Are Hyundai Cars Expensive to Maintain?

Vehicle maintenance is important irrespective of its model, price and reliability. By following the proper maintenance schedule, you can avoid costly car maintenance issues like engine problems, transmission problems, spare parts and wear & tear issues etc.

Some of the benefits of proper car maintenance are:

• Undoubtedly, if you service your car regularly then you are paving the way for safety travelling. The faulty engines or gear system will create problems in the middle of the road and make you embrace the situation. Therefore, if you immediately respond to the vehicle's issues, you can have a secure journey.
• The proper scheduled car maintenance will surely increase the life of the vehicle. If you continue to use the car with the minor faults or without servicing the vehicle, it leads to permanent failure of car components. But via proper car service, this can be avoided.
• Through proper maintenance, its record history is created for that vehicle which increases its resale value. Just imagine, if you are going to purchase a second hand car, will you buy a car that has nil maintenance history? The answer that everyone gives is "NO". If the vehicle doesn't undergo maintenance at all then it directly means it is unreliable for purchase.

Furthermore, Hyundai never fails to offer a good warranty period. Thus Hyundai vehicle owners need not worry much about maintenance costs, since most of it is covered within warranty, if the vehicle makes problems within a limited number of years.

Now, let us see whether Hyundai cars are expensive to maintain or not.

Hyundai Santa Fe Problems:

If you own a Hyundai Santa Fe then be aware of these issues in near or far future.

• Problem in timing belt: The users’ complaint that the timing belt in Hyundai Santa Fe doesn't work properly after 275,000km. The timing belt or cam belt assists on synchronization of crankshaft rotation. Therefore engine valves open & close respective to in stroke and exhaust stroke. If this gets failed to work properly then it totally disturbs the engine's routine. However this problem can be resolved by changing the timing belt after every 90,000 km. It may cost around $600 on average to change the timing belt.
• The Santa Fe 2012 model has problems with the engine. Even before anticipated mileage, the Santa Fe engine gets stalled during the drive. However the complaints record is that the engine makes problems only during specific operational conditions. The other common Santa Fe engine related problems are oil leakage, coolant system failure and speed control failure in the vehicle. The common solution to overcome this problem is changing the engine - either new or used Santa Fe engines. The rough estimation to change the engine is around $5000.
• The purpose of traction control light is to alert the driver when the vehicle wheels spin without coordination. The traction control light gives the warning via blinking the light. In Santa Fe (2011) the traction light remains ON always or sometimes, it doesn't stop the blinking thus causing electric system failure. This commonly occurs when the vehicle reaches above 60,000 miles.
• There are some notable issues in Santa Fe interiors too. The navigation system is an add-on feature in vehicles which helps the driver to navigate and find a location. The Hyundai Santa Fe has an out of date navigation system which gets stuck in one location (sometimes) causing the driver into the trouble of finding a place.

Problems with Hyundai Sonata:

• The users’ frequent complaint is about the vehicles' engine which is merely a headache. The Hyundai Sonata engines are costly to repair and the company claims the repair cost even if it is under warranty. The common problems in the engine are - engine starting problem, overheated engine and delay in start. Therefore if you are facing the same problem then do some ground work before making a big decision. If the engine is not working then double check the presence of gas. If the engine has overheating problems then check whether the coolant is working properly.
• The seat belts get detached during an accident. Though there are a number of safety features available in a vehicle, a seat belt is a prime significant one to consider. However in Hyundai Sonata, the seat belts get totally detached from the body during a crash.
• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has gear changing problems and sometimes it is not covered under warranty. When the vehicle reaches 60K+ miles, the users can anticipate the transmission problems. In most cases, the transmission needs replacement which costs around $4000 to fix the issue. For this problem, you can verify with the dealer whether it is covered in warranty. If the warranty got expired then claim for extended warranty and replace the transmission to reduce the expense.

Hyundai Elantra Problems:

• Elantra (2011) has engine problems which includes ticking noise in the engine, unintended or no acceleration, smoke while acceleration, engine stalls while in drive, oil leaks problem. The ticking noise is due to low oil level or due to knocking rod. The valve trains make a weird noise if the oil level is lower than usual. If the rod bearing goes bad, it will also create a noise. Though the temperature remains the same, the bad bearing will affect the RPM of the vehicle's engine. As a result, it causes the engine to fail.
• During acceleration, the accelerating component is attached to the throttle valve. This valve is connected to the vehicles' engine. As the spark that is created ignites the air mixture and the fuel. The result of spark makes the engine and the acceleration to work properly. In Hyundai Elantra, the Throttle valve sensor fails to work which results in fuel system malfunction and spark plug problems. Thus if the vehicle does not increase its speed while driving (after applying acceleration) then service the components to increase the performance.
• Hyundai Elantra has steering issues too. If in case of steering problems then check whether the steering fluid is full. The fluid is an important element which makes the steering to work smoothly. If this fluid level is low then the steering creates squeaking noise. Most of the time, you can directly rectify this problem by yourself without spending for maintenance. Check the steps given in the manual and fill the fluid accordingly.

Hyundai Car Maintenance Tips:

• The simple car maintenance tips must be followed on a daily basis or periodically by the car owners. For example, the vehicles' exterior must look shiny and new. If dust starts to accumulate then it becomes hard to remove at one stage. Therefore concentrate on washing the exterior often. Quality waxing will assist the vehicle to remain shining after wash.  This can be done by yourself whenever you get time and thus reducing the car washing expense. 
• Some DIY car maintenance can be done by yourself that can greatly reduce the maintenance cost. You can check the level of engine oil, fluid level in the brake system, checking the coolant, fluid in power steering visually etc. To check the engine oil, ensure to place the vehicle on ground level and make the engine to reach the normal temperature by starting it. Later, turn off the engine and wait till the oil pan is filled with the engine oil. Insert the dipstick fully and check the oil level by pulling out the dipstick. The engine oil level must be in between F and L in the dipstick. L represents that the engine oil is less, and so adds enough amount of oil in the engine.
•  To check the fluid level in the brake, again, rest the vehicle on to the ground level. Check the reservoir side and ensure that the fluid level stands between MAX and the MIN. Ensure this as a first step, even before opening the reservoir cap to fill the brake fluid. Later clean the reservoir lid and close it after filling the fuel to ensure safety. You can add the fluid till it reaches the MAX mark. However you must check what type of brake fluid was filled previously and fill in the same type to avoid brake damage. 
• The DIY battery service is also simple. If you are not going to use the vehicle for a longer time then disconnect the battery from the vehicle and keep it separately. Secondly ensure that the battery is placed safe in a clean, dry place. Often clean the terminals and the connections wire to avoid dust formation. This helps in extended life of the battery.

Final Thoughts:

You need not immediately rush to the Hyundai dealer for car service when the vehicle faces any failure.  You must check visually and analyze the problem. If it can be rectified by you then try to resolve it by yourself. By this way, you can reduce the maintenance cost. However if the problem is major or if the vehicle requires regular maintenance then go ahead and seek assistance.