Hyundai Azera Front End Problems

hyundai2

I already have a file number and have been around that Mery-go-round. I am going to JUST BE SURE that the struts are completely abliterated before I take it back. No more of this "normal suspension noice" or other nonsence. It will rattle like a can of bolts. Next question. How do you pull one of that little blue cars from the bottom of this message board and insert it on the message??

ray_h1

Easy - just put the mouse cursor over the one you desire and click the left mouse button (or the mouse button for Mac users :P). A duplicate emoticon will be placed at the point of the cursor in the message text (though it won't appear "cartoonish" until the message is posted).

chilliwack

Amazing how Hyundai can release a car with a suspension like this :sick: but other than that, it is a roomy ride with a lot of good stuff but I hope replacement struts are available soon :confuse: or else this one will be traded at end of warranty period :P

fannibal

Hey guys, under what conditions do your azeras front end rattle? And how noticeable is the rattle? so far over regular bumps on the road, I haven't felt anything out of the ordinary.

gamleged

I'm guessing that they probably have fixed the problem (inverted sway bar or whatever) in the more recent cars, as I have absolutely no "clunk" in my November 18 delivered 2006 Azera Limited. Or maybe it's the luck of the draw, but I can't imagine that, whatever the problem is/was, they haven't rectified it in manufacturing, although it looks like a retro-fix has yet to materialize at the dealerships for those that do "clunk"...

jmjk

RE: Your question #154

Refer to post number 86 of this forum, I think you will find your answer there.

JMJK

pat

Here's a link to that post: jmjk, "Hyundai Azera - Front End Problems" #86, 26 Oct 2006 6:25 pm

guest

RE: 155
If they have fixed the problem, they have not issued a TSB or notified Service Departments at local dealerships.

donvick

We are at 9800 miles and still clunkless on 2006 Azera Limited. Michelins with 17 inch wheels.
Drive over 2 sets of speed bumps on our block twice a day at a minimum, at times I bottom out the shocks and still smooth and silent.

From where I sit, unable to investigate but from your descriptions, it does sound like a strut has lost torque or bushing is not properly seated.

We have no problems with the car, we love it still, and would buy it again. I feel fortunate as this particular vehicle we did not test drive as it was on the showroom floor. We did drive 4 different Azera's at 3 different dealers and did not once notice a clunk. I listen for such oddities in a car, anything out of the normal operational noises.

I'll be watching this thread and listening closely for out of whack noises.

Don

cbrturbo

Contacted Hyundai. They stated they never called me back after the Hyundai tech visited the dealership because there is no problem, that my car is operating normally.

We now have the official Hyundai stance. They refuse to fix the vehicles. Period.

Time for the lawyers, Hyundai has given me no choice.

drdonrs

You probably know that the 06 Sonata with 17" wheels as well as the 07 has had a rear suspension clunking. There was no word or response, for what seemed to be a long time, from Hyundai. Then they finally acknowledged a problem with the rear suspensions and effected a "fix" on the 07's unsold at the dealers and then the other 07's already on the road that had the problem. The 06's were not being dealt with, initially, but individual dealers could be found who were offering the fix, mine is one. The essence of the situation is that there has been no recall and I have yet to see a TSB, though there may be one. I also have an 06 Azzy Limited and it does indeed have a noisy suspension but I have decided to be a little more patient. I intend to discuss it, quietly, with my service manager, who has been a most cooperative individual to date. Do you have any other issues with the car and or the dealer? In the case of the Sonata there was no fix for all the time until the 07's appeared with the same problem as the 06's(essentially the same car). So there may not be an official "fix" available, but I would bet that Hyundai will come up with a solution, because their credibility is at stake, especially with their top of the line car. I'm sure you are frustrated at this point, but I have learned over the years( I'm a senior citizen)sometimes trying to squeeze out a little more patience in a sticky situation can come out with a more positive result, especially when it comes to car purchases and ownership. By the way obviously there is no safety factor or you can be sure that there would have been a recall by now. I am truly enjoying my 06 Sonata LX6 and 06 Azzy Limited (Premium Pkg.).
Don

cableguy06

My dealer stated to me there will be NO recall and that each case is being dealt with individually. Pretty much told me that they were told by Hyundai that if a customer complains, then just do the "fix" without question or hesitation. If they don't, then leave the car alone.

