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Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

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Comments

  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    If you live anywhere that gets cold at night, or soon will, you need to get movin' on it. One good cold night is likely to push it over the edge.

    Yeah, voice of experience here. :sick:
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    You can check - Hyundai dealers are usually pretty nice - but at 70K, and 3 years, your battery has served you well. I'd just go to a national garage, and get their cheapest battery that fits.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    The dealer replaced mine with an Interstate (with a nice little Hyundai sticker on top)
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I went in to get a battery for an Olds one time. Parts store owner asked me how old the Delco was. I told him just over three years and he laughed and said "Hell, son, you got a free year out of that POS!"

    Aftermarket Delco's are FAR superior to the Delco OEM batteries.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Most of the batteries sold in this country are made by Gould anyway - the brand doesn't matter much, and the warranty on them doesn't change the quality of the battery, they're the same battery - but if you pay more for the battery, they'll give you more warranty, and pro-rata adjustment. Just like a garden hose.
  • sintiemposintiempo Member Posts: 4
    I have a 05 Elantra automatic 57500 km. I am not very happy with the dealer, they offer here a number of service packages; for example the service #1 (29.95 CDN)includes oil and filter change and also among other things "check fluid levels"; the first time I took the car for this service, a week later it ran out of windshild washer fluid, I know I can refill that easily myself, but if I paid to have it checked at least they could have ask me if I wanted it replenished. So that makes me wonder if they actually checked everything else the same way. The second time for changing the winter tires and the oil I paid 142.79 and had to wait almost two hours, they didnt label the tires to know how to rotate then later. This is in Hyundai South London Ontario, I wonder if all the dealers are the same. Now the car is schedule to get service pack #4 (254.95 CDso they insist I should buy that. This includes a number of "inspections" and getting the air cleaner filter and the engine coolant replaced , and rotate the tires, it seems to me a little expensive. The car has ran perfectly so far, except that yesterday it showed the "check engine" light on one hour after I filled the tank with gas, the light was on three starts after that and then went off, I opened and closed again the fuel cap, but today the check engine light went on again. I have read here that it could be the fuel cap or the tank top-off. But now I wonder if I really should take the car for the full service to the dealer. Any suggestions??
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I would look for another dealer if that's possible. Note that Kia and Hyundai are the same corporation, so if you went to a Kia dealer they could service it just like it was a Spectra (they use same oil filter, air filter, etc.) I'm not sure if they can do warranty work for you though.

    Don't let that CEL linger too long. If it's not flashing, it's not an urgent issue, but if it's related to evaporative emissions controls (i.e. fuel system vent lines), it can be tough to pinpoint so you should get it looked at quickly, in case you need to go back a few times to get it solved. (The only real problem I had with the car early on was a CEL related to evap and it took several visits over a number months before it finally got fixed for good.)

    As far as service packages go, look at each package line-by-line with the dealer. For instance, my dealer had something called "emissions service" listed in their package. When I asked what that was, they couldn't come up with anything that wasn't being done as part of other services already. Fuel system maintenance/injector cleaning is not even included in the maintenance schedule I think. (In fact, the chemicals they use for that can actually HARM your sensors and may be the cause of your CEL if they've already done that!) On my 30,000 mile (50,000 km) service I ended up saving over $100 US by cutting out the services they wanted to give me that were not required by Hyundai's schedule.
  • m3fan1m3fan1 Member Posts: 2
    Hi,
    I found a 2002 Elantra with 153,000 miles on it for $2750. I don't know Hyundais at all, so I'm not sure if this is a good deal or normal price for the mileage. How long do these last? Can this go another 30,000 before major investments are needed? Are they reliable?

    Thank you.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    $2750 is spot-on for a private-party sale of a 2002 Elantra GLS with automatic and 153k miles, according to Edmunds.com.

    Elantras are pretty reliable, but on a car with 150,000 miles, figure that anything can break or wear out at any time.

    However, if the car has been well-maintained (e.g. check to see if it has all service records and had the 60k servicing done at about 120k and the 30k servicing done around 150k), there is no reason it won't go a lot more miles. But don't be surprised if some wear items need to be replaced in the next 30k miles, e.g. brakes, muffler, struts--unless they've been replaced recently.

