QuestionQUESTION: I own a 4cyl '06 Sonata. I've had the car for a year now, 8,000 miles on the
odometer. I love my Sonata!
But since my 2nd oil change at the dealership, about 4-5 months ago, the car
developped a Whining/wheezing sound that comes from the engine
compartment, in general from the RIGHT side, when hearing it from the
driver's seat....
It sounds like an ELECTRICAL motor, kind of a WEEEEEEE sound, and the
sound is accurately parallel to the engine's sound and its RPM, fluctuating
EXACTLY as the engine-sound is fluctuating with the tranny shifting. It can be
detected only when accelerating and especially at low speed... It does it also
when the car is in Neutral and the engine revs to about 2,000-2,500.
Unlike many other cars with whining noise (did some Google search) -- I
know my audio system (AM/FM radio or CD) is NOT affected by the sound.
I heard all kinds of theories as to the origin of the sound, like the Power
Steering pump, Alternator, intake piping and manifold, even a theory that it's
the Timing Chain.
Also, I noticed that when it's drizzly and rainy here -- the sound is a bit less
pronounced....
My dealer keeps claiming it's normal, or that there is no unusual sound...
Hyundai regional rep checked it and said all is normal... Maybe it's normal,
but I KNOW the sound is not detected on other cars.
Anyone here has some experience or an intelligent theory? I would much
appreciate it...
ANSWER: From your description, it could be the engine itself or just about anything driven by the engine. The only thing I know of that's a common concern on the '06 Sonata that's similar to what you describe is a whistling type noise from the intake manifold. Just about the oddest problem I've seen with a similar noise was a noisy oil filter.
The bad news is that without hearing the noise, I have no way to determine what may be causing it. The fact that you say rainy weather affects the noise leads me to believe that it's a mechanical noise and not an aerodynamic noise like the intake.
The good news is that if it can be heard with the car in neutral, it should be a fairly simple matter to locate the noise. At that point, I'd think it'd simply be a matter of using a stethescope or similar device to probe around until the source of the noise is found.
Since the factory representative-- he's the final word on warranty matters, so this whole discussion is probably moot, anyway-- determined the noise was normal, he should be able to either identify what's causing the noise or demonstrate that the noise occurs on all other cars with the same engine and transmission.
If you can tell me what the factory rep says is causing the noise, I can probably tell you the likelyhood that it is indeed normal. Even so, without hearing it, I cannot tell you for certain. Most normal noises become abnormal when the volume reaches a certain level.
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QUESTION: Thanks for your help!
According to my dealer, it's kind of tricky: they claim the while the rep said he doesn't hear it (they tried claiming they can't hear it either, which is BS..) ----- it might be the Timing Chain.... Actually, of all the theories I heard (Alternator, Power Steering pump, Inake Manifold) the idea of the Timing Chain as the culprit -- came from him, the Hyundai rep.... Funny, isn't it.
The dealer claims that EVEN if they can point to a certain part as the source of the noise, Hyundai won't reimburse them for the part and labor -- as long as that part is functioning properly.
My own mechanic (the Shell station where I change the oil on our other cars) took a metal rod and tried listening to some elements around the engine -- and decided it was the Alternator. But he did not use a Sthetoscope.
I have a feeling that it's just a matter of how much PRESSURE I decide to put on Hyundai... Not on my dealer, which is stuck in the middle, but directly on Hyundai. But HOW do I do that?
AnswerObviously, it won't achieve anything for me to get in the middle of a discussion about whether the dealer and the rep actually hear the noise.
But if the rep and the dealer do not hear the noise, how can they claim it is normal?? Have they requested you to come in and demonstrate the noise? I had one customer whose car made a whining noise from the final drive in the transmission. (I use this as an example only; it's obviously not the same condition your car has since your car will make the noise when not moving.) It took a large number of times riding with the customer to understand the noise to which he was referring. In fact, it was so quiet, I probably would have never noticed the noise if this were my personal vehicle or if the customer had not specifically identified it while he was driving the car. I compared to another car which also made the noise, but at a slightly different level. All transmissions make some final drive noise. Some are loud enough to transmit to the interior of the vehicle, and some are not. And the fact that it transmits to the interior doesn't necessarily make it abnormal. On the other hand, there does occur a noise level when it is abnormal. The largest problem that arises is that this is a judgment call by the dealer or factory rep. In this example, I thought it was clear that the noise was normal. But if it were close to the line of judgment, I'd have requested the opinion of somebody from Hyundai.
It's true that Hyundai will not pay to replace a part under warranty that is functioning properly. By the same token, making an abnormal noise means that the component is functioning improperly, which should give the dealer the ability to rectify that situation under the factory warranty. If we presume for a moment that it is indeed your your alternator that is whining, this could be either a normal or an abnormal condition, depending on the alternator output current and the volume of the noise. The more current alternators put out, the more noise they make. It's possible that if you've got high current output (due to low battery charge, for example), that the whining noise is a characteristic of the alternator. But that also opens up the question as to why the battery state of charge is low. Is the battery defective? Does something partially drain the battery when it's off? These things need to be addressed to make a proper diagnosis. And, of course, proper diagnosis cannot be had unless the noise and the source of the noise have been determined.
Obviously, you feel the noise is abnormal and also feel that Hyundai isn't addressing it. If you have been unable to receive satisfaction from the rep and the dealer, you should call Hyundai customer assistance (800-633-5151). Since the rep and the dealer are already involved, it's not clear what good this will do, since the case will be referred to them. If, after contacting Hyundai customer assistance, you still feel that your concerns are not being addressed, you can attempt to follow the procedures set forth in your state's lemon law. You should have received a book notifying you of the procedure. But, if you pursue lemon law, you'll probably take a financial loss. In many cases, even if you qualify for buyback, the manufacturer is only required to pay you the current value of the vehicle. You're probably best to not mention lemon law unless you feel you've exhausted all your other options. If Hyundai feels you're going to involve them in arbitration or legal action, they may decide to not try to help you. As long as they perceive you as a customer that is disappointed but is willing to work toward a resolution, they'll see you as a potential future customer and have an interest in keeping you happy.
