Hyundai Accent Hatchbacks

frenchcar

Recently bought an 04 Accent GT and love it more each day for a variety of reasons. We had tried out a GL sedan a few months ago and now can appreciate the differences. Soon I will give a report on our experiences with it.

illusion123a

The owners manual does say 100k for the first fluid change

illusion123a

Sometimes my brakes seems really soft. I just had new pads put on(front only), is there anything else i can do to make then a little firmer. Also it seems that i do not always have this problem, sometmines they are a little more touchier then others. Unfourtenly i do not have access to the best hyundai service departments, and i like going in to them with a list of things to check out

lngtonge18

I would assume the service manual suggests 100k fluid change intervals based on "normal" operation. I would still do it every 30k to insure a much longer life out of your automatic. See if it mentions 30k intervals under "severe" usage.

As for the brakes, your fluid may just be old or you may have air in the lines. Have the brake system bled. This should help provide a firmer and more consistent feel to the brakes. You could have a bad master cylinder but if you do, you will notice the problem more and more often.

illusion123a

Its funny that you say about the master cylinder. My rear wheel cylinders were leaking, and i had them replaced, by the dealership. But this smae dealer for got to bleed the brake line afterward and also they did not have the brake line tight enough, and my brakes basicially went out on me on the way home. I had a local grage fix this problem. IS there anything i can look for to see if there is something wrong with the master cylinder? I am really getting tired of going to the dealer.

frenchcar

Love our new Accent GT but we have noticed a hissing noise or whistle or air leak or purge sound whenever we let up on the gas to slow down. Applying the brakes slightly mutes it a little and it goes away completely when you stop. Idles and runs perfect otherwise. Today my wife drove a fairly new Sonata at work and it made a similar sound but not as loud. DOES HYUNDAI USE SOME KIND OF PURGE VALVE OR EGR OR PCV VALVE THAT CAN EMIT A NOISE UNDER DECELERATION?? If not then I need to get this checked out under warranty but I intend on insulating the underhood with Dynamat or HiLiner regardless.

lngtonge18

There is nothing you can look at to determine a failing master cylinder other then a visible brake fluid leak. Master cylinders generally give little warning before failing completely. A tell tale sign of trouble is when the brake pedal suddenly drops to the floor while braking, as if the system has lost pressure. Sometimes you will get a soft mushy brake pedal periodically before it fails. However, given the fact you have actually had brake work done and had problems with air in the system, I would have the brake system bled again. A few pesky air bubbles can give the intermediate mushy pedal you are describing.

illusion123a

Thanks for the tip. I am going to a Monro to have my snow tires put on my car, and i am asking that they do a look over of my brake system. YOu have been very helpful

frenchcar

I found the Purge Valve that might be making a strange noise on my Accent but where do they hide the Charcoal Cannister?? It is not in the engine compartment.

 

Have any of you changed the cabin air filter and how much of a job is it?

 

I cant believe there is no Chilton or Haynes manuals for recent Hyundai models and the factory shop manuals are a bit pricey at $52 and that is just the mechanical manual as there is a separate electrical manual.

5port

Hyundai gives you a free on-line shop manual:

 

  http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/default.asp

sopman

I have a '01 accent and need to replace the pads in the rear drume brake. Has anyone every taking them apart? I've done disc brakes before, but never drum.

 

Thanks

Sopman

frenchcar

Thanks for the info John, I will check it out for sure.

illusion123a

Wow, I have an 02 accent with 40k, I hope when i go to trade it in i get more then $3700, hell i still owe about double that on the loan

frenchcar

When I fill the tank on my Accent GT it is full or slightly overfilled when the pump clicks off. A little wants to spill out and if you try to aqueeze in even a few drops it spits back and runs down the side of the body. Is this true of just the Accent or are all Hyundai models this way?? I think the inlet pipe has a sharp bend in it so the pump spout wont go in far enough to prevent it from shutting down sooner. WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE???

