Hyundai Elantra 5-door

jvenezia

First place I looked. Everything's nice and tight (and very, very clean and orderly). Spare tire pressure is right at 60 psi. The rattle sounds like a strap hitting the underside of the vehicle... probably a piece of plastic still left on when the car was unloaded. It was fresh off the truck and we're the only customers who drove it. I just had the dealer call me at work to see how everything was going and he was mortified that we actually have to bring the vehicle back in. No big deal for me, actually. I told my wife, who has to make the appointment and bring it in, that it would be a great idea anyway to have the vehicle checked over after the first 200 miles we've put on it. Little things like lug nuts can come loose soon after the vehicle is placed in service. It's also our first chance to check out the dealer's service department in action.

5port

Congrats on the new 5-door GLS.

> "just bought a Tidal Wave blue 5-door Elantra >GLS yesterday for my wife and we both love it (although we already have a bit of trouble with >the airbag sensor, which we'll take care of >Friday)"

There are two TSBs on the "Occupant Classification System". The second TSB involves replacing parts. I think there is a software change also. TSB # 04-90-003 and 04-90-004. They can be viewed at:

http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech

>"Throttle response is a bit touchy, but we'll >get used to it."

Not sure what you mean by touchy. My 01 GT had a sticking throttle cable that I asked the dealer to lube twice. Both times it work for a couple weeks then got scracthy again. I came up with my own fix involving WD-40 squirting right into the end of the cable. Problem solved.

>"One thing to look out for, though. As with >nearly all new vehicles, the supplied tires >(Michelin Energy MXV4s) are awful. I ordered some >BF Goodrich Traction TA/H tires right away from >TireRack since we're still getting snow here in >Michigan. Can't wait to put them on in a couple >of days."

Hurray! Someone who agrees on the tires. The MXV4s are junk. I had them on until 26K when 2 of them started to get slow leaks (pinhole). They never balanced right. Overated. I installed the Kumho Ecsta and have been very happy. BF Goodrich traction T/A is a great choice.

Sounds like you were well prepared for the buying exp. They hate that. Enjoy your hatch.

dclurker

I bought a GLS 5-door in November and love it, so I welcome you to the Hyundai family. Unfortunately, though, you have become the latest victim of the government-mandated Occupant Classification System (Passenger Air Bag Off). Your dealer will undoubtedly find/fix the rattle, but don't expect any resolution to the airbag problem. For more details, try this site:

www.elantraairbag.com

aznmonty

i know that the passenger seat belt buckle could rattle against the plastic b-pillar. The sound would seem like it is coming from the rear because of the acoustics of the car. Check that out as a possible rattle?

jvenezia

Thanks, aznmonty. I did have the rear seats folded down to check out the amount of cargo space and I noticed that the seat belt buckles could easily rattle against the bottom floor pan or the side pillars while the seats are down. I thought I was pretty careful with getting all of the buckles back on top of the cushions when I put everything back to normal, but perhaps I missed one.

jvenezia

Thanks, dclurker. I'm glad you like your Elantra too. I checked out the site and was particularly amused at the clip from The San Diego Union-Tribune mentioning that it also occurs in the Lexus line. I guess the two-stage, "intelligent" (but dumb as a box of rocks) SRS system may be industry-wide.

Of course, knowing how much Hyundai borrows their styling and technology from other manufacturers, they'll probably learn how someone else fixed the problem and incorporate it into a new fix via TSB or recall.

jvenezia

Thanks, 5port, for the info, especially the link. I used to have it bookmarked, but lost it some time ago. Now I have it back.

BTW, the touchy throttle response means that it's pretty sensitive, at least compared to my own Ford Windstar and my wife's (now my daughter's) Ford Tempo. It's kinda' alarming since I'm trying to break in the engine properly and not rev it too much. Of course, it's really my wife's car and she's doing most of the driving. She's a lot easier on the horsepower than I am.

I'm glad you and I agree on the Michelin tires. I used to use that line many years ago (their all-season XMS-1 tire was unbeatable), but these days, they're greatly overpriced and overrated, as well as being..well...French. But then, the French have always demanded premium prices and unwarranted respect for their products and themselves. That's off-topic, though.