    If possible, get the car checked thoroughly by a mechanic before buying it--especially the powertrain. If they find any work is needed, you can use that to knock some off the price if you still want the car.
  • bytesnooperbytesnooper Member Posts: 6
    Has anyone changed the trans fluid. I understand that
    you just remove a plug. then refill the trans to the
    proper level on the dip stick (hot) and what
    is a good tans fluid that meets the sp lll hyundai
    fluid.. thanks
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    Have your dealer check the PCSV (purge control solenoid valve). This is a somewhat typical problem on the Elantra. The PCSV controls the venting of the evaporative emission control system from/to the engine and evaporative emission control canister. Normally, when the PCSV is the culprit, the check engine light code will be P0172 (fuel system rich). It took my dealer 4 tries to fix mine, and that's after informing them to take a serious look at the PCSV.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Agreed; that's what turned out to be the problem on mine as well. The only problem was theat it took them long enough that the emissions from the rich fuel mixture apparently ruined my O2 sensor as well. Once they replaced them both I was fine.
  • dekoraidekorai Member Posts: 56
    Had my 04 GT's oil changed at the dealer (my first visit to them ever) a couple of days back. It's got 82,000 miles but the engine seems MUCH more responsive and even the tranny shifting is much smoother between gears. Could an oil change and Hyundai filter have made that much of a difference? Could it be that the oil filter Pepboys uses don't suit the Elantra well? I saw a TSB to this regard at the hmaservice website that some after-market oil filters lead to engine knocking on the Elantra.

    Am trying to figure out if I should stick the dealership in the future. I put about 2500 miles on the car each month. Thoughts?
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    I doubt anything the dealer might have done could improve driveability that much.

    With respect to the oil filter TSB, if the wrong filter is used, it can have too high of a bypass pressure. I other words, there is a little valve in the filter that is supposed to open up and allow oil through without getting filtered at times of peak demand (hard acceleration). If it doesn't open when it's supposed to, the engine can end up with damage due to oil starvation that will be most obvious because it will start knocking. Now, *if* Pep Boys used the wrong filter, and *if* the car was damaged because of it, putting the right filter on won't fix the problem.

    I think rather than the filter being the difference, perhaps Pep Boys was using a slightly higher viscosity oil than what the dealer used, so the engine might have been a little more sluggish, especially when warming up. But that's just a guess.

    My local dealer has a very competitive price on oil changes ($15.95 including Hyundai filter) so I just go with them.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I agree with you. Pep Boys could likely be pumping 10-40 into everything with no regard for viscosity requirements. You know they squirt from the same can. You can tell them all day what you want, but they grab a hose and squirt away.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    Agree. That's why I quit going to Pep Boys three cars ago (2o+ years)
  • dreamtheaterrdreamtheaterr Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the replies. I think I'll stick to the dealership in the future.... $30/ oil change is worth it for the much better engine performance I am getting. Not worth saving $10 an oil change for the junk PepBoys fills it with. Time to switch the Honda CRV to dealership oil changes too.
  • dria24dria24 Member Posts: 32
    we have 2001 elantra and need to replace the front brake pads, what tools are needed and should be put on ceramic brake pads, several auto places are stating that type of pads should go on the car. please advise. thanks

    Dria
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    No to ceramics, stick with semi-metallic. Ceramics are very hard on rotors.

    The job itself is quite easy, common hand tools only plus a "C" clamp to compress the piston back into the caliper. If the rotors are not warped (pulsing while braking) and assuming you are doing this before metal has hit metal, I wouldn't even bother with turning them. It is about a 20-30 minute job per side, start to finish.
  • kyokyo Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Elantra w/ 98k miles. Since having about 50k miles on it I have had a shimmy/front end vibration at approx 49-50 mph, I have had new tires, alignments, tires balanced, etc...I think it might be a bad engine mount??? Also another problem, the car will not hold an aligment, I have had 2 alignments and after a week or so the car is back to pulling to the right, I have had the half shafts replaced, this didnt help, I am thinking the steering rack might be bad??? The car has been great, besided these problems, Hyundai dealer and 2 local shops have not been able to fix, any suggestions???
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Try getting new brake rotors; they could be out of balance causing the shimmy and maybe even affecting alignment. That's just a guess though.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    IMO, that car is done for precise driving. If you want a shimmy free, smooth ride, you need a new Elantra, or even better new Sonata. By new, I mean, slightly used, 07, or 06, or low mileage 05. They don't cost that much that way.
  • hmownerhmowner Member Posts: 23
    I also have a 01 Elantra 5spd w/ 99k miles. I had the shimmy/front end vibration problem since day one. My fix was to replace the wheels and the tires which significantly reduced the shimmy and vibration, but then I changed my wheels before the 50K mark. I spent quite a bit of time and money I guess, trying to track down the cause of the shimmy, but nothing worked. Road force balance, alignment, rebuilding front brake system, replacing the rotors -- none of them worked except for the last resort of installing custom set of wheels and new set of tires. I now just live with a slight shimmy that slowly re appears once a new set of tires (Toyo PTP) gets worn. Re-balancing the tires every 5K miles seems to reduce the vibration. Compared to other vehicles I had, Elantra seems to be VERY sensitive to minute tire balance issues.

