My 5 year Hyundai Experience

[JCSR]

April 2018 I was looking for a reliable inexpensive SUV for driving to work and family vacations etc. Ended up with a new Hyundai Tuscan because of low initial cost (~$23,000) and the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty. Three sets of tires and oil/filter has been the only maintenance expenses during my time owning the Tuscan. Original belts/hoses and brake pads still in good shape.

So after 5 years and 94,000 miles later the engine longevity became a major concern. The Theta 2 engines have been failing way before 100K in many cases. After a call to the dealership and a conversation with a warranty rep I was assured the engine was warrantied for life of ownership.

But a little more digging found there is a 2-3 month backlog on replacement engines. A this point I lost all trust in the car and began looking for a replacement. I was allowed a decent trade on a Lexus so we got the deal done. It's quite a load off my mind. At my age this may be the last car I ever need.

The Hyundai


The replacement

 

[dieselrealtor]

I was a Hyundai tech when they launched in OK in 1985, the quality was so-so at that time. If memory serves me correctly, they purchased Mitsubishi technology rights 2 years old to duplicate.

For the money they weren't a bad car, you could get one at that time for $5000, fully loaded for about $7000 - $8000. Some had odd problems, droning noises/vibrations at certain speeds, bad casting on a block seeping oil and a TON of complaints about rough/erratic idle.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've been happy with my 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. About 93K miles and only routine maintenance (tires and oil). Only complaints are that the radio stopped playing, but the CD player works. Also don't care for traction control or ABS brakes on ice. Steering wheel locks and brake pedal beats the crap out of the bottom of your foot and you're just along for the ride at that point.

 

[Cavman]

Our sonata quit at 160km. Took it to local mechanic. He told me I'd be better off to take it to dealership. Dealship said there was recall on engine and replaced it for free. Hope it goes another 160k miles

 

[JCSR]

I've been happy with my 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. About 93K miles and only routine maintenance (tires and oil). Only complaints are that the radio stopped playing, but the CD player works. Also don't care for traction control or ABS brakes on ice. Steering wheel locks and brake pedal beats the crap out of the bottom of your foot and you're just along for the ride at that point.

I can't say I was "unhappy" at all but since retiring and having roads trips in mind I lost faith in the engine. It was really an enjoyable drive for a small SUV.

 

[Leo]

Happy that JCSR got a new car.

I am really surprised that any car these days would need an engine under 100,000. With modern lubricants and good fuel management systems, I thought everything lasted longer than a man wanted to own it. I guess I need to get out more.

 

[bobzilla]

HAD HYUNDAI/KIA'S since 2002. Those cars added up had well over a million miles on them with a single engine failure (timing belt snapped and bent valves, bought the car that way) and single transmission failure (wife rammed the axle into the diff driving over a 12" curb on 13" wheels at 120k miles).

I would say we wouldn't hesitate to buy another because we did in december (seltos) and march (forte gt manual for me).

 

[Ark]

Happy that JCSR got a new car.

I am really surprised that any car these days would need an engine under 100,000. With modern lubricants and good fuel management systems, I thought everything lasted longer than a man wanted to own it. I guess I need to get out more.

Sub 100k engine and transmission failures seem to have gotten much more common. Disposable culture.

 

[JCSR]

HAD HYUNDAI/KIA'S since 2002. Those cars added up had well over a million miles on them with a single engine failure (timing belt snapped and bent valves, bought the car that way) and single transmission failure (wife rammed the axle into the diff driving over a 12" curb on 13" wheels at 120k miles).

I would say we wouldn't hesitate to buy another because we did in december (seltos) and march (forte gt manual for me).

It seems the 2.4L Theta 2 engines is the problem child.

 

[JCSR]

Sub 100k engine and transmission failures seem to have gotten much more common. Disposable culture.

And that is why we went with the Lexus.

 

[bobzilla]

It seems the 2.4L Theta 2 engines is the problem child.

The 2011-up gdi versions yes. The earlier port injected engines were tanks. Had a first gen forte with the 2.4 pfi and even had it tuned for more revs and it was a great drivetrain.

 

[miguel]

A lady I work with was driving down the street in hers, and the engine just stopped. Same story for her, multi-month backlog on the engine fix. Luckily (sic) she was still in the warranty period.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Sub 100k engine and transmission failures seem to have gotten much more common. Disposable culture.