One other thing...
The Tidal Wave blue color isn't too common around here in Michigan. But it's sure distinctive and is pretty attractive. My wife loves it. But if it were any lighter/brighter, it would fall into that category of color that would be unbecoming of a guy. Personally, I'm partial to the dark gray that's found on the 04/05 Sonata.

inharmsway

Hi. I have a buzzing/rattle in the right side of the dash. I hit the cruise control module under the hood with the side of my hand, and it sounds like it could come from there. Has anyone had something like happen, and what was the cause of your dash rattle?
Niels

aznmonty

another rattle eh? well in my previous car, my bud decided to throw pennies into the windshield vents which created a rattle.

items sitting in the bin under the radio make noise. items in the door pockets creates a rattle. things in the glove would rattle. however, i cannot seem to think that the rattle would be under the hood (just based on my own opinion since it would not sound like its from the dash, but from the engine compartment).

oh...and don't forget about the gremlins. you should take their hand tools away from them.

inharmsway

Thanks.
I tried all the usual places for rattles but to no avail. It is a 2004 gt 5-door by the way. Will let you know when I find out.
Niels

malachy

My car just hit 15K and I wanted to post my experience with the car. I bought the 5 speed.

Rotors: The front rotors became "de-glazed" and had to be replaced at 14K. They were moaning something awful. The replaceement rotors make noises as well just as the car is rolling to a stop. I am not happy.

Noise/Rattles: The car is loosening up. This is becoming the greatest source of disappointment. The noises originate in the driver and passenger area (dash and doors).

Gas Mileage: I do 60-65 on the highway. Most, if not all the driving is done on the highway. I average between 31-32. Not bad.

Windshield: Another nag. I checked with a fellow GT owner and he suffers from the same issue. The wipers miss the glass on the drivers side. I have replaced the wipers but to no avail. This stinks! Very, annoying.

Radio Interference: I have the Kenwood. Static galore if I listen to AM with the heater on or the cruise on. The dealer states this is normal (according to Hyundai). This is BS.

Overall: My enthusiasm has dropped a bit. If the car was not so good looking I would be unhappy. I do ponder if I had gone for a used Corolla instead...

backy

Sorry to hear about your problems. I have the same car but an automatic. Mine is one year old but only 9k miles (heavy use, but mostly short trips in-town). No problems with brakes yet (I have ABS but shouldn't matter, and it hardly ever activates), nor have I had problems with brakes on my '01 GLS. I do notice a squeak or two from the dash on cold mornings (in winter, in Minnesota), but I've had this happen with almost every car I've owned, in the winter. For gas mileage, I get upper 30s when cruising on the highway at 60-65 mph (which I don't do often). I get low 40s on my GLS 5-speed under the same conditions. So your getting only 31-32 is interesting, if it's steady cruising at 60-65. What is your tire pressure? (I set mine at 35 psi @ 40 F, and adjust it for the summer). Do you use the "pretend there is a raw egg under your foot" approach?

I have noticed the wiper blades are beginning to show wear after one year. I need to get some new ones. The (cheap) aftermarket wipers on my GLS do miss a spot on the driver's side, but I didn't have a problem with the OEM wipers. You should ask the dealer to check/replace the wiper arms themselves.

I agree the dealer's excuse for static on the Kenwood is B.S. I have no static on AM unless I am near a source of interference, e.g. in my garage close to a dimmer switch, or driving near a high-voltage power line. Not when the heater is on or cruise is on. This is NOT normal and they should fix it. If they refuse, you can pursue a lemon-law action. It could be as simple as a loose ground.

5port

Ive never heard of brakes "de-glazing". I have heard of brakes glazing though. Having said that my GT used to "brake moan" when coming to a stop. Sounds like a door creaking closed. I did nothing about it and it went away with use. Now gone.

Some people say you can burnish the rotors to get rid of the moan. This means a series of stops from high speed.

