Hyundai Sonata 2005 and earlier

mfjj

The salesman told me it would be $995. If I decide to buy the car I would probably offer $750 for it. True, ON AVERAGE you do lose money on extended warranty. But you lose money on insurance, too. Why else would anyone sell these things if they can't make money on it?

It's rare to see a 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. I think this would definitely increase the resale value if you decide to sell the car in, say, year 9.

2002gls1

I went through similiar situation on the purchase I was involved in. Dealer wanted to charge $1500.00 and 'made us a deal' and dropped to $1400.00. After later seeing posts here that folks were able to get the warranty for about $750.00 I felt we were ripped off. Fortunately the dealer gave us 90 days to cancel it and have the amount credited back to our loan, which we did without regret. Not sure if they are required by law to give you 90 days to cancel or if they were just being decent. As far as having to purchase it at the same time you purchase the car, that is complete BS. I checked with other dealers in San Diego and they were all willing to sell the warranty up to 1 year after the purchase.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do....

csandste

unless you have a sludged Toyota, it's pretty hard to do something mechanical to your car that would total it, unlike getting hit by a cement truck, having your car stolen, etc. Collision should be dropped after about five years, that's because the cost is statistically greater than the risk of having an inexpensive car totaled. In other words if you can risk $3000, it's always cheaper to do so.

veryluckylady

After having my 95 sonata gls in the shop on several occasions,the service manager tells me they were "to be quite honest with me, frustrated with my car, and since they couldn't dup the problem that I had to come pick up my car. Mind you, I know these guys pretty good from all the recent visits, not to mentionthe fact that my ex husband is a service writer for jim ellis saab and they are owned by jim ellis also. they all know us both!! i don't know where to turn.

3bumblebees

I just bought a new 2002 Sonata LX and I love it so far. However, I do have one question. I noticed that in some parts of the world the Sonata comes with a trip computer. Does anyone know if it is possible to acquire it here and have it installed?

dougndo

Okay, at 10 mos., 10,000 mi., I have a problem with my 2001 Sonata. There is an intermittent rattle that seems to be coming from the passenger side rear door. I don't think I'd notice it at all, except everything else is so quiet and the car has been rock solid 'til now.

It might be a loose wire or harness; it might be a piece of plastic or metal that's just floating around; or it could be a slowly loosening screw, arm, or bracket. I'm going to take the panel off this weekend and poke around. I've already checked the seats, the belts, the latches, etc. even to the point of taping things down or making my daughter sit back there and listen as I drove.

Does anyone have experience with this? It looks simple enough, but are there any tricks?

Any advice is appreciated.

chetbob

took delivery yesterday(march 14) of a new 2002 sonata lx silver with sun roof, deflector. mats and mud guards for 18,700 plus tax and tags. any thoughts on the price. also first time buyer of a hyundai.dealer in florida has not had a gls or lx in stock since i started looking 3 month ago. all he has a the standard base models. hopefully the car is trouble free.

sbmd

What exactly is a program car? I was under the impression that program cars were previously used as loaners or rentals at the dealership. I'm currently looking at a 2001 Sonata with 8,500 miles, and I was told that it's a program car. When I asked if it had been used as a rental I was told no, and that it used to be a corporate/company car. Does this sound legitimate?

chetbob

purchased a new sonata lx less than a week ago. on the automatic climate control, the outside temperature reading worked for two days and now registers the same reading all the time. any one else have this problem?

dougndo

In all states that I'm familiar with, program cars are not rental cars. Rental cars are titled out to the rental car company or its financing partner. When the car is retired and sold, it either goes to a company owned dealership (like Avis or Hertz auto sales) to be sold, or it is part of a wholesale lot that is bid on by a reseller who will put it on his lot. Sometimes fleet buyers will also purchase rentals.

This means it's possible for a dealer to buy rentals and sell them at the dealership's used car lot, but the car must be sold as a "used" vehicle.

