Hyundai Elantra 5-door

csandste

My 2001 5 speed GLS seldom hits the EPA mark in the summer. Blame oxygenated fuels and air conditioning. When I fill up in a rural area I can really tell the difference over the local (St. Louis) gas.

revka

cjaccetta- Thanks for the detailed update, and congrats on your new 03 Elantra GT!

mygor- Welcome to Town Hall, and congratulations on your new Elantra GT! We look forward to hearing more details.... ;-)

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

mygor

this site is slowly becoming my Bible. this message board is of course my favorite chapter. i drove my new car to work today. i was really disappointed when i reached my parking spot. i didn't see anyone who glanced at my car. my hope was to attract at least one person who would stare at this car; not with envy because it's new, but with of curiosity. i would have stopped and told him that it was a hyundai...anyway, there's always tomorrow.
but i did noticed one thing. there is a little sound that i hear when i step on the brake. i don't know much about cars, but it's almost the same sound you hear when you have dirty brake pads. the ideal explanation i'm aiming for is that it's new. i'm going to give it a month and see what happens.
...also needs some advice about "breaking-in" the car. what's the best way? i have a 5speed manual if that makes any difference.

hjr2

from news today:
"O'Neill was known at Hyundai for sometimes staring down his South Korean bosses who demanded higher sales than the market was allowing, unwilling to increase fleet sales to unhealthy levels or offer overly aggressive rebates on top of Hyundai's low prices. He also pushed Hyundai to develop an SUV for American tastes, which resulted in the successful Santa Fe model. "

This bit of news above is from thecarconnection.com, sep3, 2003 daily news, a bit of info from a story there.

I hope that I do not get banished for this comments below.
I posted a whole new thread on this and it got wiped clean.

Long story short, if Not for Mr O'Neill, Hyundai, according to many sources, would have folded operations in USA NLT 2001.
This man has done for Hyundai(USA) what Carl Ghoshen has done for Nissan: saved them from oblivion. Plain and simple.
Also, he is responsible for one of Hyundai's largest(volume) sellers, Santa Fe.

So, what did he, after 18 years, working for Hyudnai, and nearly 6 years as Hyundai USA CEO, just go to Mitsu?

Ummm, if you read the first paragraph, he had a habit of standing up to his S Korean bosses( and I had read in past articles that they were not happy when he did this).
They liked where it finally got them(increased sales, and so on) but were less than thrilled with the man's methods.

Also, I read last week that Texas is still holding out for more $$$ in the "less HP than advertised' class action lawsuit. he said Hyundai losing "onbly" $6 million is not enough punishment, or payback for customers(or something like this, a Texas judge said).

So, I have an odd feeling that Hyudnai "dumped" Mr O'Neill( Mitsu.D.C and Hyudnai all work together now, D/C owns 10% of Hyundai, Mitsu 1.5%, and they have a joint- engine plant going up in Dundee MI)... I have a feeling that he will help Mitsu, but I also habve a feeling that Hyudnai may have "offered" Mr O'Neill to Mitsu to get him out of their way? Maybe they feel it is safe now in USA, so they can do what They want(S Korean bosses)...like increase fleet sales and incentives,etc.
I dunno.
I just hope that we do not go back to the Hyundai of pre-1999, get very little new product or redesigns, etc...

I just Hope Hyundai keeps going forward, and does not stall, or go back to thier old ways of doing business. That could be bad for us, the customers.

MONITORS: if this is in Edmunds policy violation,l please e-mail me,. I won;t do it again. Thanks in advance.

revka

Your message is off topic for this discussion, and would be more appropriate for our News & Views Board. Also, a host will usually freeze/ban a new discussion if they feel the subject does not warrant a separate area; so you may want to scroll down the list of discussions on the News & Views board to see if there are any ongoing discussions where you could discuss your topic.

To start, you may want to check out Mitsubishi and The Future and Kia and Hyundai look to take over where Fiat leaves off. You can also send an email to our News & Views host (Pf_flyer) to see what he'd suggest. Good luck.

