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Hyundai Azera 2009

24

Comments

  • snaglepussnaglepus Member Posts: 160
    :)

    We believe that this issue has been corrected starting with the late
    2008 models which were produced beginning 10/20/07 and later.
    Any changes were to the shocks only, and nothing else. Both front
    and rear shocks were changed to numbers ending in 640.

    A few of us have changed the front shocks to these latest parts, and that change
    has made a big difference. One person even changed the rear shocks also.

    One person who had changed his front shocks believed that the front springs needed
    to be made stiffer and I thought about doing this also until I got the new shocks,
    but have since decided not to do so because ours would then ride too stiffly. :surprise:

    Hyundai has definitively made a big difference with these new shocks.
    Not only are they better programmed, but we think that the newer shocks will hold up
    better in the long run, something that some of the older shocks were not doing.
    In many cases with cars produced prior to 10/20/07, the original shocks plus the TSB replacement
    shocks have failed in as little as 5,000 miles or in some cases even sooner
    .

    That is why a few of us have changed to the later parts.
    No one I know of has experinced any problems with these latest parts.

    Write to me privately if you need more information and I will explain further. ;)

    :D

    Delfin
  • cbar34cbar34 Member Posts: 9
    With all the posts on suspension problems with the Azera, I am pleased to hear that Hyundai has apparently (and finally) corrected this situation, starting with the late '08 models and continuing into the 09's. Does this mean that the soft handling has been stiffened up to the point where the ride is now a little more on the sport side than prior to this change, or is this just elimating the clunking problem.

    Can you pls elaborate in more detail on this issue. I have been seriously considering buying an Azera but have been turned off by the suspension problems. Everything else about the car appears to be first rate except for this.

    I'm posting this message rather than writing to you privately since I'm sure there are others others out there who would like additional info
    on this "fix". Does anyone else have a comment on this apparent fix on the Azera suspension problem? This could help Hyundai sell more Azeras. A pretty sharp car otherwise.

    Thanks, cbar34
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Actually, it would be great if budh would ask any other questions here and you respond to them here. Since this is an online community, we all benefit from the open exchange of information. Taking the conversation offline deprives present and future readers of very helpful information. Thanks!
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Any idea which model year will be the next major revision to the Azera?
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    I have been seriously considering buying an Azera but have been turned off by the suspension problems.

    There are undoubtably a few people who have experienced some front suspension problems, but IMO, the vast majority of Azera owners ( myself included ) are quite satisfied with the suspension. The springs are soft for a smooth ride, so it doesn't handle like a sports sedan - if you want crisp handling look elsewhere. Try to ignore your preconception of " suspension problems ", and take it, along with any other cars on your list, for a long test drive on roads you frequently travel. You may be surprised.
  • tonycdtonycd Member Posts: 223
    Not for at least another 2-1/2 years. It's also still an open question whether the Azera will survive longer-term in this market at all, though it appears destined to remain alive here for at least another year.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I don't know Tonycd, with the sheet metal still being the same going into the 4th model year, it could be coming a little sooner. It would fit with the Hyundai trend. The Sonata was changed in 02, then in '06 and then the '09. With the Sonata looking more like the Azera now, I wouldn't be surprised if the 2010 Azera was the one that got the refresh.

    I know this is off topic, but has anyone seen the new Mazda 6? Slick lookin ride!!!
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    I am very pleased with my car except for the wallowing (new 640 shocks on order). Try and find one with a few miles on it and test drive it. Rental cars? Look for roads with dips or rises, railroad tracks, manhole covers, etc. This is where the wallow shows up - may not be a problem anymore. However, Car and Driver noted damper/spring concerns on the Genesis on their backroads drive.
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    For those dealing with snow and ice during the winter, how are the original tires that come with the 2009 Azera Limited? And what are good all season replacements that would perform well in the snow? (I do much driving in southwest Michigan early in the morning before the winter roads are plowed.)

    Bud H
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    If the 2009 has the same tires as my 2006 Azera, Michelin Energy MXV, you may not be satisfied with their winter performance.

    We live in SE Michigan ( certainly get less snow than you ), and after the first winter on the original tires, which we found to be a bit squirrelly in the snow, replaced them with winter tires - Michelin Alpin. The winter tires are almost as quiet, and ride a bit stiffer, but the confidence they provide on snow and ice is very much worth the tradeoff for us.