guiniveve

I own a '97 Hyundai Accent (which I abosolutely love) and I have not been the best person about keeping up the maintenance. (Ok I have been very very bad.) I bought the car in '99 and I had never had the brakes changed. I took it a few months ago just to have it checked out and they told me that the brake lines were leaking, the rotors were wore then and a bunch of other stuff. Then they said that it had a weird brake system that they had only ever seen once before and that was on a race car. The ball bearing also had to be changed because they said it was about to go out as well. The final cost was about 600$. Meinike is where we took and we went ahead and had it fixed. Since then it has run fine and I want to emphasize that even with this added cost,,,,,I still love this car. I have treated it like crap and it still runs good. But did Meinike just tell us a load of crap? Anyone else heard of this brake system oddity?

kagedude

What exactly did they replace/fix for $600. To give you an idea, I was charged $500 to replace both front calipers, both brake pads and both rotors on my 94 Mazda Protege DX.

 

Resurfacing the rotors or fixing the calipers via a kit should be cheaper than replacing the parts.

lngtonge18

I never had that problem on my 00 Accent, the first year of the current design. The pump would click off when it's supposed to. You could have a malfunctioning purge valve that is not releasing the pressure when refueling, thus confusing the pump and causing it to overfill, or it could just be the pump you are using if you happen to frequent the same place. However, you shouldn't try to squeeze in more gas after the pump shuts off. You risk contaminating the charcoal canister and setting off the check engine light. If the overfilling happens almost everytime, I would take the car in and have it checked out.

lngtonge18

Your suspicions are correct. Meineke was just feeding you a load of you know what. There is nothing unique about the Accent's brake system and definitely nothing about it that would be similar to a race car. Front brake pad replacement is extremely easy. The rear drum brakes are a little more labor intensive but again, nothing strange about it. Depending on how worn out the brakes were, you could very well have needed new rotors, but calipers are normally good for at least 180k and the brake lines last the life of the car so unless you hit something or let salt sit on the car, I don't see how they could be leaking. If the brakes were leaking, you would have noticed it immediately with greatly reduced stopping power and a very spongy feeling brake pedal.

 

Let this be a learning lesson for you. You shouldn't neglect a car's brakes, but I believe Meineke knew they could jab you for more stuff then you really needed. Once brake system repair estimates get that high, its time to get a second opinion if at all possible.

mad_dog

I recently rented an Accent Hatchback, which had about 15,000 miles on it. At first I was very impressed with it. It seems to be just right for me. The comfort of the seat, the handling, ride, and so on. But while on the Interstate I noticed the tachometer was always above 5,000rpm. Most of the time it was close to 6,000. I could only go 200 miles on a tank of gas, and I got only 24.5 miles. Previously I rented a LeSabre for the same trip and got MUCH better mileage and I was able to go over 350 miles on one tank of gas. I mentioned this to the rental company when I turned it in but they were completely unconcerned. Is something wrong with the car that it would get such poor mileage, and tach so high? It felt like it should have shifted into another gear but wouldn't. It was an automatic.

719b

sounds like you weren't in final gear or overdrive wasn't engaged.

how fast were you going when the tach was at 5,000 rpm?

mad_dog

About 50, 55 mph. Then I got up to 70, 75 on the Interstate and it was almost at 6,000 rpm. While passing vehicles I'd go up to 90 briefly and it tached right at 6,000 rpm. I noticed that at about 45 mph it shifted, but very roughly. The rental office I went to had run out of cars, due to the Superbowl, and they brought cars in from another branch. So they would not have been aware of complaints from previous drivers. The car got me there and back but I thought they'd want to check it out. I don't see how that car will last much longer.

beliver

mad dog: You should have taken the car right back to the rental place. I have a new 2005 AccenT GT hatch and it turns a low 3000 rpm @75 mph !

 

Either the car was not shifting out of third gear or the overdrive was turned off. Even at that it would not be turning that many rpm's, that's almot redline for that engine.There is a indicator light on the panel that tells if the overdrive is engaged or not. Did you notice that ? it is not too bright and easy to miss in bright sunlight. WOW, how many miles did you drive with that engine wailing away like that ? I get a consistent 37.5 mpg on the interstate crusing @ 75to80 mph. The relaxed rpm at highway speeds is one reason I picked the Accent over some of the other econo boxes I drove. plus that little engine developes its torque @ 3000 rpm so no need to rev the crap out of it. You are right, if all the customers run the poor thing at those rpms it will see a early grave for sure.