drdonrs

If you are talking about the Sonata, there is absolutely no recall. You have to initiate it individually. Or perhaps you are referring to the Azera, are you? To my knowledge there has not been any kind of acknowledgement of the noisy front end. Not every car has the same "noise" level. Mine is not nerve jarring in any way, however I certainly want whatever "fix" they may come up with. If you are referring to the Sonata then yes there was no hesitation on the part of the dealer to effect the "fix".
Don

newguy6

Unless my service manager is trying to keep me quite I think I have great news! He called me yesterday(12/11) and said that Hyundai acknowledges that there is problem with the "Clunk" and that they are re-engineering the struts. When they have it done they will replace my struts. Sounds good to me, hope it works. This was Edwards Hyundai in Council Bluffs, IA.

gamleged

Years ago, soon after I took delivery of my new 1977 Honda Accord, I noticed an annoying "ding-dong" sound coming from the rear, over bumpy roads. A couple thousand miles later the dealer replaced the rear struts, solving the problem. He said it was likely that the car had been too-tightly cinched down for the ocean voyage from Japan...

theblackhole

RE: Mesage 164

It sure sounds like great news. Hopefully your service manager was referring to the AZERA and not the Sonata.

We're all hoping & praying with you. Thanx for letting us know.

grayfox

RE: 143 &144.
The local dealer installed two new REAR shock absorbers on my '06 Azera this morning. As expected, the front suspension noise is the same as before. I will have to continue to play their game and return to the dealer with my origial complaint.
I had my first opportunity to look at the underside of the car and was impressed with all the attention to detail concerning how it is designed and assembled.
I'll keep the forum posted about the suspension noise.

guest

The good news, is that with about 13,000 miles and almost 1 year on my Azera, most of the front end noises have gone away.
I don't know if is due to the tires "wearing in" and correcting out of round or the struts loosening up.
I try to maintain air pressure at 30 psi.
The other thought is that I'm getting too old to hear the noise and feel the rattle.

jmjk

re: 164

Newguy6:

Sounds like great news to all of us who have the dreaded clunk. I will be waiting to hear from you again, hopefully with the news that Hyundai has a solution to the dreaded clunk.

Did your service manager indicate to you when we might be notified of a solution?

JMJK

newguy6

Thanks to all of you are giving me incourgement on this clunking problem. (My '98 mazda pickup is quieter on bumps),
No, he didn't give me a date, all I can do is hope it's soon.
However, if the really do have to "re-engineer" the struts I would guess it will be while. Meanwhile all of you keep after your service people so they don't forget us. We are supposed to be driving a "luxury" car not a lumber wagon!

gamleged

I kinda have my doubts that a strut requiring "reengineering" would be the culprit in this case, as there are Azeras with the "clunk" and Azeras without the "clunk." If it is a strut problem, it's likely to be something to do with installation (like the aforementioned upsidedown sway bar), a manufacturing quality control problem (lightning struck you but not me) or something to do with the way the vehicle was handled in shipment from Korea...

gamleged

It was mentioned earlier in this thread that some (especially with 17" wheels?) had experienced an "out-of-balance" problem. A new tech bulletin was released 12-11-06 and is found on:

link title

----------

CHASSIS
06-50-013
DECEMBER, 2006

TIRE AND WHEEL VIBRATION AND RADIAL FORCE VARIATION

THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TSB# 01-50-008 TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
NOTE: Each wheel and tire assembly is precision balanced and force match mounted before the vehicle leaves the assembly line. Dealers should not alter the dynamic balance of any wheel unless a customer describes experiencing a tire/wheel vibration condition.

DESCRIPTION:
A customer may describe a steering wheel vibration or "shimmy" condition in the vehicle. Sources of vibration/shimmy may be from the following conditions:
1. Wheel and tire assembly out of balance
2. Wheel out of round
3. Tire assembly stiffness variation (Radial Force Variation or RFV)

RFV (Radial Force Variation) may be defined as the amount of change in stiffness of the sidewall and footprint when a load is placed against a tire.

Wheel and tire assembly imbalance should be addressed first because it is the most common cause of vibration. A well maintained off-vehicle, two-plane dynamic wheel balancer can accurately correct this condition.

If a vibration or shimmy is still present after an imbalance condition is corrected, any out-of-round condition of the wheel and force variation of the tire must be addressed.

