The so called 'bumper to bumper' Hyundai warranty

Yeah, see, you have to actually *read* the warranty -- it clearly says such items as light bulbs, wipers, etc. are excluded. You shouldn't have been surprised by this. It's annoying to have two bulbs go out in such a short time, and I guess 21 bucks is a bit much to charge to replace them -- but they're light bulbs. They burn out. Sometimes you get a defective one... or two... or three, and they don't last as long as they should. That's the way things go. Replacing them requires a Phillips' screwdriver.

Ah, you said the magic word, Shane - 'defective'. Don't you think 'defective' parts should be covered under the warrantee? I think it says that in the papers if you read them.....

I own a 2006 Sonata and a 2003 Kia Sedona. I just had to pay for a headlight in the Sedona under the 'bumper to bumper' warrantee. Maybe you don't remember when such warrantees covered everything. Times are a changing. Also, Kia has made it very clear with huge signs in their waiting rooms that any failure to follow their suggested maintenance with documented proof voids the 100,000 mile warrantee. Used to be that a simple entry in their book that you changed the oil and filter at routine intervals was enough.

Tom

gee....my Hyundai dealer replaces bulbs for free even if I'm just in for an oil change.....and they also wash the car for free unless they're really busy! Len

heck my dealer. will change any bulb. wash vehicle.. vacums it out. cleans the windows.. tops up winsheild washer fluids.. why I wont take it anywhere else to be worked on..

Pete...

Autozone usually replaces them for free so they can get the sale.

;-)

While you can quibble about whether bulbs should be covered under warranty (they're supposed to be for the first 12 months), if you can't be bothered to change your own bulbs, you deserve to get soaked for $21.

I was told by my dealer that headlight main bulbs are covered under the warranty (not sure if this is the full 10/100), but the side marker bulbs are not. I guess it's because the side markers get used more when the lights are switched to the first setting. The license plate bulbs are certainly not covered. Yes -- I got stung too. I'll be fixing my own from now on.

I certainly understand what you're saying, Tom, but the point is that the warranty covers what it says it covers, and doesn't what it doesn't. It doesn't matter what I *think* it should cover -- all that matters is what the warranty says. Every buyer goes into the deal knowing (or should know) the score.

I would certainly agree (and wish it were so!) that a "bumper-to-bumper" warranty "should" cover EVERYTHING on the car that might break, for a specific period of time. But it doesn't, it says it doesn't, and that's the way it is.

I suppose we could argue over what "defective" means in the case of a light bulb (if it doesn't light, ever, it's defective. If it doesn't last "as long as it should..." well, who determines that?), but that discussion would be silly, in the long run.

But really, my response was caused by, "It's a light bulb, for crying out loud. Get out a screwdriver and replace it." The things people will complain about...

The dealer is correct. Bulbs are not covered beyond 1 year/12k miles, except your headlamp bulbs which are covered for 5/60.

In all sincerity, everyone should read the warranty section of their owner's materials. First, it'll help you know whether you wish to take the car to the dealer, take it somewhere else, or even attempt repairs yourself. Second, you'll be able to know the veracity/correctness when the dealer says items are/are not covered by your warranty.

Many dealers will replace bulbs for the cost of the part when not covered by warranty as a courtesy, but nothing requires them to do so. They have every right to charge labor for everything their technicians spend time doing. I typically install bulbs at no labor charge unless especially difficult or I feel the customer is taking advantage.

Don't worry about the small stuff. I just found out today that you need to replace the timing belt at 60,000 and that if you don't, it is likely to ruin the engine if it breaks. I was quoted $800 for parts and labor for my 2002 XG350L..

I checked around and found I could get the work done in another city for less than $500.

It's still a shock to have a service item cost that kind of money.

I've bought my last Hyundai.

How about timing belt? Today, I was quoted $800 to do the 60,000 replacement service on my 2002 XG350L.

That was a total surprise. I found the same thing for $399 about 2 hours away.

Most vehicles on the market today have timing belts and require regular changes over the life of the vehicle.

OTOH, my Astro's 4.3 V6 and my wife's Malibu 3.1 V6 both have timing chains. This advantage is unfortunately offset by the suckey transmissions Chevy makes.

