Maintaining your Elantra can be fun. It can also be very gratifying because you know the job is done right. And performing maintenance yourself can save you a lot of money.
Let's take something relatively simple like an oil change. First refer to your owner's manual to find out how often you should change your Elantra's oil. Many vehicles today need oil changes every 5000 miles, except with heavy-duty usage or in dusty conditions.
When it comes time to change your oil and filter, find an Elantra repair manual. You can purchase one from one of our online parts dealers, or you can borrow a manual from your local library. You may also be able to use an online search engine to get a description of the procedure.
In addition to the required quarts of oil and a new oil filter, you will need jack stands or a ramp to elevate the car. (Caution: always make sure you place the car in gear and set the emergency brake before elevating the vehicle.) Other tools and equipment you will need include a pan to catch the oil after you open the drain plug; an oil-filter wrench, in case the old filter is difficult to remove; a socket wrench, box wrench or crescent wrench to remove the oil drain plug; and a container for the used oil. Also have plenty of rags, newspaper and cat litter in case of an oil spill.
Once the vehicle is securely elevated, place the drain plan below the oil pan and slowly remove the drain plug with a wrench. Allow all of the old oil to drain into the pan. Next, slowly remove the old filter (use the oil-filter wrench to loosen the oil filter if you can't do it by hand). After the old oil has drained into the pan, also pour the used oil that remains in the filter into the drain pan.
After you are sure all of the old oil has drained out of the engine, put the drain plug back into the oil pan and tighten snuggly. (Caution: do not over tighten; doing so can strip the threads in the oil pan, which will necessitate a costly repair.) Next, install the new oil filter and tighten it one-quarter turn. Now you are ready to install the new oil.
Remove the oil-filler cap in the engine compartment. Add the oil required. After you have added all the oil, start the engine and check underneath the vehicle for leaks. If there are no leaks, you may take the vehicle off the jacks or ramp and begin your cleanup.
Make sure to clean up any spills with rags or newspaper. Pour the old oil into a container. Be sure to take all used oil, and used oil filters, to a recycling facility. Never pour used oil down a drain or sewer.
There are many other maintenance tasks your perform yourself on your Elantra. These include washing and waxing your vehicle, making sure your tires are properly inflated, and installing new windshield wipers.
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