Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

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Comments

  • browneybrowney Member Posts: 104
    I installed a set of 27 watt halogen driving lights on my Elantra in about 2 hours.
    They are about 3.5in dia., are sold under the name 'Blazer' at Pep Boys for $30.
    All the wiring and a toggle switch come with them.
    It has double-sided tape to mount them or you can drill a hole and they have mounting hardware for that. (I drilled the hole and used the mounting hardware)
    They fit with no problem where the black vents are in the bumper.
    Replacement bulbs are $10. (I just replaced one after 3 months)
    I didn't use the toggle switch in the kit. (Wanted to but the switch was bad)
    I wired the lights to a relay I got out of an ‘automatic off’ headlight kit from K-mart ($10).
    I have the relay control connected to an accessory fuse at the fuse panel inside the car so the driving lights only come on when the ignition is on. The hardest thing to do was to find a way to route the relay control wire through the firewall. If you have never done this kind of thing before I would suggest that you don’t bother or get someone who knows how to do it.
    Good luck
  • tonykrapiltonykrapil Member Posts: 211
    Hello,

    Took my 01 Elantra in today to see whats up with the front end shake. About a month ago, the dealer was able to balance the front tires under warranty. I have some 9800 miles on it now. This did not help maters.

    Because the rear tires were not checked or balanced I took the car to the local BIG-10 tire shop and had them balance all 4 tires on their lifetime rotat/balance plan.

    The shaking was still there at speeds between 62 and 78.

    I took car in today and the mechanic checked all 4 tires and rebalanced them. I told them I just had them all balanced about 2 weeks ago anf they said all 4 of them were way off balance.

    I didnt think this was going to fix the problem.

    On the way home, the car did NOT shake. It was smooth as ice.

    I can believe I cant even get tires balanced accurately from a place that mounts tires all day long.

    I am afraid our hospitals are probably not any better either.

    The machine at BIG-10 was no cheapy....... Auto calibration etc and I still get a loused up balance job.

    Not that I would or could do it any better, but maybe I will get a weekend job at the tire place next time I need a balance job and just do it myself.

    I hope my problem is solved, I am surprised the balancing worked as it seemed soooo major a shake in the front end.

    Good luck to those of you with the shakes too.

    Tony
  • tonyg6tonyg6 Member Posts: 48
    ...as far as the SF...

    I've only had it since February and so far so good with everything. Despite the quirks/problems some folks have encountered I haven't had any. The only thing that did occur was a scraping sound in the front left brake area which was the rotor dust plate [looks like a metal frisbee] periodically touching the brake drum. I just pushed it back a bit and that took care of it.

    I have the 4cyl 5spd 2wd. I have no problem with acceleration, tracking, braking. Aside from it being a 4cyl [150hp] it has plenty of power IMO even with 4 adults.

    As for gas mileage I'm averaging about 26/27mpg highway and 22/23 city [in line with their specs based on my latest trip to PA on a full tank of gas].

    The ride is car-like and holds the turns very nicely. It has a very quite interior even at 80mph with virtually no wind noise. On my last 3hr non stop trip from PA I had no complaints from front/rear passengers which included my wife and kids. All had plenty of room to stretch. The A/C worked fine and even had to keep it towards the middle dial setting because it was too cold if kept all the way towards the cold end.

    Radio reception was also good as we passed thru PA/NJ zones. All in all one great little SUV.

    If you plan on getting the 6cyl AWD. I suggest you test drive it and/or check the SF forum for more details. Others there will give you a better handle on how the 6cyl handles as well as how well the AWD works.

    Good Luck!
  • gnm555gnm555 Member Posts: 5
    My daughter bought a '95 Elantra last week and the radio works fine, but the tape deck doesn't. If you turn the volume all the way up, you can sometimes hear the tape but only very softly. A tape deck cleaner didn't help. Another daughter bought a '98 Accent the same day, and the tape deck in her car doesn't work either. Is this a common problem? Can it be easily (cheaply) fixed? Thanks.
    (I posted a similar meassage in the Accent forum).
  • elantra00elantra00 Member Posts: 225
    No, I would be looking at the one you got. 5spd manual 4 cyclinder. I need a truck, but I have a Jeep Cherokee with a 6 in it, and it uses up far too much gas. I need to down grade the engine since it commutes far. I like the looks of the santa fe in and out, i have yet to drive it yet. Maybe on the 15k service interval, I ll try and do that. That may be next years replacement when I pass the Jeep down
  • aquesadaaquesada Member Posts: 24
    I used to have an Elantra 95 with the same problem,I recommend you send your kids to "best buy" and for $115(installed) they will get a pretty god AM/CM/DC player like Jensen or Audiovox,that's what I did.
  • lelandclelandc Member Posts: 26
    I was wondering if anyone here has bought an Elantra GLS in the metro Detroit, MI area or the Ann Arbor area? If so what kind of price did you get on it?

