Hyundai Sonata Maintenance and Repair

ray h

Shoot, I can remember Kaiser, Willys, Hudson, Nash, and DeSoto*, too. Hyundai? No one except the certifiably insane could've conceived that Korea would ever build automobiles.

*I believe it was only several weeks into the '61 model year when DeSoto dealers got, "Hi, don't order any more cars because this'll be a short model run, wasn't it?" letters.

dalyngill

I think that the 61 Desoto had the push button transmission shifter mounted on the dash, does that sound right?

ray h

All ChryCorp cars had pushbutton trannie operation starting at least in 1957 through at least 1961 - probably somewhat later. Dad had a 1955 Plymouth that had a lever sticking out of the dash. In high school I had a 1956 Plymouth, but I can't remember whether it had the dash lever to the right of the steering wheel or whether it had a squarish pod at the left end of the dash with transmission control pushbuttons. I do know our 1960 Dodge Dart (really a Plymouth body shell wrinkled to look more or less like a Dodge) did have pushbutton operation for the transmission. 1960 was also the year ChryCorp adopted unitized body construction across the line except for the Imperial. Gettin' off topic here, but the stroll down memory lane's been fun.

dalyngill

Gettin back on the topic... never thought that we would ever buy a foreign car...We bought a 2003 Windstar at the same time we bought the Sonata... My wife loves driving the little car... I just returned from a trip to Manhattan... felt safer in the Ford...

ray h

Anyone else who does their own servicing run into the situation of coolant cloudiness upon drain and refill of the all aluminum V6 models? I did mine yesterday and was startled at the fine, silt-like cloudiness suspended in the drained fluid. No outright sediment settling out, nor was my car overheating - just thought at 2 years, 1 month from the build date it would be a good idea even though I just had 12,204 miles on the clock. I flushed 8 times with distilled water until the effluent drained perfectly water clear, and then installed a 50/50 mix of WalMart's own extended life antifreeze and distilled water. Given what came out of the car initially, I've tentatively concluded that Hyundai's still living in the past with hydrated silicate antifreeze (old style "Prestone"-type) when everyone else has long since gone to extended life non-silicate and phosphate-free & borate-free fluids. I've always been anal about keeping tabs on the coolant level and concentration, but I'll be especially so now.

By the way, I had never had occasion to top up the OEM fluid, so it was not an issue of contaminting it with my hard water or a different brand antifreeze. For anyone intending to service his cooling system, the drain plug is a red plastic affair on the driver's-side of the bottom radiator shell. It's hidden by a full-width black plastic air dam held on by five 10mm hex screws. Be careful not to lose the black nitrile rubber sealing washer that may or may not come off with the plug. (and may or may not remain with the plug if it does come off with the plug...)

dalyngill

When you buy a new Hyundai, how many remotes do you get? When we bought our 2003 Sonata used, it only had one remote, it that right?

ray h

They come from the dealer with two remotes when new. You can purchase a remote transmitter off eBay often for under $10.00, but it will need to be programmed to work with the original. Any Hyundai dealer can do this, but finding one who will may be a problem in some cases for remotes not purchased through their parts department. "Catch 22". If you're adventurous, you may be able to log onto <url=http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/default.asp>Hyundai WebTech</url> and browse the '03 Sonata shop manual online for information how to program a replacement remote transmitter. (I'm not certain if special equipment is required, but I read somewhere that you have to access a tie-in point somewhere in the dash maze.)

sperkins1

I too have the jerky transmission in a 2003 optima v-6.It has happened only 4 times in ayears time with 21000 miles now.It happened 3 days ago & the time before was approximately 6 months ago.Always at highway speeds around 70 mph. I mentioned it to dealer and they had no clue.

