2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS from North America - Comments

1st Six Months:

• Replaced plastic side panel on driver's side of dash due to discoloration under warranty.

• Replaced strut that was groaning and creaking. I believe this became the subject of a TSB. This too was covered under warranty.

• Replaced burned out dash clock. This was covered by warranty. (Apparenty a common problem.)

• Dealer repaired a sticky gas tank door/release.

1st Three Years:

• Performed recall repair on position of brake lines under warranty.

• Inspected exhaust manifold for cracks as a result of an apparent silent recall and/or TSB. No cracks found. Mileage less than 25K, however.

• Measured valve clearances to troubleshoot cold engine/cold weather acceleration rattle that could not be resolved with 10-40 weight oil or higher octane gas. One dealer said there was no problem. A year or two later a second dealer said they were "out of spec" but the factory rep who arrived the next day said they were within specifications.

• Dealer replaced motor mount under warranty at Hyundai factory rep's suggestion. It didn't resolve cold engine acceleration rattle.

• Dealer replaced thrust bearing washer, also under warranty, and at factory rep's suggestion. That didn't resolve cold engine acceleration rattle, either.

• Reprogrammed AT transmission per TSB to resolve shift flare. Covered by warranty.

• Replaced stripped oil plug and pan assembly per TSB, also under warranty.

Years 4-7:

• Replaced rear brakes at ~20K.

• Performed maintenance including coolant drain and refill, transmission, power steering and brake fluid flush. (FYI: Those who are complaining that their brake, cooling system components or transmission have failed need to indicate whether they have performed routine maintenance. After all, the problems that characterize Lemons are far different than the problems caused by failing to follow the maintenance schedule.)

• Replaced front brakes at ~32K.

• Replaced a burned out headlight under warranty.

• Replaced drive belts and timing belts per maintenance schedule at 32K due to age of car (7 yrs).

• Replaced spark plugs. One apparently showed moderate evidence of carbon fouling, but the dealer did not determine whether it might indicate a sticky valve or some other condition. However, they did perform a carbon service on the engine under warranty. My acceleration improved — and I'm sold on the value of this service — but the rattle did not disappear.*

• Replaced thermostat and gasket after it stuck open causing the car to overheat in Spring 2008. Fortunately, the car was pulled off the road immediately and no other damage was done. (FYI: The owner's manual doesn't indicate when to replace the thermostat, but some car experts advise thermostat replacements on ANY vehicle every 2-3 years to prevent sudden and catastrophic engine overheating and damage. The part is very cheap and easy to install, but the damage of a worn out thermostat that either runs the engine too hot or cold, is not.)

On the plus side, I have never seen a check engine light. Likewise, no problem with O2, MAF or other sensors, shimmies or many of the other issues that are more commonly reported on this make/model.

On the negative side, I've had a lot of work done to this car, and yet there are two mystery problems that are never resolved:

•* On cold days with a cold engine, a rattle is emitted from under the plastic engine housing just as soon as I press the accelerator. It sounds like tiny fragments of gravel tumbling or the mechanical equivalent of a frog-in-the-throat (as if the car needs to spit something out, which of course it never does). This goes on from 5-15 minutes until the engine is warm. It is most pronounced in the winter months, and showed up before the car even underwent its first oil change. During the summer months, it is far less noticeable except very early in the morning or late at night providing that the engine and the weather is cool or damp. It is virtually inaudible at idle, but with increasing RPMs the noise keeps pace. At about 35MPH it is at the loudest, but after 40MPH engine noise seemingly drowns it out.

• I have the all-wheel disc ABS brakes, and sometimes, whether stopped at a light or after having pulled into the driveway, I hear a thumping sound that seems to come from the rear wheel area just slightly toward the passenger side. Hitting the brake pedal harder while already stopped seems to alter things just enough to make it stomp THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMPing. However, it can also happen after I pull up the parking brake and have the vehicle in Park. Right before I turn off the ignition I hear the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. This seems to be provoked during the first 20 minutes or so of driving but doesn't go on consistently, or much beyond that point that I recall. It sounds, oddly, like someone trapped in the trunk trying to get out. I asked the dealer to check the muffler and exhaust, but they claim there is no problem (not sure if they did anything to really test it, aside from a visual inspection, however). Meanwhile, my rear brakes had to be replaced around 20K, which one wouldn't expect the rear brakes to go before the front. But apparently, this is a Hyundai characteristic (at least on the Elantras). I've heard other complaints to the same effect. Anyhow, I reported the problem and hoped that they would find the culprit during the brake job. They did not. Changing the brakes had no effect. Finally I took the car for a spin with a tech, and he claimed that it might have something to do with a noisy fuel pump, and to watch for any correlation between how full my gas tank is, and when I hear the thumping/thudding sound. So far, I haven't noticed a connection. The mystery remains unsolved.

