QuestionQUESTION: I have a 2003 Hyundai elantra xl, and I am good about getting the oil changed every 3000 miles; it has about 48,000 miles on it. The only trouble I have had with the car is the heat/ac, it just doesn't work, haven't had time to get it looked at. All of a sudden the gage on the left (thermometer?) which is usually in the middle of hot and cold goes toward the letter h symbol for hot, and my airbag light goes off. I go to an auto store to check my fluid levels and the antifreeze level is way below the full mark, I just assumed when you get your oil changed they check that also. As soon as I drive away the gage now goes to the h symbol and past it, a couple of hours later my check engine light goes on,and stays on, and the car seems to be working very hard to drive. I am going to get it checked monday, and don't hardly drive it now, only when I really have to, but I am worried, especially because I don't have the money for a big bill. Do you think it's something major? And do you think it will be covered under my warranty?
ANSWER: Most problems that could cause overheating will still be covered by your 5 year/60,000 mile warranty. The most frequent issues are minor: leaking radiator hose, broken clamp, leaking water pump, stuck thermostat.
For now, once the car cools off, check your coolant level in the radiator. It should be full. If it's low, top it off. But most importantly, do not continue driving while the car is overheating. This can cause severe damage to your engine.
Some places automatically check your fluid levels when they change your oil and others do not. Without more information about what specifically is wrong with the car and what checks should have been done by the place that changed the oil, it's difficult for me to determine whether your problem should have been foreseen in advance.
If your air bag warning lamp is coming on, there's a separate issue with that system. You should have that checked at the dealer as well.
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QUESTION: Hello it's the Hyundai dealer again. Well my question is this; The engine died and the dealership won't honor their warranty saying i neglected the car. I don't feel like I did because I got the oil changed every 3000 miles,and assumed the fluids were being checked. I even had the oil changed on March 5th of this year. I was continuously putting water in the car because I know it was overheating, but I was going to get it fixed today. But the engine died on Saturday. Do i have a leg to stand on as far as suing someone? Because I still owe on this car. And it will take 2000.00 to fix. any suggestions?
ANSWER: For $2000, it sounds like you've overheated the engine to the point that the cylinder head is warped. That's why in my previous answer, I went to the extra step of pointing out that you need to make extra sure the engine doesn't overheat.
As far as the neglect accusation, I suspect the dealer is correct. Here's why:
1. You knew the car had been overheating and continued to drive it and allowed it to overheat while driving it.
2. You make no mention of replacing your engine coolant. This should have been done every two year.
[The advice below presumes you're in the U.S. You report your mileage in miles, suggesting U.S., but you say your model is Elantra XL, which isn't a trim line in the U.S.]
But none of that is necessarily relevant. The relevant question is why did your car overheat in the first place. The most prevalent reason is a stuck closed thermostat. Unless Hyundai can show that your car overheated because of your neglect, they must repair under warranty any problem covered by the warranty. In the thermostat example, they would need to show that the thermostat failed because you didn't change the coolant.
As a first course of action, I'd recommend calling Hyundai customer assistance (800-633-5151). It's unclear whether the denial of warranty was made from the dealer's or the representatives judgment. Making this contact will open a case which will come to the attention of the representative and the dealer. Do not make any mention to either of them that you were aware the vehicle was overheating. This will weaken your case.
If, after following the customer assistance path, you receive no satisfaction, attempt legal action if you'd like. If you're going to do this, be serious about it and contact a lawyer. Seek legal fees, repair costs, and any other damages (such as additional transportation expense) you may be able to recover. A good lawyer will probably be able to find something on this case that will cause you to receive a settlement you find reasonable.
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QUESTION: my follow question would be this; since I still owe on the car, I need to go ahead and fix it, if the company doesn't back thier warranty. I was told I could go to a junk yard and get another engine out of another hyundai, instead of paying 2000. And I may have someone who will put it in for me.But the dealership told me the radiator was also melted. So I may need a new radiator. Do you think it is still worth fixing? Thanks so much.
AnswerYou'll need to do some calculations. Total what it'll cost you to fix the car. Then compare what you owe on the car. Take into account what it's worth in the condition it's in and what it's worth if fixed. Then figure out what causes you to lose the least money. If Hyundai won't repair it for you, there'll be a loss. At that point, it's a matter of how you lose the least.
