Hyundai Problems

Korean cars still have the stigma of being cheap, poorly built throwaway cars, and while that might have once been the case it would be wrong to dismiss Seoul-sourced cars today. It’s important to look at each brand individually as each is quite different in terms of build quality and reliability in service, so consider each brand carefully and ask your own mechanic for their experience with them.Hyundai was the first Korean brand to land here and the early cars were pretty poorly built. They were clearly in the throw away category, but to pigeon hole them that way today would be doing them, and yourself, a disservice.The model that changed the perception of Hyundai was the X3 Excel that was launched here in 1994. The model that preceded the X3 was a car that warranted caution when buying, but In one fell swoop Hyundai threw off the disposable tag and become a serious auto offering.The X3 Excel was an all-new small car that offered a roomy interior with commendable performance and handling, at a very affordable price. In no time at all it became one of the top selling cars in the country, giving the Koreans in general, and Hyundai in particular, an image boost.The Excel’s swoopy lines and endless curves quickly attracted a following with young drivers. The interior, while praised for its roominess and comfort, was canned for being bland and boring with a sea of dark and sombre trim colours.The power initially was from a single overhead camshaft, 12-valve, fuel-injected 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine punching out 65 kW. There was a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto transmission.With the standard five-speed manual gearbox, the three-door hatch was quite zippy, boasting a respectable time of 12.2 seconds to reach 100km/h from a standstill.Excel buyers had the choice of three body styles, a three-door hatch, five-door hatch and four-door sedan.The Sprint three-door hatch was the entry level, price leading model, boasting body coloured bumpers, intermittent wipers and a radio-cassette sound system with two speakers as standard.The GX three-door, along with the LX five-door hatch and four-door sedan, added power steering, rear spoiler and a tachometer.The top model in the range was the GLX which came in five-door hatch and four-door body styles, and boasted an impressive list of features, including body coloured bumpers, central locking, power mirrors, power antenna, power front windows, power steering, radio cassette with four speakers, and a tachometer. Air-conditioning and a driver’s airbag were extra cost options.Performance was boosted with a facelifted model in 1998 and the introduction of a 16-valve engine, identified by the “Twin Cam” badge on the tail. With the new engine under the bonnet the Excel’s 0-100km/h time was cut to 9.8 seconds.The Excel’s service history is dominated by a recall in 1997 when it was found that a number of cars had problems with the welds attaching the chassis rails to the floor pan. Problem cars could be identified by a creaking noise in the body as the car went over bumps. Hyundai checked all cars and riveted the rails to the floor pan to fix the problem.While the recall cast a shadow over the Excel’s reputation for a while, mechanics report that it is generally a robust and reliable car.They say that the power train is quite durable, with few reports of anything untoward with the engine or gearbox.The cam-timing belt requires replacement every 90,000km but it’s not a big, or expensive, job. Even if it is neglected and the belt eventually breaks the consequences are not catastrophic as the engine is a free-spinning design so there’s no chance of valves tangling with pistons and other internal components. The worst that can happen is that you’ll be stranded on the roadside waiting for assistance.As for all cars check for a verifiable service record, looking for regular oil and fluid changes, and check the oil by removing the oil filler cap and checking for an accumulation of sludge which would indicate the oil hasn’t been regularly replaced.Check the body for dents and scrapes, and faded paint on bumpers and exterior rear view mirrors on cars delivered before the 1998 facelift.The interior, criticised for its bland colours and plain trim when new, stands up well in service. Few problems are reported with warped or cracked plastic trim components after nine years under the hot sun.The most frustrating problem is with the electrics, which can be unreliable. It seems the Koreans have discovered the secret to the British electrical dramas and taken them back to Seoul. The problems are usually traced back to bad connections.Because the car was cheap and cheerful young and inexperienced drivers often bought them, and owners who couldn’t always afford to keep them properly maintained, so look for signs of abuse and lack of attention.• swoopy styling• roomy and comfortable interior• reliable power train• dodgy electrics

