Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

dglozman · August 2003

Does emissions package reqire only for Hyundai? When I bought Honda CR-V last year this was never mentioned...

mike91326 · August 2003

New York and 8 or 9 other northeast states adopted Californias emissions standards about a year ago.

jlflemmons · August 2003

If it is required for one model/brand it is required for all. I am sure if you check closely you will find that your Honda has the same emissions requirement.

Jim

lngtonge18 · August 2003

Hyundai is one of the companies that charges extra money for the higher emissions regulations in states like New York. That way, those who don't live in those states aren't charged money for something they don't need. Honda just rolls the extra cost into all their cars as part of the MSRP, in order to make things simpler (plus, Honda has always been at the forefront of emissions reduction). I prefer Hyundai's way since I live in Florida and don't need to spend the extra money for regulations that don't exist.

mxyzptlk · August 2003

Hi,

I'm going to be pruchasing my first car soon and needed some opinions. I decided to get a used car and I'm trying to decide between a Sentra GXE, Protege, and Hyundai Elantra. Just wanted to get some opinions and suggestions on my choices.

csandste · August 2003

but if you're buying used you may still find that it's considerably cheaper than a Japanese car--which is good for you. I recently found a last gen Elantra wagon on sale for a very good price. Although not as large as the present car it was still very pleasant. In the past Hyundai was considered a trash car, given by parents to their goofy sixteen year old kids who drove the hell of them and never changed the oil. That accounts for a fair amount of the Hyundai questionable reliability. Because of this, I would have any Hyundai (especially Elantras and Accents) more than a few years old checked very carefully for abuse.

fushigi · August 2003

Also note that the 10/100 warranty is for the original buyer only. The warranty portion that is transferable is considerably shorter.

backy · August 2003

than either the Sentra's or Protege's bumper-to-bumper warranties.

intrepidspirit · August 2003

to family members...

backy · August 2003

the powertrain warranty is transferrable to family members? The full warranty (5/60,000) is transferrable to anyone.

intrepidspirit · August 2003

the full original (100,000 mile powertrain + 5/60 bumper to bumper) warranty is transferable to all family members. I don't know how far removed that goes (cousins, nephews, etc.) but definitely children, parents, siblings, etc.

vocus · August 2003

I think it's only immediate family. I know this is the way VW's warranty was when they had the 10/100 deal.

frankenstein1 · August 2003

last year i bought a 98 hyundai elantra wagon. i also bought an extended warranty from warranty gold (whose contract is now WORTHLESS). on some of the boards it was suggested that i purchase a factory warranty instead of a third party extended service contract (i've already been burned once!!), but as the owner of a PRE-OWNED hyundai, can i buy one? where? how?

backy · August 2003

I don't know that you can buy a Hyundai extended warranty for a car that's nearly six years old, but your local Hyundai dealer could tell you for sure. When I bought my '01 Elantra, I was told I had until it was one year old or had 12,000 miles to get a Hyundai extended warranty. I passed. At this point, your best insurance may be to take the money you'd spend on a warranty and sock it away someplace in case a major repair is needed, and be sure you treat your car right, perform all recommended maintenance etc.

intrepidspirit · August 2003

I don't know how far down the line they go on family transfers. I transferred a 2001 Elantra to my married daughter (different name) and a 2003 Sonata to my step-son and both retain full factory warranty...

scottdude · August 2003

1. How is the automatic transmission in the GT? Smooth?

2. Anyone know if GT's are available from any rental car company?

backy · August 2003

I've seen GTs at Hertz at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, but it was awhile ago. Some Hertz locations have quite a few Hyundais in their fleets, so you could call around.

frankenstein1 · August 2003

i have been experiencing that gear search between 2 and 3rd gears, but i noticed that when i flick the switch on the shifting console marked "ECT" (sp?), everything is smooth. what do those letters stand for and why does it make my transmission shift better?

jimbeaumi · August 2003

... spotted at my dealer this evening. In addition to Sea Shell (a light green), there is now Tidal Wave, which is a very bright blue.