    Other than the vibration problem, I can't recollect any other major headache. The below lists some minor irritations.

    - when the weather is cold, metallic grinding noise can be heard when accelerating under 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. Dealer never found the cause, so I live with it

    - front headlight light bulbs (genuine Hyundai parts) need to be replaced every 30K. It goes off like clock work

    - During summer, right after starting the motor, the car hesitates for about a second or two before moving. A short burst of revving up the engine fixes the problem.

    - about once or twice a year, the car just won't start. I had it towed to a dealer once, but the car just started at the dealer's parking lot. What I do when I encounter the same problem is pump the clutch few times, and this seems to fix whatever electrical and mechanical issue that may be the cause.

    - front clock no longer keeps the time. It flashes when I am driving the time gets off about 5-10 minutes every week.

    - new wipers quickly lose the ability to wipe the water clean off the windshield. I end up replacing the wiper once every 6months to a year. My wife's minivan had a same set of wipers that was good for 5 to 6 years.

    - I must be getting old, because I don't find the ride quality acceptable anymore. It's a bit hard without really providing a sports car like grip. But then, maybe it's too much to expect from an economy compact.

    ==
    some maintenance work done at the dealer during past 6 years. All other maintenance work done at local garage.

    replaced manual transmission fluid with genuine Hyundai parts at 60K

    changed timing belt and other engine belt + auto tensioner at 90K - again genuine parts.

    I was never happy with Elantra, but then I can't complain too much, since it's been pretty reliable... so far. Let's hope that it can last 50K more miles.

    Thanks for reading. :)
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    Great information on this model! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
  • rmunkrmunk Member Posts: 1
    Where can I get a 2002 Elantra GT repair manual?

    Need to do some brake pad replacement.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    HyundaiTechInfo.com is Hyundai's online service manual. It is free to register and access it. The user interface is changed a bit (it is easier to navigate) but the inner workings are very similar to the old Hyundai WebTech which I wrote a guide for. I haven't updated yet to the new version.

    As far as your brakes go, though, the GT has rear discs. They are pretty easy to change out, with the exception that you can't simply compress the piston with a clamp; you have to "screw it in". You can either use needle nose pliers to turn the piston with the recesses, or buy a brake tool at an autoparts store that has the two little nubs on a cube that has a socket drive.

    For more details and pictures, click here
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    If you have a Harbor Freight nearby, they sell the tool for the rear caliper compression/screw for about $3.00. Not something I would want to use for daily service work, but for the common user it works fine.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Really? I need to do my rear brakes soon and never thought to check there. Thanks for the tip.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I won't address the 'quality' of their stuff for the serious user, but I have had pretty good luck finding casual use specialty tools there. Some of their stuff is pretty good. Some kinda, well, cheap.

    Years ago I bought a set of wooden handle screwdrivers from Harbor. Nice looking, but every durned one of them would spin the shaft in the handle at about, oh, maybe six inch lbs of torque? Ended up knocking the handles off and using them for punches. Very, very soft punches. :D
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Heh. Yeah, I know what you mean. But I also buy my tools the way you do: buy the cheapest option, then if it breaks maybe buy something a little better.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I will go the cheap option on special tools I may only use once in a blue moon. Wrenches, ratchets, air tools, I go with the good stuff. I hate it when a tool breaks in the middle of a job.
  • malachymalachy Member Posts: 17
    Update on my 2004 GT w/70k