A program car generally has either been used by dealership personnel (think manager's or owner's "company" car); has been used by a group, organization, or event that the dealer partially underwrites through the "loan" of the vehicles (think "Buick Open" courtesy cars); or, in some cases, has been leased through the dealership or automaker for a special program which results in the vehicle returning to the dealer (think "driver's ed" car). In virtually all these cases the title remains with the dealership or car company. These don't have to be sold "used" if the titles were never registered to the users.

There is no sure way to specify that a "used" rental car is worse or better than a comparable "program" car. Always examine the service records, be cautious of cars with more than 12,000 miles on them, have an independent mechanic check the vehicle, insist on a reasonable warranty (for free), and bargain hard for the lowest price. Whether it's a rental or a program car, you can be sure that the asking price is too high, even if it seems like a great deal.

riez

Program cars are used cars. For example, when you buy it, the odometer and titling paperwork is going to show the miles on the car on the day you buy it. The factory bumper-to-bumper warranty is only that part remaining off the original terms

Don't think the term "program car" has any clearly defined and consistent legal status throughout USA. Anyone know if it is in the uniform commercial code? Essentially marketing terms used in auto industry. Originally they might have meant the car was used by factory executives or others, but don't think that holds true in any uniform meaningful way now. Dealers love to sell used cars as used cars, certified pre-owned cars (under specified warranty), demonstrator cars, program cars, factory exec cars, special events cars (e.g., College World Series in Omaha NE, lease returns, rental cars, etc.

riez

Forgot to add this to the list of ways to get a used car, and one that might be called "program" by a dealer. My wife recently bought a CPO '00 BMW 323iA. It had 18,000 miles on odometer. Was never titled to another party. Only used by the dealership as a service loaner. But it is a used car and was sold as such. We knew what we were getting.

Don't think the word "program" has much value, except to confuse potential buyers, unless you know conclusively what the car was used before as and by whom.

stratus78

Hi Dougndo,

I bought my car on the 12th of this month (pearl white 2002 GLS V6 with ABS and sunroof). I have just noticed a small rattle from on top (sunroof?) when the car goes over bumps at small speeds. This same rattle doesnt occur at high speeds, seemingly because vehicle "up-down" motion is lesser at higher speeds as compared to low speeds. Rattles irritate me and I hope I get to identify the problem. I dont feel like taking the car to the dealer.

Also to everyone else: I am not sure if the new 2002 sonata comes with a cover of sorts for the lighted power outlet (to the right of the coin holder which opens when you push up on it). Mine doesnt have a cover and there is a gaping hole at that area. Does anyone have info on this?

3bumblebees

My power outlet came with a cigarette lighter in that position. Although, I would also prefer to replace it with a cover as are found on the other front outlet and the trunk outlet.

hyundaima

What's the outside temp. reading on the display?

chetbob

The outside temp reading is on the LX with the automatic climate control. There is a button listed amb. When you push it gives you outside temp reading, holds for about 5 seconds and returns to regular readings. Mine worked for about 2 days and than gave the same reading regardless of the temp. Two days ago it started working again. Don't know why.

hyundaima

chetbob

When the reading was not working, it showed 74 regardless of the current temp.

hyundaima

Turn the ignition key to "ON"
Press and hold AUTO switch
Press the AMB button at least 4 times in 2 seconds
Release the Auto button

Let me know what number is blinking in the display.

csandste

My daughter presently drives a 1990 Prizm. With a child on the way she is looking for a slightly larger car. I found a 97 Sonata with typical bigtime depreciation. They're asking Edmunds retail (it's a dealer) but I suspect they can be bargained down.

I love my 01 Elantra and the Sonata seems to drive out fairly well. Obviously the mid nineties platform was far rarer since there weren't a lot of Sonatas sold then compared to now. Anyone have good or bad experiences with a pre-99 Sonata?

astrol

Hello Dougndo,

I've been away for a long time. Just read your previous post on the door rattles. I went through my own war over this a while back. My wife's '00 had the rear passenger door rattle problem and I found the following to be helpful:

When you remove the panel---IMMEDIATELY DRIVE the car on a rough surface before you touch anything. See if the rattle returns. If it does not then the problem is a tension related one involving the rear panel attachment. You will have to fiddle with the mounting screws and foam strips in key contact areas where the panel attaches.