basshnter1

My new sonata gls with 7500 miles has a vibration
at highway speeds.
The car came with michelin energy mxv4 tires.
The vibration is very rythymic and is only
noticeable abve 55 mph.
Other than this vibration at around 3500 miles the car has been flawless.
I have checked tire pressures and all are correct
at 30 psi cold per the owners manual.
I have had bad experiences with michelins in the
past and would never buy them by choice.
My question is should I take the car to my dealer
and have them look at it or take it to my local
frame and alighnment shop that Ive used for years with
an excellent reputation.
The dealers almost alway's give you a hastle and
rarely fix the problem.
Are the tires covered under warranty by hyundai
or are they covered by michelin?
If the tire or tires are bad what can I expect from the hyundai dealership?
thanks, Rick.

ray h

Tires are not warranted by auto manufacturers. This is all covered in your vehicle warranty booklet and any pertinent tire manufacturer warranty supplements originally included in your owner's manual folder.

roadpilot3

My 2000 Sonata had a vibration at highway speed. I tried everything It turned out to be the Michelin mxv4 tires. Replaced them with a set of Yokohamas car now runs great.

ray h

I had something similar with a '78 Olds after putting K-mart tires (Firestone) on it prior to a family vacation. By the time we got to Kentucky, the car was all but undrivable at the double-nickle. I got desperate enough to stop at a Chevy-Buick-Olds/IH farm implements dealer outside Louisville on a Friday evening close to closing time. I figured with California plates, my credit card was gonna get a workout. The tech diagnosed it as tires - showed me the rear treads "wiggling" with the car on the lift and the transmission in "Drive" with the engine idling. The tread belts had shifted in the casings! The dealer wouldn't accept a penny for the diagnosis. Went to 6 different southeastern K-marts before I found one in Possum Trot, Alabama which had four of the correct size, same series tires I had bought in California. No charge for the adjustment and the replacement tires cured my problem.

basshnter1

The tires on my wifes sonata were not defective but damaged due to a major pothole she ran over and never mentioned to me.
After taking the car to a michelin tire dealer,
the front tire had severe sidewall damage as well
as both passenger side alloy rims were bent bad
enough to also need to be replaced.
The rims are $253 dollars each through my local
hyundai dealer, OUCH!
 I asked my wife to please be more carefull in the
future.
BTW, michelin gave me a 65% credit towards a new
tire even though I had no road hazard coverage as
a good will gesture as they called it in a reply
to an email I sent them.
Real decent if you asked me.

rdsc

"the dealers almost always give you a hastle" I keep hearing this type of comment from others and just thought I would give some credit where it is due. My Dealership could not be better. They always bend over backwards to help me. The only thing I have had done on my '04 Sonata was removal of a nail from one tire ,which they did for free while I dank their coffee and then even washed it. My wife's 2000 Sonata had a pesky brake problem which they had to work on three times. No charge for that either and they washed it THREE times. Then they phone the next day just to be certain that we are happy. Other than the nail, I like my Michelins very much. They are smooth, quiet, hold pressure very well and show very little wear at 23,000 kms. Every one should be as lucky as me.

riez

Took my '00 Sonata GLS V6 5-speed manual w/Pkg 13 into the shop for LOF. Had a burned out right front headlight. Surprised the dealer replaced under warranty. [Left front had gone out at about 38,000 miles.] She continues to be a most reliable car.

Only issue I have now is with warped front brake rotors. A perennial issue. I've had them machined twice. I'm going to replace them next year when I put on new brake pads. They just don't make brake rotors like they should, and this includes most marques.

edlo

What do you mean your getting out of your car? You won the verdict under the BBB arbitration lemon law so what does that really mean. Today I had to take again my 01' sonata for check engine lite. one code was P0102 for a MAF sensor failure again and the other was for a PO0121 TPS out of range, clean and adjust throttle body, which I was charge for. Said this one is a regular maintainace item not covered under warrenty and should have been done at my 30,000 mi. workup. Since dealers don't itemized exactly what they do under each service how can I claim that the dealer didn't do a proper service before thise occurred.

iowabigguy

If it is not in the warranty requirements in your owners manual how can it be a required maintenance item?