And let's get back to the subject of the Hyundai Elantra GT! Further off topic messages will be automatically removed. Thanks!

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

elantraman

14K miles so far. Problems have included, warped rotors on front wheels, power mirrors not working and windshield washer problem. All fixed by dealer under warranty. Car is fun to drive. It is what it is. Economy car with bells and whistles that are unavailable on many other competing models or cost much more. My MPG has been between 19 (short trips and AC on) and 38 (300 miles on highway). Tires will probably need replaced at 20K. I am very satisfied and would recommend.

kaz6

Thanks for the info! You think you'll only get 20k out of your tires? What pressure are you running them at? I've had these tires on another vehicle but got close to 40k before replacement. Just curious.

csandste

I got 40K. Replaced with Uniroyal TigerPaw GTH's which are quieter, better handling and (hopefully) better wearing AND cost less than half the $$$ for the Energies. Manufacturers pay next to nothing for these tires. Michelin's hope is that you'll rip the hell out of one and be forced to spend $150 or that you'll be dumb enough to buy another set which a high percentage do. Hyundai gets to put on the same tires that are supplied on Accords instead of Kumhos or Hankooks. Kumhos and Hankooks are probably better tires.

gtovrit

I've got over 19,000 miles on my 2002 GT hatchback, and my only problems have been: one headlight, rearview mirror vibration/buzz, and door pillar vinyl. All were fixed by the dealer at no charge. I average 25-27 mpg daily driving (50/50 highway and street), 29-31 on long trips. I keep my tires inflated to 36 psi, and can't imagine how you could wear them out in 20,000 miles. Have you noticed big black marks where you park and on the corners around where you live? That would take some seriously hard driving to wear them out in that short time. I'm very happy with this car, would do it again.

elantraman

I think it is a matter of where you drive and live. Most people I talk to get approximately 20-25K on tires. Do your states have tread wear minimums on inspections? The hills and curves of Western PA probably have something to do with it. I have never had tires last 40K in 30 years of driving. I don't know anyone in this area who has either. I have bought inexpensive and very expensive tires. Doesn't seem to matter. If you get over 40K be thankful. Usually always have tires at recommended inflation.

backy

I got 70k on my '85 Civic's OEM Michelins. Since then I've never gotten more than 40k on any tires. I recently had to replace the OEM Michelins on my Grand Caravan at 35k--got Goodyear Regatta 2's. My GLS has 22k on it and the Michelins still look pretty good, I think I can get two more rotations (done each 7500 miles) at least out of them.

tomkimbene

I'm curious how gtovrit and the others who have had the wrinkled door pillar tape repaired feel about the results. Mine is wrinkled a little on the bottom, and the dealer will replace. However, I'm wondering if there's a greater likelihood of the end result being worse than I started with due to bubbles, misaligned tape, etc. Any regrets by those who have had it done?

gtovrit

I had my door pillar vinyl trim replaced because there was a gouge out of it, and I had bought the car as a demo. It looked like someone snagged it with a ring and took a chunk out of it. The repair looks better than it did, but they didn't do a thorough job cleaning the old adhesive off, and I can see small lumps and surface irregularities under the new piece. The wrinkling at the base is happening on the other side of the car, and I haven't done anything about that yet. I think vinyl is a poor idea in the first place, and would rather have them painted black, but I haven't asked the service manager if they have handled any repairs this way.
 If you hesitate taking it to the dealer just because there are bubbles in the vinyl, you can try to remove them yourself by poking them with a pin, then pressing the bubble down. Don't wiggle it around and make a big mess, just one pinhole, and the air should be able to escape. Probably best to do it on a hot day, the adhesive underneath will stick back down better.

mrneedacar1

just curious, has anyone done anyone researched the kia's? the rio rx-v? that compared with the elantra gt. just wondering on some of your thoughts. thank you

hjr2

What size tires are those? I had heard that the tires on our 2001 Tiburon has same size tires as the current Elantra GT( 15" tires).

That sounds like an awful lot of air pressure. I was told 30psi on the door panel/"plate"(sticker).
Same for our 1999 Sonata(15" tires,also). 30 lbs psi.

