMP STARTING
WARNING:
The gas produced by the battery during the
jump-start operation is highly explosive. If
these instructions are not followed exactly,
serious personal injury and damage to the
vehicle may occur! If you are not sure how
to follow this procedure, seek qualified
assistance. Automobile batteries contain
sulfuric acid. This is poisonous and highly
corrosive. When jump starting, wear pro-
tective glasses and be careful not to get
acid on yourself, your clothing or on the car.
D010B02YHEF194
Battery

WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY 3- 3
o If you should accidentally get acid on your
skin or in your eyes, immediately remove
any contaminated clothing and flush the area
with clear water for at least 15 minutes. Then
promptly obtain medical attention. If you
must be transported to an emergency facil-
ity, continue to apply water to the affected
area with a sponge or cloth.
o The gas produced by the battery during the
jump-start operation is highly explosive. Do
not smoke or allow a spark or an open flame
in the vicinity.
o The battery being used to provide the jump
start must be 12-volt. If you cannot deter-
mine that it is a 12-volt battery, do not attempt
to use it for the jump start.
o To jump start a car with a discharged battery,
follow this procedure exactly:
1. If the booster battery is installed in another
vehicle, be sure the two vehicles are not
touching.
2. Turn off all unnecessary lights and acces-
sories in both vehicles.
3. Attach the clamps of the jumper cable in the
exact location shown on the illustration. First,
attach one clamp of the jumper cable to the
positive (+) post or cable of the discharged
battery. Then attach the other end of the
same cable to the positive (+) post or cable
of the booster battery. Next, using the other
cable, attach one clamp to the negative (-)
post or cable of the booster battery. Then
attach the other end of that cable to a solidmetal part of the engine away from the
battery. Do not connect the cable to any
moving part.
4. Start the engine in the car with the booster
battery and let it run for a few minutes. This
will help to assure that the booster battery is
fully charged. During the jumping operation,
run the engine in this vehicle at about 2,000
rpm.
5. Start your engine using the normal starting
procedure. After the engine starts, leave the
jumper cables connected and let the engine
run at fast idle or about 2,000 rpm for several
minutes.
6. Carefully remove the jumper cables in the
reverse order of attachment.
If you do not know why your battery became
discharged (because the lights were left on,
etc.), have the charging system checked by
your Hyundai dealer.D030A01A-AATIF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
If 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- 4 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
G020C01A-AATVehicle Interior
The following should be checked each time
when the vehicle is driven:
o Lights operation
o Windshield wiper operation
o Horn operation
o Defroster, heating system operation (and air
conditioning, if installed)
o Steering operation and condition
o Mirror condition and operation
o Turn signal operation
o Accelerator pedal operation
o Brake operation, including parking brake
o Manual transaxle operation, including clutch
operation
o Automatic transaxle operation, including
"Park" mechanism operation
o Seat control condition and operation
o Seat belt condition and operation
o Sunvisor operation
If you notice anything that does not operate
correctly or appears to be functioning incor-
rectly, inspect it carefully and seek assistance
from your Hyundai dealer if service is needed.
G020B01A-AATVehicle Exterior
The following should be checked monthly:
o Overall appearance and condition
o Air filter condition
o Wheel condition and wheel nut torque
o Exhaust system condition
o Light condition and operation
o Windshield glass condition
o Wiper blade condition
o Paint condition and body corrosion
o Fluid leaks
o Door and hood lock condition
o Tire pressure and condition (including spare
tire)
G020A01A-AATGENERAL CHECKS
Engine Compartment
The following should be checked regularly:
o Engine oil level and condition
o Transaxle fluid level and condition
o Brake fluid level
o Clutch fluid level
o Engine coolant level
o Windshield washer fluid level
o Accessory drive belt condition
o Engine Coolant hose condition
o Fluid leaks (on or below components)
o Power steering fluid level
o Battery condition

