If the Engine Overheats

If your temperature gauge indicates overheating, you experience a loss of power, or hear loud pinging or knocking, the engine is probably too hot. If this happens, you should:

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

2. Place the gear selector lever in "P" (automatic), or neutral (manual transaxle) and set the parking brake. If the air conditioner is on, turn it off.

3. If coolant is running out under the car or steam is coming out from underneath the hood, stop the engine. Do not open the hood until the coolant has stopped running or the steaming has stopped. If there is no visible loss of coolant and no steam, leave the engine running and check to be sure the engine cooling fan is operating. If the fan is not running, turn the engine off.

4. Check to see if the water pump drive belt is missing. If it is not missing, check to see that it is tight. If the drive belt seems to be satisfactory, check for coolant leaking from the radiator, hoses or under the car. (If the air conditioner had been in use, it is normal for cold water to be draining from it when you stop).

WARNING:

While the engine is running, keep hands, long hair and clothing away from moving parts such as the fan and drive belts to prevent injury.

5. If the water pump drive belt is broken or coolant is leaking out, stop the engine immediately and call the nearest Hyundai dealer for assistance.

WARNING:

Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. This may result in coolant being blown out of the opening and cause serious burns.

6. If you cannot find the cause of the overheating, wait until the engine temperature has returned to normal. Then, if coolant has been lost, carefully add water to the reservoir (Page 6-8) to bring the fluid level in the reservoir up to the halfway mark.

7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheating. If overheating happens again, call a Hyundai dealer for assistance.

CAUTION:

Serious loss of coolant indicates there is a leak in the cooling system and this should be checked as soon as possible by a Hyundai dealer.

    See also:

    Ride & Handling
    The Santa Fe's very stiff suspension was probably the most surprising aspect of the SUV. It didn't help that most of my driving was done in the Land of Potholes — a.k.a. Chicago in the spring — wh ...

    Driver's and passenger's front air bag
    Driver’s front air bag Your vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental Restraint (Air Bag) System and lap/shoulder belts at both the driver and passenger seating positions. The indications of the ...

    Door Ajar Warning Light and Chime
    The door ajar warning light warns you that a door is not completely closed and the chime warns you that the key is in the ignition switch. NOTE : The warning chime only sounds whenever the key i ...