9th Jun 2005, 20:18
I have a late year 1995 Hyundai Elantra Wagon and am quite familiar with check engine light problems. I have taken it to the Hyundai dealer on several occasions and a few thousand dollars later... you guessed it... Check engine light comes on shortly after each painfully expensive visit. The mechanics simply guess and change parts and charge, charge, charge.
My check engine light has been on for a year now. Car runs great, but I cannot get it inspected in North Carolina. I even disconnected the battery as many of you did and sure enough the light goes out. Took it to the test facility and found out that it failed due to the fact that the diagnostic showed that many of the sensors were not ready.
I was told to drive the car for 50 to 100 miles so that everything could reset. About 70 miles my friend "the Check Engine Light" goes on again. The dealership always told me that they had corrected the problem; only for me to develop a new problem a week later as I added mileage. The answer was that I was having concurrent massive sensor failure along with other items that were "defective" and replaced.
I really enjoy my Elantra. It runs well, great on gas, still looks good...but, that Check Engine light will force me to find other transportation that can pass inspection. I really think Hyundai is aware, but are turning a blind eye to the problem.
16th Nov 2006, 17:09
I have just purchased a 96 Hyundai Elantra Wagon 2 weeks ago. It now runs fine after spending about 300 dollars on the brakes, a new battery, and rotors. The heater makes a very loud sound when on... (very expensive to fix) and the famous check engine light came on 5 days after I buy it. I was wondering if anyone knew how to take off the headrests so I can put seat covers on. And I would have NEVER of bought a Hyundai if I knew all the problems I were going to have, or if I had gone on this website to read about them.
28th Apr 2005, 14:36
I also have a 1996 Hyundai Elantra. As with most other comments, the infamous "Check Engine" Light has been on for about a year now. I had $1000 in "repairs" done, and the dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong with it, and to drive it and it will go off. Sometimes it blinks, which I found (through Hyundai's tech website, hmaservice.com) to mean that there is a misfire on the third cylinder, which is doing damage to the catalytic converter.
After the dealer had the car for a month, they said that their tech line told the mechanic not to call back again regarding my car. Unhappily, I took the car home unfixed. This was in December, and now my car is almost undrivable, not to mention unsafe (stalled once at 60 mph on the highway, and also almost stalls at red lights/low speeds). Help!