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Sonata Trip Computer

My wife just bought a 2007 Sonata, and we are both quite pleased with it. One thing we miss, though, is the trip computer we had on the 2004 Elantra we just traded in.

Since the owner's manual shows both types of Odometer (one with two trip meters, and one with a trip computer), and since the Trip Computer looks like an option ("if installed"), I asked today at the dealership, how much it would cost to install the trip computer.

The sales guys had no idea, and sent me to the parts department. They had no idea, and sent me to the service department. They had no idea, and I had to actually take both the sales guy and the service guy out to the car to show them that it was not installed.

Anyone have any idea what's involved with the "installation". I would assume (dangerous, I know) that it would be something like a programmable option (change of microcode perhaps?), or a plug-in module, or a jumper on a module, or perhaps a replacement module.

The reaction at the dealership leads me to believe that either the option should have been there, or that the question was never asked before I asked it.

Reply to
Oleg Lego
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I doubt it was ever asked before. The trip computer is definitely optional-- some vehicles have it and some don't. At the very least, you'd need to replace your cluster. Not sure what else it would need to talk to and the compatibility. Attempting to do this could turn into a money pit very quickly.

Reply to
hyundaitech

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:23:10 -0400, hyundaitech posted:

Thanks. Once I realized the cluster might need replacing, I figured it would be more money than I wanted to spend. Too bad, as I really liked the trip computer, especially the "distance to empty".

Reply to
Oleg Lego

That is one feature I never use, but I do miss having two trips meters. If I set one at the start of a tank, I know that at 350 miles or so I'm going to need gas. Once in a while I use the elapsed time on a long trip. The MPG is pretty accurate and I do use that.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:14:28 GMT, Edwin Pawlowski posted:

If you had ever done any extensive driving in Saskatchewan, you'd like the "distance to empty" a lot more. There are some routes that I have taken that would need maybe 3/4 of a tank to complete. It's nice to see at a glance, when it's time to make a little detour to a town with services.

Reply to
Oleg Lego

I hope to do some driving is Saskatchewan, maybe next year. I want to head north out of Saskatoon a bit. I've not done a lot of research yet, but I imagine services are of some distance between them

Of any car I've ever owned, the Sonata gas gauge is probably the most accurate. When it reads half, or quarter, etc, it really is just that. I've had cars that would go 250 miles and the needle barely moved, then in the next 25 miles it drops to a quarter tank.

With two trips meters, I'd always set one when I filled up. At 300 to 330 miles I'd be looking to fill up. Gone are the days when it was no big deal to run out, then put in $2 worth for the rest of the week.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

On Tue, 03 Jul 2007 02:53:55 GMT, Edwin Pawlowski posted:

It's nice country up that way. The main highways, even the gravel ones, usually have pretty good services, and not too far apart. It's driving on the grid roads away from the highways, that will bite you.

I guess I'll try to do that, and mention it to my wife.

One thing I notice about the Sonata is that it behaves very well on gravel washboard, usually encountered near a junction, where you need to brake. The Elantra (and my F-150) really pounded on it, the wheels jumping up and down with a great deal of noise. The Sonata is very smooth.. hardly any jumping at all. I'm guessing it has different suspension.

Reply to
Oleg Lego

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