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Hyundai - General Quality Problems

Hyundai • Brakes • Stalling • Transmission • "Just Everything" • Airbags • Engine Failure • Fires • Sludge Problems --- News • Rusting Hyundai Sonatas Prompt Federal Probe • NHTSA Probes Hyundai Air Bag Failure • Hyundai to Tap U.S. Sport Sedan Market • Hyundai Drops Back Into Minivan Market • Hyundai Drops Out of Minivan Market • Airbag Problems Plague New Hyundais • Hyundai Offers $85 Million to Settle Horsepower Suit • Hyundai Aces J.D. Powers Survey • Horsepower Overstated

Olivier of San Diego (5/4/04):
I bought a 2003 Tiburon at Frank Hyundai. I complained about the chipping paint on my front bumper and the hood of the car. I told them it might be a factory defect. It says in the book that they have a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty on the paint. They told me it's normal because I might be hitting rocks on the freeway and they said its not covered by warranty. I have a 1990 Toyota Supra, been driving for 4 years now and not even a single chipped paint on it!

Patti of Riverside CA (4/30/04):
I bought a 2001 Hyundai XG300 with 11,000 miles on it, in very good shape and ran wonderful, powerful, I just loved the car. About 2 months later I get a letter from Hyundai stating that they had overstated the horsepower and were going to give me an extended warranty to 120,000 miles. I thought it was a blessing but it wasn't because I never realized I would be using it as much as I have. Oh and they also have a wonderful road service program, and they have it because they build such a crappy vehicle you will need it.

I have had my car towed 2 times in the last 3 months and believe me I take excellent care of my vehicle which includes oil changes every 3,000 miles. My problems with the car have started with first - zero acceleration, which almost got me killed getting on the freeway -- it just wouldn't go so I took it to the shop and they replaced a sensor. Then a couple weeks later I had family in from Oklahoma and we went on a 15-mile drive. Well, on the way home, I got in the car and the check engine light came on so I thought I would try to make it home -- got on the freeway and the car would only go about 18 MPH and I had it floored so I pulled off and called Hyundai road service and they towed it to San Bernardino, which left me carless for a few days and no one would give me a loaner car, they said it wasn't included in their warranty.

Then again a couple of weeks ago I went to the mall during my lunch hour and when I got back in the car to go back to work, I started the car and the RPM's shot up to 5 and wouldn't come down and I couldn't leave because when I out it in reverse it started clattering really bad, so I called Hyundai and again they sent out a tow truck. Now this week, I was driving to work and my check engine light came on so I took it to the shop again, left it for the day and they replaced another sensor, I believe it was an airflow sensor and changed my oil.

I was driving hime and again, I have lack of acceleration, so I can't take it on the freeway. I called Hyundai Motor Corp. this morning and told them about my situation and they tell me that they will investigate but I will probably have to take it back to the dealership and let them handle it!

I just want a reliable car and I have been sooo nice, I need help. I need my car to get to work and now it is jeopardizing my job becasue I have so many car problems.

Joyce of Warrensville Heights OH (3/31/04):
I have a 2003 Santa Fe, I took the car in for servicing today and was told that my brakes needed replacing (front). I was shocked as it only has 14,000 miles and I have had it just a little over a year, I was told that the brakes possibly would not have needed replacing if they had been cleaned at 7,500 miles, but the car was in for oil changes and if that were needed to avoid having to replace breaks, why wasn't I told at that time?

I was told when I made the last appt that it was time for a cleaning at 15,000 miles. I purchased a new car to avoid having to pay large amounts like this. I have talked to several people with different cars who've had their car for years and have never had to replace brakes. I am beginnig to think I made a huge mistake in purchasing this car. What good is the warranty? A new car shouldn't have to have brakes replaced this quickly.

Steven of Chicago (2/12/04):
My 2001 Accent with only 30,000 miles caught fire while I was warming it up in front of my house. The fire departments, ambulance, and police were all called. Insurance investigators determined the muffler overheated and defective shields caused fire to be sucked into the interior of car when I opened the door to escape. Car is melted.

Called Hyundai for them to further investigate problem for potential safety issue (as well as to assume some liability). Told to write a letter if deemed necessary, they would get back to me. Pushed further to speak to supervisor, made contact. Now they don't return my calls. Still pursuing.

Expected to have a car to last me 10 years with the 12,000 annual mileage I accrued. Will end up with a $5,000 loss and no car.

Kathleen of Bristol RI (1/14/04):
I have six to seven flat tires due to my valve stems being cut. I think it was due to the hubcaps slipping when the brakes were applied but Hyundai denied this and said that they had no issues. Hyundai refused to reimburse me for the tires I had to purchase but I have had no flats since I removed the hubcaps from the front tires.

Rhonda of Bluffton OH (7/7/02):
I purchased a 2000 Hyundai Elantra in November 2000. In June 2002, the air conditioning stopped working in my car so I took it to the dealership. To my astonishment this was not covered under warranty due to having 75,000 miles on my vehicle. I was charged $130 to have it looked at and was told there was a hole in my air condensor caused by a stone. I was also told that this is a common occurrence due to the air condensor sitting in the front of the engine compartment.

I called Hyundai Corporation to voice my complaint that either they should build a stronger air condensor unit or place the unit in a different part of the engine compartment so as to not have this a "common occurrence." Hyundai informed me that it wasn't their problem and that I would be responsible for the costs of fixing the unit.

Lucy of Rumford RI (7/4/01):
I purchased a 2001 Santa Fe in January of this year and have had to take the truck back 4 times already for the same problem. The timing belt tends to skip and makes the truck idle rough, and skip or buck while accelerating in whatever gear I might be in at that time.

Anyone with children or carseats in the front should be made aware of this problem. We sold the vehicle back under lawsuit conditions as the arbitration board did not think the airbag problem was a safety issue or resale value issue! What are they thinking? The time we were in for final inspection at the dealership, another vehicle exactly same year, make and model as ours was there for the same problem.

Michael of Dixon, CA, writes:From the time that we bought our Sonata, we've had problems. The first of our problems came at the dealer (Team Chev in Vellejo, Ca). Our vehicle came with a paint treatment and an alarm. In the process of doing the treatment they burned the mirror and windshield fluid dispenser, which they had to order and the mirror is a slight color shade off.

We've had other problems with the alarm since, it's been back to the shop twice for the alarm since we bought the vehicle in Feb 99. The car has also been in the shop twice for strut problems and axle problems. There have been a couple recalls on the vehicle. There is a problem with the window motor which is being replaced as I write.

Myself and my wife both work, and everytime we have to take the vehicle in for service on a warranty item, we are left with one vehicle. There has been safety concerns with my wife driving the vehicle with axle and strut problems.

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