maintenance HYUNDAI TUCSON 2009 Owners Manual

F1
OWNER'S MANUALA030A01JM-AATOperation
Maintenance
SpecificationsAll 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.
OJM009001

Please consult your Owner's Handbook & Warranty Information booklet for your vehicle's spe-
cific warranty coverage.The maintenance requirements for your new Hyundai are found in Section 7. As the owner, it is your
responsibility to see that all maintenance operations specified by the manufacturer are carried out at
the appropriate intervals. When the vehicle is used in severe driving conditions, more frequent main-
tenance is required for some operations. Maintenance requirements for severe operating conditions
are also included in Section 7.
WARRANTIES FOR YOUR HYUNDAI VEHICLE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE
EN hma cover.qxd 11/27/2006 5:07 PM Page 2

F5
A040A01A-AAT
FOREWORD
Thank you for choosing Hyundai. We are pleased to welcome you to the growing number of discriminating
people who drive Hyundais. The advanced engineering and high-quality construction of each Hyundai we
build is something of which we're very proud.
Your Owner's Manual will introduce you to the features and operation of your new Hyundai. It is suggested
that you read it carefully because the information it contains can contribute greatly to the satisfaction you
receive from your new car.
The manufacturer also recommends that all service and maintenance on your car be performed by an
authorized Hyundai dealer. Hyundai dealers are prepared to provide high-quality service, maintenance and
any other assistance that may be required.A050A04A-AAT
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Note: Because future owners will also need the information included in this manual, if you sell this Hyundai,
please leave the manual in the vehicle for their use. Thank you.
CAUTION:
Severe engine and transaxle damage may result from the use of poor quality fuels and lubricants that
do not meet Hyundai specifications. You must always use high quality fuels and lubricants that meet
the specifications listed on Page 9-4 in the Vehicle Specifications section of the Owner's Manual and
which also appear in the Service Station Information on the back cover of the Owner's Manual.
Copyright 2008 Hyundai Motor America. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission
of Hyundai Motor America.
!