When Hyundai launched its sporty Coupe in 1996 the brand was flying high. Its small cars were dominating the cheap end of the market with drive-away deals that were hard to resist if your motoring needs could be met with a simple set of wheels, but the Coupe took the Korean car maker into another realm. It was one where fashion was just as important than function.It was a test of Hyundai’s ability to lure buyers through showroom doors with promises other than a cheap no frills deal. That said the Coupe was still cheaper than its rivals in the sports coupe market.MODEL WATCH Hyundai had obviously seen the success enjoyed by Toyota’s Celica in the trendy suburbs of Sydney or Melbourne and were determined to follow the Japanese carmaker’s lead when it launched the Coupe.The Korean carmaker wasn’t new to the coupe segment, it had built a rather bland model called the SCoupe before, but the front-wheel drive two-plus-two Coupe tackled the style-driven sports coupe segment head on.The Coupe’s generous curves were penned in California instead of Seoul, none the less its slightly exaggerated shape is an acquired taste. It’s elegant and sporty from some angles, but at the same time it’s dumpy from others. Fussy highlight lines down the front and rear guards emphasises the swoopy profile, and add to a visual clutter that confuses and challenges the eye. At the end of day, however, styling is a personal thing and some may find the Coupe attractive.Hyundai offered three models in the Coupe range, the base SX, mid-range FX and the SFX that had all the bells and whistles you could wish for.The SX came with a 1.8-litre twin cam fuel-injected four cylinder engine, which boasted a modest 94 kW and 161 Nm. There was a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed auto, which drove the front wheels.Even though it was the entry level model the SX was reasonably well equipped with an adjustable steering column, power steering, power windows, fog lamps and body coloured bumpers.Power for the mid-range FX model was a bigger 2.0-litre fuel-injected twin cam which pumped out a more respectable 102 kW and 180 Nm, and there was the same choice of five-speed manual and four-speed auto ’boxes.Equipment level was quite impressive with smart alloy wheels. remote central locking, alarm, CD player and a rear spoiler over and above the features offered with the SX.The range topper was the SFX, which had the same power train as the FX, but had standard ABS, cruise control, electric sunroof, leather trim and a driver’s airbag as well as all those goodies that came with the lesser models. Air-con was an option.On the road the Coupe’s engines were reasonably willing performers and happy to rev out through the range, although their enthusiasm to rev didn’t translate into thrilling on-road performance when they needed 11 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standing start.The thrill of driving was also somewhat dampened by the rubbery feel of the manual gearshift, which wasn’t sporty in the slightest sense, and the auto was clearly aimed at the hairdresser set.Handling was predicable and secure up to a point, but if you were too enthusiastic it was easy to have the rear jump out on you. That’s in spite of some tuning work done by Porsche.IN THE SHOP With Coupes now having covered around 100,000 km on average it is important to check service records and make sure those that have passed the 100,000 km mark have had the major service scheduled for 100,000 km in which the cam timing belt is changed. If you choose to buy a car that hasn’t had the change as recommended by Hyundai as part of the regular service schedule then get it done. It’s better to be safe now than sorry later on.Hyundai’s engines and gearboxes are generally rugged and reliable, same with the drive lines and suspension. If they have a problem it is in the ancillaries, which seem to suffer from a lack of refinement that may be due to inadequate development at the engineering stage.Electrics are a particular problem with poor connections, troublesome wiring, and overall poor quality giving the Koreans a reputation once reserved for British cars with their dodgy electrical systems.Hyundai trim and plastics are generally hard wearing and stand up quite well to the tough Aussie conditions, but fit and finish is a problem and it’s not unusual to have squeaks and rattles as a result.Owners report that seats tend to be uncomfortable on long journeys, and there is little room in the rear to carry passengers in comfort or much in the way of luggage. They also complain that the rear hatch is heavy to lift, and the rear compartment lip is quite high which means you have quite a high lift to put luggage or shopping away.OWNER’S SAY Angelo Stamboulakis is generally happy with his 1997 Coupe FX, which has done 105,000 km. His only complaint is a problem with the automatic transmission, which is reluctant to upshift when cold.LOOK FOR • affordable sports coupe• reliable engines and gearboxes• major service at 100,000 km• cramped interior• uncomfortable seats