Still going strong after rolling 33K miles returning from Chicago. Seems like I always roll each 1K mark coming home from there. Incidentally, this car seems to smooth out once I pass 90, and was still smooth to 105. Don't tell.

backy · August 2003

Were these 2004 units you saw? What was the styling like? Did you check out the feature content, e.g. engine upgrades, interior changes?

jimbeaumi · August 2003

These were 2003s; the 2004s are not on the lots yet.

pzev · August 2003

It seems to have quite a few changes. I like the new look also. Not sure how much of this will make it to North America, but here are some of the changes.

Engine:

- VVT added
- Improved performance and fuel mileage, less emissions

Exterior:

- Slightly different front and rear styling
- Chrome door handles and chrome accent strip on side moldings
- New base and alloy wheels
- New rear spoiler
- Solar glass

Interior:

- New upholstery patterns
- New gauge cluster
- Chrome interior door handles

Equipment:

- Rain-sensing wipers
- Automatic lighting system (automatic headlights?)
- Anti-icing heating elements on lower windshield to keep wipers from freezing up
- Single touch up-down power driver side window
- Brake assist packaged with ABS

New colors:

Exciting Blue, Gold Saver, New Silver, Amabile Rose, Silver Sage, Lime Green, Triton Green, and Dark Navy Blue

drmp · August 2003

Anybody has similar experience? What was the fix? How much? Please respond. Thanks

backy · August 2003

There are many causes for this. Mine ('01 GLS) has come on twice. Once it was because my wife didn't tighten the gas cap the necessary 3 clicks. It turned off by itself after a few days of driving. The second time, it was the rear O2 sensor. Driveability wasn't obviously affected, but the sensor was shot. So if you can't notice any difference in driveability, the cause may be one of these two things, but there's other reasons too. Did you fill the tank recently? If so, you might retighten the gas cap and wait a couple of days to see if the light turns off.

intrepidspirit · August 2003

AS backy says there are potentially many causes, the most common being the gas cap issue. Most of the others are related to the catalytic converter and emission monitoring systems. Occasionally, the light may go one shortly before a main computer failure requiring replacement.

If tightening the gas cap doesn't cause the light to go out within a couple of days, it may be still ok but may need resetting to get the light to stay off.

Are you still under warranty? If so, this should be covered.

csandste · August 2003

On-- steady--- no big deal. A gas cap tightening malfunction will usually self-correct after a number of operational cycles.

On--blinking-- big deal. Shut the car down immediately.

jimbeaumi · September 2003

I just heard on NPR that Finnbarr O'Neill will be leaving Hyundai USA to join Mitsubishi. I hope the next CEO will be as interested in maintaining Hyundai's successes as O'Neill has in the past eighteen years.

frankenstein1 · September 2003

where can i buy atf for my elantra online? is it possible?

jxs81 · September 2003

Today I accidently drove my 2001 Elantra into deep water(too much rain recently). It's a part of the road I drove everyday, and I didn't think the water was deep. But before I knew it, water went a little bit over the front end of the hood already. Once I got out of the water, I heard some buzzing sound from the front of the car. It disappeared, but only to reappear when I arrived home(about 2 miles away). I looked at the air filter, it appeared to be dry, and there is no water in the box holding the filter. Can anyone tell me how I can make sure there is no damage done to my beloved Elantra? I begin to worry now. Thank you very much!

Jeff

backy · September 2003

If it were my car I'd take it to a mechanic (NOT a Hyundai dealer) for a thorough check-up. The reason I wouldn't take it to a Hyundai dealer is then there would be a notation on the car's service record that it had been driven through deep water--no telling what that would do for future warranty claims.

If the water did go over the front of the hood, it's very possible it came in contact with parts of the electrical system. Could explain the buzzing sound.

jxs81 · September 2003

Thank you, backy. I will do it ASAP. Before then, I will let it dry up.