If the rattle does show itself without the panel, the likely culprit will be the power window mechanism. There is very little in the way of guide supports in this design. You will have to refer to the Hyundai parts website for a schematic of the inner door if you don't have a shop manual.

My noise only occurred over choppy or broken surface. I was never able to point to any one thing like a screw or mounting frame, etc. so after many tries using small strips of insulating foam, I ended up Dyna-Matting the entire inner door under the panel. Did it for all doors. She is nice and quiet now.

dougndo

Thanks for the feedback. I attempted to remove the inner door panel over the weekend, but I was stumped by the two plastic inserts on the rearward side of the door. I was able to get everything free except for those two. They're like a plastic ring with a shaft or plug in the center, and they're the same color as the panel. How did you get them off?

Whenever I'm not sure and a little gentle persuasion doesn't work, I back off until I find out how something works. I really don't like breaking things needlessly. Can you help me?

Thanks in advance.

astrol

All of the clips are firmly anchored but are a two piece design. The clips on the window trim part are two piece as well. They may separate when removing but they go back together. Just use a little force and they will come out as a unit or the center prong will disengage and you can reassemble.

The tricky part is the armrest. You have to pull the metal U-brace down when re-attaching otherwise the panel rises too far and won't re-seat properly against the window. I also advise putting foam in the U-brace around the screw hole site.

Believe me, unless you are very lucky, it may take you many tries on and off to solve the noise problem. You may become so expert at this you could do it in your sleep. Good Luck.

sundayduffer

Bought a '01 GLS Leather in February last year. I dearly loved the vehical for the year I had her. The cars are very nice well mannered handled nicely & are a vast improvement over the previous Hyundai offerings. Owned '87, '88, and '92 each got well beyond 100,000 yes they had some major problems CV joints only lasted about 40k.

The '01 looked like a winner with 13,000 and no problems. Till I met a '00 Ford F250 with a trailer hitch at 35 mph when the brakes failed. At 35 MPH the repair fee climbed to $14k for body work new motor (block cracked at mount point)& transmision (case broke at mount). Insurance Company totalled her at pay off of $16,300 take away the deductable I walked away with $15,800 on a car I bought for just over $17k +ttl and drove a year. Would say resale value must be improving or that would not have been the insurance companies FIRST settlement offer. Unfortunately for Hyundai I was not tickled to see that much damage on a low speed impact where the airbag did not even deploy. Not going to knock the car could be just one of those fluke deals stuff happens with mechanical beasts, but I decided to replace her with a gas hog RAM Quad, needed a truck anyway and could not force my wife out of her Crown Vic. Going to miss my average in town of 25 mpg.

goolapper

Wifey drove her 98 bmw z-3 into a telephone pole 'bout 2 yrs ago. Cabin integrity was superb.
She walked away without a scratch! Car was totaled by ins co. Air Bag did not DEPLOY!!!
Was I ever hot! BMW sent 2 engineers from So Carolina to examine the wreck. Of course,
they concluded that due to angle of impact, yadadada air bag should not have deployed....
So Hyundai isn't the only non-deployer....mebbe even possible that it shouldn't have deployed
(though doubtful....still don't believe the bmw investigators!)

sundayduffer

Not real upset about the airbag, just unhappy with the extent of the damages at that speed. Not suprised when I saw bumper that split in half is an all composite design the hitch just sliced through it, all the way to motor. steel mounts & bolts the block & tranny broke first. At least all damage was confined to the front safety design engine & all went down & not back. Still think they are good cars, Just prefer a little more substance for a while.

stratus78

I have been fighting with a rattle till now on my 2002 GLS Sonata. I think its coming from the front passenger seat, cos it doesnt make any sound over any surface, when there is a passenger seated. Anyone else have this kind of problem?

