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Hyundai Elantra Problems 2007+

backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
in Hyundai
Hyundai Elantra owners or owner wanna-bes, here's a place to talk about issues with the Gen 4 Elantra.
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  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    I'm crossing my fingers that the wheel shimmy isn't an issue with this Elantra! I am currently in the middle of leasing an 06 Sonata, and I would hope in the next 2 years I'll find out the answer to this if I decide to get a gen 4 Elantra after my lease is up.
  • germancarfan1germancarfan1 Member Posts: 221
    Hyundai had 5 years to fix the shimmy issue in the prior Elantra and still ignored it. What makes you think they are different this time around? Have you experienced the shimmy or just heard reports?
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    We recently replaced the tires on my wife's 01 Elantra and the shimmy has basically disappeared. We haven't had the opportunity to take it for a good highway cruise but around town where the shimmy was prevalent before it is now gone. I believe the OEM Michelins were largely at fault.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    From reports I've seen on Town Hall and other Web forums, it seems to me that out-of-balance tires are the most common cause for "wheel shimmy"--on the Elantra and on other cars.

    I've driven about 10 Gen 3 Elantras over the years--owned two, and driven many others as rentals, loaners, and for test drives. I've had some wheel shimmy twice: once when I replaced the OEM Michelins with Kumhos on my '01 Elantra and noticed a slight shimmy over 70 mph. I took the car back to the tire shop, they rebalanced the tires, and no more shimmy. Then when I replaced the OEM Michelins on my '04 Elantra, I noticed some shimmy. I took the car to the shop that had done the front-end repair (my wife had a nasty run-in with a curb in a blizzard) and asked them to check the alignment. They did tweak the alignment a bit but also said one of the new tires was so out of balance they recommended replacing it. So I went over to the tire shop, and they said, let's try balancing one more time and if that doesn't work, we'll replace the tire. After the balancing, the shimmy hasn't returned.

    There have already been a few test drive reports here on the 2007 Elantra. Some folks have already purchased one and are reporting their experiences. How about we give the car a chance before worrying about a problem that hasn't even been reported yet?
  • germancarfan1germancarfan1 Member Posts: 221
    "There have already been a few test drive reports here on the 2007 Elantra. Some folks have already purchased one and are reporting their experiences. How about we give the car a chance before worrying about a problem that hasn't even been reported yet?"

    Or we could warn potential customers now of common problems to look for. Had I known of the common shimmy problem that later affected (and still plagues) my own Elantra, I probably never would have purchased it.
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    This is an Elantra 2007+ forum, and thus we really shouldn't be discussing issues from the previous generation(s). But, absolutely no shimmy issues with my 2006.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    ...please! If you want to discuss something else, please look for or create another discussion. Let's stick to actual issues, not "warn" of things that might happen but haven't.

    Thanks.
  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    I test drove an 07 Elantra today and was quite impressed. I got it up to 70-75 a few times and had no shimmy whatsoever.

    The question is -- what will happen with these vehicles down the road as they rack up miles and get their tires rotated? We hope to find out the answer here!

    Due to the previous Elantra's particularly noteworthy sensitivity to unbalanced tires, I thought it was quite important to bring it up for the new model.
  • allcarsrcoolallcarsrcool Member Posts: 113
    how did you think the interior quality and engine stood up to the honda civic? just as a point of comparison
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Honda Civic has never been the leader in interior quality of materials.

    Hyundai Elantra has a more appealing interior and the fit and finish is at least equal to the Honda.
  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    I haven't driven the new Civic yet, but I've sat in a few of them before. Without a doubt, I would say the Elantra's interior is much nicer. It has hints of the Sonata, but it's better executed.

    Although I can't compare the powertrain to the Civic, I can say that the engine felt peppy enough and the automatic transmission was VERY smooth. The only issue is I could feel some harshness coming through the gas pedal at times, but it wasn't really that objectionable. The only thing, though, is that my 02 Elantra had something similar, but it only seemed to occur when driving 70 on the highway. Maybe Hyundai had to make a trade-off to get rid of the steering wheel shimmy, who knows? :)

    As for continuing the discussion about comparing the Elantra to its competitors and also talking about our general perceptions from our test drives, we should use other, more appropriate topics on the Elantra discussion board.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Maybe in the Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra discussion?

