Hyundai Elantra Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, there's something wrong--take it in. I did a little test on my '04 GT: I got in the car, closed the door, and hit the lock button on the remote. Then I tried to start the car, thinking maybe if the car is locked with the remote, it wouldn't start. But it started fine.
  • jimbeaumijimbeaumi Member Posts: 620
    But did the alarm go off once you opened the door?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    No, I unlocked it with the remote before I opened the door.
  • zicozico Member Posts: 2
    Alright people, I'm beginning to lose it! I live in Calgary, Alberta where the temperature dropped to approximately -22 degrees celsius last night. Plugged the car in - regardless the cold seems to have exascerbated my starting problem. I easily turned the key some TWENTY times before the car started. Electrical power wasn't an issue, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree each time - the car JUST WOULDN'T START!!! On days without temperature extremes I have to turn the key at least 3 or 4 times. I've already had my clutch switch replaced twice. Is anyone else experiencing this EXTREMELY annoying problem? HELP!!!
  • danf1danf1 Member Posts: 897
    Have you tried using an engine block heater? These are available from your dealer for every model of car and should solve your problem. -22 is just too cold, I shiver at the thought of it.
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    First make sure the wires are in fact making good contact with the clutch switch. If you jump the wires together (clutch switch) and car still does not start suspect ignition switch. Dealer time.
  • kirk33kirk33 Member Posts: 4
    When I park my elantra for a couple of months over the winter the disc rotors get corrosion buildup which leads to a brake "wobble" when I first take the car out. Eventually this disappears but the past year it seems to have warped the rotors slightly. What can I do when I store my elantra for a couple of months in the winter in my garage to prevent this corrosion buildup?
  • tomkimbenetomkimbene Member Posts: 9
    Well, my first thought was to put some WD40 on before storage, but then it occured to me that would be a bad idea for brakes! However, if you're willing to take a few extra steps, this process would probably be safe & effective: Put the car up on jack stands, remove the wheels, and put a light coat of WD40 on the rotors. Then in the Spring, give it a good shot of brake cleaner and make sure the lubricant is removed completely before remounting the wheels.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    It will soak into the pads and ruin them. No matter what brake cleaner you use, it is virtually impossible to get oil out of brake lining material.

    jim
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Back a ways someone asked if the console gear selection indicator was illuminated. On an '05 GT, yes it is.

    And contrary to what the owners manual shows, there are no cup holders in the back seat of a hatchback. The sedan shows to be in the lower portion of the seat, which is true. My owners manual shows a fold down arm rest in the upright of the rear seat with two cup holders. Nope.

    It is odd the way you can flip the seat cushions forward and then fold the seat backs down.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Thanks for the note on the illuminated console gear selection indicator. I'd still like to know if the '04 is supposed to have that feature because mine does not.

    It is too bad about no cup holders in the back seat. I think the armrest is one of those features other markets get.

    The fold-front seat bottoms are actually fairly common in small hatchbacks. The system on the Tuscon (and Mazda6) is spiffier, where the seat bottom sinks down as you fold the seat back; maybe the next gen Elantra will have that. I like the way the rear headrests fit into the space under the seatbacks, when you fold them. I don't know if that was intentional, but I appreciate it.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Back a ways someone asked if the console gear selection indicator was illuminated. On an '05 GT, yes it is.

    And contrary to what the owners manual shows, there are no cup holders in the back seat of a hatchback. The sedan shows to be in the lower portion of the seat, which is true. My owners manual shows a fold down arm rest in the upright of the rear seat with two cup holders. Nope.