F7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION
5 1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
CORROSION PREVENTION & APPEARANCE CARE
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONSUMER INFORMATION, REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS &
BINDING ARBITRATION OF WARRANTY CLAIMS
VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI46
!
o If components of the airbag system
must be discarded, or if the vehicle
must be scrapped, certain safety pre-
cautions must be observed. Your
Hyundai dealer knows these precau-
tions and can give you the necessary
information. Failure to follow these
precautions and procedures could
increase the risk of personal injury.
o If your car was flooded and has soaked
carpeting or water on the floor, don't
try to start the engine; have the car
towed to an authorized Hyundai dealer.
o Do not replace the bumper or the
bumper guard with the one other than
the Hyundai genuine parts. Otherwise,
it can adversely affect SRS perfor-
mance and lead to an increased risk
of injury.
WARNING:
o For cleaning the airbag pad covers,
use only a soft, dry cloth or one which
has been moistened with plain water.
Solvents or cleaners could adversely
affect the airbag covers and proper
deployment of the system.
o No objects should be placed over or
near the airbag modules on the steer-
ing wheel, instrument panel, and the
front passenger's panel above the
glove box, because any such object
could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
crash severe enough to cause the
airbags to inflate.
o If the airbags inflate, they must be
replaced by an authorized Hyundai
dealer.
o Do not tamper with or disconnect SRS
wiring, or other components of the
SRS system. Doing so could result in
injury, due to accidental inflation of
the airbags or by rendering the SRS
inoperative.
!
WARNING:
!
WARNING:
o Do not install a child restraint system
in the front passenger seat position.
A child restraint system must never
be placed in the front seat. The infant
or child could be severely injured or
killed by an airbag deployment in
case of an accident.
o Modification to SRS components or
wir-ing, including the addition of any
kind of badges to the pad covers or
modifications to the body structure,
can adversely affect SRS perfor-
mance and lead to possible injury.B240C02JM-AATSRS Careo The SRS is virtually maintenance free
and there are no parts you can safely
service by yourself. If the SRS SRI (Ser-
vice Reminder Indicator) does not illu-
minate, or continuously remains on,
have your vehicle immediately in-
spected by your Hyundai dealer.
o Any work on the SRS system, such as
removing, installing, repairing, or any
work on the steering wheel must be
performed by a qualified Hyundai tech-
nician. Improper handling of the airbag
system may result in serious personal
injury.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
11
!
o To maintain the required levels of ve-
hicle performance and safety, the sys-
tem may not execute certain gear-
shifts when the selector lever is oper-
ated.
o Before driving away from a stop on a
slippery road, push the selector lever
forward into the +(UP) position. This
causes the transaxle to shift into 2nd
gear which is better for smooth driv-
ing away on a slippery road. Push the
selector lever to the -(DOWN) side to
shift back to 1st gear.
CAUTION:
o In sports mode, The driver must ex-
ecute shifts in accordance with pre-
vailing road conditions, taking care to
keep the engine speed below the red
zone. For engine protection, upward
shifts are made automatically when
the engine rpm reaches the red zone.
o By rapidly moving the selector lever
backwards (-) twice, it is possible to
skip one gear, i.e., 3rd to 1st, 4th to
2nd. Since sudden engine braking
and/or rapid acceleration can cause a
loss of traction, however, downshifts
must be made carefully in accordance
with the vehicle's speed.NOTE:o In sports mode, only the four forward
gears can be selected. To select re-
verse or park, move the selector le-
ver to the "R" or "P" position as re-
quired.
o In sports mode, downward shifts are
made automatically when the vehicle
slows down. When the vehicle stops,
1st gear is automatically selected.
C090H01L-GATNOTE:o For smooth and safe operation, de-
press the brake pedal when shifting
from "Neutral" position or "Park"
position to a forward or reverse gear.
o The ignition key must be in the "ON"
position and the brake pedal fully de-
pressed in order to move the shift
lever from the "P" (Park) position to
any of the other positions.
o It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D" position to "P" position. The
vehicle must be fully stopped to avoid
transaxle damage.
!
C090I04L-GAT
CAUTION:
o Shift into "R", "D" and "P" position
only when the vehicle has completely
stopped.
o Do not accelerate the engine in re-
verse or any of the forward positions
with the brakes applied.
o Always apply the footbrake when
shifting from "P" or "N", to "R" or
"D"position.
o Do not use the "P" (Park) position in
place of the parking brake. Always
set the parking brake, shift the
transaxle into "P" (Park) position and
turn off the ignition when you leave the
vehicle, even momentarily. Never
leave the vehicle unattended while
the engine is running.
o When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards. Shifting
the shift lever into 2nd gear while in
Sport mode will help prevent the ve-
hicle from rolling backwards.
o Check the automatic transaxle fluid
level regularly, and add fluid as nec-
essary.
o See the maintenance schedule for
the proper fluid recommendation.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
18
!
CAUTION:
o While the full-time 4WD vehicle is
being raised on a jack, never start the
engine or cause the tires to rotate.
There is danger that rotating tires
touching the ground could cause the
vehicle to go off the jack and to jump
forward.
o If one of the front or rear wheels be-
gins to spin in mud, snow, etc., the
vehicle can sometimes be driven out
by depressing the accelerator pedal
further; however, avoid running the
engine continuously at high rpm be-
cause doing so could damage the
4WD system. (10)When using tire chains, always attach
them to the front wheels.
(11) If the front or rear wheels get stuck in
the mud, do not spin them recklessly.
The 4WD system could be damaged.
o In rare cases when it's unavoidable
that a 4WD vehicle is to be inspected
on a 2WD roll tester, strictly follow the
procedures.
1. Check the tire pressures recom-
mended for your vehicle.
2. Place the front wheels on the roll
tester as shown in the illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the rear wheels on the tem-
porary free roller as shown in the
illustration.
!!
WARNING:
Keep away from the front of the vehicle
while inspecting. This is very dangerous
as the vehicle can jump forward and
cause serious injury or death.
!
WARNING:
o Avoid high cornering speeds.
o Do not make quick steering wheel
movements, such as sharp lane
charges or fast, sharp turns.
o The risk of rollover is greatly in-
creased if you lose control of your
vehicle at highway speeds.
o In a collision, an unbelted person is
signicantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a person wearing
a seat belt.
o Loss of control may occurs if two or
more wheels drop off the roadway
and the driver oversteers to reenter
the roadway.
o In the event your vehicle leaves the
roadway, do not steer sharply. Instead,
slow down before pulling back into the
travel lanes. (9)For a speedometer test or inspection/
maintenance (I/M) program of a Tucson
4WD vehicle, use a four wheel chassis
dynamometer.
CAUTION:
Never engage the parking brake while
performing these tests.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
22
o Take care of your tires. Keep them in-
flated 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
correctly. Improper alignment can re-
sult 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 main-
tenance costs, maintain your car in ac-
cordance with the maintenance sched-
ule in Section 5. If you drive your car in
severe conditions, more frequent main-
tenance 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 important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption 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
necessary. 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 re-
quire extended warm-up. After the en-
gine has started, allow the engine to run
for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing the
vehicle in gear. In very cold weather,
however, give your engine 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 resulting in the engine bucking.
If this happens, shift to a lower gear.
Over-revving is racing the engine be-
yond 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.
DRIVING FOR ECONOMYC140A02A-AATYou can save fuel and get more miles from
your car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-
ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts
or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race be-
tween stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to that of the other traffic so you
don't have to change speeds unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe distance
from other vehicles so you can avoid
unnecessary 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, espe-
cially on the highway, is one of the most
effective ways to reduce fuel consump-
tion.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal.
This can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these compo-
nents. In addition, driving with your foot
resting on the brake pedal may cause
the brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to more
serious consequences.

