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Hyundai Elantra Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • prosource1prosource1 Member Posts: 234
    I am looking to purchase an 03 GT for my daughter. It has the 5 spd (ABS, Traction, Roof) option with 62k. All belts have been changed but it will need front brakes and possible a clutch replaced (I think the buddy has been hard on it) as it 'screeched' a bit while in reverse. I think the guy knows it needs one as he said the parts were $400 and the job cost $750. Help me out here? Please tell me your issues if you have more than 62K on your Elantras. I have owned older Sonatas and enjoyed them but I don't want to drop $6500 to $7000 down on this and then drop a couple grand into it. Anyway, I know I don't get any warranty and noone offers warranty on a clutch even if their warranty transferred. What do you guys know? Thanks

    PS: Everything worked great on this car and it was really tight and very smooth.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    Well as the owner of one of the higher (maybe highest) mileage Elantra on these boards I will tell you that if the car has been properly maintained and you keep that maintence up it should give you many years of great service.

    I have an '00 pushing 140K on my wagon and it has been a champ. Only one warranty issue and one non routine maintence issue all those miles. I expect many more miles.

    Now $6,500 to $7,000 for a '03 Elantra that needs brakes and a clutch is a little high. Maybe if it was in excellent condition not needing the repairs but not in the condition you mentioned.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Price is too high. That is a high mileage car for the years and with a bad clutch you are looking at $4K tops.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I checked the TMV for Texas on the car you describe. If it had no problems and good condition throughout, $6500 would be top dollar from a private seller.

    Throw in brakes and a clutch and you drop a bunch. I was off on the $4K. $4K would be for average condition, ie shows wear. Even though you pay for ABS and sunroof when new, it really doesn't do much on selling in the real world.

    Jim
  • prosource1prosource1 Member Posts: 234
    I did some research and the numbers I keep getting from edmunds, nada, kelley is anywhere from $6-7k. These listings took into account the 62500 mileage and fair condition. The lowest I got was approximately $6k.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Go with the TMV from Edmunds for your zip code. Kelly and NADA are not always as current and NADA has always been 20-25% high in my area.

    An absolute price cannot be determined without seeing the car. All I can estimate here is that you have a high mileage three year old car (almost four years) that needs brakes and a clutch.

    If I were buying the car you described, I would pay the bucks to have it checked over by a mechanic of my choice. A high mileage car can be a great deal, or a money pit.

    Jim
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    6-7K would be right if it was in good condition. But you say it needs a clutch and brakes, so you should adjust that price by the repairs that it needs. I would say that if its in good condition otherwise no more than $5k for the car.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • prosource1prosource1 Member Posts: 234
    well, it was raining so i couldn't examine the paint but the interior needs a major detailing job. I can do this so that is not a major expense but it is not in 'good' condition. I would rate it as fair. I saw bad scratches on the front of the hood near the grill. I don't believe it was taken care of very well. I wonder if I should be concerned about whether or not he really changed the oil. I'll ask for records and offer $5k since I know the Hyundai brand (having owned 3 Sonatas) and its durability. I could live with that price and get the word done reasonably cheap. The car did drive very nice and I can really make it look sharp. It'll be my daughters. U think $5k? He says he'll just trade it if he doesn't get $7250. I guess he'll be trading it. All buyers are liars and all sellers are embellishers, right? :)
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    My guess is he won't even get 5K on a trade. $7,250 is pushing it if it didn't need work.

    Go to Carmax.com and see what a similar car is going for, knock of about 15% or so and then take off the cost of repairs to get a better price that you should pay.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Agreed on trade price. They probably already priced it at around 4K and he is trying to get more out of it.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I went to that link and found this one: http://www.dfwhyundais.com/diy/DIY-WebTechGuide.html

    There it shows a step 8 under registration: 8. Or, if you prefer, just use the username and password from the forum.

    What does that mean?