    Thanks,

    Leland
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    I was forced into a quick purchase when my old Chevy Nova bit the big one. I finally got a grey 5-speed GLS with package 2 for $11,234 (this is metro St. Louis). Like the car a lot, although check engine light came on after 35 miles--gas cap seemed tight although I was able to screw it down further. Have a further detailing session scheduled for Friday of next week so will get it taken care of then if it's still on. Service advisor said to call him on Wednesday if the light was still on. I was hoping for a GT or a Focus ZX-5 but was forced to move before GT's became widely available or the ZX-5 was on the market. The GLS was a couple of thou. less than a comparatively equipped ZX-3 and a better fit for my needs. I'm struck by the immense amount of interior room in a car three inches shorter than my wife's '97 Cavalier.

    St. Louis had a hail storm in April and I took a car with slight (repaired) hail damage over one that had vibration at 65-75 miles per hour. Hope I won't regret that one. Dealer has attached written statement that manufactures warranty on factory finish applies, of course I didn't actually look through all the fine print in the Hyundai contract.
  • ebekinsebekins Member Posts: 21
    I just saw that the 2001 Elantra was put through crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and got a poor rating. Here's the link: http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0103.htm

    Apparently the biggest problem is that the driver's airbag deployed late in the three tests they performed, and that was supposed to have caused significant head injury. However, the cabin area held up well. The tests also showed some leg injuries too.


    This is in contrast to the government's test, by NHTSA, that gave the Elantra 4 of 5 stars. I was thinking maybe we'll be seeing a recall to put in a new airbag sensor that will make it deploy faster? I guess Hyundai will have to decide that. It's kinda sad that the Elantra got a poor grade from IIHS, because they gave the Santa Fe the highest saftey rating for SUV's of it's category.


    I still feel safe in my Hyundai, though. I just have to stay out of accidents! However, this could affect our insurance rates.

  • pearlbluesoulpearlbluesoul Member Posts: 30
    The test results are really worrysome, and its more than just the late-deploying frontal airbag. The driver's seat moved off its latches causing it to move forward. As for the side airbags, they did not even deploy in one of the three tests!

    Since the IIHS tested the vehicle three times, I think the results are probably more accurate than the ones from NHTSA (I know they are not identical tests). Maybe if NHTSA were to retest the Elantra, the results would change also?
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The fact that the side airbag did not deploy in one of the tests is not worrisome at all. In fact, that airbag is NOT designed to deploy in frontal impacts to reduce repair costs. It was an added plus that it deployed in the other 2 tests because it kept the dummy's head from contacting the b-pillar. If you look at other tests of highly rated cars, you would see that those side airbags did not deploy either and allowed the head to contact the b-pillar. Also, the driver's seat latch only failed on one of the cars, so it appears that was anomalous. The only real problem with the crash test was it's late deploying front airbag. Fix that, and the car will either be rated acceptable or good. I'm sure Hyundai will investigate the problem and recall the affected cars, because they have been proud of the fact that their cars have been rated highly recently.
  • gnm555gnm555 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the response. When/if I can sell the other two cars, we'll probably do that.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    The frontal test done by the government is a straight on full front test while the one done by the insurance institute is an offset frontal crash. Hence the differences in the result.
  • ebekinsebekins Member Posts: 21
    I found a site where you can watch a slow motion video of the crash test for the Elantra, as well as many other cars. You can see how the Elantra's front air bag doesn't inflate until the dummy's head has already hit the steering wheel.


    http://www.progressive.com/resource_center/crash_videos.htm


    So cruel to crash a perfectly good brand new Elantra!

  • gallariagallaria Member Posts: 4
    Some Korean press cited Hyundai sources commenting on this particular crash rating of the Elantra 2001 model. Basically their comment was that having seen many positive crash test outcomes from different institutions, they cannot understand or accept these results. They mentioned that the Elantra 2001 got four or five out of five in both frontal and side impact tests by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and got the highest possible rating in the test conducted by an European institution. Also the previous model of the Elantra was rated acceptable by the IIHS, the same institution that conducted this year's test.