Did they increase the psi or larger tires for GT(16" tires?).

carlisimo

Harlequin, I know these sound uncomfortable but they're great for weather that makes one sweat: bead seat covers. Large wooden beads half an inch large sown together. In Taiwan a lot of people's couches have those as covers to make sweating less of a pain.

squeakie

Having just been through it, I checked the message boards for throttle position sensor failures in the 2002 GT. It's not unknown at all, apparently, from what I read.
I don't understand why, if TPS failure is in fact "just one of those things that happens with these cars" (the dealer's words), they don't check it automatically when it's brought in for regular service.
The car ran perfectly until -- one week after it was brought in for its 18K service -- the TPS failed. And it failed at 12:30 AM on a highway; the only exit area was onto a dark county route with one nearby light. Roadside Assist was very helpful, but told me not to drive the car any further & have it towed to the dealer. Fine, but it cost $35 to get home (@ 2:00 AM), and $40 to rent a car until mine was fixed -- towed at 1 AM Friday, picked up finally ready on Sat. AM.
The service dept. told me to "send the bills to Hyundai" but could not provide an address.
While I like this car, I've always had Hondas or Subarus, and my nerve is starting to fail when I consider that the car is only 18 mos. old, and failed in a way that compromised my personal safety...

backy

If you call the 1-800 number for Hyundai (the one on your warranty card) they should be able to tell you where to send receipts for reimbursement. Also, you may want to find another dealer for service, if there's any others in your area. Many (like mine) provide free loaners for service that takes more than one day.

P.S. You must be aware by now that parts never fail when it is convenient, e.g. when you are stopped at a traffic light outside of a Hyundai dealership. They always fail when it is least convenient, and when you take it into the shop, they mysteriously start working again--until you are at least 20 miles away from the dealership again. That's the famous "Law of Probability for Mechanical Failures in Automobiles" that was first developed by some MIT professor, I think (after her car broke down). :^]

mxo11

I totally agree that parts always fail at the most inconvenient moment (Backy, the MIT professor was Dr. Murphy; hence Murphy's laws!:-). However, the TPS on my 2002 GT failed at 21k, statistically not too far from the mileage on Squeakie's car when its TPS failed. (And I wasn't more fortunate, either: I was 200 miles away from home!). Although two cases may not be enough to get worried, such a coincidence is interesting, no?

backy

to Murphy's Law is that the probability of a TPS failure increases in direct relationship to the distance from a service center.

My GLS has 22,300 miles on it. Maybe I should pick up a spare TPS and carry it with me...

gtovrit

My GT has 15" tires, and you are correct, the door label recommends 30 psi. The key word is recommends. The tires are rated to 44 psi max, and I have always run my tires higher than the recommended pressure, to increase gas mileage. No, I have never had any extra wear on the center of the tires, six psi is not that much of a difference, the tires are not ballooned out of shape or anything. i have noticed that when I ran tires at the recommended pressures, they wore out faster, especially on the outer edges. As far as handling, road feel, etc., yes, you can notice the difference, the ride is not as soft, but doesn't bother me. Handling? This ain't LeMans, I drive city streets, usually around the speed limit, the car handles fine.

csandste

Agree with everything you say about running tires at 36-38 lb. Just had Wal-Mart rotate mine. Bet you anything they dropped the pressure to 30-32. Higher pressure is the way to go.

The following was clipped from: http://www.salemboysauto.com

Mark Salem does radio/tv in the Phoenix area and used to do a show here in St. Louis. Pretty knowledgable, commonsense guy.

"The inflation information on the tire will describe the maximum inflation of that tire cold. This is the most that tire should ever be aired to. The owners manual may describe a slightly lower inflation number. Anywhere in between will be fine for any car or SUV or light truck. But remember this:

Using the higher inflation numbers (35-44 psi) will keep the tire cooler, give you better fuel economy but you will sacrifice ride quality. The ride of the car will be harsher than with softer tire pressures.