NOTE: All of the above conditions may be addressed at the same time if equipment is available such as the Hunter GSP 9700, which is a two-plane wheel balancer.
----------

More on the site linked above...

chilliwack

Has anyone had their front struts replaced with new ones? If so, did it solve the front end noise? I haven't read of anyone trying this yet.

grayfox

When you say the word "strut", does that mean what I would call the shock absorber? Perhaps it is the whole assembly including the spring and whatever else. I need an education.

gamleged

Ask and ye shall receive all you ever wanted to know about the "MacPherson strut"...

link title

... which may or may not be all that helpful as I believe the Azera uses a double-wishbone front suspension...

ray_h1

Yes, it does. But in reality, think "modified" MacPherson strut suspension due to the inclusion of the upper control arm (secondary wishbone) paraphenalia for better long term retention of suspension geometry. (I think Mercedes-Benz in the very late '70s or early '80s was first to try this arrangement in serial production sedans, but someone feel free to chime in if that's wrong.) The coil-over type strut (essentially a shock absorber surrounded by the suspension's supporting coil spring which in turn is assembled as a unit to the vehicle) is also common to pure MacPherson strut suspensions.

chilliwack

Has anyone had their front shock absorbers replaced with new Hyundai Azera (NOT Sonata) ones? If so, did it solve the front end noise? I haven't read of anyone trying this yet.

markeggert

I also have an 06 Azera with the front end clunk. I haven't taken mine back in to the dealer yet... I'm kinda waiting to see if someone (or hopefully Hyundai) comes up with a real fix before I subject my car to the dealer replacing parts and otherwise shooting in the dark to fix this.

I used to be an aircraft mechanic with a lot of auto repair experience also and I doubt the struts are the source of the clunk. If the struts were the source of the noise, one would think they would make the clunk going over any bump or pavement irregularity and they don't. It takes a pretty good jolt to cause something to rattle. My noise is also more pronounced on the passenger front side. To me it sounds more like the sway bar bushing attachments to the sub-frame. If you look at the on-line parts catalog, it looks like these sway bar bushing brackets may only have one bolt holding them in place. Has anyone else looked at these?

My car is coming up to its first oil change soon and I'll be looking at these sway bar attachment points when I'm under there.

grayfox

RE:167
I called the dealer and said I had the same front end noise as before. Replacing the rear shocks did nothing.
Service writer said Hyundai is aware of the problem and they were not going to replace any front suspension parts until the factory came up with a fix. He had no idea when this might be, time wise.

floridabob1

RE: 179
Have you advised Hyundai Consumer Affairs of the problem and received a file number.
Is the Consumer Affairs aware of the rear shock with no improvement, and the position of the Service writer that they will do no more until a "company fix" is issued?
What if the factory does not come up with such a fix?
Are you screwed, or does the "lemon law" come into effect?

newguy6

I have just over 3000 miles on our '07 Azera with ultimate.
It has had the "clunk" since day one. I have a file number and and now on first name basis with service manager, I'm sure I'll get a christmas card from him. The reason for this post is that beginning this past week the clunk is not nearly as noticeable as it once was. If I was taking delivery today I don't know if I would even report the problem. Maybe it will totally go away on its own. I can still tell it's there, but for the first time since we took the car home I actually enjoy driving it. Maybe there is hope after all!

drdonrs

I have a 2006 Azera Limited and a 2006 Sonata LX6. As you all will recall there was little or no action regarding the Sonata's noisy rear suspension. That did not mean that Hyundai was not working on the situation. The early 07's with 6 cylinder engines and 17" wheels were initially dealt with and now they are dealing with the 06's. I just had the rear shocks replaced without any problem at my dealer and the service manager is going to talk to his Hyundai District Rep regarding the Azera. The issue is that if they haven't come up with an official "fix" the dealers are not going to be able to accommodate their customers at this point in time. I was never impatient regarding my Sonata and I don't intend to be any different with my Azzy. This is not a safety issue and probably is an engineering "gaffe" which can and does occur with many new models. Just look at the new Camry's and the transmission problems, the 06 Nissan Altima and the engine problems and other cars. Overall the Azera has been a solid performer with the exception of gas consumption and some suspension noise and the Sonata has been equally spectacular. I am certain that Hyundai knows about the Azzy's suspension and won't just sweep it under the rug. Too much of their striving for a top reputation is at stake. I am enjoying my cars and intend to take a sensibly patient point of view. This is something you learn when you reach your 70's.
Don

