Hyundai Sonata LF Quiz
What to Do in an Emergency

If the engine overheats

In this manual: What to Do in an Emergency
Your Vehicle at a Glance — 5Your Vehicle's Safety System — 48Convenient Features of Your Vehicle — 162Multimedia System — 7Driving Your Vehicle — 90What to Do in an Emergency — 32Maintenance — 59Specifications, Consumer Information and Safety Defect Reporting — 8
~2min read

If your temperature gauge indicates overheating, you experience a loss of power, or you hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine may be overheating. If this happens, you should:

1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.

2. Place the shift lever in P (Park) and apply the parking brake. If the air conditioner is on, turn it off.

3. If engine coolant is leaking from under the vehicle or steam is coming from under the hood, stop the engine. Do not open the hood until the coolant stops leaking or the steam stops. If there is no visible coolant loss and no steam, leave the engine running and make sure the engine cooling fan is operating. If the fan is not operating, turn off the engine.

WARNING

While the engine is running, keep hands, clothing, and tools away from moving parts such as the cooling fan and drive belt to avoid serious injury.

4. Check for coolant leaks from the radiator, hoses, or under the vehicle. (If the air conditioner has been in use, dripping of cold water from it when you stop is normal.)

5. If engine coolant is leaking, stop the engine immediately and contact the nearest authorized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.

WARNING

NEVER remove the radiator cap or drain plug when the engine and radiator are hot. Hot coolant and steam may be released under pressure and cause serious injury.

Turn off the engine and wait until it cools down. Be extremely careful when removing the radiator cap. Wrap it with a thick towel and turn counterclockwise slowly to the first stop. Step back while pressure is released from the cooling system. When you are sure all pressure has been released, press down on the cap using a thick towel and continue turning counterclockwise to remove it.

6. If you cannot find the cause of the overheating, wait until the engine temperature returns to normal. Then, if coolant was lost, carefully add coolant to the reservoir until the coolant level reaches the middle mark.

7. Proceed with caution and watch for further signs of overheating. If overheating occurs again, contact an authorized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.

CAUTION

A significant loss of coolant indicates a leak in the cooling system and should be checked by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.

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