'While you can quibble about whether bulbs should be covered under warranty (they're supposed to be for the first 12 months), if you can't =A0=A0=A0=A0be bothered to change your own bulbs, you deserve to get soaked for $21. '

REPLY: I would have replaced the bulbs myself, EXCEPT the Service Advisor at the Dealership said 'it was covered' ; so, i took it in only for the Service Manager to tell me it wasnt. By then, they had changed the light bulb and i had to part with $21 . Of course the next time one goes , i will do it myself. I just think that saying a car is 'bumper to bumper' waranteed , is a little misleading. I expect to pay for oil , filters, etc...but not light bulbs ...especially 2 within 3 months just over 12 k. miles.

I've owned GM's for decades before recently buying a 2004 Sonata and I've never had to replace a timing belt as a matter of routine maintenance. I've changed them because I was in there for something else, but that was totally discretionary. My cars typically go for around 250,000 miles and they're still running on the factory timing belt. As you say below, some aren't belts, some are chains, but those that are belts have not required changing at 60,000.

So- in all of my research prior to buying this Sonata I had not discovered that they require a timing belt every 60,000 miles. Does this apply to all Hyundai's or only to certain motors?

Hey - that tranny isn't sucky. We had a Malibu that the Hyundai replaced as my wife's car, and the Malibu is now my daughter's car. It was a disappointing car in a lot of respects and I'd never buy another Malibu, but I certainly wouldn't complain about the tranny. It's crisp and it runs trouble free forever as long as you never let it get thirsty for ATF. GM trannies get pretty upset over not having enough ATF. Easy to lose the pump and then the clutches.

Now wheel bearings on the other hand... that's another story...

Make sure they use a Hyundai timing belt or you'll void the warranty.

It sounds like you screwed yourself. If you were told that it was covered, you should have refused to pay the $21. You DON'T have to accept that kind of treatment! I suggest you go back and demand a refund. Threatening to take your business elsewhere should be enough leverage to get them to capitulate. If it's not, you shouldn't be dealing with them anyway, as they're dishonest.

The warranty ('04 at least) clearly states that "belts, brake pads and linings, clutch linings, filters, wiper blades and bulbs" are covered for 12 months/12K miles "only when the replacement is the result of a defect in material or factory workmanship". The dealer was not obligated to replace the bulbs under warranty, but for a $2 part, one would think they might accommodate you as a good will gesture, especially if you bought the car from them and/or had them service it regularly. However, it's not their fault that you didn't read the warranty info completely. It's not like it's hidden, either. It's right on Hyundai's web site, so anyone can check it before buying a car.

Before you condemn Hyundai, check around to see what that same service costs on other cars. You'll probably find that it's just as much on any comparable vehicle. You could always buy all the necessary tools and a service manual (or use the FREE online manual that Hyundai provides), do the work yourself and save a bundle. If you're not willing to do that, you have to pay someone to do it for you, plain and simple.

I'll bet that none of these vehicles had a 100,000 mile drivetrain warranty either, did they?

Hyundai requires that you change the timing belt in order to maintain the warranty. That's the price you pay for the extended warranty coverage. That doesn't mean that the timing belt is going to wear out in

60K, 80K or even 100K miles, but Hyundai is not willing to take that chance, since they're the one's that will be paying for the engine damage if it does fail. If you want the coverage, you agree to the terms. If you don't care about the warranty, you don't have to change the timing belt. Your call.

All of them that I know of. FWIW, when I replaced the timing belt on my old Excel @64K miles, it was nearly indistiguishable from the new belt I installed. The replacement was still in the car when I sold it, 112K miles later. I'm not suggesting that anyone take the risk of not changing a timing belt, but they can last a long time.

The only timing belt failure I've experienced was in a car with a leaking main seal that coated the timing belt with oil for ~20K+ miles until it finally shed a couple of teeth. However, it was not a Hyundai and I have no idea how durable the timing belts in the current Hyundai models typically are. When my Elantra hits 60K miles, I'll change the timing belt myself to keep Hyundai happy, as I did with the Excel.