    That refers to the forum on which it was originally posted, DFWHyundais.com. Have you tried the steps listed to get your own logon? Last I checked, it still works, except that sometimes they don't send the email with your password. If you just go back in, give them the username you tried the first time, and click the Forgot Password link, the password usually comes via email in a few minutes.

    If that *really* doesn't work, email me through my Edmunds profile.
  • mackster23mackster23 Member Posts: 1
    My apologies for such a Noob question

    I am looking at used Elantras (2001-2003, hatchback's / GT model with about 70-80k miles). I live in Manhattan and will be using it primarily as a family / weekend car. As I won't be able to do much maintenance myself (no place to easily work on it), I am wondering if you can give me advice on:

    A: Anything I should specifically watch out for with Elantra's given the mileage/age (for example, I read that the timing belt and water pump should be changed at 60k mi. - I don't think this is Elantra specific though but good to know)

    B: Anything you might suggest that I do upon buying a used Elantra with this many miles to prevent headaches later on (repairs in NYC are a bit of a pain and garages are often expensive)

    I was thinking: oil change (maybe synthetic oil), new filters, plugs, plug wires... Does this sound right? Anything else that I should expect to be wearing out soon?

    I really do appreciate your advice. I haven't owned a car in quite a number of years and never one with this many miles. Thanks in advance.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    If I don't have the highest mileage Elantra on these boards I am close to it. I have a 2000 wagon with close to 149k on it. So far it has run like a champ, I have only put in $200 over and above routine maintence into the car. My advice is that you get all the maintence records of the car if you can. The timing belt should be replaced by 60k miles. the oil change, plugs, wires and filter can't hurt and absence of evidence of them being changed before should be done. After that just keep up the routine maintence and you should be ok.

    As for the oil I would not use synthetic if it hasn't been used in the car. Use the same type of oil that has been used. If you have a high mileage vehicle that has used dinosaur squeezings and start using the man made stuff you could get some leaks as the synthetics start cleaning out the system.

    Questions, are you buying it from a dealer? If so what warranty do they give. Also how much are they asking?

    One more thing, there was a period of time where Hyundai had some bad exhaust manifolds for the Elantras. I am not sure if it covers the time your car was built but it could. If it does I know Hyundai has extended the warranty on that part for 10 years unlimited miles, but I am not sure if it only covers original owners. I would check to see if this issue affects your car, if it does will the warranty cover you? If not will the seller fix the issue before you buy?

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Hi,
    Im very particular about my 2005 ELantra GLS which I have
    babied since day one. I currently have 19800 miles on it.
    I NEVER use the dealer, with the exception of warranty issues.
    I use my own mechanic and I do 4000 oil/filter changes with
    Castrol GTX 5w-30 Start Up. My question is I do not know
    what part filter he uses and ive heard that you should really
    use the OEM filter because it have some type of a valve that
    opens when the car needs extra oil.
    Should I really be concerned about not knowing what brand
    oil filter my mechanic is using??
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, you should be concerned. You need to have written documentation on what kind of filters your mechanic uses so you, and HMA, know that they meet Hyundai specs. If they don't, and there is an engine problem that could be traced to the oil filters, Hyundai could deny the warranty claim on the engine. To be sure, you could buy some OEM filters and bring them with you to the mechanic.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    You should really find out. From what I've heard (and I checked it in an auto parts store), Fr@m has delisted Elantra from their filter listings. There is a TSB out there that says *some* aftermarket filters (Hyundai didn't name names) can cause engine noise and lead to premature engine failure. If you haven't heard extra noises, you're probably okay, but the safest bet is to use the OEM filter.

    The problem comes from the fact that Hyundai filters have a bypass valve that opens up at times of peak oil use (such as hard acceleration). Other filters either don't have the valve, or the valve opens up at a higher pressure and the result is that oil starvation to the engine can occur. I've heard Purolator makes a good filter for the Elantra, but for my money I'm sticking with OEM.
  • tsgeiseltsgeisel Member Posts: 352
    Can you buy oil filters from the dealership service department?
  • exotropeexotrope Member Posts: 9
    So where can one actually find this TSB that states "some
    after market oil filter may cause engine noise"???