 

believer

jengon1826

Hello everyone.

Thanks for your info on the Hyundai's.I"m looking to buy a 01 Accent.It has high mileage for that year.It's at 104,910 miles.It is a one owner car but unfortunately I don't know to much of how well kept up it was.I did a carfax check on it.3 accidents with only minor damage to car.Everything runs good in it and looks good just been doing some research on them and happened to come here.

I have been reading and I found out they have shabby transmissions. I'm kinda wondering at what mileage did the transmission need replacing and maybe at what cost?The warranty has expired so I will have to pay outta pocket whatever work needs to be done on it.Any info would be appreciated as this is my first car and I can't afford to spend 500 on it the first month I get it.

Thanks

Jen

melzee

I have two problems that involve the brakes on my car...

 

I have a 95 Accent with 28K miles (seriously!). I've only had the car for two years, and haven't had the brakes changed yet. They were fine at first, but within the last year or so they've been acting odd. At first the brakes were only occasionally spongy, but they seem to be soft more often than not now. Sometimes I feel like I have to press too hard on the pedal to make the car stop.

 

Within the last couple of days, I think the brake light has been going on in my car; I've seen a flash of red out of the corner of my eye a couple of times, but when I look, it's gone. When I had it in for an oil change I asked the shop to check the pads, and the mechanic said they were fine, only 30 percent worn. (This was a couple of oil changes ago, about six months.) I don't abuse the brakes on my car, so what could this be?

 

Problem number two is that sometimes after I've been driving for a while, a squealing sound can be heard coming from the front of the car. Sometimes this only happens when I'm making right turns. Other times it happens when I'm driving, and stops when I brake. This happened a lot during the summer, but doesn't seem to be happening during the colder weather. My dad suggested that the calipers may be sticking. I wonder if the dealership didn't reinstall the brakes correctly on the right front side after replacing a bad bearing last year...any ideas?

melzee

Hey, while I'm at it, there's some other stuff going on with my car, too...

 

If it's been idling for a while (upwards of 20 minutes), the idle can get very rough, almost as if the engine's on the verge of dying. If I try to drive when it does this, the car has no power and barely moves. The other thing is that recently my car has had smelly exhaust, with a hint of that "running rich" odor. I'm hoping it just needs a good tune-up. What do ya'll think?

mad_dog

Thanks for your replies. I drove almost 800 miles round trip in one day, like that. When I got out of town I rent a different car each time, to try them out since I plan to buy a new one soon. I picked the car up at 1:30 AM and had to be at my destination around 7 AM. So once I got on the road I kept going. Then the return trip was in the evening, returning the car a little after midnight. When i first got in the car and started driving it, I loved it! I felt this is what I should buy, since I am single and drive over 20K/yr. But then when I got that kind of gas mileage I was disappointed. I figured the car was designed the way it was running. Then while driving back I started to wonder if something was wrong with it. The tachometer was not at the red line, but it was way up there. And I don't know much about cars. That's why when I returned it I mentioned it to the person there, to check the car out. I think I will write to that rental company and enclose a copy of my rental contract papers so they'll know which car it is. I don't have any complaints about the agency of the staff there. It would just be a shame if such a nice little car got torn up. They probably don't test drive it, other than to move it around their lot.

5port

With 28K miles on a 95 Accent you have to realize that most of your problems may be caused by the car sitting so much and not being used:

 

1) seals dry out

 

2) Luburicant hardens.

 

3)Things rust.

 

   First thing I would do is have your master cylinder checked to see that it not leaking brake pressure thru the seals. I've had bad ones and they failed like you are describing.

 

  Your brake light may be momentarily going on due to a very quick drop in brake pressure (seals). By the time you've moved your eyes toward the light pressure has recovered.

 

   As far as squealing while driving...does your car pull one way (right or left) when that happens? Could be a partially seazed brake caliper. Could be a wheel bearing failure.

