Hyundai Elantra Maintenance and Repair

teddy_mak

There is more girth around these days, including on my middle.

Hyundai has way more detail work then my old GM vehicles, sadly for GM.

rilo2002

I have an 02 Elantra GT. It's been a good reliable commuter car, and the hatch back has certainly come in handy on many occasions. But since last year it's become quite a bit rougher when I'm stopped at red lights. It's annoying, I even took it to the dealers - but they said they didn't see anything on the diagnostics, and that a 4 cylinder is going to be rougher than say, a V6. I'm wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing? Frankly, it's annoying enough that even though the car still performs well when the it's moving, it's taken quite a bit of satisfaction away from me. Any feedback would be appreciated.

backy

How many miles? Have the plugs ever been changed? Do you ever use fuel injector cleaner?

You might try taking it to a different dealer or a mechanic you trust for another diagnosis. It could be something very simple to fix.

lembo

my '03 elantra tcs stop working this winter, the tcs light on the dash comes on when you start the car then go's out like it should but the system dosnt seem to work. (the light should stay on if somthing is wrong)any ideas?

backy

How do you know it's not working? Have you tried it out on some ice? If your car has under 60k miles it's still under warranty--have the dealer check it out.

rilo2002

Hey Backy thanks for getting back to me. It's got about 52,000 miles on it. Never had the plugs changed - I would think if a plug is misfiring it would show on the diagnostics. I've been to 2 dealers and neither thought it was a problem. I'll probably take it to a 3rd for my 60,000 service. By that time it'll be summer and the AC makes the idle even rougher. I've tried fuel injection cleaners, but they don't seem to have an effect on this condition. I don't really buy the service guys' claim that a 4 banger will automatically run a bit rougher than a 6 - as if it's suppose to idle like this. If it felt like this when I was test driving it I wouldn't have bought it. Actully for the 60k I think I'll bring it to the ASC certified mechanic who's been reliably servicing my wife's Accord and my old Rodeo. I'm not too thrilled with the Hyundai service folks around me.

lembo

I tried it on snow and ice last week and it is not working, it did work in the begining of winter. I bought the car used, so is it still under warranty? it has around 37,000 on it

snakeweasel

Hey Backy thanks for getting back to me. It's got about 52,000 miles on it. Never had the plugs changed - I would think if a plug is misfiring it would show on the diagnostics.

Unless you have extended life plugs they should be replaced. If you have extended life plugs I would pull them and check them, they can still get fouled up. Also check the plug wires, make sure they are not loose or worn. If I were you I would change them.

And yes typically a 4 banger will run a bit more rough than a V-6. But it also depends on the configuration of each. Also how much rougher is the 4 running?

backy

Unless the car has a salvage title the basic 5 year/60k mile bumper-to-bumper warranty is still in effect.

jlflemmons

I know this sounds weird, but many owners of Asian makes have found a significant improvement in idle quality and lamp life (how many posts have we read about repeated lamp failure?) by cleaning and/or adding ground straps between the engine block, body, and negative battery terminal. I only point out the Asian makes because Mazda, Honda, Toyota are the makes I have heard about with this problem. It may be in other makes also.

Over time and in the hostile environment of an auto it is possible for some ground continuity to be lost. Obviously, most of it is there or the car wouldn't start, but if you consider how many low voltage precision sensors are in cars these days, it wouldn't take much of a ground offset to put things about "a half a bubble off plumb". Might be worth looking into, certainly won't hurt and would be a definite cheap cure if it works.

Jim

lembo

Thanks for the info, I'll have to take it to a dealer to be fixed. (Do you know if this is common with the tcs on these cars?)

gdesantis

Hi, I'm new here and was wondering if there some newer 2006 Elantra 4Dr Sedan owners in this forum that are having any major problems with their car, or just have any recommendations on buying one...I'm highly considering purchasing one in the very, very near future...I'm in CA.--and will be dealing with Bakersfield or Redlands, near San Bernardino....
Any helpful/useful comments from anybody, please??
Many thanks,
Gregg
Lake Isabella, CA.

lembo

Hi, my wife and I purchaced a used 2003 Elantra GLS less than a year ago and just love it. we have always have had Honda's and thats going to change as soon as our lease on our Accord is up, were going to replace it with the Sonata. I would highly recommend the Hyundai

snakeweasel

Well I cant speak as a 2006 Elantra owner, mind if I speak as a 2000 Elantra owner (original owner)? I have had mine for almost 6 years and 130+K miles on it with few issues (only problem was a sensor that went out a few weeks ago). The car is still going strong and I love it. I hope to get many more miles out of it. Its a great car and I will buy another in an instant if they will make a wagon again.

