My old girl's dilemma [long] - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

XRated · 08-05-2004, 16:13

Sorry, this is a long story. Where do I start?

Okay, mum has a 1997 4cyl Hyundai Sonata (hey, they were good value at the time!) since new. There have been a few teething issues over the years, but nothing major. I won't talk about quality as that's not what this is about.

A few months ago my parents were going away for a trip and decided to get it serviced. It was around the time when the timing belt was to be replaced, and the only place that could do it with the little amount of time my parents had before they left was Gay (K) Mart.

My mum can't totally recall what happened as it was so long ago, but there was something majorly wrong with the car when it came back - I think it was making strange noises. So my local mechanic checked it out and found that they put in the wrong part (I can't be sure what at the moment until mum goes through all her receipts, I think the wrong size belt). So it was sent back and apparently rectified.

Well what can I say? Ever since then the car has had major problems; being a terrible shudder and stalling on most mornings. After the local mechanic was clueless for days trying to fix it, my parents took it to a large Hyundai dealer and service centre.

Now these twats have taken advantage and what I believe to have done jack-shit. They charged $300+ for an IAC (could have been an ISC but seems very expensive for one of those), $900 for a new computer, and various other things that they said was faulty on the diagnostics computer. Do you think anything changed? NO. Shuddering, stalling, noises etc. You name it.

It has been back to Hyundai on multiple occassions for days on end without any change. It is stressing the hell out of my mum to this day.

I found a private Hyundai service centre who got the injectors cleaned ($350 there) and would you believe it? It is still doing the exact same thing. This service mechanic has concluded that the timing belt is of the incorrect size (which I think was the original problem that K Mart made the mistake with).

It has come to the point where my mum will be looking out for a new car very shortly. I have totally convinced her to stay away from utter crap like Hyundai and Daewoo etc from now on. However, I will make another thread about that.

Now, what should we do? Mum will take it back to K Mart hoping that the repair has some sort of warranty and make them change the belt. Otherwise I am not sure what we should do. Get someone to change the timing belt regardless what they say and make sure it's the right part? But what if that isn't even the problem... What to do? You tell me.

Thanks for reading. I haven't seen my mum so stressed in a long time and any help wouldn't go unappreciated.

Cheers.

If they had of just listened to me and got a second hand EF back then!!

xdc351 · 08-05-2004, 16:35

Sounds like the problem was definatly taking the car to k-mart.

Sound to me like a timing problem, either the wrong timing chain (though it does seem unlikely it would go at all if the wrong part was in there) or the spark is out like a stuffed coil, knackered lead (huyndai's have *extremely* crap spark leads from factory) or something along those lines.

Take it back to huyndai and tell them your not paying for a part that doesn't fix the problem (like the ECU) and to pull their head in.

OED666 · 08-05-2004, 16:45

yea i wouldnt touch Ghey Mart...

i friend of mine had a rattle in the back of his car... we went back to his place, and the neighbour said ohh, its the shoes on the rear, one of the in lose. So after taking both rear wheels off, nothing, the brakes were fine... what a d!ckhead..

turned out to be a diff cover, near the tailshaft...

a bit of lekky take, zip ties and rags, and it was all good

Gunns · 08-05-2004, 16:48

xdc351 i think has got it right. Leads or coil. A friend had a similar problem on her excel, and we change the leads and problem fixed.
Good Luck with it.
If you need the Lynch Mob to help out let B2F know. I am sure Casper will sort them out if need be.

brenx · 08-05-2004, 17:02

I wouldnt write of buying another Hyundai just because K-Mart allegedly stuffed it.

Mines gone 9 years and only needed roughly $500 spent on it max (excluding tyres/brakes). Although its only on it's 2nd set of tyres and brakes and it's got 210,000k's.

I've replaced a bearing in the starter/battery(my mrs splattered it on speed humps), alternator and from the cat back on the exhaust. I'm definately buying another Hyundai as I can't say the same for my EL I am very displeased that I've nearly sunk $7500 into the EL since 98 inc brakes (the brakes wear way too fast). The EL's got 205,000k's on it.

Brenden

Cobra · 08-06-2004, 00:21

My mum Excel stalled and surged and it was the MAP sensor faulty. Does anything come up on the dash? The engine light came up on the dash on mums, so I took it in to the Hyundai dealer just to get them to plug their scan tool in and retrive the codes. Came up MAP sensor. Needless to say I purchased a petraject Map sneosr brand new for half the price Hyundai wanted. Fitted it and all good.

Good luck mate I feel for your poor mum I know the ordeal I went through just trying to fix mums bloody MAP sensor and from your story our dilemma has got nothing on yours!

cams290 · 08-06-2004, 01:09

Maybe ghey mart put the new timming belt on 1 tooth out and it is either running retarded or advanced too much, and possibly it might of banged a valve on a piston slightly which is causing the valve not to seat properly, which will give simmilar effects of having a burnt out valve, ie: running rough and vibrations.

Cobra · 08-06-2004, 02:08

It it isn't a free spinning engine (where there isnt sufficient piston to valve clearence for the valve to be at fully open position while the piston is at TDC) then theres a good chance what Cams290 said was right.

santoitaliano · 08-06-2004, 06:24

my uncle's vectra had similar problems.. was some sort of clutch sensor that was faulty.. is it manual?

XR6 VCT UTE · 08-07-2004, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by cams290

Maybe ghey mart put the new timming belt on 1 tooth out and it is either running retarded or advanced too much, and possibly it might of banged a valve on a piston slightly which is causing the valve not to seat properly, which will give simmilar effects of having a burnt out valve, ie: running rough and vibrations.

yep ,id say thats the one.Just think all the $$$$$$$$$ they outlayed, they could have nearly brought a recoed engine for it,all because Kmart were trying to drum up abit more work for next month.
I cant see how they are still in bussiness ,with the amount of bad stories you here .............