 

  I would have a competent mech that you trust go over the whole car.

beliver

Dog: Man, I thought I drove a lot of miles but you have me beat. Only 16K business last year(tax time) tho back in the day I used to roll up 35K or so. I drove 458 miles today on calls up in south Georgia. Again, got a nice 36.5 mpg running 75 to 80 mph on those beautiful deserted Georgia back roads and that included some time with the A/C on too.

 

I just can't imagine driving 800 miles with that little 1.6 liter engine screaming away on the other side of the firewall. LOL. I just feel sorry for the poor guy that buys that car from the rental agency when they turn it in !!

 

Mine just has a little over 5000 miles on the clock and it just seems to now beginning to loosen up. I just put synthetic oil in for the first change and that seemed to add about 1 mpg to the mileage.

 

This is my second Hyundai. I had a Tiburon (4 cyl) automatic that had over 100K on it when I traded it. NO tranny problems at all. In fact I didn't have any problems with it and it still had the original brake pads too. Great cars and vastly underated by the toy-honda crowd who are getting a little nervious about the strides the korean cars have made in the last few years.

 

believer

mad_dog

Well that wasn't for business, that was to visit a friend. And all the miles I drive are because I live in a rural area, far away from everything. I am going to write to the corporate office of that rental company, and hopefully they will look into it. I'm sure most renters only care if the car gets them to their destination and back, then they turn it in.

For some reason I had always thought that Hundai's were cheap quality, although I had never even been in one before. (Maybe they used to be?) But a friend likes the Santa Fe he recently bought. At the rental place I wanted the cheapest car. When I found out it would be a Hundai I felt that would be a good opportunity for me to become familiar with a Hundai product. And I am VERY VERY impressed with the handling, the ride, the comfort. It is a real nice car. The only thing I didn't like is the cup holders are so flimsy. In fact the little "clip" broke when I put a large cup of coffee in it. (Or maybe it was broken already.) And while the cup is in it you can't access the ventilation controls. Other than that I was so impressed with everything about it - that just might be the type of car I will buy next.

vinnyg

Mad Dog: Excuse me butting in but I agree with Beliver that something was wrong with the tranny on your rental. My '99 Accent GL is steady around the 3000 rpm mark while cruising at 70-75 mph. Even with the overdrive in the off position it barely goes over 4000 rpm's! I have just turned the 150,000 mile mark with no major problems except the auto tranny went around 83,000 miles and was replaced under the powertrain warranty. (I bought it new 6 years ago). I run Amsoil 0-W30 weight synthetic oil and change it every 25,000 miles, with a filter replacement every 12,500. (Using conventional oil, I would have to do a change once a month). I never have to warm it up even on the coldest mornings, living in the Northeast. I just start it, let it run for a minute, and drive off. I average 33 mpg over my 140-150 mile commute every day. I work with approximately 160 people, many of which have a 50 plus mile commute and own Hyundais. I owned an Excel back in '86 and that was junk. Hyundai has come a long way as far as quality and reliability goes. I would definately recommend it as daily commuter to anyone. This has been the most reliable vehicle I have owned in my 21 years of driving.

beliver

vinnyg: At 150K+ I guess you don't have to consider any warranty claims at this point. However,I wonder how a 25,000 oil change would affect the 100K powertrain warranty IF something went wrong with the engine. My warranty book suggests 3300 mile change if operated in "severe" conditions. Even in "regular" driving conditions they advise about 7000 mile changes. I put Pennzoil synthetic 10W/30 in my new Accent at the first change and plan to run it for 7000 miles before the next change.

 

I spoke to the service mgr. @ my dealership & he said that if someone had a problem with their engine and was only changing the oil even @ 12000 miles they'd have little or NO chance of getting any help from the factory regardless of what kind of oil they were using. He stated that most synthetics are only rated @ "SL" service rating as are virtually all premium regular oils on the market.

