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It really is easier to do than explain so don't be intimidated by my long post. :shades:
Every used car was new at some point. Some problems get resolved right away, and others may stay with the car forever (or at least until they are properly fixed.)
It sounds like the dealer is trying to fix the problem the right way, by determining what is causing such frequent radio and amp failures. Hyundai does not want to keep throwing expensive radio and amp replacements in the car, and I don't blame them. However, it will not be their problem anymore once the car is 3yrs old or has 36,000 miles on it. Despite a 5yr/60K mile warranty, the radio is only covered for 3yr/36K miles (whichever comes first).
Your best solution is to let the dealer determine and fix the underlying cause. Then get a new radio and amp, and not be concerned that it will go out after warranty. The last thing you will want to do is pay for these components out of warranty as they are not cheap.
Hyundai and the dealer want the chance to make you happy. You need to let them. Demand a loaner while they repair your car.
If you have a Limited or a car with the auto climate control, check this.
Turn your system on auto. Turn the temp down all the way. If the blue LED in the AC button lights up, you need to change the Defog logic. (LED should be off)
What this does is control the compressor to run automatically at moderate temps, therefore reducing humidity levels. If set the wrong way, the compressor will only run when AC is needed to reduce cabin temp.
I don't have the exact instructions handy, but it involves a certain sequence of pressing the climate control buttons to reverse the Defog logic.
IMHO, it would have been better if Hyundai reversed the way the LED for the AC worked; have the LED show when the compressor is on in the normal defog logic mode. Their default is to have the light show OFF in that mode even though the compressor is running. If you cannot figure it out, bring your owners guide in to the dealer, and have them set it.
I have a 2011 Sonata GLS with popular equipment package. It was one of the first off the line, bought in May of 2010 (very close to sticker price, ). Now has about 35k miles on it so well within warranty still. My first Hyundai. I've had Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen and Chrysler (!) before, never a new car this bad. I have had a ton of problems with it and I now think it is a lemon and am not sure I can rely on it. I would like some feedback on:
A) should I change it right away,
is this experience typical for Hyundai.
Problems:
1) Steering recall and other recalls from first models.
2) Pathetic horn (moped horn?) eventually stopped working altogether. Fixed under warranty with better horn but not before an eighteen wheeler nearly crushed me while I was frantically banging on the horn.
3) Uneven tread wear means nasty Kumho tires are very very loud, adding to already high noise level on freeway. Probably toe-in problem but dealer won't fix. Dealer blamed dealer in previous state for not rotating tires on schedule (I am sure this was done). Now ready for new tires, but I don't want to invest in Michelins as I am not expecting to keep the car much longer.
4) Carpet in drivers footwell (in front of floor mat) has hole worn in it already. Not fixed.
5) Underneath engine cover fell off in parking lot. Probably stupid dealership did not reattach correctly, but could be symptom of another problem (why was it unbolted in first place?).
6) Brake sensor faulty and replaced under warranty (was causing activation of traction control along with other problems).
7) Concerned about bearing noise hidden by tire noise - sounds like rear bearing is going and that wheel hub is noticeably rusty.
8) As with other early models, lower Fed crash test ratings.
So, bad experience with both the car and with two separate Hyundai dealerships. If other people's Hyundais are better, maybe I would trade for a newer one, but this doesn't fix the dealerships. Also, since I bought when they were brand new the best deal I could get was about $500 off sticker - I paid about $23k - so I have lost about $10k on the car now if I trade it. It would have been cheaper to lease a Mercedes, and I would have enjoyed driving it a lot more!
If the car is only worth $13k now, would this drop a lot more the minute the 5 / 60 warranty expires?
Let me know what you think.
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Next problem the car would not start. You could get in it and drive to the store, when you came out and tried to start it you would have to stomp the brake several times then it would finally start. Took it to the dealer and they said nothing wrong with it. After this happened several times and then left my wife stranded at night we traded the car in a bought a Nissan. No more Hyundai cars for us.
What is really amazing about that is Nissan is recalling cars they haven't even made yet!
The first Hyundai I owned was a 2001 Elantra, one of the first 1000 or so of that new design to reach the USA. Before I could even drive it off the lot, I was told it had an airbag wiring issue that had to be fixed under a recall, and it was. Then after owning it awhile I noticed a squeak when I depressed the clutch. Kinda annoying to say the least. I took it into the dealer and they "fixed it"... found out later they only put some lube on it. So a few months later it started squeaking again. Took it back again. Told them lubing it didn't work... told them what I'd found on a web site about a seal needing to be replaced. So they just lubed it again. A few months later, it started squeaking again. Took it back and DEMANDED they replace the seals. They did. Problem solved.
So it was a nuisance, but otherwise it was a great car for its time, and I reluctantly sold it in 2006 to my sister. She still drives it. It's needed some fix-up (12 years old) but nothing major has broken on it in all that time. And this was a car designed in the late 1990s, before Hyundai's big push on quality.
That was one experience that taught me not to give up on a car too soon.
Oh btw, I just leased a 2013 Sonata to replace my wife's 2007 Sonata.