Most of the other issues the dealer is responsible for. If your not happy with your dealer try another.

gaelsguy1

I have an Chianti red 5 door automatic with all options except ABS. I assumed it would have ABS at the time and only came to realize it did not,later on. Some warping of the discs but not to where they need attention. Ignition lock micro switch not always making and leaving the dash lights off and causing some other lighting issues. I will have J. Hall Hyundai give it a go some day soon. Other than that, all is well. The only complaint is the road noise is a little much. Perhaps a different brand of tires will help. I have a ways to go before these get to that point. I was recently rear-ended by an 18 wheeler. 7,000 damage. I took a hit. So hard that the drivers seatback was forced back through the adjusting stop and twisted some. It took 6 weeks to get it all fixed up but it came out beautiful. This car sure can take a wallop from the rear, anyway. I had not a scratch, ache or pain. I would buy it again in a second.

5port

Wow! What a testimonial. Hit by a tractor trailer and would by another. I'm surprised they (insurance) repaired it as they seem quick to total a car these days. Good to know the car is stout from the rear.

The road noise can be lowered by replacing the tires. I went to Kumho recently and there is no road noise at all.

Saw your post on problems and solutions. Glad you found out what was causing your int. start/lights. I wonder if that microswitch is only on the Autos or manuals?

My 01 GT has same mileage as yours.

themanx

dudes.. get the BOSCH EXCEL blades and arms.

A little costly, but they last and are super quiet on those drizzly days!

ElantraSTan

aznmonty

i hope to swap out my winter blades soon. they are terrible on the highway!

sonnydaye

Just bought an '05 Elantra Hatch. Anyone notice anything strange about the left outside rear view mirror? It makes me dizzy. I suspect they made it a bit concave or convex to give you a bit more viewing area (to eliminate the blind spot). But there's no "warning" on the mirror (like there is on all RIGHT mirrors) and there's nothing in the book about it. Everyone at the dealership said they never noticed anything or got any mentions about it from customers. Although it is very disconcerting to me everytime I glance at it, I'm probably willing to put up with it to get rid of the famous "blind spot". Hopefully, I will get used to it.
Otherwise, so far, I love the car!

backy

There may be something wrong with that mirror. I own 2 Elantras and have driven several others and have never noticed anything strange about the left mirror. You might want to sit in some Elantras on the dealer's lot to see if the mirror looks the same.

justduckie

First time posting to the boards,....here goes. I just purchased an Elantra GT 5 Door Hatchback and on two seperate occassions, while driving, my driver's side door popped open. Not all the way, but where you can tell it is opening with air coming in and the open door indicator coming on. I just brought it to the dealer the other day and they told me nothing was wrong with it and now the 2nd time has happened this morning. Has anyone experienced this? Thanks! I've already had to bring my car in for a couple other problems. I didn't have these problems with my first Hyundai (a 2001 elantra gls).

aznmonty

that sounds dangerous. i never had a door open before. perhaps you should post to the problems and solutions message board.

backy

There is obviously something wrong with it. Go back to the dealer, take it up the chain there and emphasize it is a safety problem and demand that they take it seriously. You can also call Hyundai customer support and ask to talk to the regional customer relations person--let them know there is a safety problem on the car and it needs to be addressed. IMO it's probably something minor like a latch needing adjustment, but the dealer blowing it off is ridiculous.

justduckie

Thanks! I will do that. I already spoke to them and they are going to keep it overnight to make sure the problem duplicates itself. This should not happen to a new car!!!

justduckie

Will do..Thank you!

sonnydaye

I forgot to mention that I DID test drive another '05 Elantra a couple of weeks before I bought mine. I noticed the same thing about the mirror but didn't think much about it at the time. So, as of now, NOBODY at the dealership or on this board has noticed anything about the left mirror. My next step will be to go to the dealership and check out some of the other cars on the lot. I'm wondering if it's a new "upgrade" that is only on the very newest cars since mine was built in mid-January. Anyone here have one built mid-Jan. or later? I'll keep you posted what I find out.

backy

Anything can happen on a new car. That really isn't the point IMO. The point is that dealers need to be more responsive when problems like this pop up. It could be a very easy problem to fix. If it were me, I'd find another dealer for service ASAP, if that is feasible.

jlflemmons

I guess I am lucky where I live. The Hyundai dealer goes out of their way to make things right. At the 3000 mile courtesy oil change they inspected the car bumper to bumper top to bottom for any leaks, loose items, etc. I was asked if I had any concerns whatsoever, and I mentioned that the drivers side wiper didn't seem to clear very well. Ten minutes later the car had a new wiper and all works perfectly.

