2003 Hyundai Elantra Owner's Manual - Page 111

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI o Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated 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 result 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 maintenance costs, maintain your car in accordance with the maintenance schedule in Section 5. If you drive your car in severe conditions, more frequent maintenance 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 consumption and also contribute to corrosion. 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 require extended warm-up. As soon as the engine is running smoothly, you can drive away. 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 beyond 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. C150A01A-AAT C160B01A-AAT Snowy or Icy Conditions To 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 to the original equipment tires. Failure to do so may adversely affect the safety and handling of your car. Speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and sharp turns are potentially very hazardous practices. During deceleration, use engine braking to the fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on snowy or icy roads may cause skids to occur. You need to keep sufficient distance between the vehicle in front and your vehicle. Also, apply the brake gently. It should be noted that installing tire chains on the tire will provide a greater driving force, but will not prevent side skids. SMOOTH CORNERING Avoid 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. C160A01A-AAT NOTE: Tire chains are not legal in all states. Check state laws before fitting tire chains. C160C01A-AAT WINTER DRIVING The 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: Use High Quality Ethylene Glycol Coolant Your Hyundai is delivered with high quality 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 2- 10