The race for your small car dollar is intense, with a plethora of makes and models to choose from, ranging from cheap and cheerful to, would you believe, prestige models. The latter are mostly recent arrivals from Europe as carmakers from that part of the world try to convince buyers to part with more cash for the prestige of driving a European brand.There are also plenty of offerings from the Japanese carmakers, all decent cars, while the Koreans have tried to move away from the cheap and cheerful end of the small car market that was once their own exclusive domain.Chief among them is Hyundai who successfully established its place in the market on a policy of drive-away-no-more-to-pay. It worked a treat, but it also entrenched them in the bottom end of the market with a clientele who were only prepared to buy their cars if they were cheap-and-cheerful.They have been working hard to move beyond the cheap-and-cheerful image and have been relatively successful with a string of better and well-built cars that deserve more respect, the small Getz hatchback among them.MODEL WATCHWhen you think of a Korean carmaker the first badge that comes to mind is Hyundai’s. It was the first Korean carmaker to hit our shores, in the 1980s, and is the most aggressive in world terms.Hyundai makes no bones about being a world carmaker, one that takes on the world with its own products, and they are becoming better and better with each new model.The Getz is Hyundai’s own in-house product, conceived to stand up against the best that Europe can produce and it does it pretty well.The styling is clean and attractive in a European sense. There is nothing glaringly absent in the design that sends you reeling out of the showroom; the Getz hatch presents a well balanced profile with lines that flow cleanly from neat front to functional rear.Inside, it has the space to make it competitive against the class leading small cars, and the layout to make it a pleasant place to be when stuck in city traffic.The great thing about the best small cars is the driving experience. The best compacts are nimble with well-balanced nippy handling, and are powered by engines that provide sufficient zip to make negotiating traffic easy and fun.By comparison the Getz was a little dull. The engines were willing, but the tallish gearing tended to suck the potential out of them.At the entry level there was a 1.3-litre single overhead camshaft engine putting out 60 kW at 5500 revs and 117 Nm at 3200 revs, but there was also a 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft engine that boosted that to 74 kW at 5800 revs and 133 Nm at 3200 revs.Behind that there was the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto.On the road the handling was acceptable. It wouldn’t bite you, but it was vague with rather dull steering. It was certainly not for anyone who enjoyed the thrill of driving, it was more for those who wanted simple transport and only cared about getting from A to B without really caring about the journey itself.Likewise its ride was also acceptable, but lacked damping. It tended to float over larger dips, but was hard and harsh on big bumps.The range was made up of three-door and five-door hatch models. The GL opened the bidding and was fairly basic. It came with power steering, engine immobilizer and four-speaker CD sound. Air became standard in 2003 and central locking were much needed additions to the features list in 2003.The FX five-door was better equipped with air, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors and alloy wheels.There was also the XL three-door that had the 1.3-litre engine and a little more fruit than the three-door GL.IN THE SHOPHyundai has had to endure some scathing criticism over the years as it has attempted to build credibility with buyers.Who could forget the Excel fiasco when management attempted to deny the existence of a serious problem with the welding of the front-end? They were eventually forced to own up and they came good with a fix, but the episode hurt the company and damaged the reputation of Korean cars in general.It’s a pity because the Excel was generally a reliable and robust little car and didn’t deserve the reputation it got.But in recent times Hyundai cars have got better and better, to the point they are now quite well built.Hyundai at least is confident it has got it right in offering a five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres.The Getz is a member of the new generation of Hyundais and is worthy of a look by anyone thinking of buying a small car and not wanting to spend lots of money.Check for a service record to confirm regular oil changes.Also check the body for dings and dents, looking for signs of panel repair, such as mismatching paint.IN A CRASHThe Getz was in the general mix for safety, but wasn’t considered one of the better performers in a crunch.A driver’s airbag was standard across the range, and a passenger’s airbag was added in 2003 making the post 2003 update model the better buy.AT THE PUMPWith average fuel consumption around 10 L/100 km the Getz isn’t the most fuel-efficient small car going around. Tall gearing holds the little Hyundai back and drivers tend to make up for the apparent lack of performance by pushing down on the gas pedal. That, of course, results in more, and more expensive visits to the gas pump.LOOK FOR• modest performance• tall gearing affects fuel economy• class average interior space• clean attractive styling• vague handling• underdamped rideTHE BOTTOM LINEA worthy try, but lacks the refinement of the best in the small car class.THE RATING60/100