    The problem of late airbag deployment, according to the Hyundai sources, never happened in any of the tests conducted by other institutions as well as numerous in-house tests by Hyundai. Although this is not an official statement of the company, I think they will probably come up with one in the near future once they put together all the facts on the table.

    This is my take on the issue. If you look at the slow motion video of the test, the structure of the cage endured the crash exceptionally well. The damage to the interior was minimal. I have seen numerous crash test videos out of my personal interest, and know for a fact that most cars showing this level of performance on the structural damage front would have come out on the top on the rating. Indeed the late airbag deployment had a devastating impact on the overall score. If we took the comments of the Hyundai excs at face value, the airbags of the two cars tested must have been extraordinarily unlucky ones for Hyundai. I do not know whether this was really the case, but I do know they have to work their butt off to figure out what exactly happened and fix this potential problem ASAP.
  • bri70bri70 Member Posts: 147
    How many 2001 Elantra's airbags will deploy late?

    Are the 2001 Elantra's front seat latches defective? Was this a fluke on IIHS test. Why did the side airbag deploy on one crash but not the other?

    While it is true that the structural integrity of the Elantra looks good; the fact remains that the 2001 Elantra did poorly overall in three offset crash tests done by IIHS. That is hard to explain away as a fluke.

    I hope Hyundai releases an explanation and conduct more tests of their own for peace of mind sake.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Was on the phone with a good friend last night during the 11pm news, and he said the Elantra was being voluntarily recalled by Hyundai for air bags that don't deloy in time.
  • pearlbluesoulpearlbluesoul Member Posts: 30
    If the airbags deployed late on two of the three cars they tested, then you have to conclude that this result is statistically significant, and you can expect the same probablility of occurrence with the rest of the '01 Elantra's. The idea that these two defective cars were extraodinarily unlucky dosen't make sense.

    I can't imagine how Hyundai is going to try to explain this one away. The tests by the NHTSA are not as severe as the tests by the IIHS, so its natural to see better crash test results from them.

    Whatever they choose to say, I hope they are up-front about these problems and not try to dodge them like Ford did with the recent tire scandal. If they are honest about it and take care of these issues through a voluntary recall right away I would have a great deal of respect for Hyundai as an automaker. I *might* even consider the Elantra for the next MY (once its re-tested).
  • cjaccettacjaccetta Member Posts: 236
    Poor safety scores will not "directly" affect insurance rates. There may be an indirect effect but it won't be realized for several years.

    In a nutshell: rates are based on actual injury and property losses reported to insurance companies and/or rating organizations (like ISO). These losses are measured in dollar amounts. Once this dollar loss data is collected and organized for a particlar vehicle, that vehicle is assigned a "symbol" (or similar designator) which is then used to rate the vehicile. The "symbol" gives an insurance underwriter a good "snapshot" of the real-world loss experience for that particular car and allows him or her to charge the policyholder accordingly. These symbols are reviewed frequently and can change. And don't forget -- there are two other non-mechanical variables that go into determining a policyholder's final premium: the driver and the garage location. It also takes years for enough data to be collected about a particular vehicle for it to become credible enough for use in rating.

    The NHTSA injury data are not measurable in dollar amounts. In the case of the Hyundai Elantra, the dummy had a "likely" injury to its foot in all three tests. Without knowing how much it will cost to "fix" those injuries and return the dummy's foot to its original condition, it's hard to use that "data" to determine a rate. Ironically, the one test that COULD have an impact on rates is the 5-mph bumper bash test. In that test, results ARE measurable in dollar amounts: the bumper was bashed. Result: it cost $532 to return the bumper to normal conition. Conclusion: we could reasonably expect every bumper on every Elantra to cost about that much to fix.

    Personally, I'd look to the vehicle's overall structure to get an idea of how "safe" it will be. A strong car tends to need fewer repairs after taking a big hit. Fewer repairs result in lower costs insurers. It took ten years of working in the insurance industry for me to figure this out!

    Happy Motoring!
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    As I posted earlier, I was in the market for either a GT or a Focus SX5 and was forced to a GLS when my car gave it up. I still find the car delightful although I would have used the news to try to squeeze a few hundred dollars more out of the dealer had I known about the tests.