Jeff

brentcadle · September 2003

(Not Really) As far as gas caps go, in NJ all stations are full-service, so my wife's on vacation and gets gas. Soon after the engine light comes on. Via phone, I told her to tighten the gas cap and then disconnect the battery for a second. This re sets the light and everything was fine. If the light comes back on soon after then you know you may have a more serious issue then just a loose cap.

woxof38 · September 2003

I bought a 1998 Elantra in December 2002, with 28,000 KM. (1.8L engine with a manual transmission)
Mileage now is 77906 KM
My driving is 99 percent highway. I drive 300 KM per day. I'm a conservative driver 105-110kph on the highway.
I have driven 49,002 KM from December 11/02 - August 28/03
From January - March (temps -30 to -10 Celsius) = 7.283 L/100KM
From June - August (temps 10 to 30 Celsius) 6.527 L/100KM

BTW I found a good personal site for conversions,
http://www.euronet.nl/users/grantm/frans/fuel.html

In my opinion, there is a small gain during the warmer months.
I have installed a K&K filter. I like the filter, but don't know if that has made a difference.
The only cost so far has been to replace the right front wheel bearing. Cost $220.00 cad.
Other than that, only schedule maintenance.

I added a cruise control after I bought the car, and have to take it in for warranty work.
Overall impression....It is a solid little car. I am 6 ft tall, and my only
major beef is I wish the tilt steering would go up another inch.
The sun visor doesn't help much either as it blocks my view of road when down (I sit too high)
Air conditioning is more than adequate.
The volume on the radio does not work right away in the cold months. Car has to warm up inside for it to work. No big deal.
The brakes have been making noise that last two months though. They stop for a day or two after I wash the car, but it starts up again right away. They squeak when you go low speeds, even when you don't press the brakes. A TSB states it happens during the warmer months.
I will wait and see this winter if this is true.

We'll keep you informed next year on the cost of the car. So far so good.
Pictures of car at www.plews.ca

lady9 · September 2003

I am interested in reading your opinions on buying a new 2003 El antra GSL. the fact that it received a rating of "Poor" in the offset crash test concerns me. It also has received a rating of only "average" for reliability. What does attract me is the price and standard equipment, as well as the warranties. I am also considering a Honda Civic EX, Mazda Protoge5, Toyota Corolla Le. Right now, I am driving a 1994 Acura Integra which drives like a dream. However, it has 92,000 miles on it. Also, since it is a sport model, I can fit only 2 in the rear, and I need more room in the back at this point. I welcome any input.

backy · September 2003

If the "poor" IIHS offset crash test results and reliability rating of the Elantra concern you so much, my advice is to get the Civic EX. Then you won't constantly second-guess yourself. Since you like your Integra, you'll probably like the driving feel of the Civic more than the Elantra (you can verify that with a test drive). Be aware, however, that the reliability record of the current-generation Civic hasn't been stellar, either. It started out as just "average" (e.g. there were 3 recalls in the first year and other growing pains, see the Honda Civic board for details) but seems to have improved a bit since then. The IIHS frontal offset crash test results on the Civic are much better, of course. FWIW, the IIHS is conducting side impact crash tests now, which are more severe than the ones done by the NHTSA. They favor cars with side air bags. I don't think small cars have been tested yet. If you get the Civic, Pro5, or Corolla you should get the SAB option for optimal safety. As for warranty, you can always get an extended warranty on the Civic. In fact, you might look around for a slightly-used "certified" Civic, which has a long-term warranty.

The Corolla and Pro5 are good cars too. The Corolla has a different driving feel than the Civic, and for some people (like me) the driving position of the Corolla is uncomfortable, so be sure to take a long test drive before you buy. The Pro5 is an older design and the crash test ratings are OK but not tops in class like the Civic and Corolla; reliability is good however. The Pro5's handling is closer to that of the Integra (and Civic) than is the Corolla's or Elantra's. Bear in mind the Pro5 is being replaced in a few weeks by the new Mazda3.

Since you are interested in the Pro5, you should check out the Elantra GT hatchback, which has similar utility and a lot of features for the price--leather, 4 wheel discs, upgraded sound system, alloys, sport suspension etc. but still costs less than the Civic EX or Corolla.