I am having major issues with tire wear as well as other people are. Tires keep cupping/feathering even with repeated wheel alignments, rotations, and balancing. New set of tires are cupping with only 3,013 miles on them.
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Not happy.
I have a 2011 Sonata GLS leased in April 2010 (mfg date March 2010) with low miles. I was considering buying it after the lease is up but decided to trade/turn-it-in after reading about many quality issues that arise after substantial time/miles on the car. While i agree about the style and power, i don't want to get stuck with paying for quality issues after the warranty runs out. FWIW, my salesperson did provide me with a list of "exclusions" for the warranty at the time of purchase so i knew the 10year/100k mile warranty wasn't as comprehensive as the marketing suggests (for the most part). Luckily i've had only two recall items (both software) and two minor issues (power window switch, burned out interior bulbs) to date. i hope that hyundai steps up and takes care of your headlight issue - i can't believe they wouldn't cover it. I'd call the national help line and file a complaint to get a case Number. GL.
Some dealers are better than others re repairing a car under warranty. My dealer has been really good about it over the years with multiple Hyundais. The only claim they denied was when a clutch failed on my 2001 Elantra, they said they took it apart and said it had been "abused". I thought they were telling me one until I checked with the main driver of the car, my oldest son, and he admitted he had in fact "abused" the clutch many times. Also my wife (3rd driver of the car) admitted abusing it too. :sick:
Cheers.
Wow, what did the wife and son admit to doing?
The last such hard shift my son did actually broke the clutch pressure plate. It was the last such shift because after the car was repaired, I took the car back from him and instead let him use the 2000 626 I had purchased used for myself... had an automatic. Then not long after sold the Elantra to my sister... who still has it.
This is my third seat including the factory --- and it is warranty ---Hyundai Corp -- tells
me me tough luck --- I am a valued customer but they are not going to replace it---no ifs ands or buts. If thy make a defective part they replace it once(most likely with an identical defective part)
then it is the dealers discretion--- eat the part cost or tell you --you are a valued customer- but they dont care if they sell you a car with defectice seats by the way on the third seat and it needs replaced again at 17,000 miles!
I believe the fuel pump is mounted to the gas tank. I will try to remember to ask my dealer about it when I go in next time. I would contact
Hyundai Customer Service to make sure it isn't covered.
What I find interesting is that Rock Auto dot com sells 2 different fuel pumps for the 2.4L 2011 Sonata. One for $270 the other for $620. However for the 2.4L 2012 Sonata the only fuel pump they sell is the $620 pump. Same car, same engine. Makes no sense unless Hyundai switched fuel pump specs in 2012+ Sonatas and the $270 pump will not work. The fuel pump for this car is comprised of several pieces, which makes it more expensive. Pump, strainer, sending unit, gasket, etc.
Unfortunately as cars get more miles on them, regardless of actual age, they require more maintenance and there is a greater probability of some sort of component failure. Some repairs will be cheap, some repairs will be expensive.
One has to wonder in this situation, since the failure is only 6,000 miles out of the B2B warranty, if the dealer should try to get Hyundai to approve a goodwill repair. If the original owner has had all service done consistently at the dealer and has kept up with all scheduled maintenance, repairing this as a goodwill repair would go a long way toward keeping the customer happy and keeping them as a long-term Hyundai customer.
I have a 2012 Sonata GLS. Mileage a 70600. Automatic. I drive a lot due to my job. One morning, the car would not start. The starter worked fine; it sounded like no fuel was getting into the engine. First took it to my mechanic. Scan showed "low fuel pressure in common fuel rail".
He recommended taking it to dealer for warranty work. First Hyundai dealer's service dept was so busy, they said it would be 45 minutes before they can even sign me in. So took it to a second dealer. Diagnosis cost $50, and the problem is bad fuel pump, according to them. No, it is not covered under warranty. Cost $860 or so. Bad fuel pump at 70K? I take care not to drive with fuel tank level below 1/2 mark. I am not sure what the 10 yr/100K miles warranty is all about.
It sounds like a lot of hot air to me.
I purchased my first Sonata July 4, 2012 it was the new 2013 within the month my seats would heat up without pressing the switches. You could not turn them off and after repeated service calls they could not fix the problem. They tried to imply that it was all in my head, no one else had a problem with hearted seats they told me over and over, well I had the problem. In February I took it in again they could not fix the problem. I told them I wanted them to switch out the car this is where they took advantage of my complaints of the car. I lost everything I put down on the first car, then the loan for the new car they placed me in was a " Smart Loan" it is the worst of worst of loans. Then within the month the seats started heating up. I took it in again and again they could not fix it yet at one time the service adviser told me the seats heat up to 100 degrees he used a infrared red gun which measure the heat. I have had enough, now my Bluetooth is having the 15 minute problem, with volume too low. My radio is not working correctly. I am told they can only fix the problems if Korea approves it. I feel this is the worst customer service anyone can receive.
When the second car stated heating up I asked several people to drive my new car yet I did not tell them what was the problem with the car. I then ask them to write a letter about their experience of driving my car. Three felt the seats heating up yet only two wrote a letter.
I have found another customer with the same problem on Hyundai think tank. He tried to a year at the time of his posting.