    It is odd the way you can flip the seat cushions forward and then fold the seat backs down.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    but the blue wazoo is a hoot to drive! I am especially impressed with the seamless shifting of the auto. Don't see the second gear flare issue from previous years.
  • crsher2002crsher2002 Member Posts: 21
    Here's a new one - after the car has been driven and then parked, when restarted there is a very strong gas smell that comes through with the heat. It happens with both cooler(blue) and warm(red) temps on the dial. My understanding is that the air intake is along the hood under the wipers. Any idea why this would happen? It dissapates after a minute or so when the car is moving.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I've never had that smell in four years owning two Elantras. Did you fill it recently and maybe spill some gas? Maybe get some on the bottom of your foot (then to carpet, which is blown on by the heater outlet)? If not, I'd get to a dealer pronto.
  • dclurkerdclurker Member Posts: 57
    I read in the Washington Post this morning that Hyundai is voluntarily recalling 120,000 2004-05 Elantras to reprogram the software that affects deployment of the airbags (presumably the front passenger's). The blurb said that owners will be contacted directly by Hyundai with instructions on how and where to get the fix. Good news for those of us who carry passengers too light to be recognized by the seat sensor.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's good news. I figured Hyundai would need to take action on that eventually since it is a safety issue. It's good to know it's a software issue and not a problem with the seat design.
  • dclurkerdclurker Member Posts: 57
    Oops! I was wrong about the airbag recall. I just got through reading the online version of the Post article which goes into more detail. The recall is to fix a problem that prevented the airbag(s) from deploying during the offset frontal barrier test conducted by the IIHS. The good news is that this is a problem that needed to be addressed and maybe it will allow Consumer Reports to start recommending the Elantra. The bad news is that the OCS/passenger airbag problem will still exist. BTW, sometimes I wonder why I pay to subscribe to the Post when I can get lengthier versions of articles online for free. I think the days of having a newspaper physically delivered to your house every morning may be numbered.
  • smith20smith20 Member Posts: 256
    Oh well, about the software upgrade. I personally still think it can be fixed through software because our airbag turns on and off consistently at about 110 pounds. It's just twice as much as it should be.

     

    "I wonder why I pay to subscribe to the Post when I can get lengthier versions of articles online for free."

     

    I agree . . . we stopped getting the Washington Post a long time ago, and we don't regret it. However, some people like physically holding a paper and some people use read the paper when they commute to work on the VRE or Metro or one of the other mass transit options . . .
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually, there WAS a recall to reprogram the OCS, but it was a recall in August, 2003 of only 75 '04 Elantras delivered to Enterprise Rent-a-Car. For details see Recall Campaign # 03V322000 on www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

     

    This new recall isn't mentioned on the NHTSA's site yet.
  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    Do a search on a news site (like Google or Yahoo news) and you'll find some articles about 120K 04 and 05 Elantras being recalled. It seems that when the IIHS tested the 04 Elantra, the airbag didn't deploy at all. The recall applies a software fix that will allow the airbag system to do a better job of responding to crashes similar to that in the IIHS test.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Could you please post the link to the site that said the air bag didn't deploy at all? None of the articles I found by searching Yahoo or Google said that.
  • dclurkerdclurker Member Posts: 57
    Here's the link to the Washington Post article:

     

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7187-2004Dec17.htm- - l

     

    You may have to register to read it. The gist of the article is that the airbag didn't deploy during an IIHS test in May. However, it did deploy properly in 25 subsequent tests conducted independently and by Hyundai.
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    I had the same problem with my 01 GT. The fuel pressure bulb at the end of the fuel rail would leak only when I turned the car off (didnt leak when running). Dealer replaced it under warranty.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Either Hyundai is the unluckiest car company ever when it comes to IIHS tests with the Elantra, or something else is going on. On the '01 GLS tests, the driver's airbag deployed OK on the first test, but Hyundai said that the scores were worse than on their own tests and asked for a retest. On the retest, the airbag deployed late, so the IIHS ran two more tests, and the airbag deployed OK on one and late on the other, so they based their test scores on the late-deploying airbag. Now on the tests of the '04 model, first there was a gas tank line leak, which Hyundai corrected with a recall, then this problem with the airbag failing to fire at all--but it did fire OK on 25 subsequent tests. I guess we'll find out tonight when the IIHS issues its press release what the final score on the Elantra is, and whether they took these subsequent tests into account or based their rating on the non-firing airbag--in which case the Elantra's score would be very low.
  • dclurkerdclurker Member Posts: 57
    The IIHS is issuing a press release tonight? Is that why Hyundai announced the recall on Friday? Interesting. Regardless, the Elantra is a great value, IMO.
  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0421.htm

     

    The Elantra got a good rating, but it took 3 tests and a recall or two to get there. This applies to the 04 and 05 models, though. I don't think there will be any fix for the 01-03 models, but you never know.