Also today the front left door wouldn't open even when unlocked with a remote. Climbed in through the rear door and tried opening it from inside, but no luck. The locking knob on top of door opening handle was in unlock position, but the door was like it was jammed. I loceked the car using the remote and unlocked it again, and only then did it open. A funny freak occurrance! Hope this doesn't happen again.

acelink

I changed spark plugs today ('99, 4 cylinder).
I would say the toughest part was finding the right 10mm socket for the plastic engine cover removal. Rest was a breeze. However, I found out that the spark plug from #4 cylinder was drenched in oil. What is the problem and what should I do about it?

sonatabean

I've noticed something quite curious - and want to know if anyone has seen this particular beast.

According to both my dealer and the Hyundai website, a 5-speed Sonata *LX* exists.

No one has ever seen such an animal in Columbus, Ohio.

Have any of *YOU* seen an LX 5-speed? Even better, any of you own one???

Sonatabean

kingrw

Just reached 40,000 on my 2000 Sonata GLS. Happy to report I've had very few problems other than the following:
1) Engine stalling that was corrected by the dealer
2) Rattling in my passenger side window/door.
3) The brakes are not smooth...almost a chattery uneven feel when you slow down. The pads look good, it's almost as if the rotors are the problem. I'm going to change the pads anyway and see if that corrects the problem.

Anyway...I decided it was time to change the spark plugs. The front 3 are easy because you only have to remove the plastic cover. The rear 3 are in an impossible location that can only be reached by removing the top of the engine (air induction manifold?). Can anybody provide any advice on this matter? Can't believe an engine would be designed that way.
Thanks

drimple

I don't know about the Sonata, but I know that spark plug replacement on V-6s in general has become just about impossible unless you are a dealer/repair shop. In the effort to keep cars smaller, the engine compartment has shrunk, thus most engines are wedged in there with no free space. I think on the current line of Ford Taurus you have to actually use an engine hoist to rock the engine forward in order to reach the rear plugs.

dougndo

My advice is "Don't do it."

I had a 1990 Dodge Monaco SE that had a V-6, and it was a breeze to change the plugs since the engine was mounted longitudinally, despite being FWD. However, virtually all other FWD V-6 engines are transversely mounted, and that puts the second bank of plugs in a very difficult location. Often, as noted by "drimple," that requires special equipment and knowledge to make the change.

Since you've got 60,000 miles left on your powertrain warranty, don't risk voiding it (or at least parts of it) by starting to take things off the block. I know a few guys who felt they had to change the plugs on their various V-6s themselves, and a couple of them probably saved a couple hundred bucks by doing it (if you don't figure the cost of their time, frustration, and vehicle out of service). A couple others ended up spending many hundreds to over a thousand dollars to have a mechanic or dealership fix the mess they created when they got in too deep and couldn't get things back together or broke something--not to mention one guy broke his hand when it got crushed as he removed the last bolt from a manifold that was "a lot heavier than I thought.".

In none of these cases was the extra work covered by the warranty of any of the manufacturers, and I'd hate to be one of these guys if a warranty repair is required in the future.

bkpgolf

I'm considering buying a 2002 Sonata. Have any of you had problems with slippage in the automatic transmission? Thanks.

chollie

I just picked up our new celadon green Sonata V6 last week. The factory build date on the car is February 17. There seems to have been a certain span of dates in manufacturing where tranny slipping is or has occurred.I was told that the fix should have been taken care of in the field; (computer chip or sensor replacement for cars within that parameter). I've had Honda's and Acura's in the past and I can tell everyone that this transmission (so far) has a nice slean shift sequence. But I can also say that the 'check engine' light came on after the first fill up. Yes I did quadruple click the gas cap closed. The dealer scanned the car and after talking to Tech, they ordered some sensor. I park the car in the garage and I can also tell everyone that 'this isn't like any new car smell that I have ever smelled before'. This so called new car smell doesn't really bother me, I just wonder what different materials they use compared to everybody else.