vik_sonata

Hello all,
It&#146;s time for me tell my story.
I got my Sonata GL V6 (in Canada it&#146;s V6 with no leather and moonroof) in December 2001. I&#146;ve been driving this car for 3 years, 50k, aggressive driving style. Here are the problems I had:
1. Fuel sensor
2. O2 sensor
That would be all. So my point is that the car was great and practically flawless.
Still the original breaks. I had to change the tires at 36k though. First tried TOYO but always got vibration after 100Km/H. Replaced two sets of 4 and didn&#146;t help. Then I got Michelin Harmony 215/60/16. These are great. Nice and quiet ride. I would recommend them to go with.
Let me give some of you a few advices how NOT to get into the troubles that you posted on this board:
1. Do not roll down the windows when it&#146;s cold and especially if there is ice or snow on the window. Warm up the car significantly.
2. Do not play CD when it&#146;s cold. Warm up the car. Can use the radio though.
3. Do regular maintenance as scheduled. Don&#146;t try to save a few bucks. Otherwise it&#146;ll turn into hundreds.
4. Change transmission oil every 36k if you do mostly city driving. Use only Hyundai oil, as Ray advised.
5. Use A/C wisely. If you go uphill for extended period of time, turn it off for a while. Your engine will thank you for this.
6. Do not idle longer then 5 minutes.
7. Use the wipers wisely. Don&#146;t run them like a crazy. In the winter time make sure that they can move freely. Don&#146;t be lazy; clean the windshield with the scraper.
8. Wash the car more often.
9. Wax it.
10. After washing I recommend to wipe out all rubbers around the doors, the door frames and the trunk rubber. It&#146;s a good idea to spray all weather strips with silicon.
11. In the winter time give the engine extra 30-60 seconds to warm up.
12. In the winter time after long parking drive moderately for at least couple of Kms. This is good for transmission and suspension.
 If you care about your car, if you want to keep it for long time, if you don&#146;t want to spend hours in a shop do those simple things (it&#146;s not that awfully hard to do so) and your car will respond you the same way. I treat all my cars like a horse, and they served me with loyalty.
Good luck to all of you.

ray h

I've read several reports on other Hyundai Sonata owner forums of Hyundai automatic transaxles tanking just after the warranty period expired (100,000 miles). The commonality was that ALL the owners routinely had their trannies pre-emptively flushed and refilled (SP III) every 20,000 to 30,000 miles. I've come to the conclusion I would rather have a serious problem with the transaxle during the warranty period than after the warranty period. If these boxes have a fundemental design flaw as I'm starting to believe*, I'll just leave the factory-fill fluid in for the full 10 yrs./100,000 miles and take my chances that an exchange will occur on Hyundai's watch. If I've guessed wrong and face a $2,800.00 exchange after the warranty period, well, I'm no worse off, am I? And I'll have probably saved around $500.00 in fluid exchanges. (Ideally, the trannie will tank just after I trade the car off at the end of 10 yrs./100,000 miles...)

*The last time I was at my dealer's for a minor warranty/recall item in the fuel system, I counted 12 exchange transmission shipping containers awaiting return to Hyundai's rebuild center in the U.S. I asked the service writer if that was unusual. He replied that it wasn't for Hyundai automatic transaxles.(!) The reader can make of that as he/she wishes, but I treat his unguarded candor as a wakeup call.

riez

ray_h... Thankfully I have one of the rare V6 5-speed manuals. I can't imagine owning an automatic. Too boring! No fun!

I wouldn't be too hard on Hyundai. For past decade or so BMWs have become notorious for catastrophic AT failure in the 80-120,000 mile range. Lots of marques have AT issues. TCMs, etc.