I have to admit that at 5K miles this '05 5dr has a few more rattles than my '02 4dr did with 42K. Gives me something to look for!

mpgman

Nary a problem and still the original front brakes which were at 30% or so left a month ago. Rears had to replaced at 27,000 though. Great car and unbeatable value.

mjje29

I just bought a 2005 5DR and have similar complaints.

Brakes grabs at times when I'm almost stopped and take my foot off the brake. The noise appears to be coming 'mostly' from the front driver’s side brakes.

Noise same area - passenger dash area when cold. Had dealer check it out, results - "could not reproduce". Anyway, I found an engine ground wire from the engine to the firewall that the accelerator cable was sitting on. It's high towards the rear of the engine compartment, just trace the throttle cable. I bent the ground wire down; problem appears to be fixed.

Windshield: driver’s side wipers jump, miss and are very noisy. I've cleaned them many times. The car is only 2 months old.

Radio: I live in NJ and commute ~ 150 miles per day. Major AM radio stations have a lot of white background noise. I can't even listen to 1010 (a major player in the NYC area) and FM reception is a lot worse then my old stock 94 civic radio.

Finish: I've already had paint chip on the black grill from normal highway debris. Given, I have 5K on the car already but the highway I travel (the Garden State Parkway) is relatively clean.

Overall: Almost identical to malachy. The worst part is my wife saying (to herself) he should have stuck with Honda. At this point I don't completely agree but we will see when I hit the 200k mark.

backy

Try cleaning the glass really good with glass polish, e.g. Bon Ami. Or try 3rd party wiper blades.

On the radio, is the reception much worse than on the car you test-drove? If so, try listening to reception side-by-side of your radio and one or two Elantras on the dealer's lot. If there's a difference, they can replace your radio.

I've owned two Hondas and I can tell you they are not immune to paint chips. Even on a clean road, an occasional stone can get thrown up from a tire etc. Actually my '04 GT is holding up very well in that department--no damage yet on the black grille after 9400 miles. Even my 4.5-year-old GLS has only a few (pinprick sized) chips on its black grille. No worse than any other car I've owned for so long.

jjt8777

I can't seem to find Rain guard visors for my 2005 Elantra 5-Door GT. I bought a set for the 4-Door, but the Rear doors on the 5-Door aren't as curved as the ones for the 4-Door. Does anybody have them on their 5-Door??

jimpimms

See MacNeil WeatherTech's website. The fronts are held in by tension, whereas the rears are held in by an adhesive band applied to the outside surface of the microchannel flange.

http://www.weathertech.com/store/vehsearch.asp?item_group_id=4&make_id=22&year_no=2005&veh- - _id=738&veh_opt_choice_id=0

jjt8777

mpgman

1010 has a lousy signal for a major all news station. 880 is a lot stronger. I don't think it is the Elantra's radio on this one. I've had problems getting it in central and southern NJ on a lot of cars.

themanx

There is only one Glass cleaner:

INVISIBLE GLASS made by STONERS!

You would not believe it.. you can buy it in walmart or order it from their
website. They have some other great products too.