Be sure to read the details of the IIHS crash test before deciding against the Elantra. The Elantra demonstrated excellent structural integrity. The reaons for the poor result were 1) late-deploying airbag on 2 of 3 tries, and 2) driver's seat that moved forward a few inches on its track. Hyundai has studied the airbag result and believes it to be an anomoly--they can't find any design flaw or parts defect to explain it. That's what an HMA representative told me when I asked them about it. The seat rails have been redesigned (stengthened and lengthened), but I'm not certain that they have been applied to the '03 U.S. models. As for reliability, CR's statistics show that the reliability of the Elantra and of Hyundais overall has been steadily improving in the past few years. There are some Hyundais (Sonata, Santa Fe) that are "above average" now. So it's possible the reliability of the '03 Elantra is pretty close to that of the Civic now. You may have read the C/D review of small cars last year, in which the Elantra GLS took a close second to the Protege and the Civic LX was fifth. The editors blasted Honda for the quality of the fit and finish of the Civic and summed it up as "a loser." Edumunds.com recently did a small-car comparo and the Elantra GLS came in second again, one point behind the Civic EX. They did a long-term test of the '01 Elantra and had a very positive experience.

Anyway this is getting too long, but I suspect that with your positive Acura/Honda experience (translating into brand loyalty) and your emphasis on the IIHS offset crash test and reliability, you would be happier with the Civic EX. I'm a two-time (satisfied) Civic owner myself, and my second choice back in the fall of '00 was the Civic EX. I think I made the right choice back then, but today, with the improvements Honda has made in the Civic over the last four years and the availability of substantial discounts on the Civic now (but not back in 10/00), who knows, I might make a different decision today.

P.S. You might want to post your question in the Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra board, as that would be an ideal forum for discussions like this.

jimbeaumi · September 2003

I was going to post this and brag anyway, so here goes.

My 2001 GLS rolled 34,000 miles a day or so ago (not returning from a trip to Chicago, as usually happens on the thousand-mile marks). As I have posted several times before, this car has been wonderful: comfortable, roomy, quiet, very reliable.

I knew the day I bought it that it was not just very inexpensive but a remarkable value. Many useful amenities and features abound, some of which were not offered in other little cars (side airbags, for example).

Lady9, I also had concerns about reliability, but those were addressed by the good warranty and also by all of the reading I had done. At that time, there was very little reliabilty data but I could tell that the company was trying very hard to improve their products. In my opinion, Hyundai had large reputation obstacles to overcome, and they have worked very hard to do so. That impresses me, and I was very skeptical before adding this car to my list of choices.

So now I have proof that their efforts paid off, because I have a very good car that does not get babied on the road (but is very well-taken care of when maintaining it), and can take what I give it. An "average" reliability rating (I am guessing you have read Consumer Reports) is good, since it is the average of ALL cars surveyed, and cars have been improving year after year.

Finally, the crash testing. I know about the "poor" rating for this car, due mainly to the movement of the crash dummy within the vehicle. I also know that the tested Elantras were able to maintain the cabin structure well during the crash, as you can see in the pictures on the NHTSA web site. I am a very good and defensive driver, so my concerns may be less than yours, and I truly believe that any crash over the tested 35 mph will result in serious injury in ANY vehicle.

You should strongly consider the Elantra GLS or GT, because you will get more than your money's worth. I have really loved mine after two years.

jimbeaumi · September 2003

And backy sneaks in with a good response to Lady9.

jmess · September 2003

There are supposed to be some changes made to the car (inside and outside) for 04. I would think the offset crash data would be enough of a negative that the changes would address some of the car's weaknesses in the offset test?

jlflemmons · September 2003

The simplest answer to your question; Would I buy another Elantra? Absolutely. It has been far and away the most trouble-free auto I have owned in a long time, and I have owned a lot of brand new cars. What few problems I have had were both minor and dealt with quickly and corrected completely by the dealer.

