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Hyundai Elantra Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    There is the "old-fashioned way"--telephone. Try these places, whichever are near you:

    Sears Auto Service Center
    Wal-mart (I think their batteries were just top-rated by CR)
    Batteries Plus
    Fleet Farm

    I know there's others, but that's a start. Or just go to the dealer, plunk down your money, and it's done!
  • PatMatHatPatMatHat Member Posts: 15
    Thank you very much, tenpin288 (btw. what does that name refer to... just curious :)). I love having the battery numbers and code on hand!

    Backy - you are right of course, but I'm one of those savages who relies on the web, and I abhor the telephone... kids these days :) And yes, plunking down the money at a dealer sounds very tempting - gotta do my part to stimulate the economy... stupid dollars at work :)

    I changed batteries on my toyotas, no issues, and I guess I though it'd be the same with the Elantra. No biggie. Love it here, and thank you both very much!
  • tenpin288tenpin288 Member Posts: 804
    If you mean Duralast, it's their house brand. ;)
  • PatMatHatPatMatHat Member Posts: 15
    "Duralast" sounds like something you'd get out of a vending machine in a restroom, but whatever, as long as it has the juice :P
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I have changed these out before, and don't recall it being any big deal. I do know Interstate makes a replacement, as that is what went into my '05.
  • PatMatHatPatMatHat Member Posts: 15
    Thanks, jlflemmons, yeah, I saw somewhere a post to the effect that there's a special "lip" at the bottom of Hyundai compliant batteries, and that that's rare, and that Interstate Batteries does indeed make a model like that, so that seems to check out. However, as the other posters indicated, Sears, Autozone, etc. show having batteries that fit the Elantra, so who knows. Backy may be right - perhaps just pay the dealer and not have to stress over the idiotic battery :) Really, I hate proprietary parts :(
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Since manufacturers other than Hyundai make a battery that fits the Elantra, it's not really accurate to say it's proprietary. A common size? Doesn't seem to be.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    The "lip" that is on the Elantra battery is actually found on most batteries these days. Every GM product I can think of uses that same lip to anchor to. Very few designs still use the over the top bracket. They tend to corrode.
  • bucmastibucmasti Member Posts: 1
    the light that shows which gear you are in next to the slelector lever does not illuminate. Any ideas as to why ?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Light bulb burned out?

    Fortunately there's still the indicator in the gauge cluster.
  • jayessjayess Member Posts: 59
    We recently picked up a 2006 Elantra with 26,300 miles which will be for my daughter after the school year. So I've been driving it around. Since we also have two Sonatas 07&08 I do compare the rides to some degree. The elantra feels as though it idles a bit rough in drive at a light or stopped in traffic while the sonatas idle more smoothly in my opinion. The tach indicates about 750 rpm and if I recall from the sticker under the hood 700-something is the correct idle speed. The alternator belt seems to be tight enough just from depressing it with my finger. So, does this sound normal for an elantra ? am I unfairly comparing it to a bigger car with a bigger engine ? Or does this sound like it needs to have something looked at and adjusted ? There's still a significant amount of mfg warranty but I just don't want to have the tech report back that they 'could not reproduce symptoms' and send me on my way. many thanks
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    My experience in owning two Elantras of that generation is that they idle more "roughly" than a 07/08 Sonata. Without actually feeling how "rough" the idle is in your Elantra I can't say whether it's abnormal. You could have it checked by a mechanic if you are concerned.
  • heathenheathen Member Posts: 1
    My daughter lives 400 miles away and has a dead battery and needs to replace it. Positive cable connection to battery is not like anything I am familiar with. Says it looks like spoon. Any suggestions?
  • my2002gtmy2002gt Member Posts: 7
    Assuming the original plastic cap is still there, gently pry up the plastic cap from the side opposite the battery cable. The clamp is a cap style clamp where the stud the nut is screwed on to is the top of a cap-like claw style clamp. It simply requires loosening the small nut on the top of the clamp until the clamp can be lifted off the battery post. No need to take the nut completely off the stud. Just to the top of the stud should be enough. May take some gentle prying at that point to get the cap off the battery post.
  • x4madnessx4madness Member Posts: 7
    Hi everyone - well the problem is sometimes it starts and sometimes it does'nt. We have only one dealer here in Halifax, so I am at their mercy. First I called them to get it in as my wife needs it for work, and was told it would be two weeks before they could see it, unless I broke down on the road and had a tow truck bring it in, Not the best customer service! I called Hyundai Canada and explained the situation and they called the dealer, 5 min later called me back and told me to bring the car in and the dealer would try and fit it in. When they got around to looking at it, they told us that the ignition antenna was not strong enough to activate the mircochip, and it would take two weeks to get one in. My question is 1) What are they talking about and 2) In the meantime is there anyway to get around this until the part comes in? Its no good having a good warranty if you cant get service! :confuse:
  • dumbguydumbguy Member Posts: 1
    not a really big car guy. lost my license for sixth months and finally got it back. around the same time i lost the keys to my 2004 hyundai elantra. being the dumb guy i am i left the battery hooked up so the battery just drained over time and with no keys at all i couldnt start it regularly. put a new battery in today and tried starting it and i got nothing. radio and car alarm were goin off but i got nothing that sounded like ignition. my thoughts are either a spark plug or bad connection somewhere. totally stumped and need some help.
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    My 2000 Elantra is getting fire to the spark plugs but isn't getting any fuel. What different situations would cause this? Or what are the various things that would shut my fuel supply down completely. I can spray a little starting fluid directly into the air intake and it fires right up. However, once that burns up I'm back to not starting again?? Please help with any info you may have from past experiences with the Elantra or any other vehicle related to fuel problems.