Buy it and keep it maintained and it should do you well.

gdesantis

Thankyou to the both of you that have responded!!! It makes alot of difference and help to us in our new purchase....I have a friend back in Jacksonville with a newer Santa Fe and he loves his and swears by it too!!! His 2nd Hyundai too!!
Thanks to both you and "lembo" also for your responses!!
Gregg

njdevil1

we are the owners of a 2005 elantra gt 4-door and we also have a 2005 civic ex se, both with manual transmission. we prefer driving the elantra alot more than the civic. the only thing better with the civic is the way it shifts but the rest the elantra is l00% better, ride, comfort, etc...we are considering getting rid of the civic if we like the 2007 elantras. we have owned a 2002 elantra and a 2003 elantra.

gdesantis

Thankyou njdevil1 I really appreciate your comments!!! Surprising about the Civic being less desirable to drive then the Elantra though!!! Would have never figured for that!!
Again, thankyou,
Gregg in CA...

w9cw

We bought a 2006 Elantra GLS sedan in December - actually Christmas eve as a gift for my wife. So far, we like the car very much. We purchased it from a dealer in a suburb of Chicago, but the servicing dealer is located here in central Illinois. Initially, I thought this would be a problem, but the Service Department at our local dealer couldn't care less where we purchased the vehicle. And, thankfully, these guys are very good.

We've had a couple of minor glitches, both of which really should have been caught in the PDI by the selling dealer. 1). the power steering belt started to fray (come apart) within the first 300 miles - possibly due to too much tension on the belt or a bad belt to start with, and 2). the upper and lower shrouds (covers) over the steering colum near the dash didn't match up properly on the ignition switch side (I hadn't noticed this at all, but the local dealer's tech pointed it out when I had it in for the belt replacement). They ordered new shrouds, and replaced them under warranty, as with the belt. Both of these problems were fixed while I waited - each service was less than 30 minutes.

Otherwise, we're perfectly happy with the car. BTW . . . I've received two mailings from JD Powers asking substantial questions and feedback on the purchase of the Elantra. I gave it excellent marks overall.

I wouldn't hesitate recommending the purchase of an Elantra to anyone.

jlflemmons

I have owned a 2002 GLS that I put 42K miles on in less than 36 months, and now have a 2005 GT with 22K miles. Both were/are trouble free and really nice. The only real difference I have noticed between the 4dr sedan and the hatchback is that the sedan is quieter on the highway. This is probably due to the openess of the back end of the hatch area. On the other hand, with the hatch you can flip down the seats, lift out the parcel tray, and get an amazing amount of cargo area. Amazing as in I brought home a 33gal upright air compressor in the box from Sears WITH THE HATCH CLOSED! There were three loaders at the store watching and betting it wouldn't fit.

lightfootfl

Good reason to comparison test drive. A lot of people are very surprised about the handling, etc of the Hyundai line of vehicles.

lembo

I have a '03 Elantra and just puchased a OEM oil filter, part # 26300-35502. I have some old filters with the # 26300-35501, whats the diffrence between the two filters- if any???

delaluz

I owned a 2002 elantra limited automatic and drove it 4 years 50K before I got rear end totaled at a light. I replaced it with a 2006 elantra gls 5 door 5 speed (it's essentially the same car. I've owned several 5 & 5 speeds (a Fiat Strada, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Stanza, TVR). The clutch seems a little stiff on the 2006 Elantra. Does is soften up a little after use? Are there any shop adjustments?

BTW, the 5 speed seems a LOT quicker than the auto.

doohickie

I have a '03 Elantra and just puchased a OEM oil filter, part # 26300-35502. I have some old filters with the # 26300-35501, whats the diffrence between the two filters- if any???