    Hyundai should do the voluntary recall for airbag fixes, if they try to stonewall it shows an ignorance of US marketing. All of the Hyundai is junk folks have really gotten back into critical mode in the last day, especially on the GT thread.

    Focus was on my short list despite quite a few different recalls. The Hyundai corrections seem easily fixable: faster airbag deployment and a reinforced latch. That leaves the leg injury question-- even if that's not fixed the Elantra's safety scores should be pretty good. Fixing the structure of the car would be much more difficult, but even the Focus recall for A-pillar modifications didn't really bother me.

    I test drove a Corolla and last generation Civic before I bought this car. Hyundai's charge to the front of the pack in this market segment was clear to me then, and it's still clear now.
  • browneybrowney Member Posts: 104
    vocus, On what channel was the news clip about the voluntary recall?

    ebekins, Thanks for the link showing the videos of the crashes.
    I noticed that there is some buckling of the passenger compartment during the offset crash. This doesn't happen to the Honda Civic tested the same way.

    I have just sent an email to Hyundai.com asking them if they are going to recall the vehicles to repair the airbag switch.

    I personally would not have purchased the elantra based on these new crash results. I gave that more weight than the price or warranty in my car buying decesion.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    A friend of mine was on the phone with me and told me about the recall. It was on a local news channel, but I think they are an NBC affiliate. I haven't read anything about it today though.
  • smiller678smiller678 Member Posts: 64
    Hi Everyone,

    I just wanted to report my first 11500 miles with my 01 Elantra. I bought this car on Oct. 22nd 2000 have 11555 miles. It hasn't ever been back to the dealer since, or any other dealer. This car has been flawless. I haven't had a single problem. I have only changed the oil and oil filters every 3000 to 3500 miles in which I do myself. Anyway, this has been one of the best new car experiences I have had. Only other car that I guess I can compare to is my 94 Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4 which also hasn't had any problems (only 18500 miles). But I wouldn't expect it to have any problems since that car was 43K in 94 or roughly 3 times the price.

    I guess the only thing that worries me somewhat is the recent IIHS crash tests. Hopefully Hyundai will fix the air bag deployment problem.

    Anyway, happy motoring.

    Shawn
  • aquesadaaquesada Member Posts: 24
    He Guys, do not get scared, take a look at the nhtsa web side
    ,our car is not bad at all and remember: it is not a Volvo!!

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap
  • gallariagallaria Member Posts: 4
    Wow, there's been a quite a few posts already during the relatively short period of time since I wrote my last one.

    Just for the record, I am not affiliated with Hyundai in anyway although I happen to speak Korean due to my background and came across the article on one Korean paper yesterday; nor did I try to vindicate Hyundai or stonewall the test results in the least bit. Also, if you paid attention to my original post, you would have noticed my conclusion was not that a fluke caused the late airbag deployment. On the contrary I was trying to point out the oddity of the conclusion if you "took" their comments at face value.

    Nevertheless numerous other facts also remain that other crash test ratings were good (including ones for the previous model year) and the structural integrity of the Elantra in this test was exceptionally good. I do not agree with the opinion that the Elantra fared well in the NHTSA test because it was a less severe one. It is fairly uncommon that the same model fares very well in one and does poor in the other unless there is a very specific factor affecting one of the tests. Usually there is a correlation. Obviously in this case the airbag is the culprit.

    This is my opinion, which happens to be in line with many of yours. The fact that the airbag deployed normally in other tests and didn't in the recent test shows the possibility of defects in the airbag system supplied during a certain period (possibly even now). If this is really happening, then Hyundai should recall every single one of them and replace it immediately. No doubt about it.

    I do not think Hyundai USA is ignorant about how marketing works here. All of their key execs are seasoned Americans and they make their own decisions. They are the ones who comanage the Hyundai studio in California and coordinated design improvements to the prototype of the popular Santa Fe based on a year long US road tests. Those private comments by Korean execs I've seen were apparently for domestic (i.e. Korean) consumption, but I agree it was not appropriate by US standards. Let's see how they are going to react here.
  • frobeyfrobey Member Posts: 17
    Well, I'll do two posts in one.

    Got my new K&N Air filter (Part #33-2201) for my 2001 Elantra and it fits perfectly. Just be prepared for a bit of a struggle to get the cover back on (two slots in the back and a couple snap latches and a 10mm bolt.) I'll post my impressions in a couple weeks.

