Hyundai Elantra 5-door

john_w

First, I’ve got to say some things (before I explode) about how much I’m enjoying my new 2005 Elantra GLS 5-door!

 

It’s such a good-looking car. The grill in the front reminds me of a Jaguar. The car is roomy and visibility excellent. The ride and shifting (5-speed manual) is smooth and satisfying. There are features I’ve discovered since buying the car—e.g., you can’t accidentally leave the headlights on. If you take the keys out of the ignition and open the door, the lights go out. I already knew that you could take the keys out of the ignition and still power up the windows without reinserting the key, provided you haven’t opened the door yet and you don’t wait too long. I’m sort of embarrassed to say that I didn’t know that the seat cushions in the backseat can be pulled forward and up, so that the seat backs can lie flatter. (I originally test drove a sedan.) I wonder what else I have yet to discover.

 

I do have a couple of questions. Does anyone have the experience and taken the trouble to determine how much of a hit on fuel economy you get by regularly using the TCS (traction control)?

 

Also, what’s with the carpeting in the back? The carpet on the floor of the rear storage and the bottom edge of the backs of the backseats are not sewn together. The backing on the rear seats hangs down loosely and tends to curl up. It is long enough to overlap the carpeting of the rear compartment, although not by much. Is this the way it’s supposed to be? It looks odd and unfinished.

backy

You may have already discovered this, but did you know the rear head restraints will fit in the well under the rear seat back when you fold it down?

 

I used the TCS for the first time last night, as we got our first significant snowfall (mostly sleet) since last winter. I have it on all the time, but it has never activated until last night. I decided to give the car a little extra gas when starting from an intersection, since I knew it was slippery, just to see what would happen. And the TCS light flashed as the car moved slowly but surely forward. So to answer your question, the TCS should not cause any hit in fuel economy by having it on all the time, as it is not actually doing anything until it activates. When it activates, I'm not sure why it would cause a mpg penalty, since it's working for only a few seconds at a time, just until your front wheels gain traction. If you find the TCS light is flashing a lot, I'd say you need a lighter foot on the gas. As I said, I had to force the TCS to activate even in slippery conditions. Same with the ABS. The ABS never activated while driving 12 miles in slippery ice/snow with a lot of stops. But I anticipated stops and used a light foot on the gas. I know the ABS works because I tested it the other day, intentionally braking sharply on a patch of ice.

 

Re the carpet--this is the way it's supposed to be. One of the few penalties of getting a car with so much content for so little money.

john_w

I haven’t been putting the headrests under the rear seat back, when it’s down. I’ll try that. Thanks.

 

“Re the carpet--this is the way it's supposed to be.”

 

Has anyone implemented an improvement on this arrangement? All looks well when the backseats are up, but not when they’re down. I don’t like having the bottom edge of the backseat and the space underneath exposed. I’d like to keep this area from becoming worn and soiled.

aznmonty

you could always install a plastic barrier so it will not be soiled. Just trim the edges of the material and you will not have that unsightly mess. Stapling the edge of the material to the trunk's floor may work as well, but removal of the floor for tire change is going to be more difficult.

5port

" I wonder what else I have yet to discover."

 

  Well here's one more discovery. The clocks in the 04-05 GLS and GTs can be changed from standard time to 24 hr military time :

 

http://www.hmaservice.com/recent/7/04-90-012/04-90-012.pdf

aznmonty

now all they have to do now is adjust for time zone changes and also day light savings. who knows...seems like hyundai makes the car just a little better each model year.

john_w

Trimming might make it look better, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I do like the fact that when the rear seats are up, the carpets overlap. So far I’ve chosen to have the rear carpet overlap the seat back carpet. Either way trains the carpets to curl up when the rear seats are down. Maybe some little lead weights attached to the underside of the seat back carpet along the bottom edge would help.

jimbeaumi

Maybe Velcro would help.

john_w

Yeah, that should do it! Thanks.

elantraman

Have 2002GT. When my son was home for Thanksgiving from college, he hit a mailbox with the GT. Total damage was $4,300. The car has been at the shop for 4 weeks now. Had frame damage. I was told that is not as bad now because of separate parts of frame. Anybody have some insight?

howdycuz

Howdy y'all- NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Been looking at the '04/ '04 5-Door Elantras and really like 'em, but am very concerned @Tech Issues, TSBs and Complaints re: Engine Cooling- Specifically, Repeated incidents of the '04/'05s STALLING and TROUBLE STARTING in areas where High Humidity / Heat is the norm. (As in Houston, TX) Anyone own one who lives here or a like environment? Any problems? PLEASE let me know your personal experiences... Thanks!

howdycuz

Howdy again- Just wondering why I see VERY FEW Hyundais on Houston-area roads? Would love to hear from Satisifed (or not) owners with their opinions!