    We have chrome wheels with the stock tires for summer, and put the Alpins on the stock wheels for winter. This allows us to save on mount/dismount costs twice a year since Discount Tire, where we bought the Alpins, does it for free. We rotate when the tires are changed for winter and summer, so we never pay for rotation either. The winter tires are cheaper than the stock Michelins, so we have also extended the time before the more more expensive stock tires need replacement.

    The only rub with this methodology is that you have to keep the car long enough to justify the cost. If you're going to get rid of the car after a couple years, the stock tires will probably be adequate, but definitely not as safe.
  • tonycdtonycd Member Posts: 223
    True, Allmet. My answer is based in part on a bit of extrapolation.

    James Mateja, the generally worthless auto writer of the Chicago Tribune, usually regurgitates whole what the manufacturers' flacks tell him. (It takes less effort than actual research does.) Here's what he "reported" as an afterthought tacked onto the end of a Hyundai Genesis "review":

    "Deitz said Genesis will be joined by an '09 Elantra Touring (wagon) in the first quarter of next year, the '10 Genesis coupe in the spring, an new crossover in the fourth quarter of next year, a new more crossover like Tucson for '10, the next-generation Sonata in the second quarter of '10 as an '11 and the next-generation Accent in early '11 as a '12."

    Sounds to me like a comprehensive list of the next couple year's updates. Ain't no Azeras (Azerae?) in there. But you could be right if he left it out just because it's not a major enough revision.
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    In the Sonata forums, there is talk of getting 2009 Sonatas for $1,500 or even $2,000 below invoice, not even counting the $2,000 cash back rebate.

    Seeing that a 2009 Azera Limited with no option package (including destination) invoice price is

    $26,672 + $725 = $27,397

    is it realistic to get a price near $26,000 or possibly even lower?

    Bud H
  • tonycdtonycd Member Posts: 223
    In this economy and with these gas prices, here's what I'd do:

    E-mail every dealer nearby that you'd want to deal with. Tell them exactly what you want on the car, and exactly what that $26,000 includes in terms of title, tax, destination charge, whatever -- with the stipulation that the first one to say Yes gets the sale. I'll bet you somebody bites on it.
  • njalannjalan Member Posts: 70
    "Is it realistic to get a price near $26,000 or possibly even lower?"

    The answer is YES, budh, as proved by my own shopping experience earlier today. I have been absent from the Sonata/Azera forum for 2 months now, mainly because I wanted to convince my wife to take a test drive with the 2009 Azera Limited. Prior to going to Towne Hyundai (North NJ) I had a telephone conversation with the salesman who confirmed the following terms:
    $2300 off the invoice price
    Add registration and processing fee about $450
    Add 7% NJ sales tax
    Less $1000 rebate

    When my wife and I got there (70 miles one way) we were given the deal as promised over the telephone. We did not buy the car right on the spot not because of price dispute but because the bad test driving experience.

    I let my wife test drive the car because I know this car is good from this forum. However, the car (having only 10 miles and arrived just last Saturday afternoon) suddenly failed to go despite my wife depressed the gas pedal to the floor. This almost caused the car behind hitting our car because the slow down was so sudden. Fortunately she managed to drive back to the dealership with the help of the salesman on the passenger seat. The salesman repeatedly said sorry, saying this was the first such incident in his 19 years as salesman with the last 18 years as the nation's top Hyundai salesman. We were offered another Azera to test drive but my wife declined, saying she was scared to death. There was one other Azera Limited with navigation and blue tooth but in black color and my wife does not like the color.

    The salesman wanted badly to sell us an Azera requesting us to wait for a couple of minutes so that their mechanic could find out what's wrong with the new car. We stayed and stayed until we were so hungry that we had to go to the nearby diner to a late lunch (after 3 p.m.). By the time we finished lunch and were ready to leave the diner there was no call from the salesman. So, I called him as a courtesy before going home. He said he just found out the GROUNDED WIRE (???) on the car was bad and needed to be replaced, and it had to be ordered.

    So, that was our shopping experience on the 2009 Azera. To add salt on the wound, the waitress in the diner asked what were we doing and we said car shopping. "Looking for a Honda?", she asked. I said, "Hyundai". She said: "I drive an Acura TL. Don't buy this cheap car." My wife concurred with a big smile. Did anybody out there have the same/similar experience with a brand new Azera before? I still wanted to buy a 2009 Azera if somehow I can convince my wife this was an isolated incident. But she did give me an earful on the long way home. I need your help urgently to save my badly bruised ego.