     

    It's too bad that the new Spectra got a poor rating, though, considering how similar it is to the Elantra. I'm sure there's plenty of discussion about that on the Spectra boards now.
  • mpcdcmpcdc Member Posts: 6
    I have an 04 elantra gt hatchback with about 9,000 miles. I have been very happy with it but at certain highway speeds, approx 70-85 mph, when going straight, the car seems to shift a bit (it moves a little bit to the left or right) requiring me to make minor steering adjustments. It feels like it is being buffeted by strong wind, but on days without wind. It doesn't occur if I am cornering at all, below 70ish, or above 85ish. It has started (or at least I have noticed it) within the last 2,500 or so miles. Is this the "wobble" I have read about a lot in earlier Elantras or something simpler like an alignment (I do go over a bunch of poor city streets? Thanks for your help
  • sprocketsprocket Member Posts: 3
    hello. I just bought a 2001 elantra and I experience the 2 - 3 shift flare in the trans. Can anyone tell me if this problem only affected you when the car was cold (driving less than 10 minutes). In my car, it shifts perfectly after about 10 minutes of driving. Do I just need the software upload? thanks. sprocket77@juno.com
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    How many miles are on the car, and has the tranny been serviced? There is a TSB out on the flare, but I wasn't aware that it only occured when cold.

     

    Jim
  • sprocketsprocket Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the response. The car has 67,000 miles on it. The transmission is being flushed as we speak..........
  • kamschnekamschne Member Posts: 3
    Hi,

    I have one too on my 96 elantra. What does it do, though?
  • kamschnekamschne Member Posts: 3
    Help, Please!

     

    Over the summer, my check engine light came on. I took it to two different places and they both said that there was no problem.

    Finally, the light started to blink at me, and the car would idle roughly when I would be stopped at a light or put it in park.

     

    I took it to the Hyundai dealership and they couldn't find anything wrong with it, so they cleaned the fuel injectors and sent me on my way.

     

    The next day I was driving on the highway and the light started to blink again, and when I would put my foot on the accelerator, it wouldn't accelerate, plus there was a horrible knocking noise under my hood. I almost got killed because my car would not "go"!! It does this whether car is cold or warmed up.

     

    I promptly took it back to the dealership, and they have had it for a MONTH!! They cannot find what the problem is, and want to give it back to me or charge me for the diagnostics (which they haven't been up till now). They have tried to swap and replace a slew of things, from coils to injectors to fuel rails. Nothing has worked.

    The best they can come up with is that the engine cylenders are misfiring, and I have low fuel pressure.

     

    If the Hyundai dealership can't find what's wrong, where am I supposed to go?

     

    Please help!!
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    You would think the dealer would be able to handle all problems. The worst type of problem is the intermittent type. Even a pro can be stumped. Sometimes the techs can overthink and ignore the obvious.

     

      You havent mentioned your mileage. Have your oxygen sensors ever been replaced? A intermittenly failing oxygen sensor will give the symptoms you described.

     

      I pulled this from Alt.Autos.Hyundai and it sounds like the 96 is known for failing Ox sensors:

    --------------------------------------------

    Over last 4 years, the O2 sensors on my 96 elantra have repeatedly failed

    (I've had about 5 replacements so far). The car has run fine the whole time

    (I'm now at about 78K kms), and I've taken good care of it (service it every

    3 months). Most of the exaust system has been replaced (new catalityc

    converter 2 years ago, new front pipe, new muffler), and the computer was

    replaced recently. Now my check engine light has come on again a week after

    the newest sensor's been put in (to be fair, it *could* by something else -

    has happened before), but I'm beginning to think it's something else with

    the car that it itself is not indicating, and my dealer hasn't been able to

    detect, and hence has not been fixed.

     

    As I said the car is well maintained, and while I don't do much mileage

    anymore, the driving I do is not just 'short trips'. Since my extended

    warranty has just gone out, any further repairs are gonna start costing me,

    and I don't want this car costing me more in sensors than gas :)

     

    Anyone encounter this type of problem before?

     

    Thx,

    Xxx
  • crsher2002crsher2002 Member Posts: 21
    Thanks for the update. Had it in to the dealer and they gave me a "shoulder shrug".

     

    I'll take this back to them. Still under warranty.
  • kamschnekamschne Member Posts: 3
    My mileage is 80K. I have never heard of this problem, Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!!