    Obviously, thousands upon thousands of Elantra owners who
    have NEVER heard of this form and edmunds.com take their
    Elantras to independent shops or their own trusted mechanic
    for oil changes and NEVER ask "what type of filter do you
    use?" question to thier mechanics!
    So are all the vast majority of Elantra owners at risk of
    engine problems that they need to be concerned about??

    Lets be honest here..there are hunderds of thousands of
    Elantra owners in this country. What is the precentage
    of them that have actually heard of and use edmumds.com and
    this form....may 5% percent??
  • exotropeexotrope Member Posts: 9
    Actually, let me apologize and correct myself....

    The question I should be asking here is... of the hunderds of
    thosands of Elantra owners, what is the percentage of
    them that use the dealer for oil changes and what precentage
    use independent shops?!
  • cjgtcjgt Member Posts: 28
    I've never heard of Hyundai filters having a valve on them but it's always a good idea to use OEM parts. I never go to the dealer either but I try to make sure the mechanic servicing my car is using brand name parts. Well known brand names seem to be just as good as OEM in some cases but be careful some lesser known brands can damage a car. For a 97' Elantra I had years ago I went to Pep Boys for a transmission fluid change and they put some aftermarket pan gasket on. Three months later I noticed a big fluid leak under my car. :mad: Turns out the gasket didn't fit correctly and fluid was slowly leaking out ! :mad:
    Not saying all non-OEM parts are bad or that Pep Boys is a bad place to go but be careful and don't be afraid to ask your mechanic what parts he's/she's using.
  • spmrebelspmrebel Member Posts: 130
    If the mechanic is using Purolator oil filters he should be using L14459 for the Elantra.

    The Purolator L14459 is a near clone of the Hyundai one and it does have the bypass valve. I do all oil changes on my cars (05 Elantra and 05 Spectra) and have alm ost exclusively used Purolator except for one time when I used the Hyundai OEM.

    Happy motoring
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You can buy filters from the dealer's Parts department, just like any other parts. I think you can order them online through the Hyundai WebTech site for owners, also.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    AC Delco also makes a clone filter. It has both a pressure relief valve and check valve to keep all the oil from draining back to the pan through the filter. That way you have oil up in the engine when it first cranks.

    Personally, from seeing the construction of Fram filters I wouldn't use them on anything I wanted to keep.
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Im a bit confused about the proper mileage that the
    transmission fluid needs to be changed on our ELantra?
    The overwhelming thought here is to change out trans.
    fluid on 30,000 miles, right??
    However, the Hyundai maintenance clearly states to replace
    trans fluid at 105,000 miles!!?? Sure, it states to inspect
    at 30K, but not to change.
    Im just at 20,000 miles on my 2005 Elantra and my trans
    fluid is as clear, clean and pink as it was on day one!
    So, I really should NOT have to replace it at 30K.

    Thoughts??
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    So where can one actually find this TSB that tates "some after market oil filter may cause engine noise"???

    Here is the text of the TSB:

    [BEGIN TEXT]

    Page 1 of 1
    Technical Service
    Bulletin
    Subject
    Group
    Number
    Date
    Model
    CIRCULATE TO: [ ] GENERAL MANAGER
    [X] SERVICE ADVISOR [X] SERVICE MANAGER [X] WARRANTY MGR [ ] SALES MANAGER
    [X] PARTS MANAGER [X] TECHNICIAN
    ENGINE MECHANICAL
    05-20-002
    JULY, 2005
    ALL MODELS
    USE OF AFTERMARKET ENGINE OIL FILTERS
    CAUSING ENGINE KNOCKING NOISE
    DESCRIPTION:
    Some vehicles may experience an engine knock noise with the use of an aftermarket oil
    filter. Aftermarket oil filters may use different materials, construction and specifications
    than genuine Hyundai oil filters, which may lead to pressure variations within the engine,
    thus contributing to an engine knocking noise.
    VEHICLES AFFECTED:
    All Models
    REPAIR PROCEDURE:
    Perform an oil change on the vehicle and replace the aftermarket oil filter with a genuine
    Hyundai oil filter.
    WARRANTY INFORMATION:
    Normal warranty procedures apply.
    This is not a warranty repair.