Hyundai paved the way for the other Korean carmakers to enter the Australian market and it remains the leader of the Korean pack. It wasn’t without its problems in the early days, but has evolved into a respected make that has earned its stripes in the Australian motoring landscape.The Accent resides in the period in which Hyundai was moving from a maker of cheap and cheerful cars with questionable quality and reliability to a producer of refined, durable cars as it is today.MODEL WATCHThe Accent was the replacement for the Excel, the small Hyundai that is perhaps best remembered for the chassis problem it suffered when someone forgot to weld the front end, but is generally well regarded by those who bought them and drove them for many, many thousands of kilometres and found them to be most reliable.Compared to the Excel the Accent was longer, wider and heavier, and rode on a longer wheelbase, but the interior and boot space was little different. That said Hyundai claimed that the head, leg and hiproom were improved.The styling was freshened with the Excel’s soft rounded curves replaced by sharper lines that were more attractive for the time.Hyundai offered three body styles in the range, consisting of a three-door hatch, a five-door hatch and a four-door sedan. The model range included the base GL sedan and three and five-door hatches that opened the range, the GS three-door hatch and the GLS five-door hatch.The Accent’s engine was a 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine of its own making. Peak power was 76 kW at 5800 revs and torque was133 Nm at 3000 revs.The Accent was no fireball, but it had sufficient get up and go to satisfy most owners.Buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto, both of which got the job done without much fuss, and final drive was through the front wheels.There was little to complain about with the Accent, but equally there was little to inspire. It was adequate rather than exciting, doing everything acceptably well if your priority was A to B transport.The model range opened with the GL, which was available in sedan and three and five-door hatch body styles, and came with power steering, immobilizer, digital clock, four-speaker AM/FM radio cassette sound, intermittent wipers and 60/40 split-fold rear seat.If you stepped up to the GS three-door hatch you also got a power antenna and power windows, a rear spoiler with high-mount stoplight, central locking, and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob.Further up the chain was the GLS, which could be had in sedan or five-door hatch styles, and came with power mirrors, air, and front fog lamps.IN THE SHOPLike the Excel the Accent was fundamentally sound, with durable engines, gearboxes and drivelines, but was often plagued by little things that could sour the experience.The engine has a cam timing belt so make sure it has been replaced as per the service schedule and not ignored by an uncaring or cash-strapped owner as can happen. Other than that make sure it has had regular oil changes.Ensure the auto transmission shifts smoothly and doesn’t stick in gear. If it sticks in third the pulse generator probably needs replacing.If there’s an issue with early Hyundais it’s in the peripheral systems and components, like the electrical system and associated bits and pieces. Wiring harnesses tended to be too tight, the wires often too short, and there were lots of reports of poor connections. Corroded connections were often reported to dealers.IN A CRASHAll models had a driver’s airbag and seat belt pretensioners for basic safety protection.ABS anti-lock brakes were an option and are worth having.AT THE PUMPThe Accent is quite a fuel miser and you could expect to see 7.0-8.0 L/100 km around town and 6.0-6.5 L/100 km on the open road.OWNERS SAYMerle Stomps doesn’t want to update her 2000 Accent simply because she doesn’t think she can buy a car that will give her as good a run as her Hyundai. She says it does 7.0 L/100 km, has good performance, and has been a pleasure to drive in the 240,000 km she has done in the seven years she’s owned it. During the warranty she had the clock and both side mirrors replaced, and there was a wiring problem with the air-conditioning, while she spent $300 on an ignition problem after the warranty expired.LOOK FOR• Robust and reliable engines• Modest performance• Good fuel economy• Reasonably roomy• Troublesome electrical systemTHE BOTTOM LINESolid, generally reliable basic transport as long as you don’t want a thrilling drive.RATING60/100