     

    While the car was at the dealership, they tried to replace the computer and other things, so they can be ruled out. They did not say anything about the sensors, though. Thanks so much again!
  • baber1baber1 Member Posts: 49
    Had my tires rotated at Allied discount tires last week. I went to check the air pressure and noticed they replaced the hubcaps on wrong on two tires. They missed the airvalve cutout on the hubcaps. The hubcaps on my 04 Elantra sedan are plastic and sre held on with the lug nuts so I had to jack up the car twice remove the lugnuts and reinstall the hubcaps so the valves would match the cutouts. Worse then this one of the four lugnuts on my left rear was loose. Putting the hubcaps on wrong was careless. Leaving one of the lugnuts loose was dangerous. I wont be going there anymore!!
  • inharmswayinharmsway Member Posts: 153
    I hope you told the manager of the tire store about it, so he can do something about it.

    Niels
  • baber1baber1 Member Posts: 49
    Yes I told the Manager today. He said he would look into it but i haven't heard back from him yet.
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    To "introduce" myself, I own a 2001 Elantra with TCS and ABS, and very, very low miles (no mods). Please forgive the long post, but since I can't share the engine noise I'm about to describe, the next best thing is to try to be specific to see if my experience triggers any recognition. Here goes:

     

    Since shortly after purchase I have had a couple of problems, most of which have been fixed (rattling dash, replaced front right strut assembly, burned out dashboard clock, AT transmission 3rd/4th shift flare, and an unexplained thumping sound from rear of car while idling at a stop). One problem, consistently irks me to this day: It sounds as if there is loose gravel tumbling around in my engine when I accelerate after a cold start OR while driving in cold weather (So Cal cold, not freezing temps). After leaving my car with the dealer for a cumulative total of about 2 weeks over the past four years, I have ONE service ticket stating that the technician heard a "tapping noise." I was first told that it was "cold solenoids" and later noisy valve lifters. After about a year, the dealer did a Valve Clearance test, which they say was up to normal factory specs. I researched online and found the next likely culprit was a weak oil pump that is taking too long to lube the valves in the first few seconds after startup. I also learned that anything beyond a minute of valve tapping—assuming it even IS the valves—will gradually DESTORY the engine and camshaft. Apparently, this type of noise should never be ignored IF it lasts more than a minute after startup. In my case, the noise started out immediately after purchase. I thought it would go away after break-in period, but it has become worse. Four years ago, it was so faint that nobody could hear it (except those who have very good hearing, which most shop mechanics do not have, unfortunately). Now, the sound is *sometimes* loud enough in very cold weather to be heard when the windows are rolled up and sometimes also over the radio! It's not like it gets so loud that people driving by start staring at my car, yet it doesn't seem harmless, either. Eventually it fades out after about 5-15 minutes, depending on the combination of how cold it is outside and how long the car sat (as few as three hours to overnight).

     

    The dealer's assumption is that if anything were really wrong with the oil pump or anything else, the idiot light would come on or a fault code would show up. (If it's really true that all Hyundais make this noise, my contention is that the car's computer isn't programmed to RECOGNIZE the problem in the first place.)

     

    Last week, I went to my dealer and found that new service advisors and a new service manager had been hired. With new people, I figured maybe I'd have better luck with my longstanding concern. Right off the bat, the service advisor admitted, "All Hyundais make that sound. It's from the hydraulic valve lifters. When the car is cold, the oil drains into the pan and it thickens. It takes awhile to thin out and reach the valves." So, as you can probably guess, the dealer won't agree to do an oil pressure test because it's "normal." Now, if I were in SD in the middle of sub-zero temps this might fly, but in So Cal, it's infrequent that we have truly cold weather.

     

    One of my family members owned an auto shop. Growing up, I heard about every noise in the "this isn't good news" category EXCEPT valve problems. I've driven some pretty old cars that were unreliable, but never any that sounded like they were tumbling rocks or bolts around in the engine. It's like somebody throwing dice in a plastic cup. Another way to describe it would be the automotive equivalent of a "frog in the throat"—except that I can never clear it. The loose noise gets to me like fingernails on a chalk board!

     

    I'm really confused: If this IS as widespread as Hyundai says, where are all the grumpy customer complaints? Considering that a lot of the 2001s are reaching 60k and beyond, why isn't there news leaking out of people having to replace their engines (or even a recall)? I've checked forums like this over the past four years and sometimes I see a post here and there, but there aren't enough replies to prove useful as a comparison or to troubleshoot. As a result, I'm still wondering if: A) everyone hears the noise but doesn't recognize it as a problem, or B) my particular car DOES have a problem and Hyundai is giving me the runaround.