    BTW, I got my filter from www.4wheelparts.com. Good price ($39 plus shipping) and when the ELantra filter was back-ordered it got shipped directly from K&N for no extra charge.

    I called Hyundai today to ask them what was up with the crash tests and they told me they were looking into all the results and would be coming out with a response. She couldn't tell me in what timeframe they would have a response.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    What gets me is when a car does well in the crash tests, the maker touts the fact, but when a car does badly the maker blames the test.

    Hopefully, Hyundai will not be like this.
  • fangio2fangio2 Member Posts: 214
    trying to sell products want to put a positive spin on their products?Why don't they drop large rocks(at an angle)in the roofs of cars to test roof integrity(the wily coyote vertical offset test).Does your car have a roll bar.How about making NASCAR type harnesses mandatory?I think a disclaimer by auto manufactuers reading-not intended for ramming heavy objects should do it.
    At what point do we stop asking for someoneelse to be responsible for our actions?For instance if I dont want to wear a seat belt why make me?Give us the freedom to be stupid if we wish.That can only strengthen the gene pool.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually there is an equivalent to dropping rocks onto roofs to test roof integrity--the rollover test.

    We all would like the freedom to be stupid if we wish (for example, while posting to this forum). But if we buy a car with a feature that is supposed to work a certain way, say an airbag that is supposed to inflate quickly enough to keep our heads from hitting the steering wheel--we should reasonably expect that it will work as it is supposed to. Ditto with seat belts. Of course, you can choose to leave your seat belts unbuckled and deactivate your car's airbags if you wish, as long as you are willing to deal with the fines for breaking state laws (if they apply).

    I hope Hyundai does not act like DaimlerChrysler on the safety issue. I heard today that they are fixing a defect in the fuel filler pipe of their minivans that can cause a fire. But they're only fixing the 2002 models--no recall for the 400,000 2001 model vans on the road. Reason? Company executives said that the chance of a fire is remote. What they should have said is that their accountants have figured out that the cost of recalling 400,000 minivans is greater than the cost of the lawsuits they may lose from families of the victims of fires caused by the defect. I guess they haven't heard of the Ford Pinto.
  • fangio2fangio2 Member Posts: 214
    is it's not true.
  • bri70bri70 Member Posts: 147
    I admit to having been skeptical about airbags. The latest test on the Elantra gives me pause on my doubts.

    Frankly, I would have thought that the seat belt pretensioners would have stopped the dummy from hitting the steering wheel. In my 2000 Elantra I am unable to move forward any appreciable distance before the seat belt locks up.

    Looking at the 2001 test video; it looks as if the body moved forward, the steering wheel did not move back. Did the seat belt pretensioners fail? I'm assuming the 2001 Elantra has them.
  • tonykrapiltonykrapil Member Posts: 211
    Waiting for your report!!!

    Tony
  • browneybrowney Member Posts: 104
    bri70
    You may be right about the seat belt tensioner.
    I looked closely at the video and the seat belt did move or possibly stretch. Looks like there may be a combination of problems.

    fangio2
    I guess your right that you can't force people not to be stupid. If people don't want to wear seatbelts then they should sign a waiver saying that the insurance company and the state are not responsible for any injuries they sustain in an accident. They have the right to be stupid and the public has a right not to pay for their stupidity.
    The offset crash test is actually a viable real world test. I had a drunk driver lose control of his vehicle and come into my lane causing an accident that was just like the offset test.
    I ended up with a broken nose and stitches in my nose, lip, and eyelid. (and that was with a seatbelt on, no airbag, at about 35mph) My rear seat passenger spent 6 mos in the hospital. (no seatbelt on)
    I personally consider anybody who doesn't wear a seatbelt to be an idiot. (My 21-year-old son, who scored over 1400 on his SATs, included)
    Just goes to prove that you can be very intelligent but have no common sense.
  • pearlbluesoulpearlbluesoul Member Posts: 30
    bri70: The IIHS page which describes the test dosen't seem to mention a problem with the seat-belt pretensioners.

    I'm not sure, but I think the video may be of the second (out of 3) test. It's not the seat-belt failure causing the dummy's forward movement, but the driver's seat actually coming loose of its tracks.

    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0103.htm
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Fangio, how does my posting that I want the car companies to take responsibility for whether or not their cars perform adequately in safety tests translate to the idea that I don't believe in personal responsibility?