    This was a beautiful 2009 Azera Limited in beige color with the following items:
    National base price ($28920)
    Navigation ($3000)
    Blue Tooth ($325)
    Carpet ($100)
    Destination ($725)
    For a total MSRP of $33070

    We could have this car for just a little bit over $30,000 OTD, a saving of more than $5,000 over the MSRP. But it was not to be. What a shame!
  • 101649101649 Member Posts: 192
    Waitress must be getting some great tips......
  • tonycdtonycd Member Posts: 223
    Per Consumer Reports, the reliability records of the Azera and the TL are very similar: both slightly above average. Also, the TL has reportedly had an ongoing problem (like its Accord cousin) with a chorus of rattles and squeaks, a problem that doesn't seem to have affected the Azera.

    Not that it'll help you now, but it appears you just were spectacularly unlucky.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I currently own an '06 Azera w/Premium Package. After hearing all the complaints about the suspension issues from folks with later '06 models, '07's and '08's...I wanted to see if they corrected the problems with the '09.

    Now I can't speak in terms of down the road some 5K miles, but the intial ride is significantly different from that of my '06 (which never has had any of the suspension issues folks have mentioned). I drove over pot holes and man hole covers to see what type of feedback came through the steering wheel and it was quite different. It's not bad in my car, but it's much more dampened in the '09. At highway speed, I yanked the steering wheel left and right to make the body roll and it seemed to be better controlled compared to my '06 as well.

    Basically, to sum it up...the '09 seems to have more poise over uneven surfaces and body roll is more controlled compared to the '06 I own. I can't speak how it compares to later models as I've never driven an '07 or '08.

    Just my 2 cents.
  • njalannjalan Member Posts: 70
    I take comfort in knowing that the reliability index of both the Azera and the Acura TL is similar if not identical, and that even a good car like the Acura TL has its own share of problems. Although I never owned a TL, my ownership experience with 3 Acura RL's (currently still own a 2002 RL) can attest that Acura cars are good.

    Does anybody know the problem of a bad GROUNDED WIRE on a new Azera? Is it a serious problem? According to the salesman any new car could have any kind of mechanical problem at any time, and as long as the car was under warranty we had nothing to worry about. Is this a genuine statement or just a sales push? However, he did concede yesterday's car failure during the test drive never happened before him during his 19 years as Hyundai salesman.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Does anybody know the problem of a bad GROUNDED WIRE on a new Azera?

    Haven't heard of this popping up, but it is true any type of failure can happen at any given time. Being told it's covered by warranty isn't a sales pitch...it's the truth. My '06 Azera is 2.5 years old with 57K miles on it and I just had my e-brake cable replaced (snapped) and my passenger seat cushion replaced (faulty airbag sensors)...all under warranty. During the replacement of the seat, the tech scratched my center console, so guess what else is being replaced??? :D After seeing the ticket and looking at the price of that one part ($292), I'm so happy I've got the warranty!!!!
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Typically when I buy a new car, I have a radar detector wired directly to one of the fuses in the nearby fuse box. But does the Azera even have a fuse box in the driver area or are all fuses in the engine compartment?

    If so, how do I tell which wire will be powered from the positive battery terminal only when the ignition is ON?

    Also, will a standard GPS fit into the compartment directly above the ashtray? (Two common dimensions for a Garmin GPS are 3.87” x 2.91” x 0.87” and 4.9" x 3.1" x .7".) Where is a good location for keeping your portable GPS?

    Bud H
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Budh...the fuse box is located on the side of the dash. If you open the driver side front door, there's a panel on the side of the dash. You'll see an opening that you can slide a couple fingers in and pull the panel off.

    Once you see the fuses, they are labled pretty good. Just figure out which components work when the ignition is ON (windows, radio, headlights, seat heaters...).

    A great location for keeping it is in the lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side so you can hide your wires. Of course you've got the more obvious location in the middle of the windshield, but then you'll have wires hanging all in the way.
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Thanks for the information!

    Could you give me a few specifics on how you kept the wire out of sight and how and where specifically you connected in for power to your GPS?

    Bud H
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Bud, I'm not one that has a GPS hooked up in my car, I've only upgraded the sound system, however...you could affix the suction cup base in the lower corner on the driver's side and you could tuck the wire down along the A-Pillar, then slip it in along the dash until you take the wire under the dash. Just one way to do it. Good luck!