    Thanks

    BWR
  • zigadabuzzzigadabuzz Member Posts: 3
    Clogged Filter or bad fuel pump. I am leaning toward the fuel pump.
  • stephen987stephen987 Member Posts: 1,994
    Change the filter first--it's easy and cheap, and probably needs doing anyway.
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    I will change the filter first and go from there. However, I could not find a fuse or relay in either the panel under the dash or the panel under the hood that was labeled for the fuel pump. Do you know anything regarding where the fuel pump fuse or relay might be located or how it is labeled??? Am I missing something?? Thanks zigadabuzz for any additional info.....
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    You're right, I should chg. the filter first and it probably does need it. I would like to check for bad fuses or relays before I get into changing the fuel pump but I do not see any fuse or relay in either the panel under the dash or the panel under the hood. Do you know anything about where the fuel pump relay or fuse might be located and how it might be labeled???? Thanks stephen987 for any new info you may provide. Oh!! do you know how to access the fuel pump located in the gas tank??? Do I need to drop the tank to do this???

    thanks!!
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    Does anyone know why the large fuse under the hood labeled ECU keeps blowing in my Elantra. It will only happen when I drive my car. It can set and idle forever and nothing happens but when I start to drive it it heats up the fuse and it blows. When the fuse goes I lose the fuel pump and the car shuts down. Help anyone!!!!!
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    That could be any number of things, from a wiring harness that shorts out when the car is moving, to a bad ECU that draws too much current when more functions are operating, to a bad contact in the fuse holder.

    It will take a skilled electrics/electronics person to track this one down, I am afraid.

    Has the vehicle been involved in any accidents?
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    Does anyone have experience with replacing the side view mirror glass? Mine is broken but the housing is not damaged. I've order the glass from a parts house but would like to hear from someone that has actually done this repair. Thanks. --Jack
  • danib1977danib1977 Member Posts: 2
    Did I just get a bad car or do other people have as many issues?

    I have a 1997 Hyundai Elantra wagon that I got used. I had it inspected and needed new brakes and rotors (front & back.) Ten days after I purchased the car the transmission went. I had it rebuilt (basically new since all the parts are brand new) I've replaced the batter and alternator. When I had it inspected this year my check engine light was on and needed a manifold because mine was cracked, also had the front drivers caliper replaced because it was leaking. (My check engine still comes on when it is cold out.) Now my passenger side front caliper is spewing fluid everywhere.