6- 16 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
G150A01A-AATCHECKING STEERING WHEEL
FREE-PLAYG140D01A-AATChecking the Compressor Drive Belt
G140C01A-AATLubrication
To lubricate the compressor and the seals in the
system, the air conditioning should be run for at
least 10 minutes each week. This is particularly
important during cool weather when the air
conditioning system is not otherwise in use.
G140B01A-AATChecking the Air Conditioning Opera-
tion
1. Start the engine and let it run at a fast idle for
several minutes with the air conditioning set
at the maximum cold setting.
2. If the air coming out of the in-dash vents is
not cold, have the air conditioning system
inspected by your Hyundai dealer.
CAUTION:Running the air conditioning system for
extended periods of time with a low refrig-
erant level may damage the compressor.
!
When the air conditioning is being used regu-
larly, the compressor drive belt tension should
be checked at least once a month with the
engine turned off.
To check the drive belt tension, press down on
the belt halfway between the engine crankshaft
and compressor pulleys. Pressing with your
finger, you should not be able to deflect this belt
anymore than 1/3 of an inch. If you have the
instruments to check it, with a force of 22 lb.
(98N), the deflection should be 0.315 inches
(approx 8.0 mm). If the belt is too loose, have it
adjusted by your Hyundai dealer.To check the steering wheel free-play, stop the
car with the wheels pointed straight ahead and
gently move the steering wheel back and forth.
Use very light finger pressure and be sensitive
to changes in resistance that mark the limits of
the free-play. If the free-play is greater than
specified, have it inspected by your Hyundai
dealer and adjusted or repaired if necessary.
HSM396
G150A01Y
Maximum
1.18 in.
(30 mm)
DOHC V6
Eng.pulleyCOMP
Eng.pulleyCOMP 0.315 in.
Auto tensioner

DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE 6- 17
G160A01A-AATCHECKING CLUTCH PEDAL
FREE-PLAY
With the engine off, press lightly on the clutch
pedal until you feel a change in resistance. This
is the clutch pedal free-play. The free-play
should be within the limits specified in the illus-
tration. If it is not, have it inspected by your
Hyundai dealer and adjusted or repaired if
necessary.
G170A02A-AATCHECKING BRAKE PEDAL
FREE-PLAY
With the engine off, press down on the brake
pedal several times to reduce the vacuum in the
brake booster.
Then, using your hand, press down slowly on
the brake pedal until you feel a change in
resistance. This is the brake pedal free-play.
The free-play should be within the limits speci-
fied in the illustration above. If it is not, have it
inspected by your Hyundai dealer and adjusted
or repaired if necessary.
G160A01EHXGS508
0.24~0.51 in.
(6~13 mm)0.12~0.31 in.
(3~8 mm)
G180A01A-AATCHECKING BRAKE PEDAL
CLEARANCE
You need a helper to check the brake pedal
clearance. With the engine running, have your
helper press down on the brake pedal several
times and then hold it down with a force of about
110 lbs (50 kg, 490 N). The brake pedal clear-
ance is the distance from the top surface of the
brake pedal to the asphalt sheeting under the
floor mat.
If the brake pedal clearance is not within the
limits specified in the illustration, have it in-
spected by your Hyundai dealer and adjusted
or repaired if necessary.
G180A01L
2.95 in. (75 mm)

6- 18 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
G200A01Y-GATCHECKING AND REPLACING
FUSES
Replacing a Fusible Link
G200B01Y-GAT
Replacing Accessory Fuses
G190A01A-AATCHECKING DRIVE BELTS
Drive belts should be checked periodically for
proper tension and adjusted if necessary. At the
same time, belts should be examined for cracks,
wear, fraying or other evidence of deterioration
and replaced if necessary.
Belt routing should also be checked to be sure
there is no interference between the belts and
other parts of the engine. After a belt is replaced,
the new belt should be adjusted again after two
or three weeks to eliminate slack resulting from
initial stretching after use.A fusible link will melt if the electrical circuits from
the battery are ever overloaded, thus prevent-
ing damage to the entire wiring harness. (This
could be caused by a short in the system
drawing too much current.) If this ever happens,
have a Hyundai dealer determine the cause,
repair the system and replace the fusible link.
The fusible links are located in a under hood
junction box for easy inspection.
!
The instrument panel junction box for the lights
and other electrical accessories will be found
low on the dashboard on the driver’s side. Inside
the box you will find a list showing the circuits
protected by each fuse.
CAUTION:When replacing a fusible link, never use
anything but a new fusible link with the
same or lower amperage rating. Never use
a piece of wire or a higher-rated fusible link.
This could result in serious damage and
create a fire hazard.
HSM396
G200A01L
G200B01Y
Good
V6
Power
steeringPower
steering Auto
tensioner
Generator
Generator
Eng.pulley Eng.pulleyCOMP COMPEng.coolant
0.30~0.48in.
0.24~0.35in.
DOHC
Open-
Replace

