Hyundaitech - My first and last

I have a 2004 Tiburon - 4 Cyl - 5 Speed Manual - with less that 14,000 miles
that I
purchased in October of 2005. It has been driven at least 5 days a week since
I purchased it new in October of 2004.

My dealer's service manager now tells me that if I do not replace the timing
belt,
at a cost of almost $800, or $200 per year, or 6 cents per mile ... I will no
longer be covered by the 10 year, 100,000 mile warrenty.

I don't expect you to do anything about it, but my next vehicle will not be one
that expects me to spend this kind of money to retain a "Ten-Year, 100,000 mile
- Best in the industry" warrenty.

This sucks!

 

Fred,
Just curious. Did the Service Manager tell you why you need a new timing
belt at less than 14,000 miles?? I believe these belts should be good up
until around 70,000 miles. Possibly it's defective which might be covered
under the warranty.

Also, I think if you do some research you're going to find that NOT
replacing a timing belt, when needed, on ANY car is pretty much going to
void the warranty. I don't think Hyundai is the only one that does this.

Mike
'08 Elantra

 

Welcome to the real world of timing belts. The cost sounds high but
the issue is normal. I first had it on a 1967 VW rabbit. You will
have it on any engine with a belt instead of a chain which is many, if
not most, 4 cyl engines.

 

The manager never looked at my car.

I just asked why I had to spend $800 to replace a timing belt with less
than 14,000 miles on the vehicle.

He said I "had to replace the belt" to retain the warrenty.

Again, that sucks.

There may be another manufacturer in my future when I replace my wife's
ten-year-old Chryster 300 M ( with less than 60,000 miles on it ) next
year.

She really likes the Hyundai SUV, but now I don't have the "warm fuzzies".

 

I plead stupidity.

I ( stupidly ) thought that 10-year 100,000 mile meant "10-year 100,000 miles".

I did not know ( again, my stupidity ) that I would have to spend $200 a yaer
to replace a timing belt on an engine that has less than 5000 miles a year
on it.

It still sucks!

 

That's not right! A car with 14000 miles and is only 4 years old with normal
driving miles on the car should not and does not need a new belt. I've never
seen any vehicle, while I've been a mechanic, that needed a belt with that
kind of driving on it. Now granted it may be that the belt is defective. But
that is Hyundai, they are crooked, If you recall I had paint issues with the
door handles,and not just my car, many of the 2001 Sonata's, which was
proven there was no primer under the paint. Hyundai still would not cover
the Poor workmanship and Quality because I was 2 months over the paint
warranty.

 

It's wrong. I would contact Hyundai Customer Service and report this dealer.
14k miles is way too soon. My 2002 Sonata 4banger was scheduled at 60k
intervals for the belt. yes, the warranty can be voided if "proper
maintenance" procedures aren't followed. Hyundai isn't the only one who has
this type of clause.

Regardless, Hyundai I feel is the best bang for the buck out there. I'm on
my 3rd Hyundai and haven't had a regret yet.

BTW, the 100k mile warranty begins to pro-rate after 12k miles. I found that
out after a clutch started giving me trouble at 70k on my 02 Sonata. There's
always that damn fine print!

--

2008 Sonata SE- His
2005 Grand Cherokee-Hers

AZ home for sale near Laughlin, Las Vegas, BHC:

http://www.realtor.com/realestate/golden+valley-az-86413-1089865380

 

Timing belts are made of rubber compounds. The material on belts can
deteriorate with time, exposure to heat, chemical fumes, and other strains.
The belts are warranted for both a miles and time interval for that reason.

From the Gates warranty
http://www.gates.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=2256&location_id=3487&go=TBHome
THE BELT MUST BE REPLACED AT THE SPECIFED INTERVAL DETERMINED BY THE BELT
MANUFACTURER AND ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT CAR MANUFACTURER. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY
RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE, FOR WHICH SELLER HEREBY DISCLAIMED.

The real problem here is your failure to research and read the maintenance
schedule to see what is required. Personally, I'd not buy a car with a belt
for the reasons you cite unless I thought it was still a good deal with the
added cost. You do oil changes don't you? Filters? Most people do them
too often and never complain, but when it comes to the more expensive items,
they act surprised and horrified.

Considering that most car manufacturers don't warrant there cars for more
that 36,000 or maybe 50,000 miles, they don't give a damn if you risk
serious engine failure after 4 or 5 years.

I don't see a problem. You had choices to make when you bought the car. I
bought the Sonata that has a chain. With my driving it would be $400 a year
to replace the belt.

 

I don't understand is why it's so expensive on a Tiburon. I had the timing
belt replaced on my wife's 2002 Elantra and the cost was something like
$225. Are the engines in a 4-cylinder Tiburon and the Elantra that
different?

 

Am I missing something, Edwin?? The guy's car has 14,000 miles on it!!!!
Not 114,000 miles. You're accusing him of all sorts of things including not
reading the maintenance schedule and being irresponsible. 14,000
Miles!!!!!!! It sounds like he went to MY dealership!!!

 

He doesn't need to look at your car. Timing belts on all cars that use
them, are rated for time and/or mileage, which ever comes first.

I thought it was 6 years or 60,000 miles on a belt, but I may be wrong on
the time. Check your owner's manual. You'll find your answer there,
regardless of what the service writer told you.

It it is at the time limit then he's correct.

Same for any engine with a timing belt.