    Your conclusion is totally illogical and the most reasonable conclusion is that I believe very strongly in personal (and corporate) responsibility.

    That conclusion would be the correct one.

    If the Echo fares as poorly as the Elantra did in the offset crash test, I will not be blaming the test. I will be blaming Toyota.
  • mpgmanmpgman Member Posts: 723
    Since I already have the Elantra GT and am seriously considering the Echo for car #2, the above is of interest to me. Tests aside, if I owned both and one got into a collision with the other, I think I would fare better in the heavier car (at least 600 pounds heavier I think).
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Fangio, what don't you think is true?

    Many times, corporations weigh the potential costs of a recall against the potential costs of lawsuits and act accordingly.

    Yes, DC did not say that, but I am sure some people at DC are thinking that.

    Hopefully, this same type of thinking is not going on at Hyundai about the Elantra, but I bet it is.
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    It's my understanding that todays seat belts are designed to give a little during a severe accident. allowing the body to gradually slow down rather then stay rigidly in place and allow the head to whip forward. I looked at other car crash videos and their seat belts seem to act the same way. But their air bags deployed correctly so they were protected from the steering wheel
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Everyone, seatbelts are not there to protect you from the steering wheel! They are there to keep you from being thrown from the car. Seat-belt pretensioners will not keep you from hitting the steering wheel either. They are there to take up slack (for those who don't like the seatbelt straining them tightly all the time), but force-limiters (which the Elantra also has) are designed to give a little and allow more forward movement to lessen the liklihood of severe bruises and whiplash. Without an airbag, any person will hit the steering wheel. I have seen the same offset tests of cars in Australia where airbags are optional. In all the non-airbag equipped cars, the dummy's head hit the steering wheel, dash, or door (depending on how well the seatbelt held the dummy), though some harder than others. Airbags were designed to get rid of this risk, and this test proves just how beneficial airbags really are.
  • dplatnycdplatnyc Member Posts: 17
    I just spoke with a dealer in Goshen, New York who said Hyundai has no plans for a recall based on either the side airbag problem or the front seat movement on impact. We might hope it takes fewer fatalities than it took Ford and Firestone to prompt corrective action. While we certainly do not have definite cofirmation, it would be foolhardy for anyone not to consider the possibility of both the probability of harm and the harm which could result.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I think asking or expecting a recall based on a few tests is reaching. Now, if there are many reports of this happening in the real world, a recall is probably in order.

    This failure during the test is more likely a error during manufacturing and not a design flaw.

    And the error may not be that large at all.

    I still think that Hyundai needs to express concern about the results and not try to blame the test itself.
  • adrianandgraceadrianandgrace Member Posts: 1
    Hello, we bought our 2001 elantra about 1 month ago and have 3900 miles on it. It has recently came to my attention after seeing several ugly light yellow streaks running down the car from the gas filler port. It seems that with this very thoughtful and well laid-out car they forgot to put an overflow resovior for the gas. So be careful when filling up at the pump, you might get your shiny new elantra all dirty. By the way has anyone else had this problem, and if so any suggestions on how to get the gas stains off the paint?????
    Thanks
  • elantra00elantra00 Member Posts: 225
    Adrianandgrace....

    Try wax. Apply it to the affected area with a terry cloth and rub it gently in a circular motion. Should come up as you are doing it. If not, let it dry to a haze and then buff it. If not, go to pep boys and see if they have a paint stain remover. But wax should get it up, especially if this occured shortly after you have waxed the car, it will make matters easier.

    My theory on crashtests...

    Crash tests? Call me ignorant, but I totally ignored that when shopping for a car. Well not totally, I checked the standard equipped of every car that I looked at and saw that airbags came standard with every model, so I thought that was good enough. I was more concerned with standard equipment, engine, appearence and ride/comfort. I mean, I came from a 1986 Toyota Corolla that had no airbags, antilock brakes or traction control or any other BS high tech saftey equipment. So anything was an improvement from that. All that safety stuff IMO, is a waste of money. I rather get the rims, CD player, spoiler for $1000 vs. the antilock brakes. I lived without it for the first 3 years of driving...so I dont need it.