Jim

backy · September 2003

Yes, one would hope so. But if the airbag deployment was indeed an anomoly as HMA claims, then there's nothing they could do about that. As for the seat movement, as I noted Hyundai did redesign the seat rails awhile back, but the most definitive information I have is that they were used on Korean Elantras (or whatever they are called there), but I have no information as to whether they were applied to U.S.-spec Elantras. The '04 freshening would be a great opportunity to do that, and to get an IIHS retest, wouldn't it? I am also curious as to how the Elantra holds up under the new IIHS side impact tests. It does have standard SABs and a solid structure and did well on the NHTSA tests.

lady9 · September 2003

Thanks for the input regarding my confusion over buying a new car. I appreciate your help. Hopefully, I'll make a decision within 2 weeks. I have added a new model to the "mix" in order to confuse me even more: Toyota Matrix XR.

graphicguy · September 2003

'04 changes to the Elantra are mostly cosmetic. Saw a couple at the dealership where my son bought his '03. Engine has same HP and looks to be the same from the outside. There maybe a few very minor feature changes, but all-in-all, '04s are the same as the '03s aside from looks.

The '03s are such good deals, I don't know if they will continue to be the same price as the '04s.

My son paid $9895 for his GLS 5-speed with floor mats, side airbags, cruise, A/C, power everything. Obviously, if the '04s come in so the dealers can charge near that price, the '04s would be the way to go because of depreciation of '03s vs '04s. If the dealers don't have the manufacturers incentives on the '04s like they do on the '03s, then expect to pay $1.5K-$2K more.

jimbeaumi · September 2003

According to two car mags so far, the Elantra horsepower drops to 132 for the SULEV engine, or it increases to 137 for the ULEV engine. And we are supposed to be getting the VVT in the States in the '04 cars.

tomofportland · September 2003

I'm 6'4, 200 lbs and went from a 1998 Toyota Avalon XLS (BLECH!) to a 2001 Elantra GLS. I have everything but that AT and the ABS and have plenty of room (even with the moonroof). I love this car. At 46k and rollin' along the only thing I have had to worry about is nothing. I use synthetic oil (changed every 5k miles) and just bought my 1st set of tires about 6k miles ago (Les Schwab AquaTreads, very nice!). This car has seen it all and done it all and continues to amaze me every single day. There isn't a thing it can't do. I've owned Hondas, Toyotas and Ford products in the past. I'm a loyal Hyundai owner now and when the day comes to get this one replaced (NO!) I'll be the first one at the Hyundai dealership driving a new one off the lot. In truth I've experienced the brake issue and the hesitation issue with my little guy (Scrappy) and they were both fixed under warranty. The hesitation is still a problem but just keep the pedal down and it'll pass right through it and then really take off.

As for you all experiencing the headlight issue it kind of freaks me out. I blew a bulb at about 25k miles in the left headlight. They put the bulb in at no charge and I was spotting aircraft the next night. I drove back and they did the whole thing over again correctly and it's going strong still. Everything works great and the car is very tight. I moved to CA a few years back and drove that car in searing heat mid-day (101) loaded to the roof with the AC running on level 2, stereo (upgraded) blasting and the cruise control set at 85. He never missed a beat. Went right up the 'Grapevine' with cruise set at 70 AC blowin and up and over we went without dropping 1 mph. Stopped at the top and a guy in a Camry asked me if I was crazy. Said I made it no problem and drove away.

My Toyota ($30k experiment in frustration) was a nightmare. My car prior to that was a 96 Civic which wasn't nearly as comfortable, quiet, fast or fun to drive as my Elantra. Trust me, I feel very safe in this car and I drive comparitively fast and to some very fast. My thinking is this, I'm going to live if I hit someone because the car is built very well and the safety systems in place are designed to work together.

Okay, this is getting long. Sorry. I can't say enough good things about this car. I've owned 12 cars in 22 yrs and have to say that this is one I will be hard pressed to let go of when the time comes. But be sure that it will be replaced with another one. The best thing about this car is that I paid $11,888 for it and have not regretted it for one minute. 1/3 the price of my Avalon and 3x the fun.

csandste · September 2003

Anyone doubting the durability of Hyundai products should take a look at how my engine is wearing.