The Hyundai Elantra has a nice ride, with decent pickup compared to the other cars I tested at the time I bought it. At the time, Edmunds even bumped a low end BMW and made the Hyundai Elantra a top recommendation. Aside from the buying advice that was out at the time, all of which was favorable to the Elantra, in summer of 2001, my choices in the general price range were:

Volkswagen Jetta (Too expensive, eats brakes, service horror stories, 115HP with automatic transmission has NO passing or hill climbing power).

Honda Civic (A bit pricey for the features; horribly uncomfortable seats for a person with a bad low back. A very generic dime-a-dozen appearance.)

Toyota Echo (Cheap looking, funky dashboard layout, cramped feeling. Unfortunately, there was no Corolla out in 2001, otherwise I would have bought a Corolla and probably never would have found myself on a Hyundai car lot).

Ford Focus: (Recall. Recall. Recall. The typical Fix Or Repair Daily.)

I settled for the Elantra because of its smooth ride, easy handling, relatively spacious cabin, and the inclusion of features found on higher priced cars — power windows, locks, A/C — not to mention 8-way adjustable seats with lumbar support. I also obtained traction control, and antilock brakes for under $15,000, which at the time nobody else could beat.

Looking back, this car has had way too many problems. It is to the point where I have lost track of how many early mornings I have driven around with technicians and even factory reps. Just the same, the car has never had a breakdown, that is until the thermostat broke. On the other hand, I had read YEARS ago that thermostats tend to break down and should be replaced every 2-3 years on ANY car. So I figure it was my own fault for not seeing to it that this very cheap part was inspected or replaced. (Strangely, few manufacturers recommend this service, which is odd because thermostat failure is inevitable on just about any car if you own it long enough, whereas the results of overheating can be thousands of dollars worth of damage.)

In the beginning, none of my friends wanted to see my new car because they were all convinced that Hyundai was an unreliable make and that I had made a mistake. So I'm determined now to own this car long enough to run it into an advanced age just to see if the valves are bad, or if I can, by continuing to do the maintenance, discover that it will prove the naysayers wrong. If, on the other hand, my car's compression takes a nosedive or I end up needing new valves or a rebuild of the engine around 80K, you can be sure I won't let the dealer snooker me into paying for those repairs. I'll point to my service history and say that the problems started before the first oil change, that it appears they were trying to delay and obfuscate me out of a warranty repair due to the severity of the defect, and demand that they make good on it — that, or see me in court. I hope it won't come to that. But at this point, I'm crossing my fingers, checking off the maintenance list, and hoping for the best.

Would I buy a Hyundai again? That all depends. I would NEVER recommend that someone buy a used Hyundai unless they have all available service history, and only if they purchase an extended warranty. As for a new Hyundai, I would say that if Hyundai cuts their factory warranty, which offers a generous 60K/10-year powertrain coverage, I would say steer clear. Without the factory warranty, this car would have cost me thousands of dollars in repairs within three years. Moreover, the two unresolved problems for which I repeatedly sought dealer assistance would have most likely qualified it for Lemon Law status. But as for the way I've been treated by the dealer? Well, that too is par for the course. The Internet is filled with dealer horror stories. It has no bearing on the make/model. It just seems to go with the territory.

I'm surprised to read all these problems. I purchased a 2001 new and I now have over 110,000 miles and I consider it the most reliable of the many cars I have owned. In fact, I just put on the second set of tires (besides the original) and The only surprise was loose outer tie rod ends that need to be replaced (not very expensive). I also recently replaced the original front brakes and I'm still running the original rear breaks. I drive 300 miles rt each week rain or snow in the Midwest. I've replaced the timing belt and done one tuneup as recommended. My oil consumption between oil changes is less than 1 qt. Besides that there were a few minor items done under warranty; vanity mirror, clock, headlights & 2 door gasket. All I have to deal with now is the stripped out oil pan before my next oil change.

Good luck to you!

I too have owned a 2001 Elantra since new. It's been a great car for me and I really haven't had all the servicing required by the manual. I currently have about 205,000 miles on it and it has never failed to start and never let me sit anywhere. I had the original timing belt replaced at 168,000 miles! Mostly brakes, tires and oil for me. Never saw a check engine light until 198,000 miles.(for a minor vacuum leak) If I could buy another brand new 2001 Elantra today I probably would. Cheap to own and a joy to drive.