     

    While at the dealer, I did have an opportunity a year or so ago to start up a NEW Hyundai Elantra for comparison. That car DID make a tapping sound just idling in "park." However, my sound is virtually non-existent at during idle and is primarily an issue when I begin to ACCELERATE down the block and out of the housing track and onto the main streets (5-10 mins). I also read that an emissions leak can also make a sound like "marbles" on acceleration; my assumption is that THAT particular noise would continue even when the engine warms up, whereas the sound I hear fades away.

     

    I read somewhere recently that you can troubleshoot your oil pressure delivery by turning the key a couple of times without turning over the engine (on to the point of seeing the dash lights and then off again for a total of three or four turns). I have only tried it ONCE so far, but interestingly enough I didn't notice the rattle that night. If the sound goes away, it supposedly means that the oil pressure pump is under delivering. If it does NOT go away, it supposedly indicates that the valves themselves are to blame. (Gee I wish I would have bookmarked that page!)

     

    Questions:

     

    • Has anyone else heard what sounds like bits of gravel rolling around in the engine in cold weather and on cold engine acceleration? The slower you go the slower it rattles, the faster you go the faster and louder it gets (until the engine is loud enough to drown it out)?

    • Has anyone reading this post had an independent mechanic evaluate the oil pressure or valve performance? If not, would you be interested in taking your car in (assuming you hear a similar noise) and we could then come back to this thread later to compare the findings of an independent mechanic?

    • If you HAD a problem like this and it is now fixed, what was the culprit and how did you get rid of the problem?

    • If you consider yourself to have good hearing but STILL have never heard anything like what I'm describing, would you mind sharing some info. about your Hyundai? For example, what weight of oil do you use? Synthetic or regular? Any special oil filter? Any oil/fuel additives? (I'm just trying to figure out any commonality between cars that MAKE THIS NOISE and those that DO NOT.)

     

    Thanks for your patience with my long post. :-) I really hope we can put our he
  • spmrebelspmrebel Member Posts: 130
    Hi Newsview,

     

    This is a very long stretch. I had a similiar nose of tapping that started around 500 miles after I got my 2001 Elantra GLS. The noise would progressively get worse as the engine RPMs went up and it would eventually drown out after RPMs went to about 3000. It sounded kind of like tapping valves. Anyway upon looking under the hood one day while cleaning the car I checked to see if the air conditioning sprocket for the AC accessory belt was tight. It was not and very loose! I could turn it almost by hand. The sprocket would wobble slightly around when the engine was running. I think the bolt that holds the sprocket is somewhere around 14mm? Don't exactly remember. Anyway, I just tightened it down and the problem never came back and the tapping noise disappeared. There was another reader in here that apparently he was driving and his AC sprocket came off, along with the accessory belt, while driving. Apparently some of the first batches of Elantras off the assembly line didn't have the sprocket torque down properly.

     

    Hope this is your problem but its a long shot. You should be having any of these noises. My 2001 Elantra GLS never had a single problem (no warranty work or anything other than maintenance) other than the above issue. Keep oin fighting with Hyundai because the sound you are experiencing is not normal for the Elantra or any other car for that matter.

     

    Good luck

     