Honestly? I think the only difference is that the 02 says both Hyundai and Kia, while the 01 just says Hyundai. Also, I think they may be made by different companies, but both are okay to use on your Elantra. I've only had my car for 9000 miles, and I've already used both.

doohickie

Are there any shop adjustments?

I have an automatic, but I've heard there is a restrictor in the hydraulic valve that operates the clutch in the manual transmission cars, and that some people have done a "valvectomy" to remove the restrictor. I don't know for sure, but I bet if you google on "Hyundai" and "valvectomy", you'll find directions for this mod.

BTW, the 5 speed seems a LOT quicker than the auto.

Don't rub it in...

doohickie

I'm new here and was wondering if there some newer 2006 Elantra 4Dr Sedan owners in this forum that are having any major problems with their car, or just have any recommendations on buying one...

I looked for a new car for several months. I eliminated the Hyundai from my list, but the crowd here, especially backy, urged me to take another look and I ended up buying an Elantra 5 door. The Elantra is a solid choice.

For your information, the 2004 through 2006 Elantra models are virtually identical. The one difference for 2006 is the "Limited" option, which gives some very nice options on a sedan including a custom grill previously available in markets outside the U.S., and tan leather seats.

njdevil1

the problem with that is alot of people still have the misconception about Hyundais and will not even consider them. All the reports give Honda such great reviews but we found out different. live and learn. the 2006 civic was named car of the year but it has a recall for airbags.

doohickie

Lots of cars have air bag recalls lately. It is a rapidly evolving technology with safety implications.

doohickie

Here is link to directions for removing the restrictor plate from the clutch cylinder.

jlflemmons

New labeling showing Hyundai and Kia both, instead of Hyundai only.

backy

Clutch a little stiff? Do you mean the clutch pedal? If so, I haven't noticed the clutch pedal effort decreasing in time on the Elantra. Now, the shifter did free up some in the first few months on my '01 GLS. It may depend on what you are used to. For example, the Elantra's clutch pedal feel is stiffer than, say, a Civic's. Next time you are at the dealer, you might ask to drive another 5-speed Elantra to see if there is any difference.

snakeweasel

the 2006 civic was named car of the year

Yes it was, so was the Corvair, Citation and the ever so loved Vega.

jlflemmons

Don't forget the AMC Pacer.

:P

tenpin288

And the 1974 Mustang II. I owned one! :confuse:

delaluz

Stiff as in it is harder to push down then most other clutches I've driven. I was wondering if it got "easier" over time.

snakeweasel

When was pacer car of the year?

jlflemmons

My bad. It was the VP of Design that got Man of the Year by Automotive Industries for the Pacer.

backy

If it is that hard to press the clutch pedal, you might want to have it checked, and compare it to another Elantra. I've driven several stick Elantras and the clutches haven't been significantly stiffer than other cars I've owned.

snakeweasel

He got man of the year for the Pacer? How? Was there no one else in the running? Were those that were choosing the man of the year smoking something funny?

wester06

1995 Elantra, 1.6L, fresh rebuilt head. theres single-prong electrical plug on top of the throttle body (where the air intake tube goes on to the intake manifold) and i have to disconct this to keep the idle from surging. (surges BIG time) however, with it disconnected it idles FAST. wut is this connection?? ne suggestions are appreacitated. thanks nick

jlflemmons

He also did the Gremlin.

My dad was a service manager for a dealer that carried AMC as a second line. It always struck me as ironic that just before the first oil/gas crises that AMC dropped the American, one of the better and more efficient cars of the time (not that any were that great). But it was a true six passenger car with a decent sized trunk. The two most common configurations were the 232ci six with three speed column or auto, and the 258ci six with auto.

Back to Hyundai. The clutch on an Elantra should not be any stiffer than other hydralic clutches. Have your dealer check the clutch to be sure the input shaft the throughout bearing travels on is not dry. Needs high temp grease to allow smooth operation.

w9cw

I recently bought a 2006 Elantra GLS, and the recommended oil in the Owner's Manual is 5W-20, with 5W-30 and 10W-30 listed as acceptable. Now, I know all of the previous discussions regarding the pro's and con's of each, but I find the information on Hyundai's Service Website, www.hmaservice.com, quite confusing, if not downright wrong.