    [END TEXT]

    Lets be honest here..there are hunderds of thousands of Elantra owners in this country. What is the precentage of them that have actually heard of and use edmumds.com and this forum....may 5% percent??

    It's probably far lower than 5%. Honestly, there are probably fewer than 2000 people who are active on the various forums; probably more like 200.

    First of all, not *all* aftermarket filters cause problems. My understanding is that for at least some period of time, Fr@m listed a Hyundai application for a filter (I think the one they make for Hondas). The filter did not have the magic bypass valve, and some Hyundais developed engine problems. Hyundai reacted by issuing the TSB; Fram reacted by delisting the Hyundai application. Last I checked (a couple months ago at a local auot parts store), Fram still did not have an oil filter listed for Hyundai Elantra.

    Most oil filters are probably okay, especially if the manufacturer does due diligence to ensure they meet the OEM specs for filter media and other internals. But at least *some* have caused problems. It could be that even Fram makes a good filter for the Elantra now; who knows?

    If an oil shop does *their* job and only uses filters that are listed for the Elantra, everything *should* be okay. However, if some mechanic knows that the Hyundai and Honda filter bases are the same and uses a Fr@m filter made for a Honda (which doesn't require the valve), that's when you run into problems.

    Generally the system works and most oil changes for Elantras are done with the right filters; but the system isn't perfect.

    And to answer the other question: Hyundai (and Kia) dealerships sell the filter and drain plug crush gasket (which should also be changed every oil change) at their parts counters. The filter is part number 26300-35502. The filter and gasket look like this (gasket leaning against filter box):

    image

    The lowest price I've found locally for the filter is $6.00 and many parts counters throw in the gasket for free, especially if you mention it ("Hey, can I get a crush gasket, too?")

    The engine in the Kia Spectra is the same engine as the Elantra (except for some very minor differences), so you can get the OEM filter at either dealership.

    One last note: I personally have no direct negative experience with Fram; this is all hearsay off the internet (from sources that provide generally reliable information, including at least one employee of Hyundai Motor America). That's basically why I am spelling their name as Fr@m in these posts.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    The overwhelming thought here is to change out trans. fluid on 30,000 miles, right?? However, the Hyundai maintenance clearly states to replace trans fluid at 105,000 miles!!?? Sure, it states to inspect at 30K, but not to change.

    The maintenance schedule in my owners manual says 105,000 miles for replacement, but on the next page it says replace it at 30,000 for "Severe Driving Conditions", including:

    A - Repeatly driving short distance of less than 5 miles(8km) in normal temperature or less than 10 miles(16km) in freezing temperature.
    C - Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or saltspread roads.
    E - Driving in sandy areas.
    F - Driving in heavy traffic area over 90°F (32°C).
    G - Driving on uphill, downhill, or mountain road.
    H - Towing a Trailer, or using a camper, or roof rack.
    I - Driving as a patrol car, taxi, other commercial use or vehicle towing.

    In general, I would trust what the manual says over what anyone on an internet forum or anyone at a service center (including the dealership) would tell me. Look at the conditions above (copied out of the manual) and make your own call. ;)
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Doohickie,

    Thank you so much for you detailed, intelligent responses
    to my questions! You explained everything very well! Its seems
    some fellas in here have the tendency to panic and over react
    over what they have heard about a specific problem, or an oil
    filter!
    Making statements such as...."I should be concerned", or
    "always use Hyundai's OEM oil filter"! In my opinion, thats
    a little silly.
    If you are having your Elantra serviced at a well respected,
    honest repair shop, you should not have to be concerned
    about what oil filter they are using!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    "You should be concerned" if you don't know what oil filter your shop is using, yes.