astrol

Don't ask me why but the Koreans insist on spraying Cosmoline and other such protectants on the undersides of their cars before shipment. This is the responsible agent for the 'Korean car smell'. You smell it even in leather clad interiors. I have found it to linger longer in cloth upholstery due to the absorption factor. Just hang a deodorizer. It will burn off shortly.

jimbeaumi

I've wondered what causes the bad smell in Hyundais. My Elantra did not have that smell when I bought it in July, but the cars at January's Detroit Auto Show had it. My friend Dave noticed it right away, and we both thought maybe it was from the plastics. My car did, however, have the burning smell for the first week or so, which I am certain came from underneath. Now that it is fresh smelling and kept clean, it is and has been alot of fun to drive.

tysalpha

Hey there Everyone:

I've just started looking at Sonatas and Elantra GTs.. I'm amazed at how many features Hyundai gets on these cars for the price!

I do have a question about lighting tho:

1. I have read the Elantra has door "entrance" lights (lights on the inside edge of the doors) on the front doors. Can anyone tell me if the Sonata has this, also? How about the back doors?

2. One of the complaints about the Elantra is that there's not enough lighting in the back seat. How is the Sonata? Are there courtesy and/or reading lights?

I think either car would be a great choice.. I'm just a details/features freak.. and so the extra lighting, rear armrest and auto temp control might be enough for me to justify the price of the Sonata over the Elantra. Thanks for your help.

jimbeaumi

Quite different cars you're considering! My Elantra GLS does not have rear door lights, but there are red lights on the front doors. Most cars have just a reflector. If you carry people in the back frequently, then the other items are more a priority for you than for me. You are right, both cars offer lots for the money. I'd like the Elantra GT next.

stratus78

The Sonata does have front door lights. The lighting in the rear is quite good with the domelights. The rear armrests also have cupholders and a tray in the gls and the lx- good stuff.

jawabean

Recently, I had "CHECK ENGINE" light indicator ON few times. After restarting the engine, it went OFF.

Today, on the highway after about 20 mins driving, the light went ON and at the same time a car shifted to lower gear. I was driving app. at 60mph and 2.2RPM, so when it happened it went to 3.2 RPM. I felt that the engine was weaker than usual. After stopping the engine for few minutes, everything appeared to be as usual OK. Then it happened 2 times again, while driving home.

Any ideas?

astrol

More than likely a simple sensor needs replacing. With that many episodes the car is sure to have thrown a code.

We just had our MAF sensor replaced (not the recall) because of similar behavior but no code was found on the first trip in. Took two trips.

hjr2

was told to protect all parts(engine,etc) from salt. I was in navy and believe me,sea salt gets just about everywhere.

It is to prevent possible rust,also, I was told?

Sonata 2002 model Looks Better than the current XG350. Had seen them side-side this weekend and thought the xg350- was Sonata and visa-versa.

rd36mnm

Has anyone experienced any of these problems. I have 5sp/4cyl '99 Sonata, 68,000 mostly highway miles. Prior to 38,000 miles I had 3 burned out front headlamps, 1 headlamp assembly replaced due to water inside, 3 wiper motors. At 38,000 miles, right rear bearing/hub assembly. Within one week, the left had to be replaced. Now at almost 68,000 miles, rear bearing/or bearings are whining again and we know what that means. Car is very well taken care of, never beat. I must say however, the bright spot is 68,000 miles and brakes are still good. I have never had any vehicle go that far on original brakes.

