Hyundai IX35 Problems

Small SUVs are the auto equivalent of smartphones: you have to be seen with one. Those who haven’t already caught on are rushing to buy (or build) light and compact crossovers. In Australia, couples and families hold the view that SUVs represent the “best of both worlds”.With fuel economy and comfort to rival a small car; the space to carry furniture or friends and a high ride height for the “command” seating; SUVs are a multi-purpose lifestyle accessory. It’s just a case of which design suits that lifestyle.THE CARSExcluding the all-paw Forester, the rest of the fleet are front-wheel drive models. All are entry level automatic or continuously variable transmission versions. And all sold more than 1000 cars last month, making them as mainstream as a Toyota Camry.THIRSTSkyActiv technology gives the Mazda CX-5 the lead in the weekly fuel costs at around $26.33. That’s more than $8.50 cheaper than the dearest vehicle here, Hyundai’s iX35. It is small change over a week but adds up to more than $425 a year being siphoned out of the wallet/purse, so it’s worth considering.SERVICINGCaps off to the capped-price carmakers. Online disclosure means it is easy to see how much servicing of a Toyota or Hyundai will be. As yet, Honda doesn’t have the option of capped price servicing, while Subaru and Mazda want vehicle identification before they’ll quote the costs. Hyundai heads this pack with one yearly visit to the dealer that will cost $259.DEPRECIATIONBuying a new car is an investment in emotion, not practicality. The best-performing of this group - the Mazda, Subaru and Honda - will be worth just 54 per cent of its new price value in three years, according to Glass’s Guide. The Hyundai and Toyota will have halved in value over that period.MISCGovernment charges vary by state; check with your local authority for registration on a specific vehicle. The capped price servicing won’t cover items subject to wear in the normal course of their life, such as tyres, windscreen wipers and brake pads.*Fuel costs based on April national average of 142.6c for 91 ULP and 15,000km travelled annually.Mazda CX-5 FWD Fuel use @ 6.4L/100km = $1368.96 p/a = $4106.88 over 3 yrsCost $29,880. Residual value after 3 yrs 54 per centServicing: $394 first yr; $1745 over 3 yrs/60,000kmToyota RAV4 CVTFuel use @ 7.4L/100km = $1582.86 p/a = $4748.50 over 3 yrsCost $30,990. Residual value after 3 yrs 50 per centServicing: $340/yr; $1020 over 3 yrs/60,000kmHyundai ix35 ActiveFuel use @ 8.5L/100km = $1818.15 p/a = $5454.45 over 3 yrsCost $28,990. Residual value after 3 yrs 50 per centServicing: $259/yr; $777 over 3 yrs/45,000kmSubaru Forester 2.5iFuel use @ 8.1L/100km = $1732.59 p/a = $5197.77 over 3 yrsCost $32,990. Residual value after 3 yrs 54 per centServicing: $542.72 first yr; $1983.70 over 3 yrs/75,000kmHonda CR-V VTiFuel use @ 7.7L/100km = $1647.03 p/a = $4941.09 over 3 yrsCost $31,790. Residual value after 3 yrs 54 per centServicing: $483.64 first yr; $1450.92 over 3 yrs/60,000km 

HYUNDAI is recalling every ix35 -- Australia's biggest-selling small SUV -- made over the past three years. The South Korean car maker is recalling 32,525 examples of its ix35 built from January 2011 to December 2013 because the airbag in the steering wheel may not be secured properly and the horn may not work.It is the second recall for the same model so far this year and part of a global recall of more than 137,500 Hyundai vehicles announced last week. In January, Hyundai recalled 6193 of its ix35 SUVs due to a potentially faulty seatbelt pre-tensioner.A statement from Hyundai about the latest safety issue said: "An incorrectly tightened bolt could result in the misalignment of the airbag module, possibly affecting its deployment, and could also affect the operation of the horn."Hyundai says there have been no reported incidents in Australia but customers may notice a rattle in the steering wheel. "It will not cause the airbag to deploy unintentionally," says the Hyundai Australia statement. "(But) the effectiveness of the airbag could be reduced if the bolt is not tightened properly."A safety bulletin has been published on recalls.gov.au and Hyundai customers will be notified by mail in the coming days to have their cars checked free of charge and the bolts tightened if necessary. During preliminary inspections only four vehicles have needed to have their airbag bolts tightened, the company says.In April 2013, Hyundai called 227,000 cars back to dealers to fix a faulty brake light switch that affected eight models, most of its range, after News Corp Australia exclusively unearthed the fault 15 months earlier.But that incident was not documented on recalls.gov.au because Hyundai successfully argued with authorities that potentially faulty brake lights were "not a safety issue" and the repairs could be done as a "dealer service campaign".In its formative years Hyundai refused to issue a recall even after the front suspension assembly of 46 Hyundai Excel cars collapsed while in traffic and/or on the move in 1998.The latest Hyundai ix35 safety campaign is the 33rd vehicle recall so far this year, including one for nine different types of Aston Martin models.The biggest recalls so far this year were Toyota's bulletins issued in April which affected almost 300,000 vehicles: 118,600 Yaris small cars because the seats could slide forward and 179,000 HiLux utilities for a potential airbag failure.Weird car recalls:Land Rover: "assorted models" recalled because the indicators don't flash enough times with one touch (May 2014)Chinese Foton ute: 316 vehicles recalled to replace the wheel jack (May 2014)Aston Martin: all models made between 2007 and 2013 recalled because the accelerator pedal arm may break (January 2014)Ford Falcon LPG sedan: 372 vehicles recalled because the wrong size wheels were fitted (February 2013)Great Wall Motors utes: 23,000 vehicles recalled because some gaskets contained asbestos (August 2012)Holden Commodore ute: 34,432 vehicles recalled because the tailgate could pop open (July 2010)This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Hyundai has recalled its popular ix35 for a production defect on the tensioning cable in the seatbelt pretensioner, with insecure crimping meaning the cable could be unleashed and injure occupants or fail to offer full seatbelt restraint in an accident.The recall affects 6552 of the top-selling small Hyundai SUV, which last year led its segment with 19,098 sales -- overtaking the 2012 leader Nissan Dualis with a resounding distance to its 12,434.  The build dates affected by the recall from August 23, 2011 to 24 February, 2012, and the VIN number range is  KMHJT81BLCU373966 to KMHJU81VSCU485865. The VIN number can be found on the build plate in the engine bay.Hyundai says the defect has not been responsible for any injuries in Australia, and that the seatbelts will still continue to operate and protect occupants in the meantime. "There have been no incidents here yet," Hyundai spokesman Guido Schenken told Carsguide. "The defect only affects the pretensioner, so the rest of the seatbelt mechanism works fine. The fix will take about 30 minutes at the most."Hyundai is notifying affected owners by letter, instructing them to return their ix35 to the nearest dealership, where the seatbelt pretensioner will be replaced.