Seems like ATs and brake rotors have become problematic over the past 15-20 years for nearly all marques.

fosse97

Hello all... A little new to the boards, have only read thus far. I have a problem with my 2003 4 Cyl. Sonata. The car has about 32,000 miles on it and I have been very happy... Recently while driving I turned on the heat and noticed a ticking sound coming from the CD/vent area. It sounds to me like the fan may be hitting surrounding plastic or some thing of that nature... Anyone have any suggestions, hints. I prefer to go to my local Hyundai dealer as a last resort as I find them to be of limited help and intelligence. Thanks!

ray h

riez, I don't doubt that other marques have their share of A/T probs. (more and more powerful motors and more compact trannies - a recipe for potential disaster) But very few of the other marques have the unconventionality of a 10yr./100,000 mile powertrain warranty, either. The point of my post wasn't to pick on Hyundai, but merely to point out that pre-emptive servicing (ordinarily a good thing by conventional wisdom) might come back and bite conscientous Hyundai/KIA owners on their unscheduled service derrieres. (File the above under, "If It Works, Don't Fix It".) As to the preferability of manual vs. automatic shifting, dif'rent strokes for dif'rent folks. (After fifteen years of ecstatically enjoying the "fun" of clutching and shifting an '89 Toyota pickup's 5-sp. manual transmission, I'll gladly suffer the boredom of a smooth shifting automatic without apology...)

ray h

My first thought is that debris of some sort (up to and including rodent infestation) has found its way into the heater core-A/C evaporator case and the rotating "squirrel cage" fan is contacting it - an expensive proposition in labor charges if the dealer undertakes disassembly and cleaning. It's not covered by your warranty, either.

238000

I bought a 2003 Sonata in July, 2003, and have gine on some long trips and the car performed very well.I am very happy with the car. At 13000 miles the brake rotors were warped and they were fixed under warranty. Again, at 21,000 the rotors warped again. This time I had to pay $120.00 since the brake warranty had expired(which was news to me). It was explained that this was wear and tear, while to me it seems to be defective brakes. Any comments?

ray h

Consider yourself lucky that Hyundai covered the first set of rotors at 13,000 miles. The warranty booklet states the company's obligation is only through 1 year or 12,000 miles - and then only as a demonstrated factory defect. The only insight I have about why there are so many brake rotor warpage issues with Sonatas is that compared with other similar weight cars, the Hyundai rotors are a bit smaller in diameter - less metal is being called on to do the same work. (I think I read somewhere that Hyundai increased rotor diameter with the 2004 model year Sonatas, but I could be wrong about that...) Obviously it stands to reason that the type of terrain a car is routinely operated in will determine brake component life, as will the typical load the car must bear. Driving style is a determinent, too - some people "ride" the brake pedal causing premature wear. Some people run the "green light grand prix" from every stop - and that excess momentum has to be bled off by the brakes at the next stop, again resulting in premature wear. Too much heat build-up without adequate cool-down time is a recipe for warpage. In any case, brake frictional components (and the rotors are the second component in the frictional equation) are considered "expendables" (just like oil filters, air filters, light bulbs, spark plugs, fluids - you get the idea...), and not a warranty item except during the first year of operation.

kansasman101

I was parked in my car and turned the radio on and as the antenna went up I heard a "clunk" noise. When I got out of the car I saw the antenna was bent at an ackward angle. It was about snapped in two.

I called service department of the dealer and was told this type of situation is rarely covered under warranty.

I have 13,000 miles on the car. Why wouldn't this be covered?

ray h

Assuming you reside in the U.S., for whatever my opinion's worth, I think the dealer's service writer is fulla baloney (or flat out lying). I checked my vehicle warranty supplement booklet (2003, so check your own 2004 version to verify) and there's nothing about limiting the 5 yr./60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage regarding the power antenna. (Radios, tape players, and CD players are limited to 3 yr/36,000 miles, though, but you're well under that limitation, too.) There's no reason you can't expect the same warranty consideration on a power antenna than you would reasonably expect on a power window regulator or power door lock mechanism. You're not without recourse. You could submit the matter to BBB arbitration. (The arbitrator's decision is binding on Hyundai, not on you. and the submission procedure is outlined in your warranty supplement booklet.) You could also contact Hyundai with the details and complain about dealer warranty non-compliance. You could also demand a face-to-face at the dealership with a Hyundai zone rep. He has the authority to order the dealer to take care of the problem. You can also take your car to another Hyundai dealership's service department. You're NOT obligated to have warranty or routine service performed by your selling dealer. (Some dealers, not just Hyundai ones, like to play a cute, profitable, little double-dipping game regarding warranty repair work. They deny a legitimate warranty claim, sell the car's owner the required repair service, and then submit a claim to the manufacturer for the part(s) and labor, too. You might be a victim of just such a sham by your selling dealer.)