Really? I think just the opposite is true. It used to be that engines were used up at 100K, but now most go to at least 250K if not more, with just basic maintenance.

 

[bobzilla]

Really? I think just the opposite is true. It used to be that engines were used up at 100K, but now most go to at least 250K if not more, with just basic maintenance.

The last few years it’s gone back the other way. As manufacturers are trying to eke out that last tenth of a mpg to meet the cafe requirements they have done a lot of …. Iffy things. Put that with the masses that know nothing about cars and don’t maintain them at all and it’s a bad combo. Most imports are going to 0W16 engine oil in an effort to make it as thin as possible to reduce friction losses. Higher compression, more timing etc to meet nox and emissions and increase economy and power.

They are really pushing the boundaries of modern ice. Gm, ford, Toyota, Honda have all had sone issues with their small displacement turbo engines. There’s no safe bet anymore sadly unless you do your homework and you maintain your vehicles.

 

[d.kaufman]

The last few years it’s gone back the other way. As manufacturers are trying to eke out that last tenth of a mpg to meet the cafe requirements they have done a lot of …. Iffy things. Put that with the masses that know nothing about cars and don’t maintain them at all and it’s a bad combo. Most imports are going to 0W16 engine oil in an effort to make it as thin as possible to reduce friction losses. Higher compression, more timing etc to meet nox and emissions and increase economy and power.

They are really pushing the boundaries of modern ice. Gm, ford, Toyota, Honda have all had sone issues with their small displacement turbo engines. There’s no safe bet anymore sadly unless you do your homework and you maintain your vehicles.

Yup and when manufacturers say you don't need to change your engine oil for 10k miles, or your transmission is is good for 100k without servicing you're asking for trouble following those guidelines. Change your engine oil @ max 5k miles (I still do 3k as it's cheap insurance) and service your transmission/differential/s, and transfer case/PTU, if applies, every 30k

 

[Jaybird1980]

Yup and when manufacturers say you don't need to change your engine oil for 10k miles, or your transmission is is good for 100k without servicing you're asking for trouble following those guidelines. Change your engine oil @ max 5k miles (I still do 3k as it's cheap insurance) and service your transmission/differential/s, and transfer case/PTU, if applies, every 30k

Yep. That and lifetime fluids. They don't tell you the lifetime is going to be shorter than you think if you never change that fluid.

And look at how many have CVT's now, they are not built to go 250k.

 

[d.kaufman]

Yep. That and lifetime fluids. They don't tell you the lifetime is going to be shorter than you think if you never change that fluid.

And look at how many have CVT's now, they are not built to go 250k.

Hell I replace the Nissan CVTs at as low as 40k miles. 90% being under 100k when they let loose. I would never own a car with a CVT trans. They're junk and will cost you upwards of 5k, or more, to replace

 

[Ark]

Really? I think just the opposite is true. It used to be that engines were used up at 100K, but now most go to at least 250K if not more, with just basic maintenance.

Sorta yes, sorta no. Things were on that trajectory until suddenly a lot of manufacturers started having early blowup issues from bad engineering, like the Sonata motors and Ford's turbo engines. Not wear-out failures, breaking stuff failures. Embarrassing transmission stuff like the Focus and the dead in 80K Nissan CVTs.

Starting to see direct injection and turbos and cylinder shutoff schemes inducing failure the last ten years as more and more ridiculous measures are taken to meet politically driven efficiency targets.

 

[Ark]

Yup and when manufacturers say you don't need to change your engine oil for 10k miles, or your transmission is is good for 100k without servicing you're asking for trouble following those guidelines. Change your engine oil @ max 5k miles (I still do 3k as it's cheap insurance) and service your transmission/differential/s, and transfer case/PTU, if applies, every 30k

Took my cheapo 90s Saturn to 230k on 3k oil changes. Never had the head, pan, or timing chain off. It was consuming oil but still running when the wreck got it. It was maybe a year from a rust death. Call me old but I don't trust this 10k oil change business.

 

[yeahbaby]

Yup and when manufacturers say you don't need to change your engine oil for 10k miles, or your transmission is is good for 100k without servicing you're asking for trouble following those guidelines. Change your engine oil @ max 5k miles (I still do 3k as it's cheap insurance) and service your transmission/differential/s, and transfer case/PTU, if applies, every 30k

Yep, same here. I've done that with all our vehicles. It's worked out well.