tires HYUNDAI TUCSON 2009 Owners Manual

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI54
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B270A01O-AATBRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
SOUNDThe front and rear disc brake pads have
wear indicators that should make a high-
pitched squealing or scraping noise when
new pads are needed. The sound may
come and go or be heard all the time when
the vehicle is moving. It may also be heard
when the brake pedal is pushed down
firmly. Excessive rotor damage will result
if the worn pads are not replaced. See your
Hyundai dealer immediately.
WARNING:
Significantly low tire pressure makes
the vehicle unstable and can contribute
to loss of vehicle control and increased
braking distances.
Continued driving on low pressure tires
will cause the tires to overheat and fail.B260W02JM-GAT
Low tire pressure telltale
(If installed)
The low tire pressure telltale comes on for
3 seconds after the ignition key is turned to
the "ON" position.
If the warning light does not come on, or
continuously remains on after comming
on for about 3 seconds when you turned
the ignition key to the "ON" position, the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System is not
working properly. If this occurs, have your
vehicle checked by an authorized Hyundai
dealer as soon as possible.
This warning light will also illuminate one
or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. You should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible. If the warning
light illuminates while driving, reduce ve-
hicle speed immediately and stop the ve-
hicle. Avoid hard braking and overcorrect-
ing at the steering wheel. Inflate the tires to
the proper pressure as indicated on the
vehicle’s tire information placard.
B265W02JM-GAT
TPMS (Tire pressure monitor-
ing system) malfunction indica-
tor (If installed)
TPMS malfunction indicator comes on for
3 seconds after the ignition key is turned to
the "ON" position. If the warning light does
not come on, or continuously remains on
after comming on for about 3 seconds
when you turned the ignition key to the
"ON" position, the Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing System is not working porperly. If this
occurs, have your vehicle checked by an
authorized Hyundai dealer as soon as
possible.
The warning light also comes on and stays
on when there is a problem with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System.
If this happens, the system may not monitor
the tire pressure. Have the system checked
by an authorized Hyundai dealer as soon
as possible.WARNING:
o The TPMS cannot alert you to severe
and sudden tire damage caused by
external factors.
o If you feel any vehicle instability, im-
mediately take your foot off the accel-
erator and slowly move to a safe po-
sition off the road.
B260Q01JM-GAT
Engine temperature
warning light
The red indicator illuminates if the tem-
perature of the engine coolant is above
248±5.5°F.
Do not continue driving with an overheated
engine. If your vehicle overheats, refer to
"Overheating" in the index.NOTE:If the engine temperature warning light
illuminates, it indicates overheating that
may damage the engine.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
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WARNING:
o The 2WD Tucson is not designed for
off-road use. The 4WD Tucson is de-
signed primarily for use on paved
roads. However, occasional use in
off-highway conditions such as es-
tablished unpaved roads and non-
challenging off-road trails is allowed.
The 4WD Tucson is not designed for
blazing new trails, challenging off-road
conditions, or unpaved hill climbing.
Exceeding the conditions that were
intended for the vehicle's primary
design may result in injury or death.
o Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles.o Utility vehicle have higher ground
clearance and a narrower track to
make them capable of performing in
a wide variety of off-road applications.
Specific design characteristics give
them a higher center of gravitiy than
ordinary cars. An advantage of the
higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problem. They are not designed
for cornering at the same speeds as
conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform satisfacto-
rily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers. As with other vehicles of
this type, failure to operate this ve-
hicle correctly may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover.
o In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to die
than a person wearing a seat belt.
WARNING:
RISK OF ROLLOVER
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WARNING:
Your vehicle is equipped with tires de-
signed to provide for safe ride and han-
dling capability.
Do not use a size and type of tire and
wheel that is different from the one that
is originally installed on your vehicle. It
can affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle, which could lead to han-
dling failure or rollover and serious in-
jury.
When replacing the tires, be sure to equip
all four tires with the tire and wheel of the
same size, type, tread, brand and load-
carrying capacity. If you nevertheless
decide to equip your vehicle with any
tire/wheel combination not recom-
mended by Hyundai for off-road driving,
you should not use these tires for high-
way driving.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
4
TO START THE ENGINEC030A01E-AATCOMBINATION IGNITION SWITCHo If your Hyundai is equipped with a
manual transaxle, place the shift lever
in neutral and depress the clutch pedal
fully.
o If your Hyundai has an automatic
transaxle, place the shift lever in "P"
(park).
o To start the engine, insert the ignition
key and turn it to the "START" position.