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0cfb41.ee9e647/1351
  • jprybajpryba Member Posts: 201
    You just read my mind -- I made sure to mention this in my posting around the same time you put yours up!
  • chardy3000chardy3000 Member Posts: 1
    I got a 2007 GL Comfort Plus last week and for some reason it always seemed hard to guage my speed. It ends up the spedometer was reporting the speed as 10km/h faster than I was actually going. The dealer is fixing it Monday.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    This is from a 2007 Elantra owner from another forum I post to. Apparently, installing a new stereo is not a simple plug and play operation:

    Yesterday, I had my amp installed in my new 07 Elantra SE. To tell the truth, it wasn't as easy as most people would think. The new HD's have a extensive CAN line system in the BCM [Body Control Module], where the ECU is actively monitoring everything from lights to the engine. If the BCM sees a higher voltage [current] draw than original configuration, the ECU will tell the BCM to throw a code and either turn off the system or create a *no start* situation where the engine will not start without a scan tool reset. Resetting the ECU CANNOT BE DONE BY PULLING THE FUSE. A scan tool is required to pull codes. These cars are not mod friendly especially the electrical system. You MUST be knowlegable in computer software and hardware design to understand how it works.

    I got around the BCM by not hooking the remote lead to the radio circuit. Since the radio is hooked up to the BCM and the radio's voltage is monitored by it, the extra .5-.6 volt draw created by the amp remote can cause the BCM to shut things down. The aux power circuit can have a extra draw on it because thats where extra stuff can be plugged into without causing a migrane headache.

    The deck I have does not have a RCA output for an amp. However by connecting a speaker line output to a line input converter to the rear speakers, (separate from the power and ok to hook into) the audio source is now complete.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Yes, modifying the electronics in modern cars is often not plug and play.
    This is in no way a criticism of Hyundai, the majority of new autos have audio systems that are integrated with other aspects of the vehicles electronic systems.
    Soon after a models introduction there are aftermarket solutions to these challenges.
    The point is, leave it to the pro's.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Even if it is an issue across manufacturers, it is an issue. On my 2005 Elantra, I installed my stereo myself and had no problems whatsoever. I like the idea that there will eventually be aftermarket solutions to these issues for do-it-yourselfers like myself.
  • spmrebelspmrebel Member Posts: 130
    I think also installing your own radio may require a new front bezel but on the GLS (that have radios installed) and Limited I have seen the bezel looks like its a 1.5 DIN in height. I guess you can install a radio but you would have a large gap. When I saw this I was disappointed because it would be hard to install a dual DIN in-dash navigation system without getting a whole new front plate.

    Comparing to 01 thru 06 Elantra 07 seems to be a nightmare.
  • percussionistpercussionist Member Posts: 204
    When I saw this I was disappointed because it would be hard to install a dual DIN in-dash navigation system without getting a whole new front plate.

    I'm not sure, but I believe Hyundai has plans to add a nav system option later on. They would place it in the area at the top of the dash (currently a large storage flip-up compartment).
  • spmrebelspmrebel Member Posts: 130
    I would think they would install the navigation where the radio sits exactly as the Korean Domestic Market (KDM) Avantes/Elantras have their navigation systems installed.
  • joem322joem322 Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A NEW 2007 ELANTRA. HAVE ANYONE HAD THE FEELING THAT THE CAR IS JUST NOT UP TO SPEED AS EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. WHEN I AM DOING 70 MPH IT FEELS LIKE I'M ONLY DOING 60 MPH. I DID CHECK THIS OUT WITH MY WIFE BEHIND ME IN OUR OTHER VEHICLE. I SET MY CRUISE ON 70 AND SHE TOLD ME I WAS ONLY DOING 61. ANYONE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME FEELING.
  • mike91326mike91326 Member Posts: 251
    I had the same feeling in my new Elantra SE the other day when the speedometer said I was doing 75. However, a nice public servant driving a black and white Ford Crown Vic explained to me that I was going 75. In fact, he even gave me a slip of paper to prove the point. :cry:
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Ouch! How much is that gonna cost you?
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Why spend the extra money to get a car equipped with GPS/Navigation when portable models are available at less than half the cost?