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
23
SMOOTH CORNERINGC150A01A-AATAvoid braking or gear changing in corners,
especially when roads are wet. Ideally,
corners should always be taken under
gentle acceleration. If you follow these
suggestions, tire wear will be held to a
minimum.
C160D01A-AATCheck Battery and CablesWinter 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 ser-
vice station.C160C01A-AATUse High Quality Ethylene Glycol
CoolantYour Hyundai is delivered with high qual-
ity 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, lubricates
the water pump and prevents freezing. Be
sure to replace or replenish your coolant in
accordance with the maintenance sched-
ule in Section 5. Before winter, have your
coolant tested to assure that its freezing
point is sufficient for the temperatures an-
ticipated during the winter.NOTE:o Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.
o Tire chains are to be used on front
tires only.
C160A01A-AATThe 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:C160B01JM-AATSnowy or Icy ConditionsTo 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 ad-
versely affect the safety and handling of
your car. Furthermore, speeding, rapid
acceleration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very haz-
ardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking
to the fullest extent. Sudden brake applica-
tions 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 install-
ing tire chains on the tire will provide a
greater driving force, but will not prevent
side skids.WINTER DRIVING

2
DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
26
C190B01S-AATTrailer HitchesSelect the proper hitch and ball combina-
tion, making sure that its location is com-
patible with that of the trailer or vehicle
being towed.
Use a quality non-equalizing hitch which
distributes the tongue load uniformly
throughout the chassis.
The hitch should be bolted securely to the
car and installed by a qualified technician.
DO NOT USE A HITCH DESIGNED FOR
TEMPORARY INSTALLATION AND
NEVER USE ONE THAT ATTACHES
ONLY TO THE BUMPER.C190C01Y-AATTrailer BrakesIf your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to federal
and/or local regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.NOTE:If you tow a trailer or vehicle, your car will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. See Maintenance
Under Severe Usage Conditions" on
page 5-6.
C190D01S-AATSafety ChainsShould the hitch connection between your
vehicle and the trailer or vehicle you are
towing fail, the trailer or vehicle could
wander dangerously across other lanes of
traffic and ultimately leave the roadway. To
eliminate this potentially dangerous situa-
tion, safety chains, attached between your
car and the trailer or towed vehicle, are
required in most states.
CAUTION:
o Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
o When towing a trailer on steep grades
(in excess of 6%) pay close attention
to the engine coolant temperature
gauge to ensure the engine does not
overheat. If the needle of the coolant
temperature gauge moves across the
dial towards "H" (HOT), pull over and
stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and
allow the engine to idle until it cools
down. You may proceed once the
engine has cooled sufficiently.
!
TRAILER OR VEHICLE TOWING!
C190A01S-AATIf you are considering towing with your car,
you should first check with your State's
Department of Motor Vehicles to deter-
mine their legal requirements.
Since laws vary from State to State the
requirements for towing trailers, cars, or
other types of vehicles or apparatus may
differ. Ask your Hyundai dealer for further
details before towing.
CAUTION:
Do not do any towing with your car during
its first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) in order to
allow the engine to properly break in.
Failure to heed this caution may result in
serious engine or transaxle damage.