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1. Homelink. The mirror based system is made by a company in the US, but is available in Europe and not here???
2. Tinted windows. Please! Those of us in Texas don't all like to get sunburn while driving INSIDE the car.
3. How about the 2.4GDI with the 6spd, and call it the Elantra Hauler? :shades:
(It would fit, and brother, would it run! Mazdaspeed my [non-permissible content removed].) :surprise:
Question: does anybody know the reason the moon roof opens 7/8th of the way on auto but can be retracted into the roof manually? I did notice that if it is opened all the way, there is pretty bad buffeting at speed. The turbulence is almost non-existent when left in the auto-open position. I do like the auto-close feature as my Mazda didn't have that.
It'll be interesting to see how the chrome inserts in the 17" wheels hold up. I can already hear some clacking when getting underway. They look sharp but I'm sure they're going to get a little noisy after a while.
The black pearl w/5-spd sounds like a nice combo! I passed on a similar one before deciding to buy and kind of regret it. The silver is fine, though. Just not an emotional choice... :confuse:
As a nod to "Pirates of the Carribean", the Touring is referred to in the household as "The Pearl".
Drove it today with a set of steel rims and the hankooks( 15"? )
THe pull wasnt as bad, but the dyanmic of it not want ing to go straight was still present. IMO the smaller wheels were masking the problem...i.e the wheels and tires are not the problem. The alignment specs for both the 09 and 10s are the same. The units however are different. The 09 specs are listed in degrees and minutes...where the 10s are in degrees.
Also the voltage drop when theres a load( accessories running) at idle was not fixed by a new alternator.
I have a charger/tester...and here where my results
battery w/out car on- 12.5-12.6
battery at idle 13.6-13.7
battery at idle with all accessories on( AC/Radio/lights/wipers) 12.1
I got the same numbers before the new alternator was put in.
Rental corolla had a higher output when car was off(13.0-13.1)....and only dropped from 13.4 to 13.3 when all accessories were turned on.
???
10-SS-006
APRIL, 2010
ELANTRA, ELANTRA TOURING
FRONT STRUT NOISE
NOTE: This bulletin supersedes TSB 09-SS-010 to correct applicable vehicle
production date range.
DESCRIPTION:
Some Elantra, & Elantra Touring vehicles may exhibit a noise originating from the front
struts when passing over bumps or dips at speeds of 10 - 16 mph.
AFFECTED VEHICLES:
Model: ELANTRA (HD), ELANTRA TOURING (FD)
Applicable vehicle production date range: JOB #1 to September 25, 2009.
I will let you know what readings I get. You know, you get the same symptom if the idle is too low. Just a thought.
Everything Ive read suggests ~ 1.7 volt drop is way too much. Unfortunately the problem is that the fan speed slows, wipers slow, and lights dim. Again, the rental toyota I tested behaved as I expected since theres no loss running the accessories at idle. Just 0.1 drop in voltage was all when all accessories were on.
Is this correct- Isnt that the whole point of the regulator to supply the battery with enough charge when the alternator isnt producing enough at idle?
The odd thing is they determined the first alternator was no good- but the numbers I got from my test and symptoms are the same with both "good and "bad" alternators.
Good point on the idle...Ill check what it is in drive vs spec. Thanks!
Idle, no load: 14.1
Idle, full load: 12.1
2K RPM, Full Load: 13.8
Which is exactly how I would expect the alternator to behave. What the regulator does is maintain a steady preset voltage regardless of how fast the alternator is turning, or how heavy the load is. Typically, if you are turning one fast enough to put out the rated current capacity, it will stay right in the 13.6 to 14.2 volt range. What you are seeing is that the alternator is not turning fast enough to produce its rated capacity. This isn't just a Hyundai thing, I have seen it on everything I have worked on. The only way around it is to either raise the idle speed, or use a smaller pulley on the alternator causing it to spin faster. Either of these methods will affect fuel economy, though only by a small amount.
Your dealer should know this. I have tested GM, Ford, and Chrysler, as well as various other brands, and this is very common. After all, if the engine is at idle, you aren't moving, so the wipers, fan speed, etc just are not as critical. One other variable that will sometimes raise it's ugly head is heat. I have seen solid state regulators in alternators that would do fine until the underhood temps got high, like we see here in Texas during the summer. Then you can see one fall on it's face, even when the engine is above idle.
This is why you can't really charge the battery in a car by letting it idle. If you have a good battery, and turn off all accessories and lights, it will give the battery a boost. But fully loaded and you just run the battery down further.
Alternators. Gotta love 'em.