Sylvia

That's because the postings you are looking for are in the following discussion:

 

Hyundai Elantra Owners: Problems & Solutions

aznmonty

Can someone confirm this humidity thing? I am considering a position in the Houston area, and moving my chicago tuned 03GT to warmer climate maybe a bad move.

backy

I moved from Minneapolis to Houston in the early '80s, and lived there for a year before moving to Austin (am now back in the Twin Cities), and I can confirm that Houston is VERY humid and that it might be a bad move. The first time you see steam billowing from your car when you open the door, you may agree.

 

Now, as for your car, I'm not sure what you mean by "Chicago-tuned". Did you tune it especially for a Chicago climate? The good news is that your car's body and chassis will last longer because it won't fight road salt every winter. As for Houston, if you do what the locals do and protect the dash with a sun shade and keep the A/C in tune, you should be fine.

jtom

hi, looking at the elantra 5-door. What's your opinion on the paint? The earilier versions looked thin and not that glossy to me. Does it look like it has improved at all this year? Also looks like the 06 will have new sheetmetal and be redesigned to be larger/roomier. Thanks, never considered getting a Hyundai, but opinion here seems generally positive.-julie

backy

I don't know about the '05 paint, but the '06 Elantra is reported (by Edmunds.com et. al.) to be a complete redesign, not just new sheetmetal. That will mean a new interior, engines (the next-gen engines Hyundai is developing with Mitsubishi and DC), and probably even a revised chassis. There's a discussion on the '06 Elantra here.

sunbolt

Has anyone purchase seat covers for their Elantra? I am looking for some that fit really well and look sporty, like a neotex type material. Anyone have any suggestions?

manton

i also own an elantra GT with all the bells and whistles, bought brand new in 2001. Not only is it TERRRIBLE in NEW ENGLAND WEATHER,traction controll and all, have had multiple annoying little breakdowns, including the front ball joints, now as its almost paid off and i want to tradeit in for a highlander, i get nothing but snickers and laughs when i drive into a dealership, not tomention NOTHING for a trade in. car is only good if you plan on having it forever, or its your first car. I will never buy another HYUNDAI. LOVE honda and toyota for life.

backy

How many miles on your GT? Is it in good shape? GTs tend to hold their value better than GLSes so I am surprised you can't get anything for it unless it's high miles and/or needs work.

danf1

Be careful with seat covers. Installing them will cover your side air bags.

backy

Not only that, but there could be problems with the Occupant Classification System (OCS) in the front passenger seats in '04-'05 Elantras, if you install an aftermarket seat cover. The Elantra and some other cars use sensors under the seat cover to determine when to activate the front passenger airbag. If the seat covers are not installed properly, that can mess up the OCS.

jimbeaumi

It seems unlikely that a dealer wanting your new business would "snicker and laugh" at a car that has gotten very good reviews since its redesign. Those days are behind us, as it is now generally accepted that Hyundai is producing very good vehicles. The vast majority of us in these threads have had outstanding service from our Elantras -- and we are on the lookout for problems, just like any other car owners.

dlmc4

I purchased my 5 door auto GT with all the bells and whistles (aka pkg 8) in Sept. 04. I've got nothing but praises 10,000 miles later with the exception of the night time illumination. Way too many colors on the dashboard.

 

I also drive in New England winters and it was fine. I even had to drive home from work in the middle of the recent blizzard without hardly a wheel spin. I did put Bridgestone snow tires on before the snow started to fall. They made a huge difference on my wifes vehicle. Since I'm driving the same car as you, it must be the tires.... or the driver?

billmchale

One of the biggest problems these days is that people assume that just because they have "All season radials" that they will be ok in the snow and I am sorry but that just aint so. Most raidials are adequate in the snow, but just barely. This is especially true if the tire is not rated very highly for snow and wet (They do rate those things). If you live in the snow belt and have to deal with driving in the stuff more than a couple of times a year I would think that a good set of winter tires would be pretty much mandatory.