    With a portable unit you can transfer it from car to car, i.e. more than one car in the household. Or, if you're flying somewhere you can take the portable with you and use it in the rental car.

    A friend just bought a new (not refurb), in box, Garmin nuvi 360 from an authorized dealer for $500. The nuvi 360 is a pretty high end unit and includes bluetooth. BestBuy is currently selling it for $900.

    Honda is charging $2000 for nav in its CR-V, although that does include a back-up camera.
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    some factory installed car GPS units are much better than any portable.
    Take a look at the one in the Acura TL type S. It does things way beyond any $500 portable.
  • germancarfan1germancarfan1 Member Posts: 221
    I can't even read most portable GPS systems because of the small size...it's even worse in strong sunlight. Factory installed units often have screens that are 2-3 times the size of a portable, have more features, and looks less clutered. Plus, the factory installed system is often covered by the B2B warranty (usually longer than the portable GPS warranty) and the additional cost of the system is rolled into the financed monthly payment (which can be easier to swallow for most ppl than spending $500 for a portable).
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    OTOH, some people like me uses fancy gadgets like Navigation like two or three times a year, even if factory available and installed. Call me behind the time but I've used my Nav much less than my atlas and highlighter :)

    Interesting stat - I read somewhere only about 7% of all cars are purchased with Navigation units from factory.

    The Garmin unit, how many years of warranty does Hyundai honor on it?
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Ummm, the Garmin Nuvi 360 lists at $965. It's a touch screen and includes 6 million points of interest around the country. It gives voice directions so you don't have to look at it (although you or a passenger could) so you will know where to turn.

    Traffic jam, it will re-route you. In an unfamiliar city, you can get a listing of restaurants sorted by style of food, etc., etc. This is not "a cheap $500 toy." Don't judge it by some discounted internet prices which may be available. As I said earlier, Best Buy is still selling it for $900.

    What does the Acura do that this portable doesn't? I already said the CR-V prvides a rear back-up TV screen. Don't rear back-up sensors accomplish the same thing?

    Does the Acura let you take it from your Acura to your other Honda and can you take it with you if you fly on vacation or business? If you get rid of the Acura in 2 or 3 years, can you keep that GPS?
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    Finance is not always the answer. Any way you cut it, the cost of an average Nav unit, which is around 2K, is always more than the $500 portable one. The 2K financed, spreading over x amount of period might sound like the attractive offer but it just adds additional responsibility to the monthly payment, and we are not even factoring the higher interest expense.

    At the end of the day, it's 2K + additional interest vs. $500 dollars, your choice...
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Garmin has nothing to do with Hyundai, as far as I know. You would be dealing with a Garmin, not Hyundai warranty. It just works in any car when you plug it in. On battery power it works anywhere as long as the battery is charged (think cell phone).

    I think the Garmin warranty is 1 year. I'm not so sure the Acura B2B warranty for nav is the same as the rest of the car. Many cars have a shorter than B2B warranty for electronic items supplied to them by others, like radios.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    We do alot of traveling in our cars (30,000+ miles a year) We own an 05 elantra and recently we bought a 06 Acura with nav. Yes we could had bought one cheaper but I liked the way the nav is in the car not attached. It is also covered by a longer warranty. I know a portable one can be changed from one car to another but the acura nav has more features
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    Not sure.
    Maybe.
    Probably not.
    I suppose, but with much effort.
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    You made the right choice for you. You got what you wanted at a price you thought was fair.