    No one suggested that you should always use Hyundai's oil filter. The recommendation was that you should be sure that the oil filter meets OEM specs.

    Have a great day.
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Hey Backy,

    Thanks for responding.

    If one uses and independent shop for their service, how
    do you make sure it meet OEM specs??
    "excuse me sir, but do your oil filters meet Hyundai OEM
    specs?" The response will ALWAYS be yes!, or "of course we
    use filters that meet Hyundai specs"!

    So I guess the only way to be sure is to buy the filter
    yourself and bring it to your mechanic. Even doing that
    they will look at you like your crazy, at least in New
    Jersey!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The manufacturer of the oil filter should be able to tell you or the mechanic if the filter meets OEM specs.

    It seems a lot easier to me to just use the Hyundai filters. I don't have time to mess around trying to figure out which filters meet OEM specs or not.
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Backy,

    I justed checked with my mechanic and the Wix oil filter
    he uses has a "silicone anti-drain back valve."

    Sounds like that should be the one, right?!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You'd be better off asking someone at Wix.
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    In independent oil filter testing, Purolator's PureONE consistently ranks number 1. Most of the regular posters in this thread are already aware of this.

    Nevertheless, given the very small price differential between the PureONE and the OEM Hyundai filter, I'm simply going to use the Hyundai filter each time. Since I change my oil every 3K or 3 months, the differential in the quality of the two filters is probably going to be insignificant. And, there will be no warranty questions should a problem arise. I actually take a date-stamped JPG of the filter and process each time I personally change oil, and file it in my Elantra service file folder for future reference.
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    >I actually take a date-stamped JPG of the filter and >process each time I personally change oil, and file it in >my Elantra service file folder for future reference.

    Composition books dont crash.
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    That's true, but neither do printed date-stamped JPGs in a file folder.
  • lovemyhonda1lovemyhonda1 Member Posts: 5
    All buyers are liars and all sellers are embellishers, right?

    interesting...
  • 1racefan1racefan Member Posts: 932
    My '02 GLS currently has 80,000 miles on it. To give a little background info, at 45,000 miles (a little over 2 years ago), the battery and alternator were replaced with another Hyundai battery - not an Interstate battery (I looked all over it, and no where on it does it say Interstate).

    Last night, I was vacuuming it out, and my neighbor came over and started talking...and talking. The doors stayed open (with the dome light on) for a total of 30 minutes or so. This morning, when I was leaving for work it took about 5 tries for the car to start. Once it started, it ran fine on my 25 mile commute to work. I went out to the car about an hour after I got to work this morning and it started up fine.

    Here's my question - I am assuming the alternator is fine since the car ran once it finally started (and since it's only 2 years old or so). Would the problem most likely be a weak battery that maybe got a little drained when I left the doors open with the dome light on for 30 minutes last night - or could it be the starter? I live in the south where it gets pretty hot this time of year, so it's not unusual for batteries to die prematurely.

    Any thoughts?

    P.S. - let me add that the terminals did corrode a while back, and I did clean them with baking soda and water, and put a layer of lithium grease on them - that corrosion may have drained the battery a bit???
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I would just keep an eye on it and see if the problem recures. If you have a volt meter, put it across the battery terminals with all the lights off and see if the voltage drops steadily. If it drops more than about .5 volts in 30mins or so, there is a shorted cell in the battery.
  • 1racefan1racefan Member Posts: 932
    Thanks for the quick response - If it is just the battery, at least that's a cheap (relatively) and easy fix.
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    Please excuse this long post. I’m back to this forum after a year-long absence to update my saga with my Elantra — and I could still use some help if anything I'm about to share rings some bells.

    Since 150 or so miles on the car I’ve heard a cold engine acceleration rattle. The dealer has tested valve clearances, timing and the thrust bearing/washer without finding the culprit. Meanwhile, over the past two years I lost about 2mpg on city driving. This past week, upon removing my spark plugs, the dealer reports they are carbon fouled (but attribute it to bad gas — yet I do NOT experience any misfiring associated with poor gas and using premium has never helped improve performance or reduce rattling sounds, either). In any case, the spark plugs — with less than half the 100,000 mile rated life — had to be replaced.

    In all this time, the rattling noise has become increasingly obvious (10-20 minutes or so when the weather is cold.) Nevertheless, I have never seen a check engine light. I've been told that any problem with the engine — fuel/air ratio, knocking, etc. — will trigger a CEL, and since there is no CEL there is no problem. On the other hand, I KNOW there is something wrong because I’ve visited these forums for years and have not found a lot of people describing problems like what I’m expriencing (which means I can't simply infer that what I hear is “normal”). Even a Hyundai corporate rep who came out to my dealer a year or so back didn't deny a problem once he heard the engine rattle on a cool, damp morning. Unfortunately, the rep claims he doesn't know the cause of the sound (he instead replaced a motor mount, which didn't help).

    I once took my Elantra to another Hyundai dealer in hopes of answers after the folks here in this forum basically agreed my dealer was incompetent. The upshot is the other dealer’s tech took my car for a drive one cool morning and concluded the valve clearances either were (or sounded like) they were out of spec. Valve noise is also the impression independent mechanics got when they took a listen to the noise. So here I am thinking they are closing in on the culprit, yet this same corporate rep came out and checked valve clearances for himself and said they were NOT out of spec as had been claimed by the Hyundai tech. So now I'm left with possible spark knock (based upon my own research into the causes of carbon deposits on the spark plugs). Other than the 2mpg loss, however, I haven’t noticed poor startup, hesitation or any other performance symptoms (other than the engine rattle, that is). At one point, I did have to refill about 1 cup of engine coolant before and again after a 2,000 mile trip — but that was attributed to the dealer to my coolant cap rather than the engine running too hot (which can also cause carbon on spark plugs due to autodetination). Consequently, the only certainty is that the engine rattle I hear is most evident in cool weather under acceleration. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone reading my post yet?

    I've heard that a sticky valve or improper engine compression can cause carbon-fouled spark plugs, too. My only explanation for why this situation continues to drag on and on unresolved is that nobody who works on cars nowadays — at least at my dealer, anyhow — really knows what to do with a problem that does not register on the PCM (on-board computer). So this brings me to my next question for those who have some mechanical know-how or related experience: Is it possible that my Elantra’s computer and/or a sensor — such as the knock sensor — are faulty and therefore do not trip a CEL even though there IS an engine problem (as evidenced by the fact that I have carbon deposits on my spark plugs despite the low mileage)? I've tried better gas, oil additives, etc. The only thing that seems to help quiet the engine during cold-engine acceleration is the hot summer weather. So if it is spark plug knock, would it correlate to outdoor temperature/weather — or am I barking up the wrong tree?

    Now for the second and final issue: I have ABS and four-wheel disc brakes that tend to "thump" in the back when my foot rests on the pedal at a stop. Taking my foot entirely off the pedal or stomping down harder on the brake eliminates the loud thumping. These aren’t faint sounds. Anyone standing outside the car when the thudding sounds begin can also hear it — yet braking performance seems unaffected. I've also heard it shortly after pulling into my driveway and putting the car in park. Once again, the car has less than 30,000 miles on the odometer, yet the rear brakes have less than 20 percent brake pad remaining whereas the front brake pads have about 50 percent wear. One would think that the warranty would cover the dealer ruling out the possibility of brake grabbing or an ABS sensor problem, but no such luck because the dealer has not been able to duplicate the issue/noise (though everyone else who drives my car has).

    I talked to an independent mechanic who confirmed that the front brakes should wear out somewhat faster than the rears. Even the service person at my dealer admitted as much. Plus, the independent mechanic went on to say that if there is more than a 10 percent discrepancy between the rear brake pad wear and the front it is suggestive of a braking system or ABS problem. So my next question is this: If it is safe to assume that the thumping sound and the accelerated rear brake pad wear are related, who should be paying to replace the rear brakes under the circumstances (given that my reports of the rear brake thumping problem date back several years on my service records)?