chilliwack

Good post/advice Doc

floridabob1

RE; 182
It ts admirable that you are so trusting a patient.
In my opinion, when one purchases a TOP model of a manufacturer they should expect that product not have a defect that goes unresolved for many months. The company ( not the local dealers) have been totally uncooperative in dealing with consumers pertaining to this problem. The dealers have also complained of the little company support.
No one knows for sure if this is not a safety issue. One should not be expected to wait months or years for the problem to be resolved.
The Camry and Altima are not newly introduced flagship models, and we as consumers did not purchase those models, for whatever reasons. Carmy has been selected as the Motor Trend " Car of the Year"
That being said, my "clunk" has been diminishing as well, with almost 13,000 miles and almost one year of service.

theblackhole

Maybe Hyundai corporate is underestimating / misunderstanding the American Culture and our expectations for new car service. I don't know if they're being uncooperative or just poor at communicating where they are in the process of finding the bext "fix" for the dreaded clunking. I'm planning on patience.

At 3200 miles, my clunking is not yet diminishing, although the pulsing in the steering wheel as a result of the wheel balancing issue is much better but still present. I suspect it was a combination of flat spots on the tires and the wheel balancing.

I'll be bringing mine in for an oil change in 2 weeks....I'm curious as to what my service manager is going to do when I mention the clunking and the wheel balance issue (at least this one has a TSB issued). I'll let ya know.

Enjoy your holidays!

ray_h1

)) "Maybe Hyundai corporate is underestimating / misunderstanding the American Culture and our expectations for new car service." ((

Definitely that and the possibility that we in the U.S. may have unrealistically high expectations regarding Hyundai QC. Korea is not Japan (though Toyota is now warily looking over its shoulder at the increasingly potent Hyundai automotive juggernaut).

floridabob1

RE;185 & 186
Hyundai is a hugh congolmerate haedquartered in South Korea.
South Korean manufacturers have been supplying the US market in consumer products for many years.
It is naive to believe that a company of Hyundia's size and stature is unaware of the buying habits,requirements and quality standards of the US consumer.
If there is a problem, they should deal with it in a timely fashion. Remember that this problem has been reported by some owners since the car was introduced, one year ago.

drdonrs

And the 06 Sonata has been around as long or even a bit longer. The point of my commentary is what definitive choices do you have? Your service manager cannot do a single thing without the okay of the district rep. and until they have an answer it won't happen. In my Azzy's case either I am getting used to the suspension or my senior citizen hearing is diminished(more likely). So who are you going to "yell" at? It's definitely counterproductive to hang this on the dealer and their service department. You can complain to Hyundai customer service, the BBB, and to whoever else might take complaints, but unless this is a safety related incident affecting the performance of the car as it relates to your safety, your "screaming" will be in vain. Sure we would like instant response but it doesn't ever work like that. I waited 11 months after purchasing my Sonata to have the rear shocks replaced as a warranty service. It took the "engineers" that amount of time to decide there was a problem and how to deal with it. This is why I am being patient, because my Azera is in almost every respect a fantastic automobile. Yes, the gas mileage is not on a par with the gas misers, but it is not a gas guzzler. Yes the suspension is somewhat noisier than my recent Acura TL's but not so that it makes me crazy. My wife drives the Azzy and it's our "family" car and she is happy and comfortable driving it, more so than when we were a 2 Acura TL family.
When they come up with the "fix" for the Azzy I will be on line for it.
If you are enjoying the Azzy in every other aspect, then have fun with it and enjoy it. It's what it is, not a sport sedan but an entry level luxury "boulevard car" with incredible inclusive options, excellent warranty and a price hard to beat. As an aside my Sonata is 11 months old and my Azzy is 4 months old and not a single squeak or annoying noise. I never had that even with my Acura TL's.
As with the Sonata, I am sure that when Hyundai has the right answer it will be presented to us. Meanwhile let's all enjoy the upcoming holidays with family and friends.
Don

drdonrs

Over on the Hyundai-Forums board someone just posted the following message. He took his 06 Azera in for its first oil service and had a discussion with the service manager regarding the noisy front suspension. The service manager indicated that Hyundai was aware of the problem and that they are engineering replacement shocks/struts that may be in stock within a months time. The significance is that Hyundai is aware and apparently doing something. This is exactly what transpired with my Sonata. Patience folks!
Don

floridabob1

RE;189
If the person on the forum reported correctly,the information passed to his Service Manager, was not shared with all managers. My local dealer"s Service Manager has not been advised of such an impeding replacement, nor has he received a TSB indicating that this fix" was upcoming.

jmjk

floridabob1

RE: 184

My clunk has not diminished, in fact it has gotten worse and I have contacted my service manager.