Release it as soon as the engine starts.
Do not hold the key in the "START"
position for more that 15 seconds.NOTE:o For safety, the engine will not start if
the clutch pedal is not depressed fully
(Manual Transaxle) or the shift lever
is not in "P" or "N" Position (Auto-
matic Transaxle).
o The ignition key cannot be turned from
"ACC" position to "LOCK" position
unless the shift lever is in the "P"
(Park) position or the negative bat-
tery terminal is disconnected from
the battery. To remove the key, al-
ways confirm that the shift lever is
securely positioned in "P" (Park) (For
Automatic Transaxle).
o For additional information about start-
ing, see page 2-6.
BEFORE STARTING THE EN-
GINEC020A04A-AATBefore you start the engine, you should
always:
1. Look around the vehicle to be sure
there are no flat tires, puddles of oil,
water or other indications of possible
trouble.
2. After entering the car, check to be sure
the parking brake is engaged.
3. Check that all windows, and lights are
clean.
4. Check that the interior and exterior mir-
rors are clean and in position.
5. Check your seat, seatback and head-
rest to be sure they are in their proper
positions.
6. Lock all the doors.
7. Fasten your seat belt and be sure that all
other occupants have fastened theirs.
8. Turn off all lights and accessories that
are not needed.
9. When you turn the ignition switch to
"ON", check that all appropriate warn-
ing lights are operating and that you
have sufficient fuel.
10. Check the operation of warning lights
and all bulbs when key is in the "ON"
position.
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WARNING:
o All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to pages: 1-19 through 1-
25 for more information on their proper
use.
o Always check the surrounding areas
near your vehicle for people, espe-
cially children, before putting a car
into 'drive.'
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WARNING:
Always wear appropriate shoes when
operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski boots,
etc.) may interfere with your ability to
use the brake and accelerator pedal,
and the clutch (if installed).
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WARNING:
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be careful not
to depress the accelerator pedal for a
long period of time. It may overheat the
engine or exhaust system and cause
fire.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
15
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CAUTION:
Driving with varying tire or wheel size
may cause the ESC system to malfunc-
tion. When replacing tires, make sure
they are the same size as your original
tires.
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ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL (ESC) SYSTEMC310A03JM-AAT(If installed)
C310A01JM-U
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) sys-
tem is designed to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering manuevers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies the
brakes at individual wheels and intervenes
in the engine management system to sta-
bilize the vehicle.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) sys-
tem is an electronic system designed to
help the driver maintain vehicle control
under adverse conditions. It is not a substi-
tute for safe driving practices. Factors in-
cluding speed, road conditions and driver
steering input can all affect whether ESC
will be effective in preventing a loss of
control. It is still your responsibility to drive
and corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
WARNING:
Never drive too fast for the road condi-
tions or too quickly when cornering. Elec-
tronic stability control (ESC) will not pre-
vent accidents. Excessive speed in
turns, abrupt maneuvers and hydroplan-
ing on wet surfaces can still result in
serious accidents. Only a safe and at-
tentive driver can prevent accidents by
avoiding maneuvers that cause the ve-
hicle to lose traction. Even with ESC
installed, always follow all the normal
precautions for driving - including driv-
ing at safe speeds for the conditions.
C310B01JM-AATESC ON/OFF ModeWhen the ESC is operating, the ESC indi-
cator in the instrument cluster will blink.
If you turn the system off by pressing the
ESC switch, the ESC-OFF indicator will
come on and stay on. In the ESC-OFF
mode, the stability control will be deacti-
vated. Adjust your driving accordingly. To
turn the system back on, press the switch
again. The ESC-OFF indicator should go
off.NOTE:The ESC mode will automatically be
turned ON after the engine is turned off
and restarted.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
17
HJM1029
Roll tester(Speedometer)Temporary free rollero If the vehicle is towed with only two
wheels raised off the ground, the
4WD system could be damaged.
o In unavoidable cases, if the vehicle
is being towed with all four wheels
on the ground, it should only be
towed forward.
o While towing, check the following
items.
1. The ignition switch is in "ACC" or
"ON".
2. Place the shift lever in neutral (For
Automatic Transaxle, "N" position).
3. Release the parking brake.
NOTE:To avoid serious damage to your 4WD
vehicle, limit towing to 10 mph and not for
more than 1 mile at ANY TIME.
