Hyundai Problems

IT REALLY is important to do the services at the specified intervals, either kilometres or time, whichever comes first. Fluids do deteriorate in time and need to be replaced to maintain their effectiveness. It's not only oil and filters, either, remember its important to change coolant and brake fluid at least annually.

THE mileage you got out of your first clutch is quite low and Hyundai mechanics say they have little trouble with the clutch in the Accent. Be sure you don't ride the clutch pedal when you are driving. This can lead to premature wear. The best practice is to move your foot right away from the pedal rather than leave it hovering over it. If you leave it there. you can easily end up with your foot resting on the pedal without being conscious of doing so.

SEVERAL aftermarket kits can be fitted. Among the better-known brands are Cobra and Rhino, which can be fitted by specialists. You could also take it back to the dealership and ask them to fit the sensors.

THE problem with the remote central locking is not uncommon, but it seems little can be done. It's apparently related to the wiring. The Sonata is particularly prone to electrical gremlins. With the other problem, I'd take it to a suspension specialist and ask them to ensure the front-end alignment is set correctly. It may be worth fitting better-quality front dampers, something the specialist would be able to advise on.

THERE could be many reasons, from a simple wiring problem -- and Korean cars tend to suffer from them -- to the coolant temp sensor. It may be difficult to trace, but I would start with the coolant sensor.

I WOULD be careful about doing anything that might hinder the deployment of the airbag. An airbag activates with enough force to blow covers off the steering wheel or dash, but it might not be enough to clear a seat cover, even part of a seat cover. A cover that doesn't intrude into the area over the airbags would probably be OK, but make sure it does not cover the airbag in any way.

THERE are two crucial dates on the car, the build date and the date of compliance to the Australian Design Rules. The second is more critical in terms of registration. The build plate is attached to the car when it is put together at the factory. The date used by the registration authorities to establish the model year is the one on the compliance plate. When cars arrive here they go into bond storage and come out only when they are delivered to dealers. That's when the compliance plate is fitted. A car could have been built in 2004 but, because of the time it takes to ship cars from Korea, it may have a compliance plate dated 2005, when it was taken out of bond storage and sent to the dealer. Your car could have a compliance plate dated 2004. That could be because it has been sitting at the dealer's since last year. Check the plates on the car. The ADR compliance plate is in the rear boot area. The build plate is attached to the body on the passenger's side door. If the compliance plate is dated 2004, the registration is correct and the dealer has not been honest. The car may be new, but it will be seen as an older model and its value will probably be affected. Some dealers, however, consider the date of first registration as the guide to its value and you won't be affected. If the date on the compliance plate is 2005 I would go the registration people and have their records corrected to reflect the later date.

IT SOUNDS as if you have a bent valve. The Sonata engine has to be correctly aligned when the belt is changed and it's difficult to do. The other thing to check is the balance belt -- it should also be changed, and needs to be correctly aligned when the new cam timing belt is fitted. It's easy to get the balance belt 180 degrees out.

THE aircon components are not generally a problem on the Grandeur, but rear window regulators are. Take it up with Hyundai.

MOST vehicles have a diff whine, it's the nature of the type of gears used in diffs, but you rarely hear it. Most car makers manage to isolate the noise so it doesn't travel through the car. They use all sorts of techniques to ensure it doesn't become a problem. The problem with the Santa Fe could lie in the diff itself, it could also lie in the suspension or body which can act as amplifiers. I would take up Hyundai's offer and have them fix the problem.