    After all this — as you can tell by my lengthy post — I’m almost convinced I got a lemon for a car :0(. My Elantra has been in the shop 37 days not including the past week. As mentioned, I tried to go to another dealer but they didn’t want to work on a car with open-ended problems that were first reported to another dealer who was unable to fix them. So I'm back at the original dealer where I bought the car still trying to find answers. Meanwhile, I found out that I exceeded Lemon Law statute in my state (given that I’m over the 18 months or 18,000 miles reporting timeframe). So my final question is this: Does anyone know if I am still be eligible for Arbitration with Hyundai? Believe me, I’d rather get these problems fixed than file for arbitration but after five years I’ve gotten nowhere.

    Thanks for “listening” folks. I appreciate any tips you can provide to get my car fixed and my warranty honored.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The easy solution to everyone else (including you) who drives the car being able to duplicate the brake noise but the dealer can't is, take the car to the dealer and YOU (or one of your friends who knows how to duplicate the noise) drive the car while the service tech listens.

    The brake wear is interesting. Before I sold my '01 GLS to my sister, I had the brakes checked. These are standard disc/drums. The fronts still had 85% left the rears 90% left, with 42,000 miles on the car. This is with mostly city driving over 5-1/2 years. 5-speed tranny. The fact your brakes are considerably more worn with less miles could point to a number of things, including different driving habits/patterns, but also potentially a brake problem.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I can't offer much advice, but I have heard, from a Hyundai USA employee (not at a dealer, at the corporate office), that with the proportioning valve design on the Elantra, the rear brakes *do* in fact tend to wear out before the fronts. The valve is intended to distribute the brake force for most efficient braking, but the Elantra design tends to favor increased wear on the rears. It's a characteristic of the car.

    Most cars have the opposite tendency- that the rear brakes take much longer to wear than the fronts. I suppose Hyundai was trying to optimize this so they would wear out at the same time, and overcompensated a bit.
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    Wow, that is a pretty big discrepancy on brake pad wear. You would think I was speeding up to every red light I spotted. That's not true though. Speaking of which, with 20 percent on the rear brakes should I wait until it is down to 10 percent or so (maybe another year?). Or do you think I might stand a better chance of getting some of it covered under warranty if I change the rear brakes and brake fluid now and hope they spot the problem in the process? I'd like to reproduce the brake noise issue for the dealer but haven't had the luck so far (depsite the fact that it happens about every other day or so I drive the car). Thanks for the tip, though.
  • wcelantrawcelantra Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone experienced wiper linkage failures.
    I have 2 elantras, an 02 and an 03, as well as an 05 sonata.
    The 02 Elantra has had 2 linkages fail, causing the passanger side wiper not to move.
    Now, the second linkage WAS from a scrapyard, but even the motor was good, and still is.
    It is just frustrating to have this happen twice, and they are not repaireable!
    Any feedback?
    Thanks
  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    Thanks for the tip, doohickie. I will keep it in mind. I'm not sure if a design-flaw is the culprit that's caused my rear brakes to need replacement so much quicker than the front brakes. On the flip side, I read a few similar posts describing premature rear brake pad wear caused by the parking brake — except those posts didn't report the thumping noise I hear.

    Since I have ABS and disc brakes on the rear of the car, perhaps a more general question would help me narrow down the possibilities. Has anyone ever heard of ABS being implicated in brake noise of any kind (not just on an Elantra, but in general)? I ask because an independent mechanic suggested my ABS could be engaging — but when ABS engage is it normal to actually hear the ABS kick in? I've heard of feeling it in the brake pedal — a pulsation of some sort — but I've never heard of hearing ABS activate. Since this is my first car with ABS, would someone with more experience owning and driving ABS-equipped cars care to comment?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Good luck getting brake pads (a wear item) covered under warranty--just about any warranty, except maybe BMW's. I suppose there's a chance that if they can trace premature brake wear to a brake problem, they might cover the brake pads too, but I doubt it. Replacing brake pads after 30k miles is within a "normal" range, or at least that is what they will probably say. I've heard many people talk about replacing brake pads at similar mileage, though. I had to replace the rear brake shoes on a Caravan at 30k once.