ElantraStan
http://www.stanarseneaux.com/elantra/

5port

All Stoners products are good. I've been using Beadmax, Speedmax and Tarminator for 2 yrs now. You cant beat spray-on wipe-off. Thanks for the tip on Inv Glass.

dovid2

Consumer Reports is out with the small sedan comparison. I skimmed it in the store, I knew it wouldn't be worth buying. They had to get a GT to get the ABS, and predictably, didn't like the power, the handling, or the brakes. They did like the interior, but not enough to recommend it. They recommended (Surprise!) the Honda Civic. Even though there were a fair number of things they didn't like about it, also...

backy

This is a little misleading. CR did in fact "recommend" the Elantra based on their review--for all of about one week. Then the IIHS side impact crash test results were announced, the Elantra (and 11 other cars out of the 14 tested) scored "poor", and CR had to drop its recommendation because they don't recommend any car that gets a poor result on a crash test. Get this: they still recommended the Civic because the IIHS hasn't run the side impact test on it yet, and doesn't plan to! (They will wait for the '06 Civic.) Lucky for Honda. Not lucky for Hyundai.

dclurker

I just received my copy today. If it's going to be fair, C.R. shouldn't recommend any car that hasn't taken and passed all IIHS crash tests. Not having been tested is no excuse. BTW, perhaps C.R. should hire more proof-readers; on page 52, they mention the Elantra's SAC air bags. I know they meant SAB's, but still.

backy

Yeah, but CR makes up for it by refusing to recommend any car that doesn't have at least average predicted reliability. We know reliabililty is more important than driver/passenger safety.

jjt8777

THANK YOU!!!! I was told by a Hyunda parts expert as well as several auto part stores that they are not made by anybody yet!!

mpgman

slams the Elantra for poor mpgs at 24 but look at how they handle other cars getting the same or 25. Without looking at specs, I think the Elantra is longer and heavier that most of its competitive class.

backy

25 must be a magic number for them. I also wonder how many miles the cars have when they measure fuel economy. We know that fuel economy improves over the first several thousand miles on the Elantra. For instance, my '04 GT automatic now has almost 10,000 miles on it and I have no trouble getting 30 mpg in around-town driving in mild weather, including short hops on the freeway. I have never seen that car average below 22, even in the dead of winter with my DW putting on most of the miles (she has a lead foot). I have no idea how CR got only 16 mpg city and 33 mpg highway on the Elantra, unless they ran the fuel economy tests in the dead of winter (possible, given they had the test results in late February) and didn't apply any common techniques to improve fuel economy. I can easily get 38 mpg on my automatic GT on the highway, when I am going the speed limit. And the limits are even lower in NY State, where CR is, than they are where I live. Maybe they did their city test in Manhattan.

aznmonty

i cannot stand consumer reports about the gt anymore!!! grrrr....

i agree with backy...i could easily average 36mpg since i ride on the highway 80 miles per day. however, if i were to go the limit 55mph, i would be run over during the aggressive morning commute down the interstate in Chicago. therefore, i realistically have to drive and average 70mph. thus, i have 28mpg. bummer when the gas prices are so high

jlflemmons

I drive my '05 GT in rush hour traffic, 25 miles stop and go each way. I have just over 5k miles and have never seen less than 26MPG regardless of how I drive. And that isn't just what the computer shows, that is actual miles to gallons used.

backy

Speaking of computers... I've noticed that the mpg computer on my '04 GT is very accurate, within a tenth of a mpg or so of actual when I consistently fill up at the same gas station. What are others seeing?

aznmonty

i've noticed it to be accurate as well. however the third option of estimated miles left before empty is way off each and every time. so that is something that i cannot trust (especially when the tank gets so low that it doesnt even try to estimate anymore). I like the thrill of running low on gasoline. got it to within .25 gallons once.

dovid2

I don't find it to be particularly accurate. Mine is off by 2-3 mpg either way every time I fill up. As for the miles to empty, sometimes it will tell me that I should get 475-495 miles from that tank, which I know is impossible in city/highway driving.

And as for how close you can come to empty, one time I filled up, I put 14.75 gallons in a 14.5 gallon tank. That's pretty close!

jlflemmons

Mine usually is pretty close, sometimes a bit on the low side.

5port

You've been watching too many Sienfeld episodes. The one where Kramer test drives a Saab and takes the tank to within a hair of being empty.

I wouldnt do this too much as you will suck up debree in the gas tank. I take it down to 1/8 tank then refill.