To Hyundaitech

Had my brakes checked on 2003 sonata gl the other day by Midas, and Monroe.
They both stated that my brakes have 70% more life to them. I called Hyundai
and told them that my brake pedal is making a click noise when I press down
on it and the pedal seemed to have gone down more. The Hyundai service rep
told me that they do not listen to non-Hyundai repair centers. Anyways, my
clock seems to be going on and off by itself. Since Monday, it has done this
5 times. I have to keep adjusting the time. Wanted to ask what can it
possible be that is causing this. Also wanted to know if wipers and air
filters were under warranty. I called all 6 Hyundai dealers in my state and
there is a waiting period of at least 2 weeks to get an appointment in,
unless someone cancels. My car has 37,000 miles on it. When do brakes
usually need to be replaced? What about the tires as well. I travel
basically all on highway. I been keeping track on mpg for the past 7 months
and I get anywhere from 19-27 mpg. Is there any suggestions on how to
increase gas mileage? Thanks for you time.

Sincerely,

Jeff

 

You should listen to anyone who's reliable and honest, whether Hyundai
dealer or not. Most chain shops like Midas and Monro have poor
reputations, and if you're looking to have your car serviced somewhere
other than the dealer, good word of mouth about neighborhood mom-and-pop
repair facilities is probably the best way to go.

If the click noise is coming from the pedal itself, someone will likely
have to crawl up under you dash to check it out. As for the pedal height,
if you have a 4-cyl. (meaning rear drum brakes), you may need to adjust the
rear brake shoe clearance. This won't be covered under your warranty
because it's part of regular maintenance on the vehicle.

Wiper blades are covered for 1 year/12k miles, whichever comes first. Air
filters I don't believe are covered at all. Basically, these are seen as
maintenance items and so you'll need to pay for them.

Brake pad/shoe replacement depends most on driving habits. I've seen
people that wear them out every 8,000 miles and people that can have them
last 50,000 miles. Continue to have them checked as part of your regular
maintenance. Anyone that puts the vehicle on a lift to do an oil change
should be able to shine a flashlight through the wheel and look at the
pads. Typically, the inner one is also visible if looking from under the
car. If you have rear drum, there's an inspection hole in the backing
plate with a rubber plug that can be removed to inspect the shoes. The
fact they're telling you that you have 70% left seems to indicate they're
probably honest.

If you're getting 19-27 mpg, I have pretty much no suggestion. Of course,
less speeding up and slowing down, slow starts, etc. always help.

 

Recently I purchased a V6 SONATA 2005.
All the indications are that it is going to be a good car.

Any ideas on how much "Doit Yourself" maintenance can be done ??

I am thinking, for example, the Air Conditioning Filter that sits
behind the glove compartment.
It is suggested that it be replaced every 12 months.
Can it be easily replaced ??

Cheers,
-Ogato88

 

Anyone have any information on "Doit Yourself" maintenance on SONATA ??
Best wishes,
-Ogato88

 

No, adjusting brake shoes' clearance is not part of regular
maintenance.
should b done only in the factory and when replacing them, so if it's
out of spec and the car has original shoes, it is covered.