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Hyundai Elantra Cooling System Problem

34 messages,  Last post on Apr 03, 2013 at 4:48 AM

You are in the Hyundai Elantra Forum.

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Elantra, Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 4

#14 of 34 Re: Help! [sherryls] by favesis21

Oct 03, 2007 (6:41 pm)

Replying to: sherryls (Oct 03, 2007 5:32 pm)
My car is a 2003, but I feel even more horrible for you since yours was newer! My car also had a coolant leak, when you opened the hood you could see the fluid all over. I had the radiator hoses and clamps replaced also. The problem had been going on for some time, judging by the way the fluid had dried all over the place in there. I don't tend to look under the hood often unless I am checking my fluid levels. Hyundai is putting me at fault saying that my current problem is due to a faulty thermostat that they had told me needed to be replaced a few months ago. I admit my part that I should have replaced the thermostat, but who ever heard of a car with less than 40k needing this done? If you ever do file a class action suit let me know on this board. Good luck!

#15 of 34 Re: Help! [favesis21] by doohickie

Oct 03, 2007 (7:51 pm)

Replying to: favesis21 (Oct 03, 2007 6:41 pm)
Hyundai is putting me at fault saying that my current problem is due to a faulty thermostat that they had told me needed to be replaced a few months ago. I admit my part that I should have replaced the thermostat, but who ever heard of a car with less than 40k needing this done?
 
Umm.... YOU did, when your mechanic TOLD YOU about it. I mean.... DUH! If a thermostat fails, you don't wait MONTHS to fix it!
 
And replacing a thermostat at 40k is not unheard of. It doesn't happen a lot, but once it a while it does. If I were the dealer I wouldn't fix your engine under warranty either.
 
I know of several people that have had major work done under Hyundai's warranty. The difference between them and you is they took proper care of their cars.

#16 of 34 Re: Help! [doohickie] by favesis21

Oct 04, 2007 (5:37 am)

Replying to: doohickie (Oct 03, 2007 7:51 pm)
Being that I already said in my original post that I admit that I was wrong in not replacing the thermostat, I don't feel it was necessary for you to make a comment like that. You don't know my situation but I wish you did you would take your snobby comment back in a heartbeat. Besides, my previous mechanic (who I now no longer go to because of this) had told me that I did not need a thermostat and therefore would be wasting money that I don't have. I do maintain my car this just had caught me at a bad time. Please don't make comments to a person like that unless you know their whole situation. Like I said I already admit my wrongdoing.

#17 of 34 Re: Help! [favesis21] by doohickie

Oct 04, 2007 (2:52 pm)

Replying to: favesis21 (Oct 04, 2007 5:37 am)
So what do you want from Hyundai? I mean, you say, "Hyundai is putting me at fault", as if it's not your fault.

#18 of 34 Re: Help! [doohickie] by favesis21

Oct 04, 2007 (4:43 pm)

Replying to: doohickie (Oct 04, 2007 2:52 pm)
my question (and purpose for posting in the first place) was is it common for these problems to happen on a car with low mileage, carefully driven and garaged and maintained on a regular basis? Contrary to what you believe, I do maintain the car regularly. I just don't take the car to Hyundai for it. My mechanic at the time advised me that there was nothing wrong with the thermostat and told me to save the money for my son who is very sick. Helpful, maybe even friendly answers are is all I am asking for. Thank you

#19 of 34 Re: Help! [favesis21] by backy

Oct 04, 2007 (5:39 pm)

Replying to: favesis21 (Oct 04, 2007 4:43 pm)
Yes, it is not uncommon for a thermostat to fail at around 40k. That happened most recently for me on the last Honda Civic I owned. It doesn't matter if the car was garaged (as mine are), has low miles (as mine do), are carefully driven (as mine are), and are maintained on a regular basis (as mine are). If a part is going to fail, none of that will matter.
 
Since your mechanic advised you that there was nothing wrong with the thermostat after your Hyundai dealer advised you to replace it (I thought that is what you said?), have you asked the mechanic if he/she would be willing to cover the cost of the repair?
 
To my knowledge, a thermostat replacement is not an expensive repair. Sometimes it is the best policy to pay a little now vs. (potentially) a lot later. Another example is timing belts. The replacement can be fairly expensive, a few hundred dollars if done at a dealer. But if it breaks, the engine can be ruined. So holding off on replacing it can save money now, and maybe it won't break. But if it does... bad news.
 
This may not be the kind of answer you are looking for, but it's the best answer I have based on my 35 years of owning cars.

#20 of 34 Re: Help! [favesis21] by doohickie

Oct 04, 2007 (5:59 pm)

Replying to: favesis21 (Oct 04, 2007 4:43 pm)
So your mechanic basically told you what you wanted to hear instead of what you needed to hear, it sounds like. That kinda sucks.

#21 of 34 Re: Help! [favesis21] by lightfootfl

Oct 05, 2007 (7:18 am)

Replying to: favesis21 (Oct 03, 2007 6:41 pm)
Am I missing something here,? IF there is/was a thermostat problem would it not be advisable to replace it as soon as possible? I don't know the price of such a repair, but certainly it can't be too much. IF the problem is hoses, and or clamps giving away, these too are unpredictable and shouldn't be exorbitant either. Regardless, it is obvious that they need to be repaired so as not to lose the engine or have any major problems. I wouldn't begin to guess about the warranty coverage however.

#22 of 34 Re: Help! [lightfootfl] by doohickie

Oct 06, 2007 (9:05 pm)

Replying to: lightfootfl (Oct 05, 2007 7:18 am)
If a wear item breaks that causes other damage, Hyundai generally won't cover it under warranty, although it's worth it to try several dealers. I base that on brake problems that they try to blame on bad pads or shoes causing the calipers to go bad (when I think sometimes it's the other way around). Is a thermostat a wear item? I'm not sure. But if it was diagnosed as bad, then wasn't replaced and a major engine problem results, you can hardly blame Hyundai for the major engine failure.

#23 of 34 Eek. by jsmithson

Oct 21, 2007 (7:43 pm)

This is the kind of thing that concerns me. While it's not unheard of for a thermostat to fail to open and overheat an engine at 40k or so miles, it is certainly not common. Most concerning, though, is hearing that lights weren't coming on before the engine internals were damaged. Every time I've had a car overheat, it was obvious on the gauges.
 
Frankly, I'd raise holy heck and try to get them to put a crate engine in my car, at least about leaking hoses or faulty clamps. It isn't fair for Hyundai (or any other automaker) to dwell long and loud about their fantastic warranty and then be so brutal in their expectations of average car owners. Their warranty is worthless to me if I have to crawl all around my car and constantly inspect it every time I think about driving it to make sure a hose hasn't failed, all so that my warranty will be honored.
 
FWIW, if it overheats severely within the B2B warranty, through no fault of my own, I'm likely to *ensure* that the engine seizes. Just because it will still turn over and run doesn't mean that Hyundai's faulty hose/clamp hasn't galled or scored a main bearing that will now fail prematurely. I paid for this warranty. I'm willing to do my part to realize the full potential for reliability from my Elantra. In return, I want a mechanically flawless car from Hyundai.

Messages Page 3 of 4

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