    I bought the car because everyone I know who has a Hyundai loves them and the reviews I read were all very good. So did I just end up with a bad car? :mad:
  • gomst1gomst1 Member Posts: 58
    I have taken off and reinstalled both side mirrors of my 2008 Elantra in order to install LED turn signal lights. Instructions on how to remove the mirror is on YOUTUBE at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2u7lWscKg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Esharkracing%2- Ecom%2Facecart%2Fbin%2Fshop%2Ecgi%3Faction%3Dview%26itemID%3Dledmirrordiy%26cate- %3D070000000&feature=player_embedded
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    First, you bought a 12-year-old econobox. You didn't say how many miles were on it, what condition it was in, and whether you had the car inspected before you bought it. On a 12-year-old car, anything can go at any time. No surprise a 12-year-old car would need new brakes and rotors. Battery and alternator too. Transmissions can and do go--was it checked by a mechanic before you bought it? An inspection might have detected a problem--or maybe not. Hyundai put a 10-year, unlimited mileage warranty on Elantra manifolds about 10 years ago, because of some cracking issues--your car may be too old to qualify for that.

    Also, if you did some research you might have seen that Hyundai started its quality initiative around 1998. Before then, it designed and built cars to one purpose only: low price. The Gen 2 Elantra, which you have, was a decent car for a low-priced econobox but not nearly the same quality as more recent Hyundais.
  • danib1977danib1977 Member Posts: 2
    I did have it checked by a mechanic before I bought it and he said it was is great condition, then had it at a different shop for the state inspection/ emissions neither one detected any problems with the car. It had @98k miles on it which was one of the reasons I got the car. I wasn't too surprised with the brakes and rotors needing to be replaced, and was expecting that from my initial inspection of it before I purchased it.

    Thanks Backy, I will keep that in mind when looking for a new car. When it is running, it is running great, but all of the problems and issues are getting tiresome. I never had so many issues with a car that was over 20 years old! LOL They sure don't make them like they used to.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, that is certainly true with a 1997 Elantra. Now you know why the previous owner got rid of it when they did. :sick:
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    Jack, these things are glued in at the manufacturer. Go the your local auto parts store (Advance, Auto Zone, Napa, Pep Boys etc.) ask some one to recommend a good adhesive. Probably the weather strip adhesive would work but ask one of the auto parts store veteran clerks that you feel probably know what they are talking about and follow their advise. Good luck......
  • brumfeltbrumfelt Member Posts: 7
    I believe that Hyundai reviews are typically favorable coming from most people. Did you actually need all the brakes?? I work part time in an auto parts store and believe me, Many of the brake jobs we sell parts for to our commercial customers are soak the customer jobs. They sell you a lot of parts you do not need.. Did you get a second opinion on the transmission problem. There are a lot of shift sensors and shift solenoids on these small automatic transmissions. Are you sure yours was bad??? Check engine lights will come on with newer cars than you 97. Run the OBD II check and get the code read-out. You can get this done at Advance or Auto Zone. I may be and probably is something simple. Regarding your caliper spewing fluid, it sounds like someone did a half-A brake job for you as well as probably sold you a lot of parts you may not have needed. I believe the Hyundai is basically a good car but like all vehicles once they get a little age on them you will start to have primarily small issues.,
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    Thanks for this info. I will do that and post results of my repair attempt. Since these mirrors have a heating element behind the glass, it will be interesting to see if I can replace the mirror without disturbing that.
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    Thanks for this video link. It will be helpful when dealing with the heating element as it is of the a peal and stick variety. I'll post me result and hopefully it will be as easy as it looks.
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    One question regarding this procedure: Did you remove the mirror from the housing and have it in hand as the video clip shows? If so, how did you remove it? Thanks. --Jack
  • gomst1gomst1 Member Posts: 58
    Yes, I removed the mirror from the housing. On the 2008 Elantra, the mirror assembly is attached to the housing by a plastic ball and socket attachment.
    To remove the mirror, you will have to firmly pull the mirror from the top or bottom in order to disengage the plastic ball. Just be careful when pulling because it is possible to break the mirror. To put it back, you will need to pop it in by squarely putting the mirror on top of the plastic sockets then quickly pop it in with a quick controlled jab to the center of the mirror. Again, it is possible to break the mirror. Just don't apply excessive force otherwise you will end up with a broken mirror.

    Good luck.
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    Thanks for this helpful info. I'll give it a try.
  • jacktbjacktb Member Posts: 41
    Finished this repair and it worked perfectly. Mirror was smashed, so I covered it with masking tape to prevent splintering when removing heating element. Was able to reinstall without breaking as the operative term there was "controlled jab"!