It took me about 2 weeks of careful examination and listening before I was sure, none the less I am now sure about it.

I call my service manager every week (like clock work) and he has not seen or heard of an impending TSB.

I also received another letter from Hyundai Consumer Affairs. I have scanned it but am at a loss as to how to post it. When I figure out how to post it I will do so - I have a lot of comentary regarding the letter.

JMJK

drdonrs

There was no TSB for my Sonata. The manager had been to "school" for a couple of days and the subject was discussed. The parts showed up on the computer(I saw them). The issue is that when there is an actual availability of the re engineered parts they will start to flow down. I can assure you if I didn't discuss the Sonata situation with my manager, and wasn't made aware of them by being on these forum boards, I might not have had them replaced. Only when there is a safety issue, and there is an enforced recall, will there be movement. If they issue a TSB then I guess it's up to the service dept. to initiate action. That's why these boards are important, because activist owners are keeping abreast of any and all initiatives on the part of the manufacturer.
Don

floridabob1

FORCED recalls are only for safety issues. If as you say, this is not a safety issue, a government mandated recall will not be issued. Companies have recalls for other defects that are not safety related. I'm not sure that they can state that there is no safety issue involved, since they have not formally agreed that a problem exists or the cause of the clunk.
I also believe that most of these posting are about Azeras, not Sonatas. I do not believe that they have the same suspension systems.

drdonrs

I am aware that we are discussing the Azera problem. My point is that as a Sonata owner as well as an Azera owner I am privy to the action taken by Hyundai in regards to the Sonata suspension problem and it is not too far fetched to think they will act in a similar manner regarding our Azeras.
Don

ray_h1

are not issued as an advisery about an upcoming fix. TSBs are issued when there IS a fix available for field repair. As drdonrs offered, have a little patience for the process to work. To date there've been no reports of broken suspension pieces resulting in loss of vehicle control, so this isn't a safety-related issue. If it were, the NHTSA would've been all over this problem like a whippet on a rabbit. It's an annoyance-related issue. (to be sure - a very annoying annoyance, though)

floridabob1

RE: 195
If the company is not aware of the nature of the problem. how can you be sure that there is no safety issue. I would not want to be the first person to experience the loss of control situation that you describe, nor would I want to hear on anyone else having that happen.
Should that situation happen, I'm sure that the company would be quicker to resolve the issue.
As I have reported, I have had my car for almost one year. Although I don't believe that the danger is great,I'm not sure.
Just how long is a "little patience"?
Not all people keep cars for more than several years, and they should not have to wait until they are ready to change before the fix is made.

floridabob1

RE; 195
A little off the point, but when I ordered my car in Nov.05, I was told by the salesperson that the car had a feature included, which was "tilt in reverse" for the sideview mirrors.
I picked up my car and did not check the operation of the mirrors. I read the owner's manual which told how to set the mirrors. They would not work. Took the car back to dealer who unsuccessfully attempted to correct the problem.
After two trips and having the dealer contact corporate, they were informed that Hyundai had eliminated the feature from the Azera.
The company "fixed" my problem by sending me a new owner's manual that elimininated mention of the feature.
Great fix!

drdonrs

Here is the exact message on the "other" board.

"Yea, my service invoice says customer complains of suspension noise below 40mph, and then on another line, says warranty fix in progress from manufacturer".

What more can you ask? It is being dealt with and as I have said PATIENCE folks!

floridabob1

RE: 198
Kindly ask your dealer exactly what or who was this source of information about the imminent fix.
The Service Manager at my local dealership cannot find such information.
The name and phone number of the Hyundai representative might prove very helpful.
Thanks!

gamleged

http://www.kdmstuff.com/shop/step1.php?number=576