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#189 of 513 Re: Problems with Elantra [gburgrunr] by mkepanther

Jul 10, 2008 (6:46 pm)

Replying to: gburgrunr (Jul 04, 2008 1:02 pm)

I bought my new 2008 Hyundai Elantra 48 hours ago. After having my car for 24 hours, my car also "misfired" and died in the middle of an intersection. I was making a left turn out of a parking lot into the street going about 5 miles an hour when my car lost all power, the warning lights came on, and the car died right there. I put it in park and started it again (thank goodness there weren't any cars coming down the road otherwise I could have been hit!). I got home, called Hyundai road side service and was irritated to hear that I'd have to wait until the morning to have it towed to the dealership. If the car was stuck in the middle of the road, I would have had to use a different towing service and charge my credit card for the tow! Instead, my husband drove the car to the nearest dealer (I drove my trusty Camry to the dealer). The dealer assured me they'd look at my brand-new Elantra first thing in the morning (by the time we waited on the Roadside assistance then drove to the service department, it was 9PM and the dealer was closing). They said to expect a call at 8AM (Day 2 of owning my new Elantra).
 
Day 2 of owning my Elantra: I waited for the call from the dealer and didn't hear anything by 9:30 AM. I called the dealer and spoke with the Service Manager. He was quite a donkey if you get my drift. He told me that I'd "have to wait until the other cars ahead of me are looked at first. Your car won't be looked at until the at least the afternoon". He didn't care that I had bought my car hardly even 2 days ago. It didn't seem to phase him. I then called the dealer that I bought the car from (40 minutes away). The sales manager of the car dealership I bought the car from said I was "overdramatizing" the situation. The sales manager didn't believe anything I was saying...he treated me like he didn't believe ANYTHING I was telling him (about the car dying in the middle of the intersection, that there was a "wait list" for service at the other dealership, that my car wouldn't be looked at until the afternoon...basically the sales manager told me point blank that he would call the other dealership and verify that I was telling the truth!) The dealer I bought the car from then VERIFIED that I was telling him the truth that the repair dealership placed me at the bottom of the list. The sales manager then called me back about 10 minutes later and apologized (he sounded like someone was FORCING him to apologize to me. He was really eating crow!).
 
By the end of day 2, I find out that my car had "misfired" and they waited to hear from the Hyundai tech line. Hyundai tech people said to run "numerous tests" on the car. They are keeping the car until at least the end of DAY 3 of owning my new car. They said if they can't replicate the problem and if the tests don't show anything else wrong, that they'll release the car back to me. That's nice! I really hope my car konks out in the middle of an intersection...hopefully with traffic coming at me! (I'm being sarcastic).
 
Now it is the end of day 2 and I won't have an answer to my car's problem until the end of tomorrow. What a great way to start out my new car ownership. I have had a cruddy 1999 Chevy Lumina (the starter died at 12 months and was replaced, 18 months and was replaced, and at 24 months. I traded in the Lumina at this point since Chevy wouldn't do anything about the problem and I kept getting stranded when the starter died). Then my next new car was a Jeep Cherokee (2001) that was in the shop for MAJOR repairs 5 different times between month 24 - 36 of ownership. I've had my 2004 Toyota Camry for 4 years and 87K miles so far without ANY problems. Now my Elantra is spending DAY 2 and 3 in the shop for a dangerous issue (car dying in the middle of the intersection). What a mistake. I almost bought a Corolla and am now really regretting my decision, especially since both dealerships (the one I bought the Elantra from and the one that is "repairing" it) are full of jerk-wads. I feel like I'm living through the same problems I had with the Lumina and the Cherokee. I should have stuck with Toyota.

Replies to this message:

• backy (Jul 11, 2008 7:33 am)
• chico7 (Jul 11, 2008 8:31 am)
• gomst1 (Jul 12, 2008 7:57 pm)

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#190 of 513 Re: Problems with Elantra [mkepanther] by backy

Jul 11, 2008 (7:33 am)

Replying to: mkepanther (Jul 10, 2008 6:46 pm)

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#191 of 513 Re: Problems with Elantra [mkepanther] by chico7

Jul 11, 2008 (8:31 am)

Replying to: mkepanther (Jul 10, 2008 6:46 pm)

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#192 of 513 problems with elantra by ycr1

Jul 12, 2008 (9:14 am)

Replies to this message:

• marean (Jul 12, 2008 9:28 am)
• mkepanther (Jul 12, 2008 11:45 am)
  • wobbly_ears (Jul 12, 2008 12:23 pm)
    • kravon (Jul 12, 2008 4:20 pm)

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#193 of 513 Re: problems with elantra [ycr1] by marean

Jul 12, 2008 (9:28 am)

Replying to: ycr1 (Jul 12, 2008 9:14 am)

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#194 of 513 Re: problems with elantra [ycr1] by mkepanther

Jul 12, 2008 (11:45 am)

Replying to: ycr1 (Jul 12, 2008 9:14 am)

I own a GLS, and my car has spent day 2, 3, 4 of my ownership at the dealer getting repaired. Due to the weekend, the earliest I would get my car back is day 6 or 7 of ownership...if they even figure out what is wrong with the car. The dealer that I brought it to for repairs said there was a "misfire code" that appeared when they hooked up the car to the computer. However, after running numerous tests and driving it for several miles (Hyundai tech line told the dealer to do these tests), they could not replicate the problem. They still don't know what needs to be fixed on the car to resolve the "misfire" issue.
 