    1. Average 32 MPG while driving 70% highway the rest around town
    2. Was warned to replace timing belt at 63K. Did do.
    3. Front headlamps have each been replaced 2X.
    4. At 4K miles, front rotors were replaced for warping under warranty.
    5. At 60K, had to replace rear brake pads.
    6. At 70K had shimmy in the steering. Had to have rotors cut. No issues now. Good brake pad wear however.
    7. Radio stinks. AM has too much static. This is very annoying. Hyundai claims this is acceptable. Can't listen to AM with the Cruise on.
    8. 5 speed is fine. Has a tendency to jerk in the morning until warmed up.
    9. Leather shift knob was replaced at 40K. All worn. Cheap leather. Warranty part.
    10. Heating and A/C is great.
    11. Engine is noisy. Sounds like a diesel sometimes. Runs strong, burns no oil. Always run synthetic.
    11. I would buy this car again. The new model does nothing for me. Hyundai made a mistake by not giving the public another hatch in the Elantra line.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Thanks for the report. My experience on my '04 GT AT is similar to yours in some respects, but not in others. I'm getting similar fuel economy, i.e. low 30s when I do a similar percentage of in-town highway driving, except now in cold (around 0 F) weather where I'm struggling to get to the upper 20s. My car has only 31k on it so I've not had the 60k service with timing belt replacement yet. Had to replace one headlamp bulb a couple of years ago. Brakes still fine. Only shimmy I've had is when I replaced the tires, and it went away after they were properly balanced. I also have reception problems with the AM band on the stock Kenwood stereo, so it looks like it's a characteristic of that radio. One of these days I'll pop a new deck in there, one with an aux input. The leather knob on the AT shifter still looks new--but of course I don't use it as much as you do, with a stick. I love the strong heating and A/C also. The engine on my car is pretty quiet--but then again, it only has 31k on it. I change oil (dino) every 3750 miles--dealer does those for free.

    A new hatch--more like a wagon though--is coming to the U.S. early next year, the Elantra Touring. Reports indicate it will be equipped similar to the SE sedan and some special tuning, e.g. sport suspension. :)
  • 1racefan1racefan Member Posts: 932
    Has 99,000 miles on it. Still runs quiet and strong. All regular maintenance, and them some has been performed. I also detail cars on the side, so I polished it the other weekend with the rotary buffer, then waxed it. I also gave the interior a good cleaning. The interior and exterior of the car has held up extremely well. With the exception of a couple of door dings, it looks almost new. With me being able to remove swirls and scratches with the buffer keeps it looking better than most new cars. I often get comments from people thinking it is a new car. When I tell them how old it is, and what the mileage is, they are shocked.

    With that said, this will probably be my last Hyundai product. The car has been great, but the dealer service (warranty) has been horrible. I actually used both the dealers in my area, and was extremely disappointed by both. I now have the car serviced by my Mitsubishi mechanic.
  • dovid2dovid2 Member Posts: 90
    My '04 GT M5 sedan has just turned 80,000 miles, and the only non-routine repair that I have had to pay for has been an oxygen sensor. Over the course of three Elantras, everything else was under warranty, and my dealer gives great service.
    I replaced the rear brakes, and that shop said I needed new rotors, which I wonder about. Replaced the headlights once. Oil changes (blend) every 5,000 miles. Based on what my shop recommended, and CA requirements (not that I live there), I plan to get the timing belt replaced at 85,000. My next car will not have one of those, whatever I have to do.
    It's still strong and quiet and I still love it.
  • 1racefan1racefan Member Posts: 932
    "I plan to get the timing belt replaced at 85,000. My next car will not have one of those"

    I agree - It is just an extra maintenance expense. I also own an '06 Honda with a 2.4L and an '08 Mitsubishi with a 2.0L, and both of thise have chains.
  • nj2pa2ncnj2pa2nc Member Posts: 811
    we have almost the same likes-we own a 05 hyundai, 06 acura and 07 mitsubishi
  • sjaievesjaieve Member Posts: 252
    I bought my used elantra at 27k miles, now its got 45k miles. The car runs great, the only items I have had to replace are the tyres (I think the used car dealer gave me old tyres) and the two front lights. Everything works great. My other car is an '07 Lexus but one thing I will say about the Hyundai is the car is quiet, not too far away from the Lex at cruising speeds. However, once you floor the accelarator on the Hyundai, it does sound like a diesel engine, but thats acceptable for the kind of money I paid for it. I have rented an 06 Corrolla and Yaris, I think the Elantra rides and feels much better than these cars. Safe to say, I am happy with this car. :D
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    I have a 2006 GLS AT and no problems, especially with the infamous front end shimmy problem. On the other hand, I won't let any mechanic, Hyundai dealership or otherwise, touch the lug nuts on the wheels. I have a theory on the shimmy problem: it's caused by improper torquing of the wheels lug nuts, and the resultant warping of the front rotors and hubs. Frankly, I've never seen a line mechanic use anything other than an air wrench to install lug nuts. Using this technique, it's very easy to create problems. Even though the manual and TSB's from Hyundai specifically state to hand torque the lug nuts to the specified torque spec, generally the dealer's mechanics do not follow this rule.
  • dria24dria24 Member Posts: 32
    hi, we put in new lights on the 2001 Elantra and they need adjustment, can we do this ourselves? And if so where are the screws, etc to make adjustments, do we need a manual for detail location. thanks to all
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    hmm, no offense intended here, but if you put them in correctly, the adjustment should not have changed.