EDIT: I just went the the Hyundai Tech pages and found that the current and voltage output of the alternator should be tested at 2500RPM. There is no mention of any testing done at idle.
If you would like, go to www.hmaservice.com and set up an account. Hyundai puts TSB, Shop manuals, pretty much the whole enchilada on that site.
Does your fan, wipers slow/headlights dim when at idle? Ive never driven a modern vehicle( made within the last 15 years that does this
BTW I do have hmaservice account. Its helped in every way possible except getting my car to behave properly. :confuse:
I did it when the car was hot too...and my battery only gave a 12.6 when off. Thoughts?
If you look at the service site, they show the output of that alternator to be 45A minimum under load. The rated capacity of the alternator is going to be marked on the casing, but I couldn't see it from the top. That is a small alternator. I would guess maybe 85A maximum, and that may be generous.
That is because a lead-acid battery is made up of six 2.1V cells. Drop one cell and you will read 10.5V. And your car probably won't start. :sick:
Is it possible you have a bad ground or power buss connection? That should have been checked out also. In simple terms, a poor connection acts like an additional load on the alternator in that you get a voltage drop across it. So if, for instance, your electric fan on the vent ran at say, 600RPM at 12.6V, but you have a poor connection, you will drop voltage across both the fan and the bad connection, so that the fan is no longer getting all the voltage, but only what hasn't dropped across the bad connection. It will look like a weak alternator, but the true clue is to measure the voltage drop from the B+ terminal of the alternator to ground, then measure from the B+ to the positive battery terminal. There should be little if any voltage measured. Same with the ground side. Ground is ground, and if there is a voltage between the frame and the negative side of the battery, bad connection and you won't get full voltage to the accessories.
When I mentioned that the Yukon didn't have much of a voltage drop, I should have stated that it turned the alternator at a higher speed during idle, and was a 140A alternator. Designed for extended idling and still charging.
Hyundai advertises that it uses high efficiency alternators for improved fuel economy. Now you may have figured out how they did it. No charging at idle, which effectively means no load on the engine at idle.
Thanks Jim- youve been a big help.
My 2001 Elantra is about to turn 225,000 miles and has been relatively trouble-free, particualrly for it's mileage. The only non-maintenance items that have been replaced are the passenger front wheel bearing (at 210,000 miles), the oil pan (because I stripped out the drain plug threads - doh!), the long-side half shaft (190,000 miles), and the MAP sensor (215,000 miles). I've changed the timing belt every 95,000 miles and performed all rotine maintenance as prescribed (or ahead of time). The only real mechanical issue is the fact that the synchronizing gears in the manual transmission seem to be pretty worn with some mild grinding (if you don't shift slowly) when shifting into 2nd and 5th gears.
Amazing original parts include the alternator, the rear struts (they still feel good), the short-side half shaft, fuel filter, and oil and fuel pumps (particularly since I have driven my gas tank to near empty most of the time).
All that aside, I am considering two cars for a replacement. One of course is the 2011 Elantra Touring (5-speed). The other is the 2011 Nissan Versa hatchback (5-speed). Both cars are roomy and have good luggage capacity and seem to have gotten good reviews from owners. The Versa definitely has better gas mileage and will cost me about $3,000 less. I also like the look of the Versa better - wish the Elantra would have kept its true "hatchback" look like the one I own as it looks like a station wagon now. The only feature I like that I would not get on the Versa is leather seats (been riding on leather seats for 9 years in my current Elantra). And that $3,000 price difference is pretty tempting.
My current Elantra has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I know nothing about how the Versa will last. I do plan to own my next car for another 9-10 years, so long-term reliability is very important. I am also a spirited driver (which can stress cars a bit more than the normal driver), but I also take very good care of my cars related to maintenance.
What do you all think of the Versa compared to the Elantra Touring? I will not be buying right away, but plan to buy within the next 6 months. Thanks!
Don't know about the '11, but the '10 was not available with leather, only the standard and premium cloth. My '10 Touring SE is a blast to drive. I put about 60K on an '05 Elantra GT, and I would have to say the "sports wagon" Touring handles just as good if not better. I can easily get 34MPG on the highway running 70 with the air on. And the ride is better on the Touring.
Just my .02 cents worth.
I was able to test drive a 2010 base automatic tonight and ride seemed nice. I am just not so sure I like the "wagon" look. In my opinion, the old "hatchback" look of my current 2001 Elantra GT looks much sportier, just a little dated in overall styling now.
Any comments on the Versa? Seems like a decent car for the money.