Using the lower inflation numbers (28-35 psi) will give you a soft, smooth ride but your tires will run hotter and your fuel economy will be between 1-5% less than with fully inflated tires.

I always inflate my customers tires to the maximum inflation figure written on the side of their tire. The only exception is a "Z" rated high performance tire, like ones on a Corvette, Camaro, 300ZX. I do not inflate them to their maximum of 44 psi, but use 35 psi as our upper limit on these tires. Otherwise the ride is way too harsh."

knierim13

OK, so maybe I'm not seeing the situation correctly, but I could use some help. I need to replace the headlight bulb (lowbeam) in my 2002 GT. My husband bought a bulb, popped the hood, and...he can't get his hand into the space to put the new bulb in. The battery seems to be in the way and the space is really tight. Is it possible to change the bulb on your own, or do you have to go to a dealer?

Please excuse this question if it seems really obvious to you, but I'd definitely appreciate some tips. My husband has always changed the headlights on his cars (all Hondas) with no problem, but this has us a bit stumped. Thanks in advance for your help!

csandste

The battery assembly does come out fairly easier and does make the job a lot easier than fishing around down there in the tight space. Hyundai warrants headlight bulbs and the dealer will do the job for free, and they use a longer life bulb.

Stock H1 and H7 bulbs burn out quickly. I've already been through about 7 in 2 years on my GLS. The dealer replacement hasn't failed yet, going on 4 months-- the others generally have failed at about this age. Post 2001 Elantras have avoided this problem, but only because the longer life bulbs are put in stock at the factory. If you put in an after market bulb yourself, you'll be into constant replacements. Wish they'd gone to a standard bulb. The H7/H1 combos are used in high end cars like Lexus's and BMW's but are lousy for durability.

aznmonty

If the lights are guaranteed by Hyundai, that means i will never turn my lights off! aHHH... How great it is to be a Hyundai Owner!

cjaccetta

There is a stubborn metal clip that holds the bulb assembly in place. Before you attempt to work your hand behind the battery and shroud, get yourself one of those little dentist-type mirrors and check to see exactly where you want your fingers to be. The little mirror will save you a few minutes of groping around blindly.

backy

Sorry, you have no choice but to turn off the lights sometimes... the car will do it by itself. Or you could always keep the engine running, that will keep the lights on and there's a 10-year powertrain warranty!

ras4151

Does anyone have any idea when the 2004 GT will hit our shores. The dealer doesn't have a clue.

storkdude

Yes, there is a small steel clip that holds the back of the bulb in on each side. Each tang must be pushed towards the other (towards the center of the bulb) then it will snap back as it releases. The bulb is then easily pulled out. Try removing the clip on the other light first, as it is more easily seen, and you will see exactly how the mechanism works. I used an angled needle-nosed pliers to get at the clip. Careful not to touch the glass of your replacement bulb with your skin, as the oils are supposed to shorten the life of the bulb. Of course, the battery is easily removed to facilitate access, but you will lose radio presets. If I remember correctly, the Hondas use a threaded collar to hold the lamp in instead of the wire clip.

storkdude

Inflating the tires to greater than recc. pressures may save some wear on the lateral aspects of the tread and increase mpg, but in addition to giving a harsher ride, the struts will wear out sooner. When they do, you'll see "cupping" at the lateral side of the treads-regardless of how much you pump them up. The car will also rock up and down a bit after a nice bump. Struts are probably more than a Saturday-morning job for most people to replace. If you can do it yourself you may get by with $200 for 2 inexpensive strut cartridges (if just the cartridges can be replaced). In addition to the normal jacks/jackstands & heavy sockets, you need spring compressors. Air-tools are almost mandatory to separate suspension pieces. If you do it yourself and are careful, you may not need to have it re-alligned. If you go to a garage you will most likely get stuck with a bill to allign the cambre. A few hundred dollars would be the absolute minimum you'd expect to pay for the whole job. I replaced some once and swore I'd never do it again--even though I love wrenching on my car. I keep my front TP at 35psi.

mpgman

Did you get a new GT? If so, is this another one or did you trade your 01? If you did trade, how did you make out? I've been toying with seeing what I can get for my mint 01 GT/ABS/Auto/Roof/TCS with 36k miles on a trade for an 03 or 04, and what the final numbers would be for a swap. Was also thinking about the above swap plus using so called loyalty points earend for buying a new one to get a second GT, albeit a sedan, for the other half. Thanks.

dovid2

Hello, Howdycuz, I live in Atlanta and have

owned an '04 GT for a year, including last summer.