 

If you were getting a new set of wheels would you really use such a long change interval while the car was under factory warranty ? Just curious.

regards, Believer

vinnyg

Hi beliver: The Accent is my daily commuter and the family car is an '03 Mazda MPV. I put Amsoil in the MPV from the start (after the first 3,000 mile oil change since they don't recommend the 12,500 mile filter change while breaking in the engine) I now have 48,000 in it and it runs fine. My buddy has been using Amosil for over 9 years and swears by it. He is running it in his wife's new Lexus and his new Tundra as we speak. Amsoil gives you a warranty IN WRITING. OEMs pay or deny warranty claims based on the findings of failure analysis. To affect the warranty, the lubricant must be directly responsible for the failure. If the oil did not cause the problem the warranty cannot be voided, regardless of the brand of oil used, viscosity, or the length of time or number of miles the oil was used. I also do the changes myself so there is no way for me to document that the changes actually did take place or not, except by my receipts for the oil and filters. Dealers and lube shops love the guys that bring in their vehicles in every 3,000 miles because they make lots of cash on them. I must admit that I was reluctant at first to switch over, but now I am sold on the product. I don't burn a drop between changes and winter start up is as easy as summer. I really like the product mostly because I don't have to crawl under the vehicle once a month, just about every 4 months. Either way you stack it, the vehicle has been very reliable to me and when it comes time, I will replace it with another Accent. Take care and good luck, Vinny.

vinnyg

P.S. Beliver, by the way, when my tranny went at around 83,000 miles the dealer never questioned the frequency of tranny fluid changes nor did they require proof. I guess since there is a history of trans failures in the Accent, that could have played a role in them not asking questions, but you can see my point as it pertains to the dealer knowing/not knowing when/if fluid was changed. Just figured I'd mention it while we were on the subject. Take care.

beliver

vinnyg: I think I'll go with 12000 mile change with a filter change @ 6000 k. I don't drive nearly as many miles as I used to so twice under the car per year will be fine.

 

I do my own changes too as the guys @ the "quickie joints" always pester you to replace the K & N filter and wiper blades as well and Tranny flush ?? I wonder if that tranny failure would have been avoided if you had put Amsoil in the trans too. I've heard a lot of good reports about Amsoil here in Florida as the hot temps in the summer are hard on trans especially in stop-and-go traffic.

 

regards Believer

vinnyg

beliver: either way you do it you are definately saving labor, time, and polluting less. Yes, that's how these chains make their cash on all those extras. I remember a few times when the car was newer and the weather was too cold to do the oil change at home, I brought it to one of those chains. My Accent only calls for 3 1/2 quarts of oil, and of course they put in a full 4 quarts. Also, they partially stripped my drain plug and it felt like they used an impact gun to tighten it.

As far as the tranny failure goes, I did have it serviced at the correct intervals. A friend at work bought the same exact Accent as mine a few months after me and he got the recall notice shortly thereafter. His tranny blew before he was able to get the recall work done, and needless to say he was unhappy with the situation, not even having a few thousand miles clocked yet. (Did I mention he replaced a still good running Accord with 250,000+ miles on it when he traded it in). They replaced the tranny and he still drives it every day to work and he has clocked over 148,000 miles so far without further problems. We always mess with each other at work, seeing who has the higher mileage on their Accent. Hopefully, we will get to the 200,000 mile mark without another tranny failure, as the engine runs as good as it did when new. To me, just getting to the point where the car actually outlasts the payments is a great thing these days, considering the mileage I do and the harsh winters we endure in upstate N.Y.

And yes, the heat is definately the worst thing for trannys, especially in Florida, but it would be nice to see some temperatures over 25 degrees this time of year! So long and take care. Vinny.

smokey75

Yup... that's exactly right. The burden of proof is on the dealership. For them to deny a warranty claim they have to prove that the extended drain interval caused the problem. And Amsoil is confident that this will not happen so they warranty this interval. I have just changed to Amsoil. Mobil 1 has also just introduced a line of extended drain interval oils... even though Amsoil has had them for years. Any more discussion should probably be in the motor oil forums but if you want to download an interesting book for free go to www.motoroilbible.com

pulgo

Please provide me with just ONE case where AMSOIL as actually made good on their promise/warranty and paid for a new engine.
(documented please, not just hearsay)

lmeans

I have an 01 Accent with the same problem. Just a quick squeeze after the pump clicks off is all it takes.

lmeans

I have an 01 Accent with the same problem. Just a quick squeeze after the pump clicks off is all it takes.