    If for some reason the adjustment has moved, there are up/down and right/left adjustments accessible through holes just above the headlight assemblies. I stress, though, that if you put the new bulbs in correctly, no adjustment should be needed.

    Jim
  • dria24dria24 Member Posts: 32
    we went to Strauss and they put in the headlights, while we were travelling we could see that the right one is off, shouldn't the headlights be pointed in the downward position?
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    It is very easy to check that the light was not installed upside down. Very difficult to get one in upside down, but not impossible. There are two large round 'knobs' on the back of the assembly. About 2.5" across. The one to the outside, nearest the fender, is the low beam. You can remove this and look at the bulb. It has an alignment slot that the bulb should fit into. There is a spring latch that holds it in place, be sure it is latched.

    Jim
  • kgambitkgambit Member Posts: 2
    Hey all, first post here! What a great wealth of information in the forums.

    I'm in the market for a used car and I like what I hear about this run of Elantras. I see one advertised (private party) in "good" condition for $4500 but it has 87,000 miles. The seller says its cheaper than blue book recommends, but I see it is about 500 over TMV. If anyone has some advice it'd be greatly appreciated.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    First question I would ask is to see the repair order for the timing belt replacement. If it hasn't been done, that is about a $500 service.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Also keep in mind the car will be due for a major servicing soon (at 90k). If I were you I'd have the car checked stem-to-stern by a mechanic you trust, because nearing 90k many parts could be close to needing replacement, e.g. brakes, exhaust, struts, battery, maybe clutch (if it's an MT and has been worked hard).
  • jimbeaumijimbeaumi Member Posts: 620
    Hello folks .............. it's been a long time since I've felt a need to post anything here. My '01 GLS 5-speed has been giving me excellent service, and we are about to cross the 85K mile threshold. In 6.5 years, I have had to replace a few bulbs here and there (two brake lights in the past two months), which means there are some that are original, including all interior lighting. For some reason, I am still going through plenty of tires, and cannot seem to reach 40K miles on any brand, even with proper inflation and normal driving.

    The small black metal piece between the rear door window glass and the smaller window is rusted. Has anyone replaced this piece? Body shop? Dealer?

    Other than these minor issues, my car has been GREAT, and it still performs as well as it did when I bought it new. I'm eyeing the new Sonata, and yet I still wish to see this car through to 200K miles, which I am confident it can do. Very highly recommended, especially for you used car bargain shoppers. :)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Good to hear your Elantra is still going strong. My sister told me my first Elantra, '01 GLS, is still great and nearly at 60k miles now. (She bought it from me nearly 2 years ago and loves it.)

    The part you mentioned started rusting on my '01 Elantra after a few years also, and it was replaced by the dealer under the b-to-b warranty, so I don't know how much it would cost.
  • elantraownerelantraowner Member Posts: 16
    Glad I found this message.

    My wife's 2002 Elantra is due a 60K mile service. I suspected the recommended Throttle Body Service at the dealership is just a way of adding to the tab. What about Fuel System Tune-ups? Another scam? I have run Sea-foam additive in fuel on occasion and the car runs fine. I was told by a former service advisor (the guy who fills in your work order when you arrive at a dealership) that he got a percentage for the extra work he could add on to the work order.
  • doohickiedoohickie Member Posts: 949
    Yep, those are just add-ons. I wouldn't do those unless there is an existing driveability problem. The key things you need to get done are timing belt (MUST!), transmission service, and coolant flush. New air filter too, but I do those myself.
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