I have never had the problems you describe, even

in heavy traffic with the AC on full blast.After

25,000 miles the only problem I've had was a

hood release that came loose.

jeffhall76

I spotted a 2004 GT this past Friday on a trip to Jacksonville, FL. It was parked in a church parking lot. I nearly went off the road when I saw it.

This is the second one I've seen. I think there are some early ones out there but I don't see them being advertised or anything.

Jeff

tmant

The 2004's must be here! Edmund's shows rebates for 2004 models already ($500) effective since September 3. Surely that means some '04s are around.

wonderwall

I've seen two 2004 Elantra GLSs in the past couple of weeks. they must be out... i thought i was hallucinating though...

backy

No '04s in my neighborhood. Went by my local dealer on Saturday to check, and nothing but '03s there. I also noticed there were no GTs on the lot, just lots of GLSes, some even at the old price ($12,499 base). Great deal if a '03 is OK.

maryocon

Tomorrow I pick up my new GT. I bought the extended warrenty for piece of mind. It's going to cost me $14 dollars a month but I do think it's worth it. It extends the bumper to bumper for another 5 years and it is transferable. It is also refundable if you sell the car before the 10 years.

csandste

Usually represent a 100% mark up for the dealer. I've only bought one (out of 25 cars) and it was a Ford Tempo that was a real POS. In general, I think they're bad deals, although nothing like really throwing your money away on appliance or electronic extended warranties.

blackoutdotcom

@ if you know what I mean. I have come to hate car salesmen and wish you could purchase easily over the internet for a set price and have it delivered. Anyway... anyone know of a Hyundai dealership from Miami up to Orlando that has a 2004 black gt with moonroof and abs option package who will get it out the door for under $15,000? Let me know and I'm there. I love the look of the new 2004s from what I have seen on the web I think they woop the 2003s into the ground I just want to see one in person.

- Michael

http://blackout.com

jeffhall76

Good luck finding one out the door (this includes tax, tag and title) for $15K fully loaded. You're not going to find that on a 2004. Expect about $16,500 to $17,00 with what you want.

Jeff

andil1

Just to let you know there are both 4 and 5 door Elantras on the local dealer's website.

blackoutdotcom

What are you crazy? 2004 Elantra GT hatckbacks are listing on edmunds for $14,600. With the extra moonroof abs option they are going for about $15,800. I'm SURE there will be a dealer somewhere who will make a deal and sell one for $15,000. I don't think the cars are in very high demand it doesn't seem many people are driving them. They are just a rare little car that we nuts have found. I NEVER see them on the road here in florida and that's kind of the allure.

Now I am in a big dillemma though, I found a dealer in Miami who has a 03 GT Sedan with moonroof and he is willing to let it go for $13,000!

Ack! What do I do???? I love the look of the new 04 GT Hatchback but 13,000 for a new GT sedan.. that's a deal. Damn I'm so confused!

backy

Where are they??? I haven't been able to find any.

jeffhall76

Edmunds True Market Value on an '04 Elantra GT with automatic, abs, and sunroof is $15,989 after $500 rebate. Add tax (6-7+% in FL) plus other fees you are talking $17,000. "out the door" includes EVERYTHING.

timothyb

If your brand new car has lots of rattles from doors, hatch lock and such, are you just out of luck, or is it covered under warranty?

Within the first month I was getting rattles from both doors. When driving on the hwy I have to put pressure on the door with my elbow to stop it from rattling the whole trip, or I go nuts. Then the other door rattles too. I heard rattles from other areas in the back.

My hatch door has something wrong with the lock. It makes a long rattle sound when locking, or hitting bumps, sometimes idling, when shutting or unlocking.