    Thanks again for all the advice. This forum saves users a lot of time and money with help like this. Did this repair for about 30 bucks.
  • leefteach2leefteach2 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2005 Elantra and I have been noticing that recently, every morning after I back out of my driveway and start to go forward there is a high pitched squealing noise. It stops shortly thereafter then I hear a faint chirping noise that also goes away after a few minutes. It only happens in the mornings on the first start. Also, if I turn the wheels slowly when going forward I do not hear the squeal. I just had the belts replaced and that did not help the problem. I also had the tires replaced in Feb. Any information would be helpful.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I will assume here that you have had the brakes checked to make sure the pads do not need replacing?

    Do you live in a high humidity area? What you are describing could easily be light surface rust forming on the disc rotors overnight. Won't hurt anything, and is fairly common. What you can do to determine this would be to look at the rotor through the wheel before moving the car. See if the rotors are bright and shiny.

    When you first drive away, get the car up to 20mph or so, and stop. Don't need to nail the brakes, just a good quick stop, and see if the noise is gone. The light layer of surface rust is removed after just one or two applications of the brakes.

    Both of my Elantras did the same thing in rainy weather, but never did it during the long dry summers we get here in Texas.
  • bjc2bjc2 Member Posts: 28
    can anyone tell me how to remove the backseat on a 01 elantra?
    thanks,
  • 76chevyc1076chevyc10 Member Posts: 1
    Im working on an 06 Hyundai Elantra. it was squeeking very loud and i noticed the brake pads were pretty small so I changed the pads. drove it around and now it still squeeks, but now it doesnt squeek when i brake. it just makes noise all the time while driving. very loud and annoying.

    was thinking the rotors might be warped. wanted an opinion b/c money is tight. also, should i try and get them turned or just replace them.

    also, owner hit a pole a few years back, was "repaired". noise from front wheels is recent. noise is not there when making sharp turns. wondering if maybe the wheel bearings could be shot?

    any help would be great. this is the first foreign car ive ever taken a wrench to, so some detailed help would be awesome. bit of a change from my 76 chevy.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    I'm not sure about the '06 but when I had the brake pads changed on my wife's '01 last year we discovered the rotors needed to be turned. Problem was, it was a Saturday and the local shop didn't have anyone in to do it. New rotors were like $25 each (turning would have been something like $12 or 14 each) so for the minimal extra cost and to get the job done I went with new rotors.

    Call your local parts joint. It doesn't hurt to ask.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • rstone1rstone1 Member Posts: 2
    i can't get the door open that gives me access to my gas tank opening - an obvious problem especially since i am low on gas - can anybody tell me how to open the access door ?
  • billsbuddiebillsbuddie Member Posts: 41
    There is a lever on the left side of the driver's seat, either on the floor or the dash, pull it.
  • rstone1rstone1 Member Posts: 2
    thanks - i know about that lever - unfortunately when i pull the lever the door doesn't pop open like it used too and i don't know how to get the door open when the release lever isn't working
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Well that is a problem! My 2004 GT doesn't have an emergency fuel filler door release in the trunk, so I expect yours doesn't either. It's possible the cable is broken. Hopefully not, as I can envision that being a tricky repair. If not, you might try squirting some silicone spray e.g. WD-40 (using the long thin applicator) into the area around the release pin, it might be stuck. I found the following on another forum:

    Another solution is to pull up normally on the lever and hold it up for about a second. The door will pop open.


    Once you get the door open, you might try this (also from another forum):

    Carefully bend the striker plate on the door very slightly away from the tongue that keeps the door closed. Also one person reported that the dealer changed the spring on the door and it fixed their problem.
  • rhy1rhy1 Member Posts: 5
    I just bought a 2009 elantra and can't get the ipod connection to read my daughters ipod. We are using the USB cable she uses to connect to the comupter. When first pluged in the radio reads "reading USB", then says something like USB empy. I know there is music on the ipod, so am not sure what we are doing wrong. I don't care so much, but my 16 year old is "devasted". Anyone know what I am doing wrong?
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    You have to buy the iPod accessory cable.
  • rhy1rhy1 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks, I thought that may be it, but since it was mentioned when I bought the car, I thought I might have cone something wrong.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Check your owners manual. There should be a small cable tucked behind the trim in the trunk/hatch area near the fuel door. Looks like a thin cable with a loop.
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