    Mike
  • alymacalymac Member Posts: 31
    Have any of you Azera owners lowered your Azera using either lowering springs or
    coilovers.????
    alymac
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I posted on this matter before (just not sure which forum it was in). If you go to Car Domain and do a search of Azeras...there's a guy on there with a blue Azera that lowered his using the coilover set up. There's also a couple of other Azeras on there that lowered them using just the lowering springs.
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Doing some haggling on a 2009 Limited Azera, preferable with no option packages but might go for the Ultimate Package for the right price.

    A quote I received is

    Limited with no option package: $24,733 (MSRP $29,345)
    Limited with Ultimate package: $26,053 (MSRP $30,845)

    It's not appearing they are going to budge much at all on those numbers.

    What are a few "freebies" I might be able to get them to throw in the deal? I was thinking perhaps an extra pair of keys (that cost close to $100 a piece) would be one possiblity. Oil changes for life? (In my case, I live 100 miles from this dealer.)

    I'm open to any suggestions. What might you get a dealer to throw into the deal for free?

    Bud H
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Limited w/no options??? It'll definitely hurt you should you decide you want to trade the car in, however...if you are planning on keeping the car till the wheels fall off, maybe you could try to get him to throw in the extended warranty (taking the bumper to bumper up to 10yr/100K miles and the roadside assistance will be 10 yr/unlimited miles). Normally...that costs an extra $1100. Doubt if he'll bite though.

    Is that particular dealer the only one close to you?
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Im in northern Indiana and the dealer is near Chicago. Not much for inventory close by. The local dealer has the color combination I want but it has the navigation system which I don't want. The Ulitmate package has little of interest if you are the only one driving the car! It's great if there are two of you that take advantage of the power tilt/telescope, power pedals, and memory.

    Likely, I will have to get the Ulitmate package since getting no package will be so difficult to get, especially in a specific color combination.

    Mudguards are another item I just thought of to have installed. I notice, unlike the Sonata, that they are not even an accessory for the Azera (at least officially).

    Bud H
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    Are floor mats and cargo tray included? Those are nice to have.
    BTW, I am the only driver of my 07 with Ultimate Package and you would be surprised how nice it is to have all the features. The memory is good anytime someone else drives the car (dealer, car wash, etc.) and to reset the mirrors if bumped or folded. The adjustable pedals let you decide how far back to sit from the dash/steering wheel, rain sensing wipers are much better than ordinary intermittent and the list goes on. When I was looking in 07, there were no Limiteds without the Ultimate Package.
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    A few questions regarding Azera keys......

    1. If I buy a new 2009 Azera, how many keys will I get from the dealer?

    2. If I get the dealer to throw in some extra keys with the sale, how many keys can you get in total and still have all of them work on starting the car? (Hopefully I could get at least four total keys that start the car.)

    3. Can I assume that they could make even more keys that open the doors but would not start the car beyond those in question 2 above?

    Bud H
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    1. If I buy a new 2009 Azera, how many keys will I get from the dealer?

    2. If I get the dealer to throw in some extra keys with the sale, how many keys can you get in total and still have all of them work on starting the car? (Hopefully I could get at least four total keys that start the car.)

    3. Can I assume that they could make even more keys that open the doors but would not start the car beyond those in question 2 above?


    #1) You should get 3 keys and two key fobs. The 3rd key is a valet key.

    #2) Good luck getting a dealer to "throw" in extra keys on the deal.

    #3) No keys can be made to just open the doors and not start the car. If that's what you're interested in, maybe you need to get a coded starter interrupt installed on the car. That way, a code has to be punched in to start the car.

    Good luck!
  • ptshredderptshredder Member Posts: 3
    Hi,

    I just bought the 2009 Azera and picked up the mud guards 3 days later as I saw road trash/sand/gravel was going to eat up the side of the car. They were very easy to install on the front, just turn the wheel to get the tire out of the way, the rear guards I had to remove the tires to install.
    Love the car by the way, after 6 weeks, most fun car I've had in over 30 years.

    Take care
  • gamlegedgamleged Member Posts: 442
    Enjoy! My bought-new 2006 Limited is about to pass 32,000 miles with no needed warranty work whatsoever and yes, the mud-guards are a very good idea, had 'em on before delivery...
  • budhbudh Member Posts: 109
    Opinions on whether the cargo tray or cargo mat is better in the Azera? They both cost about the same.