    Although the brake noise problem is maddening to you, I hope you understand that if the dealer can't hear it/reproduce it, they are at a loss as to what to do with it. I've had that happen many times over my years of car ownership--a problem will mysteriously "go away" right before taking it to the dealer, or it won't occur in front of the dealer. :confuse:
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,290
    that with the proportioning valve design on the Elantra, the rear brakes *do* in fact tend to wear out before the fronts.

    Not to sure about that, still on the original back brakes with near 140K miles. Changed the fronts at least three times.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • newsviewnewsview Member Posts: 34
    You mentioned BMW backing their brakes under warranty. I know someone who drives a Subaru Outback — just under three years old (2004). The dealer took responsibility for an apparent design flaw. The car was "under braked" so it needs a complete set of brakes every six months or so. Yikes! As for Subaru, I don't know if they will be that helpful once the car is out of warranty. As for me, I've been so busy trying to get Problem No. 1 fixed that I haven't spent nearly enough time trying to drive a Hyundai tech around to listen for Problem No. 2. One of the major reasons they haven't duplicated the issue is that in five years my dealer has only let me speak directly to a tech about three times (and drive around with one in my car twice). Only on one occasion did the rear brake noise happen while the service manager was in the car on a test drive with me. But since the service manager was cornering the car and driving it around in circles in order to duplicate some creaks in the suspension, he said he hadn't heard or noticed the thumping from my rear brakes.

    I somewhat agree that it is time to pay for a set of brakes but my concern is that if they don't fix whatever caused the first set of rear brakes to wear down at double the rate of the front set of brakes, that it will just prematurely wear my next set of brakes, too. That's why I need to see if something is wrong first, instead of changing out the brakes first to see if it just clears up (which is what the dealer suggests). I think they'd rather me just pay it than find the problem because otherwise they might have a warranty claim on their hands instead of a brake job. I'm willing to pay for the parts if they can pick up the labor — assuming I can get them to find anything at all. (Not for lack of opportunity, though — the dealer has done all the tire rotations and most of the service, and always with my request for them to "check the rear brakes").

    My experience is that the service advisors always want to take the description of the sound/problem down and then have the tech drive around without me (after I leave and they have a free tech available to get to my car). Consequently, I'll be going back to the dealer this week to insist on driving around with a tech to see if I can duplicate the issue. Whether they hear it or not, though, I would think it would be pretty straightforward to check the shoes, pads, calipers and parking brake visually. (Though I could be wrong about how readily visible a brake problem would be upon inspection.)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    One of the major reasons they haven't duplicated the issue is that in five years my dealer has only let me speak directly to a tech about three times (and drive around with one in my car twice).

    Therein lies a big part of the problem. You are the customer. If you want to talk with a service tech and ride in the car (even drive it) while they listen for a problem, that is your prerogative. Even the inept dealer I "fired" a couple of years ago had no problems with my talking to the service techs and going in the car (driving or riding) when in search of a problem.

    If I were you, I'd have a talk with the owner of the dealership. If that doesn't improve their attitude and service, look for another dealer.

    P.S. This particular brake problem may not have a visual cue. If it's related to the ABS, it could be due to a problem with the hydraulics or electronics.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Regarding the brakes. On a '02 GLS, at 42K w/o abs the front pads were replaced, the rear drums were fine.

    On a '05 GT w/o abs, at 25K the front pads look great, the rear pads were less than 20% remaining. The rear pads are quite a bit smaller than the fronts, and are ORGANIC. I could not find a manufacurer that makes rear semi metallic pads for an Elantra. Fronts everbody makes, but all the rear pads are organic. And friends, organic pads will not last anything like a metallic.

    Jim
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