sonata01

I also had warped rotors. I own a 2001 Sonata V-6
GLS. I replaced front disc pads with Ceramic pads (less dust generated/build up on wheels) at approx. 59000 miles; shortly after that the rotors warped. Replaced the rotors with ones purchased at AutoZone. Approx. 2000/3000 miles later these rotors warped. Rotors were covered by warranty. Replaced again and not having any problems as of yet. Only have 1000 miles on these rotors. As Ray mentioned, it's probably not the rotors, but maybe a problem with calipers hanging up; ,(heat build up by some means) although mine are fine so far. By the way, rotors were only $40.00. Ceramic pads are living up to their expectations. Tom

gregoryc1

"Use A/C wisely. ----If you go up a hill for an extended period of time, turn it off for a while. Your engine will thank you for this. -------- Do not idle longer than 5 minutes!" ------------QUESTIONS: ----How can you not idle more than 5 minutes, when you are stuck in traffic? ---- What kind of A/C system, causes such a load on an engine, that results in operational problems when the vehicle is climbing a hill? -------- You have just given two MAJOR reason why people should not purchase a Hyundai!

gregoryc1

What makes you think that a transaxle should last more than 100,000 miles? I think that 100,000 miles on an engine and trans, (without problems), is an acceptable figure. Manufacturers and dealers are in business to make money.

ray h

gregoryc1, what makes you think an engine and transaxle shouldn't last beyond 100,000 miles? A 100,000 mile average engine life was acceptable through the early 1960s, but things have changed over the last 40-odd years. (It's not uncommon to tear an engine down at over 100,000 miles and still observe with the naked eye the original cross-hatch pattern honed into the cylinder walls on the assembly line!) Even with just the entry level conventional Group II motor oils still available, 300,000 miles is not an unreasonable expectation with normal maintenance. (Many cars are traded off with well over 200,000 miles clocked because their owners are simply tired of them - NOT because their power trains are shot.) The newly introduced "SM"/"GF-4" entry level 5W-20 and 5W-30 motor oils now available from ConocoPhillips (Phillips 66, 76, Kendall, Conoco, and Motorcraft) in most parts of the country were announced by the parent company to be Group III/GroupII blends (synthetic blend - and stated as such on the front labels). Reformulation of their 10W-30 motor oils to synthetic blend status by ConocoPhillips was promised by next spring. Additionally, in at least one case, Mobil Drive Clean 5W-20 and 5W-30 is rumored to be totally Group III. If true, Mobil Drive Clean in these viscosity ranges is arguably in synthetic territory at entry-level pricing. Front wheel drive transmissions are more highly stressed than their rear drive counterparts. They have to do the same work, often with ever more powerful engines, in a more compact volume (particularly the torque converter - from 12" down to 7" in some cases), so heat dissapation is definitely an issue. Increased heat always translates to shorter life, all other things being equal. But all other things are NOT equal. For one thing, the proprietary automatic transmission fluids most current transmissions require are usually at least semi-synthetic to stand the higher heat stress without forming oxidation products. These propreiatary ATFs are also loaded with high content of special friction modifiers, too, for long frictional surface life. I do not believe it's unreasonable to expect more than 150,000 miles out of a front-wheel drive automatic transaxle. (and at that, I feel I'm being conservative)

I agree with you that auto manufacturers, as any manufacturer, are not in it make products, though. They're all definitely in it to make money. Products are simply a means to that end.

edlo

once again I like to report continous problems with my Check Engine light problem on my 01' Sonata with 36Kmiles, in the last three weeks I've had to take it in once or twice a week, always the O2 sensor they say, dealer mechanics were informed by Hyundai to change the ECM whicj they did after ordering the part, now again my beautiful car sits with the mechanic to figure out why the CEL continues to go on. It not simply the gas cap as many are led to believe, but the diagnostic workup demonstrate O2 sensor,. Would the Gentleman who dealt with BBB vs, Hyundai please go online privately this is getting on my nerves. I was almost thinking about a Santa Fe or the new tucson soon as a second family car.

