Hyundai Problems

While it's true that super-low mileage can make a difference to a car's selling price, when it comes to mainstream cars like the i30, the difference may not be as much as you expect. Rare, old and collectible cars really benefit value-wise from low mileages, but a 10-year-old Hyundai really doesn't fall into any of those categories. So while it will make the car worth more, don't be surprised if it doesn't make thousands of dollars' worth of difference.

On the flip-side, many car buyers don't like cars that have travelled very low annual distances. Cars don't like sitting around, and a car with very low kilometres could have problems with dry seals and gaskets, flat-spotted tyres, and a build-up of condensation within the mechanical bits and pieces.

The only way to successfully tow something like that is to use a trailer, I'm afraid. Unless you can get the drive wheels of a conventional automatic car off the ground while it's being towed, you stand to destroy the transmission in minutes.

Flat towing with a certified A-frame is legal in Australia, but the regulations do vary from state to state. But even if it's technically legal, it won't work with an automatic i30.

It wasn’t until the end of 2010 that Hyundai got around to fitting the i20 with Bluetooth tech, so really early examples of the i20 missed out. But Bluetooth is available on all other i20 years and variants, so here’s the skinny on how to connect Bluetooth to Hyundai i20 models:

Hyundai i20 Bluetooth pairing starts with your phone having Bluetooth switched on and the phone in discoverable mode. You then need to press the Menu button on the car’s control panel and use the right-hand dial to scroll through till you find the Bluetooth prompt. Press Enter and then highlight the Pair function and hit Enter again. From there, you’ll get a series of vocal prompts which will lead to the info screen showing a pass-key number. Enter those numbers into your phone, hit the green button and you should be connected.

Some later model i20s have slightly different procedures, but the basics are the same: Search for the car on your phone, use the set-up menu on the screen, and then enter the correct pass-key number. While some other systems display the pass-key number on both car and phone, Bluetooth Hyundai i20 style needs the pass-key as a manual entry to your phone.

Once you have the connection established, the Hyundai i20 Bluetooth will allow all the usual functions including music streaming. The car and phone should automatically pair each time you enter the car from then on. If problems occur, the first place to look for answers is the owner’s manual, but a Hyundai dealer should also be able to help with troubleshooting.

Early this year, Hyundai issued a recall for some Konas built between 2020 and 2022 to deal with problems with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission which could cause a loss of drive and, therefore, a dangerous situation on the road. So the first check would be to see if your car you're looking at is affected by that recall (a Hyundai dealer will be able to tell you by looking up the car's VIN). If the car is one of the affected ones but the recall's fixes have been applied, then you have less to worry about.

The Kona's engine problems, meanwhile, were another cause for a safety recall after it was discovered that a batch of Konas had defective piston rings which could cause early engine wear and possibly even a fire. Again, these problems were being fixed by Hyundai, but you need to check whether the example you're looking at buying was one of the affected ones and what's been done about it by the previous owner.

The Mazda CX-3 of the same era has not been without its recalls either, including one for a suspension joint that could fail, but overall, the experience of owners suggests the Mazda could be the less risky bet. Again, though, check the service and recall history of any car before handing over the money.

Modern engine oils contain lots of additives (including detergents) to protect an engine from wear as well as keeping it clean inside. In many cases, this internal cleaning process is what makes the oil go a darker colour over time.

That said, I'd be surprised if an engine with just 40,000km on board is dirty enough inside to make the oil go black. Have you owned the vehicle from new? Did perhaps, a previous owner skip oil changes that allowed black sludge to build up inside the engine?

But equally, don't confuse discoloured with black. Check the oil when the engine is still warm. Hot oil should appear a slightly lighter colour than the same oil in the same engine when it's stone cold. Wipe some of the oil on the dipstick on to a clean piece of paper towel. Does it still look black, or is there a brown-ness to it? If it truly is black than you might need to switch to a high-detergent oil and give the engine a couple of quick oil changes (say, 1000km apart) to see if that cleans things up a bit inside.

Now having said all that, the question becomes one of whether your car is a petrol or diesel-engined i30. If it's a petrol engine, the above advice stands. But if it's a diesel engine, then ignore the above and stop worrying. That's because diesel engines are inherently filthy things which eat a proportion of their own exhaust soot and are, therefore, notoriously grotty, turning their engine oil black in seconds. In fact, by the time the oil has been poured into the filler cap and drained to the sump – before the engine has even been started – it's black. This is quite normal.

It sounds like you’re on the right track with the transmission, Melissa. Transmission oil goes black when it starts to pick up bits of burnt clutch and band material shed by the gearbox’s internal parts. If that’s happening, there’s also a good chance that the transmission is worn and that’s causing the lack of acceleration and slipping you’re experiencing.

This sort of problem can be caused by low transmission fluid levels, a worn out pump or just plain old wear and tear. A check of the torque converter’s health would also be a good idea, but on the surface, it sounds like the transmission is ready to be rebuilt. Have the vehicle scanned and see what faults – if any – are thrown up by the computer. It could be something simple, but the black transmission fluid tends to tell a different story. It should be a nice, clear red colour.

This is how car dealerships get a bad name. Your car would have come with a five-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty. Since it's been (factory) serviced by the book, that cover should still apply up to October 2024. Which means it's Hyundai's problem to make it work properly every time you turn the key.

The fault certainly sounds like it lies with the inhibitor switch (which prevents the car starting unless it's in Park or Neutral) but it doesn't matter. If the car doesn't work correctly and it's under warranty, it's Hyundai's responsibility to put it right. Of course, there are exceptions such as examples of driver abuse and normal wear and tear items like tyres and brake pads, but a critical safety function like this is definitely a warranty issue.

Contact Hyundai's customer service department, report the issue and the dealership's `offer' and see what head office has to say.

I agree that 136,000km is not a realistic lifespan for a modern car. Especially one that has been as meticulously maintained as yours. Hyundai engines of this vintage are not without their known problems, but in my experience, Hyundai has been pretty good about replacing them when the failures have been the endemic kind.

Your first step should be to by-pass the dealership you've been dealing with and talk directly to Hyundai's customer service department. The dealership, as you've correctly identified, will be more interested in selling you another car, while Hyundai head office is more likely to be interested in keeping you as a long term customer. Ultimately, the car will need to be inspected independently to figure out what went wrong and what caused it.

By the way, if the dealership is right and the 'damage has already been done' by the time the warning light illuminates, what's the point of having a warning light in the first place? The dealership in question has just revealed itself to be ignorant at best with comments like that.

By the way, even though your car has a 2013 build date, the warranty would have started the day it was first registered. Even so, it's well and truly out of warranty, but if the problem is one of the known faults of that engine, Hyundai may offer you a pro rata deal to assist in repairs.

The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.

Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.

Your numbers are correct, including the maximum tow-ball weight of 75kg. With that in mind, provided you don’t load the camper-trailer beyond the 1300kg mark, and you distribute that load properly to keep the two-ball weight under 75kg, you should be safe and legal to proceed.

Beyond keeping the mass within legal limits, the other hurdle you might face is the way the i30’s two-litre petrol engine produces its performance. There’s nothing wrong with the 120kW of peak power, but the engine’s peak torque is an unexceptional 203Nm and is produced at a high 4700rpm. That means you might find yourself working the engine pretty hard to maintain highway speeds.

The sister car to yours, the i30 with the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel might be a better choice for towing with less peak power but much more torque (300Nm, from as low as 1750rpm) making it a more relaxed performer and tower.