brakes HYUNDAI TUCSON 2012 Owner's Manual

545
Driving your vehicle
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glarefrom other driver's headlights.
Keep your headlights clean and prop- erly aimed. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night. Headlight operation when using windshield wipers is
mandatory in some states.
Avoid staring directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder tosee and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
Keep your windshield wiping equip- ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it eas- ier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
1VQA3003

Driving your vehicle
50
5
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer and most auto parts outlets. Donot use engine coolant or other types of
anti-freeze as these may damage the paint finish.
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under 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 temporar-
ily while you put the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the rear
wheels so the car cannot roll. Then
release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumu- late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the vehicle to be sure the
movement of the front wheels and the
steering components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er, you should carry appropriate emer-
gency 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.

551
Driving your vehicle
If you are considering towing with your
vehicle, you should first check with your
state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to
determine 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 an authorized HYUNDAI deal-
er for further details before towing.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the trailer” that appears later in this section.Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and it has to be used properly.
This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING- Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well - or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps inthis section.
WARNING- Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, GCW (gross combi-
nation weight), GVW (gross vehicle
weight), GAW (gross axle weight) and trailer tongue load are all with- in the limits.
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly candamage your vehicle and result incostly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section.

Driving your vehicle
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5
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few rea-
sons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
Will you have to make any holes in the
body of your vehicle when you install a
trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to
seal the holes later when you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can
get into your vehicle, as well as dirt and
water.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
HYUNDAI trailer hitch accessory is available at an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not
drop to the road if it becomes separatedfrom the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the hitch manufacturer or by
the trailer manufacturer. Follow the man-
ufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trailer.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to federal and/or local regulations and that it is
properly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the maxi-
mum allowed weight without trailer
brakes, then the trailer will also require its
own brakes as well. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-tem.
WARNING- Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.

553
Driving your vehicle
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-ing.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle may
also take longer to pass than it would on
flat ground.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance before turning or lane changes.
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.

Driving your vehicle
54
5
An authorized HYUNDAI dealer can
assist you in installing the wiring harness.
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transaxle,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer attached to
your vehicle, you should not park your
vehicle on a hill. People can be seriously
or fatally injured, and both your vehicle
and the trailer can be damaged if they
unexpectedly roll down hill. However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here's how to do it:
1. Pull the vehicle into the parking space.
Turn the steering wheel in the direction
of the curb (right if headed down hill, left if headed up hill).
2. If the vehicle has a manual transaxle, place the car in neutral. If the vehicle
has an automatic transaxle, place the
car in P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.
4. Place chocks under the trailer wheels on the down hill side of the wheels.
5. Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift to neutral, release the parking brake
and slowly release the brakes until the
trailer chocks absorb the load.
6. Reapply the brakes, reapply the park- ing brake and shift the vehicle to R
(Reverse) for manual transaxle or P
(Park) automatic transaxle.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the engine
coolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves across
the dial towards “H” (HOT), pullover and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the engine to
idle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine hascooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.
WARNING- Parking on a hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should the trailer
break loose or brake stops working.

555
Driving your vehicle
7. Shut off the vehicle and release thevehicle brakes but leave the parking
brake set.
When you are ready to leave after park-
ing on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral or automatic transaxle in P (Park),
apply your brakes and hold the brake
pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten- tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts should be tight.
WARNING- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.
CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. If the coolant gauge indicatesover-heating, switch off the A/Cand stop the vehicle in a safe area to cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning, you shouldinstall a condenser fan to improveengine performance when towinga trailer.

557
Driving your vehicle
Weight of the trailer
What is the maximum safe weight of a
trailer? It should never weigh more than
the maximum trailer weight with trailer
brakes. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
often your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.
Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total gross vehicle weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. This weight
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you will tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will also be carrying that
weight.The trailer tongue should weigh a maxi-
mum of 10% of the total loaded trailer
weight, within the limits of the maximum
trailer tongue load permissible. After
you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trail-
er and then the tongue, separately, to
see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to correct them
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
C190E01JM
Tongue Load Total Trailer Weight
WARNING - Trailer
Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be loaded
with approximately 60% of the
total trailer load; the rear should
be loaded with approximately 40% of the total trailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or trail-
er towing equipment. Improper
loading can result in damage to
your vehicle and/or personal
injury. Check weights and loading
at a commercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with scales.
An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle control.C190E02JM
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle Weight

Driving your vehicle
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5
Tire and loading information label
The label located on the driver's door
sill gives the original tire size, cold
tire pressures recommended for your
vehicle, the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and vehicle
capacity weight.
Vehicle capacity weight:
926 lbs. (420 kg)
Vehicle capacity weight is the maxi-
mum combined weight of occupants
and cargo. If your vehicle is equipped
with a trailer, the combined weightincludes the tongue load.
Seating capacity:
Total : 5 persons (Front seat : 2 persons, Rear seat : 3 persons)
Seating capacity is the maximum
number of occupants including a
driver, your vehicle may carry.
However, the seating capacity may
be reduced based upon the weight of
all of the occupants, and the weight
of the cargo being carried or towed.
Do not overload the vehicle as there
is a limit to the total weight, or load
limit including occupants and cargo,
the vehicle can carry.
Towing capacity:
Without trailer brakes: 1000 lbs (454 kg)
With trailer brakes: 2000 lbs (907 kg)
Towing capacity is the maximum
trailer weight including its cargo
weight, your vehicle can tow.
Cargo capacity:
The cargo capacity of your vehicle will increase or decrease depending
on the weight and the number ofoccupants and the tongue load, if
your vehicle is equipped with a trail-
er.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.'' on your vehicle'splacard.
VEHICLE LOAD LIMIT
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OLM059101N

What to do in an emergency
2
6
ROAD WARNING
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehi-cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Depress the flasher switch with the igni-
tion switch in any position. The flasher
switch is located in the center console
switch panel. All turn signal lights will
flash simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
The turn signals do not work when the hazard flasher is on.
Care must be taken when using the hazard warning flasher while the vehi-
cle is being towed.
If the engine stalls at a crossroad
or crossing
If the engine stalls at a crossroad or
crossing, set the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position and then push the vehi-
cle to a safe place.
If you have a flat tire while driving
If a tire goes flat while you are driving:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedaland let the vehicle slow down while
driving straight ahead. Do not apply the
brakes immediately or attempt to pull
off the road as this may cause a loss of
control. When the vehicle has slowed
to such a speed that it is safe to do so,
brake carefully and pull off the road.
Drive off the road as far as possible
and park on firm, level ground. If you
are on a divided highway, do not park
in the median area between the two
traffic lanes.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING
OLM049084