If I had known at the time that leather would be in the 2011 I would have waited. Well, I might have waited. I drive over 60 miles a day in my commute, and the car I was driving could barely manage 20MPG and had over 90K miles on it. Normally that wouldn't be too much of a concern, but as the third owner, I didn't know how well it had been cared for in its early life.
The only way you could tell this was a 2011 was the rails mentioned above, and the window sticker that stated "2011 Elantra Touring GLS"
My local Hyundai dealer (one that I don't trust) said the 2011 Elantra Touring would not begin being built for another 3 months. I thought that was not true and figured he just wanted to try to sell one of his many 2010 models on his lot.
Typical car dealer . . .
BTW, I think the leather interior is limited to the sedan SE, and not the Touring SE.
I tried to "backdoor" investigate and see if leather replacement seat covers were available through Hyundai for the Touring, and they are. Very expensive. What I couldn't determine is if this was a non-US option as several items are with the Touring, most notably the Homelink rearview mirror. As I have mentioned before, this is very strange since the mirror is produced for sale in the US, but not available as a factory installed option. Other items are the back up sensors, the diesel engine option that is apparently very popular in Europe, etc.
Edmunds
Hyundai of Tampa
I still think it is weird that homelink is available, but not in the US. Our other car is a 2010 Tucson Ltd, every option except all wheel drive. Homelink was not available on it, either.
The other problem is the accessory power drop off at idle. As Ive stated, Havent driven a modern day vehicle that does this. While on vacation, I tested other family members cars, and the only drop of voltage between all tested were 0.1 volts( from idle to full load) and of course no slowdown of accessories. Sounds like the voltage regulators are doing the job. My car? Not so much...it drops from 13.8 to 12.2-12.3. when accessories are on.
Jim- youve explained this as normal, but my anecdotal testing/evidence sure puts my car in the minority.
How hard is it to find a smaller diameter pulley?
You might try an alternator rebuild shop and see if they can fit a smaller pulley.
I have to ask, why is this such a problem? Do you idle the car for extended periods of time with all the accessories and lights on?
I stated earlier that the car has a 95A alternator, and I believe that is incorrect. It is actually a 90A.
They started laughing and said "Dude, those will never fit in that little thing".
But they did. All seven, though I did have to put one in the front passengers seat. Made me a little nervous to drive in bumper to bumper traffic with cargo worth five times the value of the car! :surprise:
Also, the fan and the wipers are pretty weak under max speed regardless. The loss under load makes it that much weaker.
In the end, I can live with that if that cant be made different. However...its secondary to the unresolved pulling to the right.
Theres absolutely no compromise there. Fix it, find one that drives straight, or Hyundai buys it back. Waiting for another rep from Hyundai.
It feels like the steering settles in a "notch" (for lack of a better descriptor). Now, if Im traveling in a lane thats crowned to the left, the car tracks considerably better with the steering wheel in this same position. Why this "notch" isnt with the steering wheel pointing straight ahead is puzzling. Still playing the waiting game and becoming increasingly disenchanted with Hyundai( not really the dealer) each passing day....
Also, does anyone have issues with bad harmonics on the highway? Kind of like a pulsating buzz/vibration felt in the floor boards and steering wheel? Its somewhat audible as well.
Only a couple of minor issues; buzzy shifter, small rattle in the dash vent on the passengers side. I should note here that I am very picky when it comes to such things.
Also own a 2010 Tucson, so I went to the parts department and bought a 10 pack of oil filters. Both will get changes every 3 months; Mine will be at 5K miles, Tucson at 3-3.5K since it is driven almost exclusively in town.
Still getting comments from folks on the looks of "Pearl" (black pearl paint). I am quite satisfied with the vehicle.
May just be a way for Hyundai to use the ECM to be sure you are in the torque band when you drop the clutch. In the automatic, you can accomplish the same thing with a high stall torque converter.
Now, if they would just put GDI on that motor... oh, yeah :shades:
If I had to complain about something it would be the need for a better, louder horn which to me is a safety issue. But overall, I am very happy.
As soon as I crested the hill, I let off the gas just in case...
Yup, woman in a Toyota SUV pulled right out in front of me, like about 50 feet ahead! Nailed the brakes, realized immediately that impact was imminent, snapped the wheel to the right, squeezed between her and the wall, and then back into the lane to avoid the end of the shoulder.
You would have thought I was just easing around a pot hole or something. The 2010 Touring SE never so much as wobbled, just made the move like it was on rails. I started breathing normally again in a few minutes, the lady who I passed at maybe 12" clearance at about 60MPH is probably getting her upholstry cleaned.
But friends, if you ever thought that electronic stability control was a gimmick, just hope you never have to put it to the test. But if you do, it is pretty cool. :surprise: