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Hyundai Elantra Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I wonder if the dealers installed those filters. Think of the revenue chain it would create--"Oh, you'll want to replace that filter now--that will be just $60!" every 15k miles or so. ;)
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    If that were the case, the dealer would make a point of telling you the filter was there, which mine didn't.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    But you do your own routine service, don't you? So they have no way to tell you, "Oh, you'll want to have that filter replaced now!"

    Or maybe Hyundai decided to put a filter in every other Elantra going to the U.S. :confuse:
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I've done a few oil changes at the dealer, usually as a matter of convenience or if they're running a special.
  • jimijamesjimijames Member Posts: 41
    03 Elantra GT, yesterday, straight level road, 3rd gear, moderate acceleration, the clutch started to slip. Not good. The kicker is that my car is just shy of 60,000 miles! I've been driving manuals since I was 14 and I've never had to replace a clutch with less than 100,000 miles... I traded my celica on the original clutch with 180k. Anybody else have issues with lousy clutch life (I did find a few abnormal clutch failures with the search, but nothing came up about short clutch life)?

    And to address the usual suspects: 1) my left foot is off the clutch pedal unless I'm shifting 2) I only use the brakes to hold the car on hills 3) I rarely downshift (kinda pointless with a low displacement 4 banger) 4) I try to keep the rpm as low as possible (1000-1200 rpm) when launching from a standstill 5) I don't tow or haul. And to give you an idea of the type of driving I do: the OE michelins went to 47k, the original brakes are still on the car and will easily make 80k, maybe even 100k... my car spends a lot of time on the highway which makes this clutch failure even more bothersome. Sorry for the rant, but my wallet will be $1000 lighter after tomorrow :cry:
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Ask the service manager to search for a problem that would cause the fast clutch wear--if they can find one, the repair is covered under warranty.

    My '01 Elantra's clutch failed at about 35k miles, but it was due to abuse by my son and wife (which I found out about after the failure...).

    Does anyone else ever drive your car?

    I had a Civic where the clutch pressure plate had to be replaced at about 40k miles. And it wasn't abused. So it happens.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like you did everything right---the only other "bad habit" I can think of to put stress on a clutch is "lugging" or "short-shifting" to save fuel etc....that is, being in too high a gear at too low a speed.
  • jimijamesjimijames Member Posts: 41
    Backy, I'm the only driver. I'll press the dealer a little more about typical clutch life when I drop the car off, but so far I've only gotten: "That is low milage, but I've seen them go sooner."

    Mr. shiftright, I occasionally short shift to try and save fuel, but even then I tend to keep it above 1500rpm. And just to make sure we are on the same page: "short shifting" as I understand it is to shift early (2500-2700 rpm) with wide open throttle (or close to WOT) between shifts. Hmmm, I can see now that that would put extra stress on the clutch, but I didn't think it would be too bad with only 130 someodd ft-lb of torque. Might be onto something.. thanks.
  • duckiedduckied Member Posts: 52
    I took my '05 Elantra with about 20,000 miles to the dealer today for its yearly inspection, but was surprised with a $450 bill because I neglected to take the car to the dealer for routine maintenance. They said that Hyundai could refuse to honor the warranty if I do not regularly bring the vehicle in for maintenance.

    Is this true? (I do my own oil changes every 3,000 miles)

    Thanks.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Can you explain what you mean by you got a $450 bill because you neglected to take the car to the dealer for routine maintenance? That sounds like they fined you!

    Hyundai can NOT refuse to honor the warranty if you do not have service performed by a Hyundai dealer. They can refuse to honor the warranty if you do not have service performed by someone as per the service schedule in the owner's manual, and the problem is related to the lack of service.

    Oil changes every 3,000 miles are good, but not sufficient per the Elantra's service schedule. Be sure you are doing (or have someone do for you) all the required maintenance per the owner's manual. And keep receipts for all parts and service.
  • duckiedduckied Member Posts: 52
    By a $450 bill, I mean they charged me to perform the maintenance that I neglected since my last inspection.

    I'm sure that taking the car in for routine maintenance also avoids costly repairs in the future and keeps the car running well. :)

    Thanks backy for your reply and for clearing up the warranty! It's funny that the dealer never mentioned this when I bought my Elantra.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    "Oil changes every 3,000 miles are good, but not sufficient per the Elantra's service schedule."

    Say what??? My owners manual says 7500 for normal usage, 3000 for severe?
  • tsgeiseltsgeisel Member Posts: 352
    The factory definition of "severe" and the reality definition of "severe" are far, far apart from each other.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    What I meant was that there are other services that need to be done besides oil changes.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Okay. I just know that when I drain the oil at 3K it is darker, but not black.
  • eilymarieilymari Member Posts: 5
    Hi all, well I got my 2000 Elantra GLS wagon in to the dealership for the stalling and loss of power problem. Turned out to be a combination of things: They needed to replace the mass air flow sensor (which I thought was replaced back when first bought the car due to a recall? Do these things fail periodically?), a "servile" switch (?), no idea on that one, and CV loops (which were covered under my powertrain warranty). So the whole bill was $565. Not bad. Of course I haven't got the car back yet! ;)
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,324
    They needed to replace the mass air flow sensor (which I thought was replaced back when first bought the car due to a recall? Do these things fail periodically?

    Anything can fail and mine did. FWIW its the only non routine maintence item I paid for and that was at around 120K miles so I am not complaining. :)

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

  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    we own a 05 elantra with about 41,000 miles. The only service we basically have done is oil changes and tire rotations. We have never had any problems getting warranty work done. We must be lucky. When we had our 03 elantra we did not have any hazzle with that. When we sold it, it had almost 65,000 miles on it.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I've had one lingering issue with my car: I've had three repairs done on it to try to get the Check Engine Light to go off. Each time I get a P0172 Running Too Rich code. The dealer (not the same one where I bought the car) hasn't given me any trouble at all about doing the warranty work; in fact they've been pretty friendly and nice. I just hope this last repair fixes the issue for good.

    I am pretty good about my maintenance, but only mediocre about keeping the records in order. I've got all the records, just haven't organized them.
  • shelly5thshelly5th Member Posts: 3
    My daughter bought a new 2006 Elantra and was involved in an accident a few weeks ago. Fortunately neither she nor her passenger were injured although none of the airbags deployed which they should have done. She did, however, smell them! She also said that the steering froze as she was applying the brakes when trying to swerve to avoid hitting the car which had stopped short in front of her. I found that there was a class action suit against Hyundai for this particular airbag problem. Anyone have any information on the issue? Thanks! :sick:
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It is good that your daughter and passenger were not injured--they must have been wearing their seat belts. What was the speed of impact, and where was the impact on the car? Airbags only go off when their sensors detect a collision of a certain force. At a low speed of impact (a police officer told me the limit is 12 mph but I don't know if that is true for the Elantra), the airbags won't inflate because they are a "supplemental restraint system" and the seat belts and car's safety cage can protect occupants from impacts at that speed. Realize that had the airbags gone off, you would have a much larger repair bill (or your insurance company would) because those components are very expensive.

    Not quite sure how your daughter could smell the airbags since they didn't deploy. What do airbags in an Elantra smell like, anyway? Maybe your daughter smelled the brakes and/or tires?

    By steering freezing, do you mean your daughter couldn't turn the steering wheel? Or the car didn't respond when she braked and turned the steering wheel? The brakes and steering are independent systems, so she should have still been able to turn the wheel when braking. I have seen it happen where a car brakes suddenly and the wheels lock, making the steering sluggish.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,324
    One simple question, how much damage was done to your front end? It it wasn't a lot the air bags won't deploy. The front end has to start collapsing in to activate the airbags.

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

  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I am glad to hear your daughter and her passenger were not injured. My daughter totaled her 2002 elantra which she bought new. She ownedit just over two years. She insisted to us that her brakes failed and the steering locked up causing her to hit a tree when she tried to go around a sharp curve. We found out later she was driving way to fast and was unable to negotiate the curve. The skid marks were over 150 feet so the brakes worked fine. Her car hit the tree dead center and the air bags did not go off. Luckily she was wearing her seat belt. I personally would prefer not having airbags inthe car. I am just glad my daughter was o.k. Is your daughter telling you the whole story. Maybe she was talking to her passenger. I was always taught you have to be in control of your car at all times. Try to keep your distance is case of sudden stops and be alert to your surroundings. There is a class action suit against Hyundai. We just recently received information on the proper way for the passenger to sit in the front seat.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Not being a witness to the accident, I cannot say what happened or didn't happen, but many, many times I have heard a young driver involved in an accident state that "the car wouldn't turn" when the evidence at the accident indicated that the front brakes were locked right up to the point of impact. In the moment of panic, many drivers will not pump the brakes (non-abs car) and will lose the ability to steer the car. Afterwards, they will swear something happened to the car causing the accident.

    Once again, I am not saying that is what happened here, but it is a very common element in accidents with young or inexperienced drivers.

    More importantly, I am very glad your girl is okay. Cars can always be replaced. Loved ones cannot.
  • shelly5thshelly5th Member Posts: 3
    The first estimate was over $6,000 damage. They told her it could be more once they start taking the car apart! :cry:
  • jimijamesjimijames Member Posts: 41
    If she locked the brakes (assuming no ABS) which is highly probable in an accident situation, 1) you will have no directional control... in other words you turn the wheel and nothing happens which could be confused with 'locked up steering' and 2) the ABS system will see a zero wheelspeed and therefore think the car is not moving. There is a low speed cutoff for the airbag system (can't remember the exact number but I think it's in the manual), so the bags don't deploy if you hit something at parking lot speeds.

    It's not a Hyundai specific issue. Someone in a sentra slammed into me on the highway a few years back and his airbags never deployed because he locked his brakes. We probably hit while still over 40mph and he did $5000 worth of damage to my car.

    Anyway glad everyone is ok, and that is what really matters.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    The air bags are certainly a concern, but... this is another in an ongoing series of Elantra accident stories I've heard where the people in the Elantra did not sustain serious injuries. You can talk about crash safety ratings- I understand the Elantra is not the best- but the anecdotal evidence I see on this and other forums gives me a lot of faith in the safety of my car.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    I have to agree with you. Even tho the front of my daughter's elantra was almost completely crushed in the inside of the car had no damage. She is now driving a 04 elantra, bought new. She does alot of driving. (25,000 a year)The cops, after the accident, said they could not believe she had no injuries.They were amazed with the elantra.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Hyundai is making a very strong statement on vehicle safety. A friend that works at a Hyundai dealership has talked about the philosophy that is used in the design. "Scrap the car, save the passengers". Sort of a two way benefit if you think about it. Say you come upon a wreck, or have someone you know in a wreck in a Hyundai. Car is a complete mess, but the passengers are unscathed. Might very well make you look at Hyundai in a different light, no?

    Side note: One of the rarely mentioned safety factors of the late Pontiac Fiero was its complete integral roll cage and crash protection. The son of a good friend was the passenger in one when the driver fell asleep and ran off the road on cruise control, hitting a stalled car at over 70MPH. The Fiero was an absolute pile of rubble, but the passenger compartment was intact with no intrusions, and both walked away with lots of bruises from the seatbelts. The police were amazed that they survived, and moreso without injury.
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Have any folks here have done throttle body/injector cleaning
    on a regular basis??
    What are the mileage intervals anyone has done this?
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,324
    Well one thing is fuel has cleaning agents in it. So you really don't need a fuel system cleaner. I have gone close to 140K miles without using any and have had no problems.

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

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I don't have time to look it up now, but there is a TSB recommending AGAINST throttle-body cleaning of the type that some dealers will try to sell you as part of their maintenance "packages" at, for example, 15k miles. The first time my dealer tried to sell those extra services to me, I just said, "No, thanks--please perform only the services recommended by the manufacturer in the owner's manual."
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    As said above, Hyundai specifically advises to NOT clean the throttle body. If you look at the way the air gets into the engine, the throttle body should stay clean unless the engine is run without an air cleaner, or the engine has been backfiring from another issue.
  • tsgeiseltsgeisel Member Posts: 352
    So, after a drive home (about 20 mins at/near 75mph), I hear a sound in the exhaust area (muffler? cat converter?) that sounds like popcorn after you've turned the heat off and the last few kernels are still popping. Generally this only happens when the engine is good and warm.

    Is this a typical thing? Or is it something I should get checked out?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, it's typical. It's the exhaust system cooling off. Mine does this all the time, especially now that the weather is getting cooler.

    P.S. The sound in my car is more a metallic "snap" than a popcorn sound. Did you spill some popcorn down the exhaust? ;)
  • exotropeexotrope Member Posts: 9
    jlflemmons,

    Can you provide the Hyundai text that states not to
    clean throttle body of the Elantras, please??
  • tsgeiseltsgeisel Member Posts: 352
    Glad it's typical - I didn't really think there was anything wrong, but it's good to know.

    The sound may be more "snap" than "crackle" or "pop", but mostly it was the frequency of the noise that put me in the mind of popcorn. I'll double check for both popcorn and Rice Krispies, though, just in case.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    INSPECTION
    Check the throttle body for cracks.
    Check for restriction in the vacuum port or passage.
    Check for interference when moving the accelerator cable.

    CAUTION
    Throttle valve set screw was adjusted in the production line with the air volume (0.516 ± 5% g/sec) during idling. So please DO NOT ADJUST IT voluntarily.
    When the idle rpm is out of specification, check the relevant sensors and their input or output value first.
    The throttle body does not need to be cleaned because carbon in throttle body does not affect the system's operation at all.

    This is from the general service for a Hyundai throttle body. Obviously, it is possible to clean a throttle body, but the instructions for doing so are very specific:

    NOTE
    Disconnect the intake air hose from the throttle body, and check the throttle valve surface for carbon deposits.
    1. Spray cleaning solvent on the valve to remove carbon deposits.
    2. Warm up the engine, then stop it.
    3. Remove the intake air hose from the throttle body.
    4. Plug the bypass passage inlet of the throttle body.

    NOTE
    Make sure the solvent does not enter the by-pass passage.

    5. Spray cleaning solvent onto the valve through the throttle body intake port and let it soak for about 5 minutes.
    6. Start the engine, race it several times and allow the engine to idle for 1 minute.

    Repeat Steps 4 and 5.

    7. Unplug the bypass passage inlet.
    8. Attach the intake air hose.
    9. Disconnect the battery ground cable for more than 10 seconds.
    10. Adjust the SAS (Speed Adjusting Screw)
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I've never owned a car that didn't make some popping/ticking noises when cooling down. (They make them when the engine warms up as well, but the sound is masked by the engine noise). The exhaust actually grows in length due to the heat, then when you shut the car off, it cools down and shrinks to its original size. When all that expansion and contraction is taking place, other pieces such as mounts and heat shields are doing the same thing, but at different rates, so there is relative motion between the cooling parts and they make noise when they slip relative to each other.

    Perfectly normal.
  • nodulenodule Member Posts: 118
    Thanks jlflemmons!
    Where exactly did you pull that information from? Can you please provide me with the details as to where you found
    this particular Hyundai text?
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Hyundai has an excellent web site with parts and technical information available on all their models. You must register to use the technical portions, but registration is free. The web site to begin from is: http://www.hyundaiusa.com/

    I pulled the text from the TSB section. Do a search in the TSB section for "throttle body cleaning and service"

    Jim
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I've actually written a Guide for Accessing Hyundai's Technical Information Online. I hope it helps.
  • bjc2bjc2 Member Posts: 28
    i have a 2001 elantra with 75k on it that i bought new.
    recently while driving it i heard a thud type of noise
    that came from the transmission.the check engine light
    came on and it would not shift out of the gear it was in.
    i pulled over to side of the road and turned the engine
    off.when i restarted the engine and got back on the road
    it was fine.anybody ever have this problem?
    bjc
  • bjc2bjc2 Member Posts: 28
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    You need to get that Check Engine Light checked out by a dealer. Even if it isn't still on, there may be a record of the fault stored.

    If the car is running okay now, I'm betting it is one of the speed sensors (one on the right front wheel* and one on the transmission), or the shift-select switch.

    I would get it checked out sooner, rather than later, because if it repeats it could do real transmission damage.

    *On ABS-equipped models, each wheel has a speed sensor.
  • bjc2bjc2 Member Posts: 28
    thanks doohickey for responding to post on trans problem .
    i will get it checked out as soon as possible.
  • sarakatie04sarakatie04 Member Posts: 5
    Yes, I agree!!! I learned a very valuable lesson!!!! My engine just blew up in my car because my timing belt broke...I had just bought the car privately in March of this year, and had no trouble until it gave out on me. It had approximately 46,000 miles when I bought it, and now it has just 54,000 on it. I was floored when I heard that the engine was blown. Thankfully I had gotten my car off of the main highway before it shut off on me completely. Now it's going to cost me $1,800 to get it fixed. The really sad thing is that I was just going to get it serviced when I took it for inspection this month...It gave out about a week ago. Argh!
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    If your car was first bought less than five years ago, THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY. The five-year, 60,000 mile basic warranty is fully transferrable and covers a broken timing belt.
  • sarakatie04sarakatie04 Member Posts: 5
    I bought it privately in March of this year. It is a 2000 Hyundai Elantra GLS. I already tried this with the warranty, because that's what I figured would cover it. The Hyundai place out in Utah, told me that I would have to do some investigative work...which included calling the person who had owned it before me, and seeing if they had any work done to it, and if within 48 months/60,000 they had gotten that serviced or replaced, then it would be covered. Or if the person before them had gotten work done to it. But I tried to call the guy who I bought it off of, and he never called back, so I believe it is something that he knew before he sold it. My car didn't come with and owner's manual, and i am not even sure if he had it when he owned it either. I believe that he could tell something was going out on it, but wasn't sure exactly what it was. He and his wife were having an addition to the family and wanted to invest in a minivan rather than a small passenger car. So I'm not really sure what to think of this!
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    A 2000? Sorry, you're eating it.
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