mar55

I just bought a 2004 Sonata a month ago and think it&#146;s a great car. The only problem I have is that the seat is too hard for me. I tried cushions but don&#146;t like the feel. Does anyone know how to remove the back seat panel from the front seat. I though I my try it and add cushioning to the inside. Thanks

ray h

I doubt what you have in mind is practical. The upholstery would have to be stripped off the seat's upright and the original padding removed and softer padding substituted. Then you'd have to reinstall the seatcover. Are you aware that all Sonatas except the base model have an adjustable lumbar support feature? For some drivers, that extra support for the lower back is uncomfortable. If your car has that feature, there's a lever along the left side of the seat back that lets you adjust the amount of lower back support. Check your owner's manual for location and operation.

mar55

Thanks Ray H, I can peek inside the rear panel of the front seat and see the tension springs and padding. I think if I can get inside I can make something to adjust the tension on the springs and/or add padding from the inside without removing any upholstery. Would really like to get a good look inside the rear panel just to see. I can always replace it without doing anything and live with it. I do have the base model without the Lumbar support adjustment. Thanks for info.

nel32m

Anyone, help, I have a 96 Sonata V6, here is what it does, it just started one day, when i stop at stop lights my tach will go up then down then the car will die. also when i am going 55 or so, i will slightly touch the gas and it jerks, and when it does i get them funny smell in my car like gas, but a funny gas smell. It seem to do it alot now but only when its warm. If its cold it runs fine. when it is warm it does not do it all the time, but wait long enough it will, andyone please help. open for ideas.

edlo

I'm not a mechanic or know much about cars ,but I just had both my idle control module and speed a/t mudule replaced, don't know what they do but my car appears to be running better. Did you get a CEL on intermittently??

nel32m

CEL ? whats that? what was your car doing before you replaced the modules? and what year is your car, I just want a idea of what its going to cost me. I don't want to take it to the shop and the bill is more then the car is worth.

ray h

CEL = Check Engine Light. Like it or not, you're probably going to have to at least pay for a diagnosis so you know what you're dealing with. Hyundai, like all other auto makers, relies on computers to control engine functions. To that end, faults are stored in the control module's memory and can be retrieved with a handheld scan tool the dealers have. Once the fault codes are retrieved, the tech will have a pretty good idea what's wrong. Then you can go from there. The other option is to start replacing parts from the front bumper until you get to the tip of the tail pipe.

roadpilot3

My 2000 Sonata with 74000 miles started making a loud whining sound at speed. The Hyundai tech said it was rear hub bearings. Not covered under 100000 mile warrenty. On the test drive he said the front right was also going bad, that one is covered.

zlfanatic

I am trying to find this junction box on my 2001 Hyundai Sonata, it is supposed to have additional fuses for antenna and radio. I looked just about everywhere by the passenger compartment and can't find it.

dhyde3

I recently purchased a 2004 Sonata. I have less than 1000 miles on it. I love the car, however, when I run the A/C or Heat with the fan on, every 20 to 30 seconds the headlights dim and the fan slows for a few seconds. It happens when I am idling at a stop light, or anytime that I am not accelerating. The Service Technician checked the charging system, and says all is fine. He said that it is normal. I have never owned a vehicle that reacted this way, unless it needed something replaced like the battery, or alternator. Is he being straight with me? It is a rather annoying characteristic, and I don't want to get in one morning and have it not start.

moraiscaton

need some help, dont get to much from dealer ship. i have a 2002 hyundai sonata with 70,000 miles when i start it up in the morning first thing it idles to up to about 2or somtimes 21/2 rpms is that normal or is that to high and also i wanted to know if its normal for it to lag into 3rd and 4th gear at 35mph, and does anyone have a loud engine were you can accualy hear the pistons PLEASE let me know thank you

ray h

The periodic headlight dimming is normal, even if somewhat perplexing. My 2003 Sonata does it too. (so did my 1996 Accord...) This light dimming generally occurs from the increased electrical load when the two electric radiator fans kick in while you're stopped at idle speed.