    Bud H
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Bud...to be honest, both would be great to have. I've got the traditional cargo mat in my trunk now, but there have been times that I've carried some things that the cargo tray would have been really nice to have to facilitate clean up.
  • gamlegedgamleged Member Posts: 442
    In a post on azeraforum.com a new '09 owner states that his rear speaker housing has been left naked in his trunk and that there's visible bare metal (primed) along the top of the back seat (in the trunk) where I have lining. Is this a one-off problem he has, or are all the '09s "economized" in this way?...
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    That was one area I failed to inspect. I assumed that since mine had the covering, that they would still have it. Sorry! :blush:
  • wobbly_earswobbly_ears Member Posts: 160
    My 07 Azzy Limited came with Cargo Mat. But I went ahead & bought a Cargo Tray. I personally think Cargo Tray is a better option. The reason is that Cargo Tray has 2" raised 'lip' all around which the mat doesn't have. The advantage is that if you spill a liquid in the trunk, the liquid would be sloshing around in the tray area & not touch the walls of the trunk. Then all you do is take out the tray, hose it down & put it back. With just the mat, the bottom of your trunk would be protected but not the walls.

    When I had my old car, I once carried some catered food in the trunk. The gravy spilled from the food container & escaped into the unreachable crevices of the trunk. It smelled takeout food for months as I couldn't clean all of the trunk. The smell used to pervade the cabin & my clothes would smell of Indian food as well!

    Better off with the tray, trust me! And don't carry any food in the trunk if you can't secure it properly!
  • oskidunker1oskidunker1 Member Posts: 213
    Can you post a picture of what the tray looks like?
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I'm really liking the idea of this nifty accessory...

    image

    Azera Folding Cargo Organizer
  • ptshredderptshredder Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I took my daughter, S-I-L and grandson and a trunk full on a 1500 mile round trip from Colorado Springs to northeast Nebraska. On a 350+ mile strech of interstate driving from Brush CO to York, NE I was babying the car along at 65mph using cruise and got 31.3 MPG. So we had a full load but dropped about 4500 ft in elevation in that section so that helps. On the return trip on that same section from York, NE to Brush CO doing 75mph with the cruise control locked in the whole time and with all the climbing it never came out of over drive or shifted down. We managed 27.8 MPG on that section climbing 4500 ft. So if you kind of baby this car, don't get in a hurry you can get some pretty decent mileage contrary to a lot of reports.
    It's a 2009 Limited, Ultimate package, and the NAV upgrade. Just about everything but the blue tooth, even though the sales rep said blue tooth was built into the NAV system, I do not think it is.
    Absolutely completely pleased with the comfort (although I wish the drivers seat could go a little lower to take some pressure off the thighs), and the power and handling for a car like this. Not a race car, but defiantly better handling then others we drove particularly the Avalon which when I started out shopping was what I wanted. But for 9-10K less, it was a no-brainer. I couldn't be happier at this point after 8 weeks.
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    Looks nice, but I got a smaller collapsible one from Target this week-end for $10.
    BTW, doesn't all that weight cut into your MPG?
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I'm sure the weight of my sound system does cut into my fuel economy a lil bit, but not enough to make a significant difference. Overall...it's like an added 100 lbs.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Okay...you want a Genesis, but financially it just doesn't look like the numbers will work for you. Don't fret, I feel your pain. Well...for those that want one, get the next best thing!

    image

    KIA - Azera Genesis Grille
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Jeez, how many times are you going to post this?
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe not everyone subcribes to all the forum postings like you do??? Someone with a 2008 Azera, may just subscribe to the posts that pertain only to the 2008's. I just wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to see it...that's all.

    My apologies if posting it in all Azera related forums harmed you in any way. :P

    Have a happy Thanksgiving, turkey!!!
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Actually, most people do subscribe/track/watch (whatever they're calling it today) all discussions related to a vehicle and/or brand that interests them, so one or two posts are usually enough. The accessories topic covers all model years, by the way.

    You have a happy Thanksgiving, too, turkey!! :shades:
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Thank you Pat! My apologies if anyone's fragile sensibilities were ruffled. I guess I was just a lil over zealous and wanted to share with everyone. If you would be so kind as to go back and delete the extraneous postings and leave the one in the accessories topic, then maybe that'll get the universe back in alignment and bring peace and order to the Azera Forum. :blush:

    You have a happy Thanksgiving as well. ;)
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I think everything's fine, just something to think about for another time, that's all.
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