 

--

Bill

aznmonty

why not drive the gt forever? when the engine goes out, i will swap in another engine and unleash some crazy mods. No complaints from this guy, finally fixed the interior and trunk lighting issues, installed my own lighting under the seats

 

~48k 2003GT and riding fine in chicago.

kingsalmon

I bought a 2005 GT Elantra a couple months ago and I love it so far! Not only does it drive well with no problems so far, I like the way it drives than my previous car(Honda Civic). The engine is quite refined and fuel economy is pretty good too(27ish miles/gal). Civic got 28mpg, but it also came with 40 less horsepower. I think you should go for it! I've gotten compliments from people on the street that have never seen the car before.

I was reluctant to try Hyundai a couple years back, but now it is my favorite brand.

I kinda wished I waited on the 2006 Sonata which arrives this March, but am well pleased with this vehicle as I'm strapped for cash.

Hope this helps a little!

God bless!!!

mpgman

Just got a new 05 Forester X with after market leather to complement the GT. While we love the Forester, the GT stands out as an incredible value. Paid $19,800 for the Forester. The GT has more cargo room, more driver leg room, a better left foot rest, a better placed center arm rest, an illuminated key ring, a trip computer, better mpgs and a better warranty. Also, little things such as plastic molding on the floor sill by the door openings that wraps around to the floor protecting the carpet on rainy days from entry and exit. The Subie is a fine car but 50,000 trouble free miles on the GT makes me a believer.

gty62

Picked it up last week - elect. red (excellent paintjob, BTW) auto, ABS/TCS, CD-player, floormats - $13,150 after rebate. NY metro area - no documentation fee.

 

Runs great, got 26 mpg on the first tankfull.

 

Only problem - NO CUPHOLDERS IN THE BACK SEATS! according to the manual, they should be in a fold-down section of the center rear seat - there is no fold-down section (No, they're not under the center rear seat, either.) This was apparently a designer OOPS in the GLS 5-door.

th003g

hatchback does NOT have cupholders in the back seat area... GLS or GT... only sedan does....

backy

Well, the U.S.-spec Elantras don't have the rear seat armrest with cupholders, anyway.

:-( Somewhere in Elantraland they do. Maybe the same place that Elantras have the auto climate control...

dclurker

I, too, was surprised that my GLS 5-door didn't have rear cupholders. I ended up buying a $2.00 plastic cupholder at Wal-Mart that sits on the center hump. It fits perfectly between the back of the console and the front of the rear seat cushion. You have to remove it when you fold down the rear seat, but it's better than nothing. Good luck with your Elantra. I have the exact same car, only in Sterling. Love it!

mpcdc

I have had my 04 elantra 5 door for 12 months and now have 10k on it. I have been very happy with it...except for the paint. I have seen a few spots on it where the paint seems...to be raised (hard to describe). I plan to keep it for a long time and I predict the paint will be an issue, but i have been happy otherwise

backy

The paint should not be "raised" (although I'm not sure what that means). It is something you should address with your dealer, sooner the better. What color is it? Mine's Rally Red, had it for 11 months and except for self-inflicted damage (almost all by DW and kids) and some parking-lot dings the paint is holding up ok--but faint scratches seem more visible on this dark, non-metallic color than on my champagne '01 GLS.

korros1ve

Has anyone out there experienced poor braking in their 2002 Elantra GT. I swear the brakes take twice as long to stop then any other car I drive. In fact I have already had an accident because of it.

 

I have had front rotors replaced, front pads replaced, and rear pads replaced. very little help.

 

and on another note the e-brake does not work any further. Could this be the cause?

 

anyone else with issue with the hatch handle sticking because it rusted?

Thanks

danf1

I'm not a technician by any stretch of the imagination, but have you had your brake fluid replaced? Sounds like you may have air in your lines. Maybe a master cylinder problem? The braking on Elantra GT's is usually rated well and this problem seems unique.

5port

If you had an accident because of the brakes in your Elantra there is something wrong with your brake system. Have the dealer do a thorough check on the whole system.

csandste

but that had some of the best brakes I've ever seen for a non-ABS car (even without rear discs)... 78K without any work, even pad replacement. I would think any problems with your car would be because of improper bleeding or some other brake problem, not inherent design.

aznmonty

i have read the forums and found that some suggest the green pads made of kevlar. anyone try it? how does it compare to the OEM? any other types or brands that were especially good or bad?

aznmonty

anyone try the K&N 33-2201 and experience any difference? worth the little extra or not?