    BTW, in the 2000 Elantra, the front got an acceptable rating. Its the people in the backseat who are screwed if they get hit on the side :P As long as Im safe, then people can ride elsewhere, which would be better cause they make a mess in my car when they come anyway!
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    ... about the crash tests and all of the mandatory safety "BS" we have in new cars, but it should be a concern that a safety device might actually harm you instead of help you - that is the potential problem with late deploying airbags.
  • mpgmanmpgman Member Posts: 723
    I suspect that there are a handful of companies that make air bags...maybe less than we think. Sears, for example, doesn't make their appliances. Therefore, I doubt that these air bags are specific only to Hyundai....for all we know they could be in a host of different cars. If they don't do what they should, they could/should be replaced. On the other hand, people have had problems with early deploying air bags which led to other modifications. Can't win either way I guess.....just drive defensively.
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    Reader's Digest says that the leading makers are Breed Technologies and TRW Inc. Not sure who some of the unleading makers are and who makes the Elantra's airbags.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    The late deployment issue could very well be caused by defective sensors that fire the airbags - or it could be neither. Improper design and/or installation might be causing perfectly good components to perform improperly. The only way to fix a problem like this is by doing some careful engineering analysis before you start blaming components - and this could take some time. Give Hyundai a chance to get it right. If they do the right thing and come up with a fix in a timely manner, that would speak volumes about their committment to making a quality product.
  • browneybrowney Member Posts: 104
    To Hyundai.
    The latest crash testing by IIHS has shown that the Elantra has poor overall crash worthiness.
    The main reason for my purchasing the Elantra were the crash test results posted by the NHTSA giving the Elantra 4 to 5 star ratings.
    After comparing the testing by the 2 different organizations it almost looks like the NHTSA tests were done with a hand selected vehicle instead of a standard production vehicle.
    Based on the IIHS results I would not have purchased or even considered the Elantra. I make it a point to only buy vehicles with 4-5 star crash ratings.
    What does Hyundai intend to do about fixing this problem?
    Will there be a recall to fix the slow responding air bag switch?

    Their answer.
    Your questions and concerns are legitimate regarding the crash test results from the IIHS. We do dont dispute the test results but we do want to stress that this is an independent test from an independent agency of which the results are not used to set US government standards. We have received very high crash test ratings from NHTSA, NCAP, EURO NCAP, KARCO, and Hyundai
    Motor Korea , and all performed the same set of tests. We are working with IIHS, studying test results and coming up with solutions they may affect future models if necessary. We will not be issuing a recall because there is no defect in the vehicle itself or in the design of our Airbag Safety Systems. We will gladly answere any other questions you may have regarding this matter and/or provide more detailed test results if you contact our consumer affairs line at 800-633-5151. Thank You
  • bri70bri70 Member Posts: 147
    "We will not be issuing a recall because there is no defect in the vehicle itself or in the design of our Airbag Safety Systems."

    IIHS came out and said that in two of three tests the airbag deployed late. Is Hyundai saying this is was a fluke or that this is normal?
  • bob343bob343 Member Posts: 5
    Since the purchase of my 2000 Elantra GLS, I have not come across any long term road tests reviews (Wish Edmunds would conduct one), and so I thought I share me experiences with my Elantra. To date, I am pretty pleased with my Elantra. I have over 10,000 miles on it and this car continues to perform exceptionally well and remain surprisingly satisfying. As for the particulars, well here is what I have noticed: My gas mileage (for some strange reason I cannot explain), has slightly improved in both highyway and city driving. Build quality continues impress me i.e., solidly built. As to the issue of road manners, my Elantra gets a little jittery over rough roads and a bit lumpy over the bumps but remains fairy stable. Engine noise remains a little pronounced when reving the engine. Engine performance remains impressively quick with plenty of power to spare! (My personal test for engine performance is not how fast a car drives, but whether it can adequetly haul 4 to 5 adults with the air conditioner full blast quitely and smoothly), here the Elantra shines! As for the interior, I discovered that I find it comfortable even after long hours of driving. As for mechanical realiability; I brought my Elantra in for MAF (Mass Air Flow) and Air Flow Hose replacement on two separate occassions (Was out of the dealer in 1 hour), with no subsequent problems. Incidentally, I recently looked at the 2001 Civic and Elantra. The new Elantra is definately improved but I think it lost its sleek edge, seating comfort and some performance (300lbs heavier the the '00 model). As for the Civic, the 2001 is really a very beautiful and well designed car but personally still believe its not worth its ($18,000), sticker price!
    In closing, I still love my Elantra and continue to feel that I made the right choice over the Civic! Well there you have it, my long winded personal 10,000 mile road review.
    Robert MSEd.
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