Belts are going away as a technology. I think all of the Hyundai engines
now use timing chains. No more replacement schedule.

 

Yes, you are missing somelthing. Belts can deteriorate with time, not just
miles. The warranty and maintenance schedule are specific that the service
be done at a certain time period or miles. Yes, it sucks to have it replace
at such a low mileage so he has the option of doing it ior risking failure
and no coverage. IIRC, it is an interference engine so failer will be VERY
expensive. See below

Ed

 

Why is it wrong? Miles (engine use) is one factor, but time is another.
Yes, the belt may last for another 10 or 20 years, but it may go tomorrow.
If the maintenance schedule gives a time limit, it must be followed or you
risk losing the warranty. You have a choice to make. Don't take my word
for it, read the book.

 

Admittedly, you might be right on the 'time limit'. I don't have one of
those so I don't know what time limit is placed on the belt. They might
have him on a technicality but I would shop around for a better price and
also inspect the belt, if it can be gotten at easily.

 

Fred, in your service many what is the TIME PERIOD that is required for the
timing belt replacement? Solve the mystery so we can move on.

 

It requires the timing belt replacement at 60,000 miles or 48 months.

 

Hey, Fred. I'm going to reply to your post and a few others in this spac
in the interest of keeping my post count down.

First, if you check your owner's manual, you'll see that the maintenanc
interval for the timing belt is 4 years/60,000 miles, whichever come
first. (You're welcome to verify this. I haven't looked in every manua
for every Hyundai model, but I don't recall anyting prior to 2006 whic
had a different recommendation. Edit: during my typing this tome, I se
Fred did indeed verify the interval.) The time due, in your case, woul
be four years from the in-service date of the vehicle. Also, if you'r
not the original owner-- buying a 2004 vehicle in 10/05 makes me suspec
this-- you don't have the 10/100 powertrain warranty unless you purchase
one. Second and subsequent owners only get 5/60 powertrain.

Second, failure to replace the belt doesn't void any part of the warranty
If you look at your warranty, you'll see that it specifically exclude
items which that failed due to not having the recommended preventiv
maintenance done. So, if the belt fails beyond the maintenance interval
Hyundai isn't responsible for repairing any damage caused by that failure
On the other hand, if you have some componet that fails and has nothing t
do with the fact you haven't replaced the belt, that's still covered.

The reliability of the timing belt on this engine is very good. There's
near zero probability it'll fail anywhere near the 4 year/60k mil
interval, and in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted twice tha
long. Don't construe this, however, to be the same thing as
recommendation to not replace the belt. Take the information I'm givin
you and make up your own mind. The longer you go, the greater the chanc
of a problem.

$800 is far too high for replacing this timing belt. My eployer charge
$490, and I think we're too high. Shop around. If you are indeed th
original owner, though, insist on a factory belt even if you don't use
dealer to do the work, keeping in mind that this may increase the cost a
nondealers. This way, the belt will continue to be covered under th
powertrain warranty until the next scheduled replacement or until th
warranty expires, whichever comes first.

Hyundai still uses timing belts on the 1.6, 2.0, and 2.7 engines.
haven't been inspecting the owner's manuals of the newer products (sinc
the belt won't need servicing quite yet), but I believe all the curren
models with timing belts have an interval in the neighborhood of
years/90k miles.

Grant, the reason Edwin suggests Fred hasn't read the owner's manual i
that the manual indeed specifies 4 years or 60k miles as the servic
interval on the belt. I agree that 14k is not very many miles, and tha
this isn't an easy expense to stomach. But, by the same token, Edwin i
correct that the rubber will deteriorate both with age and flexin
(running the engine).

Razz, I'd recommend being careful with what you say. While I agree Fred'
timing belt is probably nowhere near failure, saying point blank that h
doesn't need one is a bit negligent. We cannot see his car, and the fac
remains that Hyundai recommends replacing the belt at 4 years. Would yo
be willing to pay to repair his car if the timing belt failed? If not
you shouldn't make this statement. His dealer has done nothing wrong b
recommending he comply with the maintenance schedule laid out in hi
owner's manual. The voiding warranty talk is another matter. Also, i
seems you have a bit of a grudge against Hyundai, which from reading you
post, appears to have stemmed from Hyundai not fixing a problem which yo
agree they have no obligation to fix.

Steve: Hyundai factory warranties do not pro-rate (with the exception o
the battery warranty). The warranty either covers a repair or it doe
not. If an original owner's engine fails due to manufacturing defect at
years and 99,000 miles, it's still covered 100%. If your dealer has bee
charging you for warranty repairs, you should investigate this

l

 

All;

I have yet to be charged for warranty work, but on my 2002 Sonata,
they finally got the clutch to replicate the complaint I had which was
it would occassionally not disengage completely. I found the trouble
to be the slave cylinder and was told that that since it was at 68,000
miles, it would need to be pro-rated. Maybe I misinterpreted the
discussion, but $800 sounded out of line...

Nonetheless, thanks HT. You rock!

Steve

 

Ya I have a huge GRUDGE against them. It has been proven by three body shops
that there wasn't any primer to begin with on the handles, which should be
covered no matter what the warranty states. That ****-up was right from the
factory from day one. Poor quality control and workmanship.

 

Hyundai must use cheap shit since most manufactures replacement interval is
60 - 100,000 miles with no time frame. they must use better quality belts.
But overall I'd still say Hyundai is the best bang for your buck.