    I just was attempting to let people know there are less expensive more versatile units available. I don't have a feature by feature comparison. Some of the additional features may be meaningful to you and might never be used by others. Example: when I changed cell phones last year I wanted bluetooth due to CT's prohibition of hand held phones while driving. In order to get bluetooth the phone had a ton of other stuff I'll never use.
  • remag1234remag1234 Member Posts: 32
    If you have a problem with seeing portable GPS screens, why not quit driving. I have a Magellan 800 and it's fine. It gives directions by speaking, so you don't really need to look at like a map. There are too many IDIOTS reading maps etc. The portability feature is of course the greatest feature followed by price. And last but not least, if you have to worry about $500 or so dollars YOU SHOULD NOT BUY AN AUTO.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    When we went to Cingular to upgrade to a phone that had bluetooth they told us all the phones that were bluetooth included all those extra I did not want. I decided to keep the phone I had. I turn off my cell phone when I am driving. While in Walmart a few weeks ago we looked over the cell phones. They had a basic phone for cingular that was bluetooth capable. I now have it and it works excellant.We were thinking of getting a portable GPS for our elantra to go with our sirius radio all those nifty attachments we will have- so much fun
  • lkao87lkao87 Member Posts: 3
    I've refilled my gas tank two times now, and both times I can't get the pump to keep filling when I let go of the pump. It keeps stopping by itself so I have to keep the pump pushed in manually the whole time. Anybody have the same problem, or know ways to fix the problem?

    Thanks!
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Let's continue the conversation about the Elantra's interior at this link: twixieann, "2007 Hyundai Elantra" #1308, 29 Jan 2007 11:51 am.
  • cclngthrcclngthr Member Posts: 1
    I have found that the rear camber on the 2007 Elantras change radically and go out of specification if you put more than 100 pounds in the trunk. Unloaded, the camber is within specification. However, loaded, the camber on the drivers side changes from -1.1 to -2. and the right side goes to -1.5. Normal specification is -1 for both sides.

    The design of the rear suspension is faulty and camber changes when loaded make the car dangerous to drive. I had engineers from Art Morrison Enterprises; who design custom frames and suspension systems evaluate the car and they told me that the upper control arms, which are non-adjustable, are too short, making the camber go out of spec when the car is loaded.
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    What happens if the car is fully loaded to its overall maximum weight capacity of about 800 lbs or so?
  • mrcellusmrcellus Member Posts: 52
    Has any of the other 07' Hyundai Elantra owners had this problem?
  • mariogpmariogp Member Posts: 20
    DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I do drive over 100 miles daily. I had the car for 3 months and I'm still having a hard time finding a comftortable position. To make matters worse, My right leg is falling asleep constantly..and also a very painfull rear-end.(r-side) tried pilows, supports etc... no luck. the wife has the 2000 elantra...I compared the seats side by side...and mine are much HARDER..and about 1/2 inch smaller (wide and lenght)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The earlier Elantras had the dual-knob height adjuster, which provided more customization of the seat cushion angle. If you have the SE or Limited, try different settings of the seat height, rake, and fore-aft, along with the steering column fore-aft. If you have the GLS w/o the telescopic wheel, it may be harder to find just the right position.

    Another thing, kind of basic but I'll mention it anyway: where do you keep your wallet? When I have mine in my right rear pocket, I can get a numb feeling in my right leg (sciatic nerve). If I take the wallet out, no problem.