Sometime during the 2003 model run, Hyundai began installing a smaller diameter pulley on the alternator to increase the alternator's output at idle by increasing its rotational speed. Too late for me, but yours most assuredly has that running improvement. Even at that, I'm over two years on the original battery and it's lived through two very hot SoCal summers - and I'm addicted to AC!

ray h

There are two junction boxes. The one I think you're looking for is in the passenger compartment behind a flip-down panel about 2" from the far left edge of the lower instrument panel. The general junction box is under the hood between the battery and the left McPherson strut/spring tower. Check in section 6 of your owner's manual.

ray h

You've asked some tantalizingly vague questions. Are the initial cold start RPMs different now from when the engine was new? If not, then it's probably normal. If the cold start RPMs have crept up gradually, try a different dealer. Can you be more specific about what you're noticing with the automatic transmission's shift characteristics in 3rd and 4th gear? Is this during the transition from 3rd to 4th gear? Cold? Hot? Both? Have you checked the fluid level? Has the fluid ever been changed? If so, what type - Hyundai automatic transmissions after model year 2000 are very finnicky about what type of ATF. Hyundai, KIA, or Mitsubishi SP-III ONLY! As to the loud engine, ya' got me! Which engine? Most engines are somewhat noisier when cold, but quiet down fairly quickly after startup. (Hey, they don't like to be rudely awakened on a cold morning any more than we do!) Have you checked your motor oil level lately? How often are the motor oil and oil filter changed? What viscoisty range oil do you or your shop use? At 70,000 miles, it's conceivable that your engine has developed some piston slap.* You might have one or more marginal hydraulic valve lash adjusters. Has the timing belt ever been changed? Heaven forbid, but you might even have a rod knock developing. Trust me - the list goes on...

*Not necessarily anything to worry about. Certain Honda and GM engines with short piston skirts are known for piston slap - and they still run for several hundred thousand miles reliably only to eventually die of something entirely unrelated.

zlfanatic

Thanks Ray, I pulled just about everything apart on the passenger side a still can't find it, the reason I need to find it is a think I blew a fuse the the power antenna that I had to replace. Also do you have to remove any screws to get at it. Yesterday I picked up mu Sonata from the dealer because the CEL stayed on, they said that was a speed sensor and it was changed, my car also would shift very hard into second, enough to chirp the tires, after it would finally shift into drive if I stopped it would not got into low unless I turned off the ignition, they said that was a coolant temp sensor and that was replaced, sorry so long, Dave.

dhyde3

Thanks for assuring me that I'm not just being strange. I'm sure the Service technician will appreciate it also. I have an appointment Friday, as the windshield washer motor is not working. I was considering whether to confront him. While it is annoying, if I know that it is not something that needs corrected, I will learn to live with it. Is there anything that I should inquire about concerning the pulley or alternator?

ray h

My Sonata is a 2003. In my owner's manual, a diagram of the location is on page 18 in section 6. The panel is on the >left< side as you sit in the car - the >driver's< side. Sorry for the confusion. If you're still having shift quality probs after the trannie's temp sensor was replaced, there's still something wrong. Keep after 'em. These are smooth trannies for the most part when everything's right.

ray h

The pulley diameter issue was a running change Hyundai initiated midway through the 2003 model year. There were no recalls to retrofit prior-build cars such as mine as a recall or warranty item that I'm aware of. I'm sure your 2004 Sonata alrady has the smaller diameter pulley by default. The momentary headlight dimming when the radiator fans kick in at idle may be unnerving, but, it's harmless. If you're still concerned, request the dealer do a load test on the battery. I'm betting it'll pass with flying colors. By the way, the alternators Hyundai uses on the Sonatas are rated at over 80 amps. I'm old enough to remember when 30 amps was commonplace - even on AC-equipped cars.