defiant235

I have accumulated 2000 miles now on my new Sonata with the shiftronic, and so far the transmission shifts ever so smoothly. I drive primarily in "manual mode" and have no problems. It is a little weird sometimes trying to downshift. Meaning, it takes a little practice downshifting to get used to having a computer do the clutching for you. But in retrospect, I could just as easily not downshift at all and let the computer do that as well for me. Afterall, the car "knows" what's better for it when it comes to the whole downshifting thing. I seem to want to downshift sooner than the car will clutch for smoothly while de-accelerating. I hope you can understand what I am trying to say. Fortunately the car has the "can't hurt me mode" and refuses to accept my missed shifts. As for lighting. I love the dual overhead light sets. One fore and aft of the moonroof. Plenty of light that the blind could probably see. Though the "theater lighting effect" seems to turn the lights off quicker than most cars I've been in. And yes the Sonata has the big red lights on the door edges. As for smell, I didn't think the new car scent was over bearing, but get this, after a test drive, and after a week of ownership, there was a strange scent of burning electrical. It was not overwhelming, but you could tell it was there. I was assured that this was normal for a new Sonata and it would go away. It did and there was no damage but I was a bit apprehensive. But to be assured, I test drove an Elantra with no miles and it did the same thing. The dealer and the manager both told me that Hyundai's "did" this, especially if you get one that had 1 or 2 miles on it. So far so good. Though my experience with the dealer was a little lack luster. They sent my plates and registration to the wrong address (scary to think that some total stranger actually had my license plates and paperwork, at least they where honest and found me, turns out it went to the wrong apartment). They also fouled up my financing application and had to redo it a week later. But at least I got all that resolved with no bloodloss.

bean30

I have a 92 Sonata..v6...recently it has been burning oil like crazy...im having to put oil in it just about every week and it is smoking really bad...I think that it might either be the bearings or valve guides or both...so I was wondering if any of you would know what is wrong with it?

astrol

Could be the rings. How many miles? What do the plugs look like?

dlevangie

Hello,

I have a 2002 v6 sonata auto and I am experiencing a bit of a problem. It seems that when I first start the car and take off the first shift from 2nd to 3rd can be extremely harsh. A few times I felt like looking in the rear view mirror for the tranny behind me....sometimes it feels that bad...for the most part aside from this the shifting seems okay..

I can be driving for awhile, park the car for like 5 - 10 minutes, then come back to car and drive away and it happens again for the first or second shift...I thought at one point it was because the engine was cold or whatever but in this case the engine is definitely not cold. Anyone else experiencing this?

It is really annoying...once you have been driving for a bit and get beyond the first shift from 2nd to third its great but during that first shift from second to third it doesn't feel like such a nice automobile :-(

I haven't gone to the dealer with it yet but I can already hear it: "Oh that's normal...". Sure doesn't feel normal...

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me..

Cheers

hjr2

our 1999 sonata gls v6 is at 76,000(automatic) and no problems.

our 2001 tibby is almost a year old, 30,000 miles and zero problems(except this, the alignment went out at 500 miles, same for our Sonata..I took it in 3 year ago, after 1000 miles, they realigned it, and again, out of whack 500 miles later. I took it to Sears, and have had no problems since. Go there once a year for realignments at Sears. Now, if Sears can do it, why can't these guys at Hyundai dealerships realign a car properly?).

acelink

Hi, everyone. I had my mom's '99 Sonata (4 cylinder) radiator flushed (drained is more correct) yesterday.
This is what the lousy mechanic did:
First, He simply drained the radiator and did not bother to do anything about the fluid in the reservoir (secondary tank). When I pointed this out, he said something like the coolant in the system couldn't be flushed out. Then he started pouring the new coolant in without mixing it properly with the water. When I objected he stopped and fill the rest with water.
Now, the original coolant that came from the factory was colored green. The new coolant is orange-red in color (Is this the right one?). I decide to flush the radiator myself after seeing what he did. After all, I still have the green fluid in the reservoir tank. Anyone know how to flush radiator properly? Also, somehow I can't get the radiator cap off (yes, I twisted the thing all the way to the right). Your advice and suggestion are much appreciated.

snookey

dlevangie: I have the exact same problem with my new 2002 Sonata aswell. Once it runs for a few minutes the transmission shifts great but the before that its harsh on the 2-3. Have you taken it into your dealer yet?

Thanks