    BTW, the seat cushion of a 7-year-old car probably would be softer than that on a new car. I don't know about the 2000 Elantra, but the seats on the '07 are no more firm, maybe less firm, than those on my '04 GT and I think the seats on the GT are very comfortable for long trips (if I take my wallet out)--but they have the dual-knob height adjuster and an adjustable lumbar support also.
  • mariogpmariogp Member Posts: 20
    *SCIATACA**.. I have a sched doctors appointment... but it is looking more amd more to be a sciatic issue. The wallet is always on the front pocket. I was reading someone else had the same problem with the SONATA. I sure miss the seats on my old escort. other then the speedo issue... this is my only complaint about the car... hopefully I will break in the seats soon.
  • wassiwassi Member Posts: 1
    I purchased my silver 2007 elantra limited about 4months ago..
    I found some rattle coming out from passenger side air vent plastic panel..it got some gap between it is causing annoying rattles..
    it is getting louder everyday and I'm trying to attempt to bring it to dealer and insulate it or replace it under warranty..
    does anybody else have this kind of problem?
    is it replaceable under warranty?
    what should i do?
  • caazcaaz Member Posts: 209
    bring a passenger and try ro pin-point the source of the rattle.......and as far as i know...bumper to bumper warranty applies
  • classicspookyclassicspooky Member Posts: 2
    I'll try and keep this as brief as possible...

    I purchased a 2007 Elantra GLS in Dec. 2006 and I have been thrilled with it, up until about a month ago when the I sustained major engire failure.

    Keeping it short and sweet, what happened (to the best of my understanding): The crankshaft pully got off track and eventually thrown off all together (on later inspection Hyundai showed me how the seal on the inside of the pully was incomplete) Then, through a horrible chain reaction the following happened:
    -the AC belt got wrapped around the pully and melted to the side of the engine
    -the timing belt jumped time
    -the pistons bent all of the valves covers
    -the drive belts were destroyed

    The cylinder head was rebuilt and the valves and guides were as well...essentially Hyundai replaced/rebuilt all damaged parts (it took them 4 weeks, but i digress)

    anyway, my real question is this: before the engine fell apart, my car used to idle at aprox. 400 to 500 RPM when it was warm. Now, after the rebuild, the engine idles higher, at around 700 sometimes even close to 800 and I can feel it in the steering wheel at a dead stop. Is that level of RPM at idle normal? what do other 07 owners idle at? I know that the Gen4 engine is supposed to idle at a lower rate than the previous models. what might be going on?

    thanks.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    My '06 Civic is at 700 rpm's at idle so I think yours is o.k. Best to look in the owners manual to see what it says. Call up the service manager and ask his opinion also. Bummer that a new car has self destructed that way. Did Hyundai at least extend the warranty on your remanufactured engine or compensate you in any other way?
    Just goes to show that any 1st year model from any company can have some lemons come off the assembly lines. It doesn't make Hyundai any better or worse than any other automobile manufacturer. These things just sometimes happen.
    Good luck with the rebuild and let us know what you find out.

    The Sandman :)
  • classicspookyclassicspooky Member Posts: 2
    yeah, i just got through with getting it looked at again and they told me that it is running fine and normally. it must have just been a combo of a bad memory and a supersensitivity after so much going wrong with it.

    Hyundai didn't extend the warranty, but they did pay for the car rental during the month they were fixing it. that was despite me not having purchased they extended warranty. so all told they covered about $600 in car rental expense.

    so, end of story, the car is running fine now. and i'm still a proud owner of my elantra.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Just for customer goodwill, Hyundai should've extended it for you anyways. Would've been no skin off their nose and the added goodwill would've gotten them more in the long run just by word of mouth...yours with family & friends looking to buy a car and on Edmunds reading this forum. Sometimes companies need to look past the $ signs and step up to the plate in customer satisfaction.
    Too bad that Hyundai didn't go the extra mile for you. And about the rental payment, they should've done that no matter what, a brand new car having it's engine self destruct isn't what anyone expects with a new car, no matter who the manufacturer is. So they did what they were supposed to do with getting you free alternative transportation. Like I said earlier, they should've stepped up to the plate with the extension! There's nothing better than consumer goodwill!!!

    The Sandman :confuse:
  • g_designerg_designer Member Posts: 18
    The rest for the left foot on the Elantra is just plastic. And mine just cracked. Had the car only a month.
    Quite surprised. I never put a lot of weight on it. Bad place to put a thin piece of plastic. What were the designers thinking?
    This happen to anyone else...i know not everyone drives using the foot rest.

    G
    _______________________
    www.hyundaiowner.blogspot.com
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