In viewing the Shop Manual for the 2006 Elantra, a graph shows that 5W-20 is the recommended oil for ambient air temps of greater than +40 degrees C, to lower than -18 degrees C. In fact, the caption for the graphs states: "5W-20 is recommended regardless of environment." The graph also shows 10W-30 as being acceptable at different ambient air temps. Strangely, it does not even list 5W-30 as an alternative.

Now is where it gets interesting. In looking at the same section of the online Shop Manual for the 2005 Elantra w/CVVT, here is what it says: 5W-20 is only recommended for ambient air temps of below -10 degrees C. The caption states: 1). Restricted by driving condition and environment, and 2). Not recommended for sustained high speed vehicle operation. The graph shows that 10W-30 weight oil is the best recommendation for +40 degrees C to -25 degrees C air temp operation.

Surely, the Elantra's engine didn't change tolerances or metallurgy between 2005 and 2006, nor did 5W-20 motor oil improve that drastically in one year.

I've heard that the 5W-20 oil recommendation is used primarily to help attain the government's-manadated CAFE ratings for testing by all of the manufacturers. But, something is very strange with Hyundai's recommendation vs. their online Shop Manual data.

Any thoughts?

doohickie

I could almost guarantee they made no changes to the mechanicals of the car for the last model year of the run. My thoughts are: Obey the owners manual. Period.

jlflemmons

I can only speak for Central Texas climate. The techs at the dealership here say 10W30, and say Castrol GTX is their number one choice, followed by Valvoline. This is what I have been using in all my cars for the last 15 years and I have had zero oil related failures. The last time I pulled a valve cover to replace a leaking gasket, the inside of the cover looked totally clean. No sludge, varnish, or buildup of any kind.

doohickie

Same here; I've never had an oil-related failure in 25 years of driving. I change the oil every 3k miles on every car I drive. For the Elantra my plan is to change the oil every 3750, following the severe usage interval. I've been using 10W30, but am not particularly brand-loyal. I think I got a case of Shell sitting in the garage.

jlflemmons

What sold me on Castrol GTX was the effect summer heat in Houston had on motor oil. Quaker State 10W30 would turn to water in less than 3K miles. Castrol GTX would hold up for 5K with no problems.

While I am a believer in regular oil changes, I also believe the interval should be based on driving conditions and styles. If I were driving mostly highway at sustained speeds I would go with 5K changes. Since I do a lot of stop and go in heavy traffic, I go with 3K.

As a racing mechanic told me long ago: "Oil is cheap, motors are not."

snakeweasel

I do a lot of stop and go driving in heavy traffic and change my oil every 5K miles. So far I have had no oil related issues in any car.

jlflemmons

2005 GT. In the drivers door and/or B pillar, right at ear level there is a squeak/creak that occurs every time I accelerate or decelerate, no matter how easy or hard. I have pulled the door apart, greased everything rubber,tightened and or loosened trying to isolate the noise. If I open the door to the the "not fully closed" latch, the noise disappears. This tells me it has to be a pressure/contact related noise, but I am baffled as to where it is coming from. I have checked the striker plate in the door, made sure the window frame was not making improper contact, everything I can come up with.

What am I missing?

Jim

ptgtjoe

Believe it or not...I just got back from the dealer with the same type of problem. Mine seems to be coming from the door area when accelerating, and sounds almost structural (metal to metal). The dealer drove me in two other 2005 Elantras on the lot, and there issue was even worse. The service manager said that it seems like this issue is inherent in most Elantras with some mileage. Mine only has 4000 miles. I'd like to know if someone else has a fix for this also....

newhartford

I have an '03 GLS and the heater is poor in one regard. I get good heat through the dash vents but when I select the floor vent there is next to nothing. My wife rides with a blanket over her legs in the winter. The dealer says this is normal since the floor vent opening is so small. Is this a problem for other owners?

backy

Your dealer is giving you a line. The heater on the Elantra is one of the best I've had in a car in over 30 years of driving. There is a problem someplace. Hopefully your car is still under warranty (i.e. less than 60k miles). It could be a simple adjustment to the HVAC system, e.g. a vent door out of whack. Be firm with the service manager and insist they fix it.