5port

Been using the K&N on my 01 GT for about 2.5 years now. Been using it on every car I've bought since 1986.

 

   On the Elantra:

 

1) Does not increase engine noise. (For a little more noise/grunt remove the silencer that is in the air box snorkel. You push in from outside the box).

 

2) Cleaned it once at 20K and it didnt really need it. Mostly big bugs and debree on the one side.

 

3) MAYBE gave me more mpg. I live 2 miles from work so hard to tell.

 

4) If your looking for *feeling* a diff in engine performance the only thing I noticed was on my Turbo cars the turbo would spool up faster. On NA engine you've got to be at the top of the rev range to feel a diff.

 

5) Increasing airflow is always good. I install it by default when I buy a car. Removing the silencer increases the inlet size to the manifold on the Elantra.

gaelsguy1

I have an 03 GT. I was rear-ended by a semi. $6,750 in damage. It took quite a wallop. Just got it back from the body shop. Much engine vibration transferring to the car body. I jacked it up and nothing is touching as to the engine and exhaust etc against the body. Are the the engine motor mounts fluid filled or dampened otherwise? The car vibrates so much that the rear view mirror blurs at certain engine RPM's. This is at idle or driving. It definitely is from the engine. Could something have been knocked out of balance in the engine-transmission? Thanks for any help. The car otherwise has been great for 2 yrs and 26,000 mi

kev02gt

I have replaced the top-passenger side motormount on my 02 GT, now with 60K,- it was a hard rubber core as far as I could tell. My malfunction was caused by spinning tire on ice upon start off and suddenly gripping pavement, causing excessive torque. The vibration was only at idle though, and I believe there are two other mounts that could be causing your problem. Pushing down on the upper portion of the mount (with engine running) stopped the vibration on mine. Also I temporarily band-aided it by removing the top bracket of mount and inserting a sliver of hard rubber between the rubbing metal brackets. Dealer wanted 275 for mount and 80 for installation- yes this was before 60K. Purchased at Autozone online for 170, complete with Hyundai symbol, and installed it in 30 minutes. I hope this helps.

gaelsguy1

Many thanks for the info. I was called by the shop and they have ordered one of the motor mounts ( I don't know which one) as they think I might have been hit so hard that the motor lifted up and resulted in damage to the motor mount. It is especially bad at about 1,100 rpm and one other rpm higher. I don't remember the speed. I will post what if anything the results are when the repair is done. They also have to repair the driver's seat as it was stressed severely. 6,700 $$ so far in the repairs. More to come. Thanks again for your interest and reply. Paul

codata99

'06 Elantra would be a carryover. The all-new Elantra is due in 2006.

backy

Do you have some information that Edmunds.com and other industry sources do not?

(I can't get this link to post properly--delete the "- " in "prev- iew" and it should work, or look under New Cars > Hyundai Elantra and go to the link for the 2006 future model)

http://www.edmunds.com/future/2006/hyundai/elantra/100496581/prev- iew.html?tid=edmunds.n.mmindex.content.num2.2.hyundai*

codata99

First of all, the car in the photo is not next-gen. Elantra...Secondly, I'm curious what makes you think the info is credible...do you know who wrote that piece? People in that industry try to sound as if their info come from authoritative sources all the time...they are competing for audience...who would you listen to?
One who says so convincingly like "all-new Elantra will come out in xx" or "err we're not sure, but we're guessing..."?

backy

My assumption was that an organization like Edmunds.com, which is in the automotive information business, would perform some due dilligence before publishing a report on a new car model. I don't have the time to check on who writes every Web page I see on the Internet. Do you?

Would you care to tell us what you think is the REAL story about the next-gen Elantra, and what your source(s) are?

bikerpa

I have it on reasonably good authority (since Edmunds doesn't like us referencing other car sites, I can't say) that the upcoming Elantra will use the 2.4 Theta engine and they are retaining the hatchback body style as an option. The same source alluded to the existing spy shots being somewhat off the mark when it comes to what it will look like. I regret not being able to report the source.

backy

Is that the new 162 hp engine that is in the NF Sonata? If so I am a bit surprised (but pleased) that it will be in the Elantra because I read there is also a new 2.0L engine coming from Hyundai, and of course the new 1.6L engine that will be used in the next-gen Accent and Rio.