Today (Saturday, day 4 of ownership), the dealer I purchased it from had a car porter drive to the Hyundai dealership where my new Elantra is getting repaired. They drove the car 45 minutes back to the their shop (the dealer where I purchased the car) to do their own investigating. After speaking with the Hyundai customer complaint center, I was promised that if the original dealer I bought the car from can not find the source of the problem and repair it, then the next step would be to replace the car with a different new Elantra. We'll see what happens. I am afraid they will simply turn this malfunctioning Elantra back over to me and the "misfire" will happen again in a more dangerous situation.
 
As a response to the individual who asked if they offered a loaner car from the dealer who was originally "repairing" my vehicle...yes, they did offer a loaner car. HOWEVER...I would have had to leave work early in order to get to the dealer in time. I had already left work early to buy the car on Tuesday night. I could not leave work early again on Friday to get a loaner car. The dealer goes through a local car rental place that I've never heard of before. I would have to get to the dealer before 5PM in order to have the rental place pick me up from there, then fill out paperwork for the free rental. It would have been a total inconvenience to me on top of this fiasco I'm already dealing with. I turned down their offer for the "free loaner" as it made no sense to risk my job to take advantage of their poor offer of a loaner car. Normally, dealers have loaner cars on their lots. You simply sign a short agreement that you'll bring back the car with a full gas tank, and that you won't do X,Y,Z with their loaner car. You are on your way in minutes. That wasn't the case at this place! Luckily I still have my 2004 Toyota Camry (my trusty car that has never caused me any issues). Thank goodness I didn't trade it in when I bought the Elantra, otherwise I would have been in trouble without a reliable car to use. I'm not going to ask for a loaner from the repair dealer or the dealer I bought it from, seeing as I am completely upset, irritated and outraged at this whole disaster. I only had my new car for 24 hours and now it's been in the shop the rest of the week. I don't want to talk with these dealers any more than I have to!
 
Yes...I do realize that sometimes things go wrong with cars. However, a brand-new car that is only 24 hours old should never completely die in the middle of an intersection after making a left-hand turn. And to have a brand new car spend the entire first week of ownership in the shop is unacceptable. If this car was 2 or 3 years old (or older)...I could understand. But 24 hours old??!?!?!? Come on!

Replies to this message:

• wobbly_ears (Jul 12, 2008 12:23 pm)
  • kravon (Jul 12, 2008 4:20 pm)

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#195 of 513 Re: problems with elantra [mkepanther] by wobbly_ears

Jul 12, 2008 (12:23 pm)

Replying to: mkepanther (Jul 12, 2008 11:45 am)

Replies to this message:

• kravon (Jul 12, 2008 4:20 pm)

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#196 of 513 mkepanther by mpg3

Jul 12, 2008 (2:32 pm)

Hello,
 
  I am really sorry to hear of your experience. I had a similar experience with my Ford Explorer Ltd. I had to pay $50 each time they tried to figure out what was wrong. They do have a rental place on site so yes, that does make a big difference. I have driven my Explorer since 2002 and put about 140,000 miles on it so far. It's still going strong with its V8 BUT at $85 fill ups, I needed an alternative.
 
  I can say that I have known people who have driven Hyundai's for years and have heard nothing but good, seriously. I recently purchased an Elantra and we are really pleased with our purchase.
  
  I have not done the comparison, but I will say this, during all my research of safety of cars, no car could compare with the Hyundai for safety, warranty, price, etc.
 
  Around here, the Toyota Yaris and Corolla's are all the rage, but looking at them safety wise, I would not spend my money on either.
 
  As a side note, I researched the heck out of cars looking for one that had higher MPG 26 and low cost, but had high safety. In my travels, I encountered many crazy salespeople, seriously, but I did encounter many professionals. They are out there, but there is always going to be that 10% and in car salesman, I found it to be about a 20% rule.
 
  From what I understand, and I could be sooo very wrong, when the car is going through it's "breaking in" time frame, many things can happen.
 
  I can see how it may not be replicated. Also, I had problems with the Explorer and it was simply as I was not "giving it full gas" as in pressing down fully so it cut off. I don't recall how they fixed it though, sorry. I want to say that it also had something to do with the battery or EGR but I don't remember as it has been quite awhile since I've had to have repairs.
 
  I say all that to say this, these things happen sometimes in life and it is up to us how we react, we can be bitter or better. I really do hope it all works out for you.
 
Take care and I hope they solve this for you.

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#197 of 513 Re: problems with elantra [wobbly_ears] by kravon

Jul 12, 2008 (4:20 pm)

Replying to: wobbly_ears (Jul 12, 2008 12:23 pm)

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#198 of 513 Re: Problems with Elantra [mkepanther] by gomst1

Jul 12, 2008 (7:57 pm)

Replying to: mkepanther (Jul 10, 2008 6:46 pm)