2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS from North America - Comments

Well, when I purchased my Elantra I was very pleased with the style, driving performance and fuel cost. That is what really sold me. After a month I noticed water in my vehicle because the seal system was not functioning properly. I took it to the dealer and they tried to make it seem like it was my imagination. The technician took it out back and ran water over it so he says and there was no water inside the vehicle. So I decided to take it to a car wash a couple of days later and there was the water again so I took it back to the dealer and showed them the water on the inside of the vehicle and they replaced the seal. That was after the fact that the technician argued with manager about who was going to actually do the work because it was still under warranty so there would be no real money made from the labor they would put in to it.

Now here I am 3 months later with the same 2002 Elantra and the brakes are screeching. So I called the dealer once again to complain and they state that it is a common problem with all Hyundai cars and that it only does that in cold weather. I stated to them that it was warm outside when I purchased the vehicle so there for I wouldn't have any knowledge of the brakes screeching in cold weather. I also stated that it should have been the type of information given to the purchaser before the final sale was complete. They replied by saying all new cars including Hyundai's have the same problem and that I must have never owned a new car before. Well news flash, all new cars do not sound like that.

This vehicle is an over priced piece of junk.

However, if you like spending most of your time at the dealership, instead of cruising, then this is the car for you.

Your dealer was incorrect about the brakes. The sound you are hearing is not normal.

I own a 2000 Hyundai Elantra GLS wagon. The brakes worked fine for more than 70,000 miles without a single issue. I took the car to a local Hyundai dealer for warranty replacement of the front wheel bearings, and paid-for replacement of the worn rotors and pads.

Upon taking it out of their lot I noticed the brakes were incredibly loud - producing an increasingly loud rubbing sound from the moment I stepped on the pedal to the moment the vehicle stopped. I turned the car around and had them check it out. They said exactly what I thought they'd say, "new pads - they'll break-in shortly". I gave them the benefit of the doubt and drove off after they gave me an official receipt showing they diagnosed the brakes.

It gets worse. Within 24 hours, the ABS light comes on for the first time in the history of the car (I'm the original owner). I call the service department to inform them of my situation and that I would be unable to return to the dealership for at least 2 weeks since I'd be traveling on business. Bob, the service manager, tells me the car will be fine and that it's probably just a sensor that triggered from the recent wheel bearing work. He said bring it in when I'm back and he'll have his guys reset it.

Two weeks later (and a few thousand miles), the braking sound had not gone away, and the ABS light was still lit. I brought the car in again. They reset the ABS, told me the braking sound was "normal", and again sent me on my way.

By that point I was more than angry and I knew they were full of it. Brakes do not rub for thousands of miles unless there is a problem (e.g. glazed pads, improperly installed pads, etc…). But the fun didn't stop there. On my way home, the ABS light lit again. I called to let the service department know I was going to bring the car in again. I brought the car in a few days later. They charged me around $40 to diagnose the problem which was, no doubt, the result of their own handiwork. As if that was not bad enough, they came back with a $250+ dollar estimate for... are you ready for this... a broken ABS sensor at the driver's front wheel.

There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the sensor was damaged during their replacement of the rotor, pads, and wheel bearings given the ridiculously precarious proximity of the sensor to the wheel assembly. I believe the sensor may have been whacked unintentionally during the repair and the service person probably chose not to report the incident, or reported it, and they chose to look the other way. However, the service department insists that it is merely a coincidence that the sensor failed immediately after their repair despite the fact that the brakes and the ABS showed absolutely zero problems since day one.

Is it possible that the ABS sensor failed on its own? Sure, anything is possible. Is it probable that the sensor failed on its own? I doubt it. I called Hyundai’s Consumer Assistance Center (800-633-5151) and the woman who took my call (sorry I can’t remember her name offhand) recorded my situation and told me she’d follow up with the dealer. She was actually very prompt in following up with the dealer and returning my call. Beyond that she was absolutely horrific to deal with. She toed the company line, supported the the dealer's service department’s assessment and said there was nothing further Hyundai could do to help me. We went back and forth for 30 minutes. She refused to budge and insisted the failure was a coincidence.

I tried going over her head to appeal the decision, unfortunately Hyundai’s tactic at that point is to simply ignore customer appeals (they never responded). So here I am a few months later with a car that brakes loudly, and non-functional ABS (if one sensor fails, the entire system is rendered useless).

I can guarantee you I will never buy another Hyundai. The cars are fine. It’s the local service that is terrible. What good is a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty if you’re forced to deal with terrible service? Use a third-party service you say? Think again! Hyundai would never honor a major warranty repair if prior scheduled maintenance was done outside of Hyundai authorized service departments regardless the quality of maintenance records you keep.

My advice to prospective Hyundai customers (and anyone considering buying a vehicle from any manufacturer) is simple. Don’t worry too much about the quality of the vehicles. For the price, most vehicles are of decent quality - certainly no worse than similarly priced vehicles sold by the competition. Instead, focus on the service department. Ask several current owners if they’re satisfied with the service department. Just walk right up to them and ask. Preferably do this at the two closest dealerships in your area since those are the two most likely places you’ll visit in the event that your car needs to be serviced. If you don’t like what you hear, find a different make of automobile where the dealer’s service department knows the meaning of “customer service”.

All the best.

Joe.

Water leaks and brake noise??? That's enough to make you never buy another one?