Miles on oil 4070, Miles on Engine 48590 (ST filter)

Aluminum 2
Chromium 1
Iron 5
Copper 13
Lead 3
Tin 1
Moly 2
Nickel 0
Manganese 0
Silver 0
Titanium 0
Potassium 0
Boron 3
Silicon 13
Sodium 4
Calcium 1951
Magnesium 6
Phosporous 816
Zinc 934
Barium 1

SUS Visc.@210 f 59.2
Flashpoint 385
Fuel .5
Antifreeze & water 0
Insolubles .5

Blackstone's Comments: Carl: No problems showed up in the initial sample from your Hyundai. All wear read well below averages for this type of engine, which is a very good indication of normal wearing parts. Insulables were fine at .5% showing good oil filtration. No fuel dilution or anti-freeze was found. The TBN read .8, on the low side, but still showing active additive present in the oil. We probably wouldn't go too much longer on this oil, but 4000 miles seems to be a good interval for the way this engine wears. Nice Engine!

kaz6 · September 2003

As my GT approaches the 9k mark, the mileage has improved as well as the smoothness of the engine's power delivery. My mpg has gone up 1 in both city and highway driving. The only problems I've had so far are cosmetic: both front door black trim on frame is starting to peel at the rear base; anchor for seatbelt buckle in back seat broke(this is the plastic clip that keeps buckle off seat cushion); some plastic film has started to creep out from under the rear spoiler(I had this happen on the rt. side now it's the left). The car is great mechanically and I love it for long trips! The leather has broken in nicely.

backy · September 2003

Do you suppose that might be some protective film that they just forgot to remove?

backy · September 2003

I got my first look at the '04 today, a red/grey GLS automatic base model Enterprise rental in a parking lot. The most prominent change is the new bumper, grille, and headlights. It is the black grille with horizontal bars and a chrome strip across the top that we saw in the pics from the UK. Very sharp! Also the new headlight clusters with grey surrounds and projector-style turn signals look good. The new wheel covers are a little racier looking than the old ones, with a swept-back look to the spokes, but they do leave a lot of the wheel exposed. The side trim strips have a detail line on them. And of course there's the circular pattern in the tailights that had been noted before. The red color looked a little lighter to me than did the old red color--looked very sharp to me (but I like medium red cars).

Inside, there's lots of little improvements but basically it's the same interior. The seat cloth has an embossed pattern to it and looks a little richer than the old cloth (also looks more "Buick" to me). The instrument cluster is new and has a 3-D look to it, with the dials raised a bit--looks more upscale. As do the new HVAC controls--big round knobs, should be easy to grab. The center vents get shutoff switches. The "H" on the steering wheel is highlighted in silver. It looked like there were two 12-volt power points: the cigarette lighter and another power point right below it. The ash tray said "Push" on it, so it's probably damped.

Coincidently I happened to see Motor Trend's 2004 preview mag today. They said the Elantra loses HP, which isn't exactly right. The SULEV engine option does lose 3 ponies, to 132, but the ULEV engine gains 3 horses to 138. And the EPA highway rating has gone up one, to 34. So not the big power increase we hoped for with the VVT engine, but lower emissions and higher mpg with a slight increase in power for most people is all good.

All in all, I don't think these changes will make a current '01-'03 Elantra owner want to run right out and buy a new one (at least not me), but it should be enough to keep the Elantra competitive with other compacts until its next redesign.

jimbeaumi · September 2003

Red with a grey interior instead of beige? That's a change, but I am curious if the grey is lighter than the current charcoal-dark interior. Mazda Protege has a shade of grey I prefer (which is why I bought my GLS with a beige interior). I like a brighter interior, esp. after my previous car's very dark grey.

backy · September 2003

It was a medium grey color. I couldn't compare it directly to the old grey color because I have the tan interior, but it didn't look real dark to me, and the seat fabric color seemed a tad lighter than the current grey fabric. Another reason the interior looks lighter is I think the plastic surrounding the gauges and HVAC vents/controls is a little lighter silvery grey color than in the '01-'03 models. I thought the medium red paint and the grey interior was a sharp combination. Now I'm wondering what the new tan interior looks like, also if they have added a tan leather interior for '04.

Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

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