Another distinct noise comes from the passenger seatbelt buckle. With slight road vibration it makes a very long rattle, just hitting the back of the seat causes it, that's how I was able to find where it was coming from. When driving it sounds like it's coming from the door. I think it's not installed right, as when pushing it forward, it doesn't spring back like the drivers side does (I'm talking about the female part, not the male end attached to the belt). I have to leave it buckled to stop it.

So, what can I get done about this. I feel my new car has more rattles than my previous 1977 Olds, which I don't recall any. I can't stand driving without blast music to hide it. I know it didn't have all these noises when I bought it too, it started right after withen weeks.

beatles363

I only have 2 rattles and i figured them both out. One was the seatbelt that your talking about. Anytime a front passenger gets out, the seatbelt buckle doesn't retract correctly. But all i have to do is put it in the correct position, upright against the wall and the rattling stops. The other rattle i heard stumped me for a few weeks and was driving me crazy. I finally found out it was the sunglasses compartment above the rearviewmirror. It only rattles when i have sunglasses in it, but it isnt too bad and ive learned to live with it. I hope this helps with some of the rattles.

revka

Hi timothyb - Most manufacturers will cover creaks/rattles within the first 12 months/12k miles. Some cover this for the entire bumper/bumper warranty period. Have you checked your owner's manual for warranty information? Perhaps someone else here can offer more information.

Try putting the words "rattle" and/or "hatch" into the open search box (lower right) here, or in our Elantra problems discussion, to see other kinds of posts are here on the subject. You can also search for any TSBs (technical service bulletins) that might be related to creaks/rattles in Edmunds' Maintenance Guide.

And for those, that want to fix it yourself, you can search for service procedures at Hyundai Corp's official Tech Site.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on your Elantra GT experience. ;-)

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

timothyb

Thanx for the tips, I'll do that soon. It has been 12 months now, but I hope that isn't so for the warrant. Since when I did bring it in within that time, they said they couldn't recreate the door noise.

And the hatch, hell, they said replacing the offending part that's making the noise has no gaurantee it would stop, even when the ones on the lot didn't make the noise unless you popped open the lock cover area flicked at the bar like a guitar string, otherwise you couldn't hear it under normal use, but they still used it as an excuse that they all did, even though mine does it all the time 30 times louder.

Shouldn't dealers take my word for it, how can they drive the car over every road I have to hear the vibration, or even take it on the highway where it happens a lot even on smooth parts. I'm so pissed with the noises that if they can't stop it, give me a whole damn new car or new doors. The noises are loud enough to bother me, thus causing driving distractions

backy

I'd had good luck with my Hyundai dealer working on rattles gratis after 12 months. I make sure when I ask them about it that I am as polite as possible--it seems to help their willingness to help me out. Tracking down rattles can be a tough process, especially when they don't "rattle" when I take it to the dealer (which of course happens a lot.) They were able to fix one little rattle permanently but the other came back, only in cold weather and more faintly than before, so that's better than before. I "fixed" the seat belt buckle rattle by just making sure the belt is draped over the seat bolster. I have a faint, cold-weather rattle (a different one) in the right front door, and I think I know how to fix it but have not taken the time to do so. What I've heard works is to remove the screws holding the door panel on and fitting little rubber washers in the screw holes, then tightening down the screws. I also have a problem with my wire-rim sunglasses rattling occasionally in the holder, but other than buy new sunglasses (nope, they are Bausch & Lomb) I don't know what I can do. Laying the sunglasses so they are laying on top of the arms when the door is closed helps. Shoot, most cars in this class don't even have a sunglasses holder, so what am I complaining about!

kaz6

Took my car in for 9k oil change and to check on fix for the window trim. First, the service advisor told me I'd have to leave it for three days without benefit of a loaner! Then, they said they might be able to provide one. After waiting over an hour for the oil change I found out that they were trying to redo the vinyl while I waited. The result was worse than the original-bubbles and wrinkle at base. They ordered another pair to try again next week. I might just have it painted at my expense if this continues.