smokey75

I don't have access to warranty claims from Amsoil. I do have a copy of the warranty if you would like to see it. It's pretty clear what they're covering. To be honest, this is more of a marketing thing. They're offering this warranty because they know it won't be used. As I said, for a manufacturer to refuse a warranty claim they have to prove that what you did, or did not do, caused the damage. Amsoil is confident that this will not happen... as am I. However, to confirm this I am doing oil analysis at 6 months & 1 year right before I change the oil to see where things are at. Amsoil has been around for 25 years & there are countless stories of people who have gone with extended drain intervals & had no problems. In Europe extended drain intervals have been the norm for years because their minimum oil standards are higher than the API standards in the US. Surely you don't think Amsoil would try & break a warranty do you?

hood

here goes, need opinions on a used Accent I have been test driving. It's a hot little number, body straight, gorgeous black paint, sun roof and the usual 5spd. After the drive, found that the fog lights, rear defogger, and read wiper did not work. ALSO, the Air bag light was on, and the park brake light was on, park brake works, and was released. It's a great car to drive, very quick, anyone else seen the electrical quirks?????

5port

Sounds like a nice car (I like black). The electrical failures could be all caused by the same fuse. Did you check the fuses? Doesnt take long. Airbag light on too? Sounds suspicous. Have you looked up the accident history? Unless all these problems can be easily explained...I would stay away. If the PO let the car get to this point (in disrepair) how do you think the PO treated the clutch?

sgtmhowell

Hello, I have a 97 accent with 160,000 miles on it. It runs great; however, recently I have been having problems with the break lights staying on without be depressed. I shut off the car and they still remain on. The only way to turn them off is to pull the fuse out. Does anyone know a fix for this? Please help.

Thanks

5port

Brake light switch...behind the brake pedal. Replace it. Available at any parts store.

nersi54

hi,
I have the same problem and i reached to the point that my brake light switch needs to be changed but i don't know hot to replace it,is it easy?

aldag

At 60,000 miles I had the timing belt replaced, along with the power steering, alternator, and AC belts. The car is running quite well. The only part I replaced so far is the MAS sensor. Interestingly, the MAS sensor is made by Bosch in Germany. I see there is an article at CBS Marketwatch about Hyundai being the "new name in reliability". In my opinion, Hyundai has come a long way over the years.

accent1

i got the brake light problem suudenly one day and the shift stick didn't move ..then got it towed..repaired and was billed $400 only to know that it can be fixed by pressing the little override button near the stick..

now i am getting a grinding sound and the Bridgestone master care guy gave an estimate of $900 to replace the rotors..pads..to fix brake fluid leak in the rear ..he says..the brakes may fail on the highway if not fixed immidiately...appreciate if anybody can reply asap..

by the car is 96 hyundai accent

phillbill

yeah, i have the same problem, with some petrol stations, the car fills up really slow, and i have to be everso gentle with the 'trigger' on the petrol pump. Try tilting the nossel of the pump to the side a bit, sometimes that works. Aslo try using a different petrol station, i've found one where my car fills up just as fast as others.

If any of you need any help on simple annual service and maintenance procedures for your hyundai, check out my website:

http://www.ennerdale.freeserve.co.uk/dave/hyundai_accent_repair_pages.htm

Hope it can be of help to someone

beliver

accent1: The $900 estimate for the brake work you described is absolute robbery !! No way it should cost that much for a set of rotors and pads.

Stay away from ALL those shyster stores connected to muffler repair or tire stores.They are all overpriced and do questionable repair quality as well. Go to a local independant, get a estimate from more than one and you'll see what a rip-off that you may have been getting into.

Believer

phillbill

$900 is a hell of a lot to pay for new brakes and fluid. That's more than the car's worth!

The parts for all the brakes on the car shouldnt come to more than £300-£400, unless your wanting performance pads and rotors etc...

Try asking roud different garages, labour costs vary from over £60/hr to less than £25/hr.

I had the suspension re-built with performance parts on my Accent in less than 4 hrs labour, so putting new brakes on should not take too long. Couple of hours at tops. I wouldnt pay any more than £400 for the whole lot myself.