6- 20 DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
!
!
G230A03A-AATPOWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL
G220B01A-AATChecking Engine Cooling Fan
The engine cooling fan should come on auto-
matically if the engine coolant temperature is
high.
G220A01A-AATCHECKING ELECTRIC COOLING
FANS
G220C01A-AATChecking Condenser Cooling Fan
The condenser cooling fan should come on
automatically whenever the air conditioning is in
operation.
G210B02A-AATChecking the Battery
Keep the battery clean. Any evidence of corro-
sion around the battery posts or terminals
should be removed using a solution of house-
hold baking soda and warm water. After the
battery terminals are dry, cover them with a light
coating of grease. While batteries are being charged (either by a
battery charger or by the vehicle's generator),
they produce explosive gases. Always ob-
serve these warnings to prevent injuries from
occurring:
o Charge batteries only in a well ventilated
area.
o Do not permit flames, sparks or smoking in
the area.
o Keep children away from the area.
WARNING:The cooling fan is controlled by engine
coolant temperature and may sometimes
operate even when the engine is not run-
ning. Use extreme caution when working
near the blades of the coolant fan, so that
you are not injured by a rotating fan blade.
As the engine coolant temperature de-
creases the fan will automatically shut off.
This is a normal condition.
The power steering fluid level should be checked
regularly. To check the power steering fluid
level, be sure the engine is "OFF", then check
to make certain that the power steering fluid
level is between the "MAX" and "MIN" level
markings on the fluid reservoir.
NOTE:Grinding noise from the power steering
pump may be heard immediately after the
engine is started in extremely cold condi-
tions (below - 4°F). If the noise stops during
warm up, there is no abnormal function in
the system. It is due to a power steering
fluid characteristic in extremely cold condi-
tions.
G230A03Y
PROPOSITION 65 WARNING:Battery posts, terminals, and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the state of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
!

DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE 6- 21
G250A01A-AATFOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
YOUR HYUNDAI
If you desire additional information about main-
taining and servicing your Hyundai, you may
purchase a factory Shop Manual at your Hyundai
dealer's parts department. This is the same
manual used by dealership technicians and
while it is highly technical it can be useful in
obtaining a better understanding of your car and
how it works.
G240A01A-AATPOWER STEERING HOSES
It is suggested that you check the power steer-
ing hose connections for fluid leakage at regular
intervals. The power steering hoses should be
replaced if there is severe surface cracking,
scuffing or worn spots. Deterioration of the hose
could cause premature failure. Recommended Fluid
Use PSF-3 type fluid
NOTE:Do not start the engine when the power
steering oil reservoir is empty.
G260A02A-AATREPLACING HEADLIGHT BULBS
Before attempting to replace a headlight bulb, be
sure the switch is turned to the "OFF" position.
The next paragraph shows how to reach head-
light bulbs so they may be changed. Be sure to
replace the burned-out bulb with one of the
same number and wattage rating.
!CAUTION:Keep the lamps out of contact with petro-
leum products such as oil, gasoline etc.
G270A03Y-AAT
Headlight Bulb
1. Allow the bulb to cool. Wear eye protection.
2. Always grasp the bulb by its plastic base,
avoid touching the glass.
G270A03Y
HEF-224
HEF-228
3. Turn the plastic cover counterclockwise
and remove it. High Beam
Low Beam
High BeamLow Beam
Turn signal Light

INDEX 10- 3
E
Emission Control System ................................................................... 7-2
Engine
Before starting the engine .............................................................. 2-3
Compartment (2.4 DOHC) ............................................................ 6-2
Compartment (2.7 V6)................................................................... 6-3
Coolant........................................................................................... 6-7
Coolant temperature gauge .........................................................1-38
If the engine overheats .................................................................. 3-3
Number........................................................................................... 8-2
Oil .................................................................................................... 6-5
Starting........................................................................................... 2-4
Engine Exhaust Can Be Dangerous .................................................. 2-2
F
Fan Speed Control............................................................................1-66
Floor Mat Anchor ..............................................................................1-62
Fog Light
Front.............................................................................................1-42
Front Seats
Adjustable front seats ..................................................................1-10
Adjustable headrests...................................................................1-11
Adjusting seat forward and rearward ..........................................1-10
Adjusting seatback angle .............................................................1-11
Fuel
Capacity......................................................................................... 9-2
Gauge...........................................................................................1-38
Unleaded gasoline.......................................................................... 1-2
Fuel Filler Lid
Remote release............................................................................1-58
Fuses ................................................................................................6-18G
General Everyday Checks................................................................. 6-4
Glove Box..........................................................................................1-50
H
Hazard Warning System ..................................................................1-44
Headlight ..................................................................................1-41, 6-21
Heating and Cooling Control
Rotary and push Button type .......................................................1-65
Automatic type.............................................................................1-72
Heating and Ventilation
Air flow control..............................................................................1-68
Temperature control....................................................................1-66
High-Mounted Rear Stop Light .........................................................1-58
Homelink Mirror.................................................................................1-53
Hood Release....................................................................................1-59
Horn...................................................................................................1-60
I
Ignition Switch ...................................................................................... 2-3
Instrument Cluster and Indicator Lights...........................................1-34
Instrument Panel Light Control (Rheostat).......................................1-45
Interior Light.......................................................................................1-49
Intermittent Wiper..............................................................................1-43
J
Jump Starting...................................................................................... 3-2
Junction Box Description..................................................................6-29