WARNING:
Your vehicle is equipped with tires de-
signed to provide for safe ride and han-
dling capability.
Do not use a size and type of tire and
wheel that is different from the one that
is originally installed on your vehicle. It
can affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle, which could lead to han-
dling failure or rollover and serious in-
jury.
When replacing the tires, be sure to equip
all four tires with the tire and wheel of the
same size, type, tread, brand and load-
carrying capacity. If you nevertheless
decide to equip your vehicle with any
tire/wheel combination not recom-
mended by Hyundai for off-road driving,
you should not use these tires for high-
way driving.
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(6)The stopping distance of the full-time
4WD vehicle differs very little from that
of the 2WD vehicle.
When driving on a snow-covered road
or a slippery, muddy surface, make sure
that you keep a sufficient distance be-
tween your vehicle and the one ahead
of you.
(7)Since the driving torque is always ap-
plied to all 4 wheels, the performance of
the full-time 4WD vehicle is greatly af-
fected by the condition of the tires. Be
sure to equip it with four tires of the same
size and type.
o When replacement of any of the tires
or wheels is necessary, replace all
of them with tires or wheels of the
same size type.
o Rotate the tires and check the tire
pressure at regular intervals.
(8)The full-time 4WD vehicle cannot be
towed by an ordinary tow truck. Make
sure that the vehicle is towed with all
four wheels raised off the ground.
o Roadside Assistance Program:
Off-roading is not covered. To re-
ceive service, the vehicle must be on
a publicly maintained road.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
18
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.

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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

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
25
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HIGHER SPEED MOTORINGC170A02A-AATPre-Trip Inspections1. Tires:
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to speci-
fication. 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 fail-
ure.NOTE:Never exceed the maximum tire infla-
tion pressure shown on the tires.
WARNING:
o Underinflated or overinflated tires can
cause poor handling, loss of vehicle
control, and sudden tire failure lead-
ing to accidents, injuries, and even
death. Always check tires are prop-
erly inflated before driving. Refer to
pages 2-29 and 8-3 for proper tire
pressures and further information.
o Driving on tires with no or insufficient
tread is dangerous. Worn-out tires
can result in loss of vehicle control,
collisions, injury, and even death.
Worn-out tires should be replaced as
soon as possible and should never be
used for driving. Always check tire
tread before driving your car. Refer to
8-11 for further information and tread
limits.
USE OF LIGHTSC180A01A-AATCheck your lights regularly for correct op-
eration and always keep them clean. When
driving during the day in conditions of poor
visibility, it is helpful to drive with head-
lights on low beam. This enables you to be
seen as well as to see.
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.

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DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI
28
C190F01O-AATTrailer or Vehicle Towing Tips1. Before towing, check hitch and safety
chain connections as well as proper
operation of the trailer running lights,
brake lights, and turn signals.
2. Trailer towing requires more fuel than
normal conditions.
3. To maintain engine braking efficiency,
do not tow a trailer with the transaxle in
fifth gear (manual transaxle) or over-
drive (automatic transaxle).
4. Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
5. 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.
6. The vehicle/trailer combination is more
affected 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 buffet-
ing, slow down to get out of the other
vehicle's air turbulence.
7. When parking your car and trailer, es-
pecially 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.8. 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 con-
nection at the same time.
9. During your trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still
working.
10. Avoid jerky starts, sudden accelera-
tion or sudden stops.
11. Avoid sharp turns and rapid lane
changes.
12. Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This could
cause the brakes to overheat, resulting
in reduced braking efficiency.
13. When going down a hill, shift into a
lower gear and use the engine braking
effect.
When ascending a long grade, down-
shift the transaxle to a lower gear and
reduce speed to reduce chances of
engine overloading and/or overheat-
ing.
14. 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 over-
heat. Use the parking brake or
footbrake.
15.If the transaxle shifts frequently while
going up a hill, shift down one gear.
!
WARNING:
o Improperly loading your vehicle and
trailer can seriously affect its steer-
ing and braking performance causing
a crash which could cause serious
injury or death.
o Towing a trailer affected vehicle han-
dling and braking.
o Drive more slowly when towing a trailer
and allow more distance when brak-
ing.
o Be careful when driving in slippery
and windy conditions.
o Be careful when turning and while
driving up and down hills.
o Do not exceed 45 mph or the posted
towing speed limit, whichever is lower.