    Shawn
  • jimbeaumijimbeaumi Member Posts: 620
    I just came from the dealer and then to the car wash, which for the first time snapped my antenna. I have '01 GLS and replaced the bright antenna with the more flexible black one. Looks to have snapped off down inside the sock (hmmmm ... maybe it was loose and they have it). If I need to replace the socket, does anyone here have experience removing and replacing the black rubber socket that fits to the car's quarter panel? Thanks.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    My '01 GLS has had a cold-weather noise that sounds like marbles rattling since it was nearly one year old. It occurs mostly when shifting, in between gears. If it's cold enough, it can also be heard when cruising at about 2500 rpms. I own a '04 GT and have driven many other '01-'04 Elantras and have never heard this noise on any of them. A post a couple of years ago noted that a noise like this was due to two HVAC lines rubbing together, and when they were separated the noise disappeared. I have tried to get my dealer to fix the problem but they have not been responsive. I will take the car to another dealer soon, and the service manager there told me they would try their best to fix it (I told him I would take both of my Elantras to them for service in the future if he would fix the problem)!
  • bikerpabikerpa Member Posts: 68
    Back in the day I owned a '95 Sonata, and the antenna fell right off - must've rusted through or something. The threaded portion was still in the mount, but I got enough friction on the top of it to unthread it by hand, so I guess it wasn't in that tight. Before I tried, I had gone to a junkyard and picked up the entire antenna mount (internal and external pieces) for like $3, just in case. It seemed pretty straightforward... just a 10mm bolt on the inside, and the external metal part was a nut that unthreaded over the rubber seal against the body. Have you checked behind the trim? I suspect it's done roughly the same way today, it doesn't strike me that's something that changes too frequently. Good luck!
  • howdycuzhowdycuz Member Posts: 12
    Are you happy with the Elantra GT you bought in Houston's weather? Heard it had problems with heat and humidity. Thanks ofr any info./ feedback you have.
  • codata99codata99 Member Posts: 123
    Newsview, do you hear the noise when you race the cold engine at idle?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Where did you hear that Elantras have trouble in heat and humidity? Seoul is a very hot place in the summer--there are lots of Elantras (Avantes) there! My two Elantras have had no trouble coping with hot and humid weather and in fact have one of the fastest-cooling AC units I've experienced in any car over 30 years of driving.
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    Thanks for the friendly advice. I will keep it in mind! :-)

     

    RE: Backy:

     

    I would agree that another way to describe it is like marbles. I've done a bit of research in the Dear Tom and Ray archive at cars.com and found that the valves, weak startup oil pressure or an emissions leak can cause this sort of noise.

     

    Your reply has already helped out a lot because you have side-by-side experience to compare. I've been told that this valve noise happens to all Hyundais. I was hoping by posting here that I could find out if it was really true. At another forum, I'm getting a lot of "me toos," but here it seems this isn't a problem for most of the other folks posting (from what I've read so far).

     

    I look forward to hearing whether or not the other dealer can fix it for you. I'm considering taking my Elantra to another dealer, too.

     

    Yesterday, I took my car to an independent mechanic who was able to hear the noise. He attributed it to the valves, but it's not all that loud or severe yet. I got distracted and left without his comments in writing, but before he left he did tell me that I should have the problem documented in writing from the dealer. I have many service tickets detailing this complaint in my automotive file, but only one service ticket dating nearly three years ago that confirms a tapping noise. The problem is, the ticket doesn't attribute the tapping to the valves—or anything else. Is that proof enough?

     

    If another dealer can't help, I suppose the next step is to try calling corporate. I really like my car. I just want the peace of mind of knowing that the cause is understood, and that driving it won't cause damage—which it will happen if the valves are really to blame.

     

    Here are some things that I heard in other forums about what caused and fixed a similar noise. I have no idea how relevant these suggestions may be. Mechanics don't care much for Internet tips, so no luck having them ruled out yet. :-(

     

    • Debris in the air filter/box

    • HLAs

    • Weak anti-drainback valve in oil filter deprives valves of oil

    • short block (1/4" crank movement)

    • "If a chunk of catalyst gets loose it will rattle around in the pipe and sound similiar."

    • "I had this rattle problem a while back. It ended up to be the spring that controls the tension of the chain that runs the cams (I think they called it the cam chain tension spring?). Looking from the front, this noise is dominant on the left side of the valve cover, but sound bounces and can also seem like it coming from other areas. This is the chain actually tapping the valve cover. I was told that the design did not allow enough clearance for slack in the chain over time."
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    I couldn't find the original post, but wanted to report that I have had the exhaust smell in my car too, lately. I hadn't noticed whether my particular problem has to do with use of heat. I'll have to check that out next time it happens. (BTW, I have an 01 Elantra.)

     

    I thought I was imagining the fumes until it got so bad one day that I had to roll down the window. I always drive with the vent set to recirculate and the windows up. I close the vent before I even pull out of the driveway or parking space. Last week, the dealer pulled out the dash to check the vent motors. When they didn't find any problem with their operation, they gave it back and I'm supposed to breath this stuff (I can roll down the window but sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate).

     

    My problem is noticeable when I'm near an old car, bus or diesel truck in traffic. Prior to this, however, I could be behind someone belching black smoke and never catch a whiff! Right now, the problem isn't horribly obvious. Only a few people riding in the car have noticed. How bad is your problem? Better yet, has anyone found a solution?
  • codata99codata99 Member Posts: 123
    You can rule out HLAs since your car doesn't have those.
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