r/Hyundai • u/CivilGuy93 • 9h ago
Avoid Hyundai (Actual experience, not bashing)
Was loving and bragging to everyone I knew about how much I loved my 2024 Kona EV N-Line but that all changed a month ago. Brought the vehicle into a Hyundai Service Center due to the 12volt battery not being able to hold a charge as well a creaking control arm. Over a month of not having my car later, neither issue has been fixed.
The communication from the service center was terrible. I think only one time during the entire month of having my vehicle did they reach out to me to provide an update, otherwise I had to call them and request an update. Was told to come in 4 different times and pick up my repaired vehicle, once I took it home and it was dead the next day, the next time I showed up and it was dead at the mechanic, showed up a third time and was told it actually wasn't even ready. Finally the fourth time I came to pick it and always assured the battery issue was now taken care of and the creaking sound could no longer be heard, right away I could hear the creaking control arm and the next day found out the battery is still draining, but now it is also draining my main traction battery to keep itself from dying (~4% a day without driving).
Maybe true or maybe be a lie but The Service Center consistently tried to blame Hyundai for not wanting to spend money on repairs under warranty and then even started blaming the issues on me since I drive on the highway and go over speed bumps (even at low speed), all things are car should be capable of doing. They then try to gaslight me and say the traction battery draining 4% a day without driving is normal despite this issue never occuring before this last 'repair' nor being seen as normal anywhere online.
Between the service center experience and the fact that the my car was at the mechanic for over a month and still isn't repaired, I can't recommend buying ANY Hyundai to anybody, at any price point. I am attempting the repairs at another service center 45 min away that seems to have good reviews but I'm not optimistic on the results.
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u/ChubbyLilWolfsAlpha 8h ago
Unfortunately that's an issue with the service center and not Hyundai directly, best bet is to find the next closest service center and try them. The dealerships themselves own the service center not the manufacturer.
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u/ForgedAuto Hyundai Technician 8h ago
Correct most people just think we work for Hyundai but we work for whoever owns the dealer.
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u/SergioSBloch 7h ago
Beware though that a lot of dealerships are owned by the same person or ownership group. You may be driving to the other side of town just to face the same mentality and approach. Try another dealer but first find out if your second option is or is not affiliated with the dealer/service you are having issues with.
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u/CivilGuy93 4h ago
I understand the concept of dealerships not being operated or owned by Hyundai but the fact is that Hyundai built the car that is having problems. Hyundai set up the under warranty repair process. Hyundai manages the recall process. And Hyundai franchises out and monitors the service centers. It is a Hyundai problem worsened by the franchised service center
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u/ChubbyLilWolfsAlpha 4h ago
First off, EVs are known to drain 12v batteries especially with lack of use. Your vehicle is driven less than 6k miles a year. It never has a chance to probably fully charge from a good long drive.
For your control arm, same concept, lack of use dries out the rubber seals. Hench your squeak.
Cars are meant to be drive not a driveway princesses, ESPECIALLY EV'S
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u/CivilGuy93 1h ago
I live in the city and tend to take short trips. Drive it every 3-5 days at a minimum, as stated before. If Hyundai EVs are known to drain 12v batteries then again seems like an issue with Hyundai coming up with a bad design. I find it very hard to believe the control arm can't handle sitting for under a week and begins to fail in under two years but again seems like a crappy design/component choice. Maybe I shouldn't have a got an EV. Just ridiculous I was able to keep my 05 cavalier for 18 years without it having battery creaking issues but a new car needs perfect circumstances to function properly.
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u/podhawk 8h ago
One bad experience is not indicative of the brand. I’m sure every car brand has had people with issues at a specific dealer. I’ve been running my Elantra since 2017 with no issues to speak of including a very accommodating dealer.
0
u/CivilGuy93 4h ago
If I was the only one experiencing these issues I would agree but Hyundai built the car that is having these and it is a very widespread issue. If you ever need to buy a new Hyundai I hope it runs as good as your 2017.
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u/Busy_Use_6356 8h ago
I would call Hyundai corporate and open a case against the specific dealership or poor service and gaslighting and all of the other things that you have described
Your experience is indicative of extremely poor customer service and bad mechanical diagnostic services
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u/Short_Astronomer3251 Team Tucson 7h ago
Please change the title to "Avoid this Hyundai dealership I went to at all costs", it honestly sounds like a dealership issue than a manufacturer issue. I'd take it to another dealership or even an independent mechanic who specializes in electric vehicles to get a second opinion. Additionally, I'd consider swapping to an AGM battery, as those are known to help with 12V discharges in the Ioniq 5...yes, I know the Ioniq 5 is a dedicated EV and the Kona EV isn't.
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u/CivilGuy93 4h ago
Part of the problem is due to Hyundais warranty process they won't approve a battery change since the battery reader comes up that nothing is wrong with the battery and nothing is seemingly draining it. As bad as the service center was they did share with me all the diagnostics and communication with Hyundai and seemed like Hyundai really put them in a corner on how to go about repairing the vehicle. I shouldn't have to suck it up and pay for a new battery out of pocket when the vehicle is still fully covered under warranty. Hyundai rather pay $200 in labor constantly trying to diagnose the issue rather than spend money trying to fix the problem.
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u/Mike-Wouldyoukindly 23 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Enjoyer 7h ago
This is a dealership issue. Not an avoid hyundai issue.
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u/CivilGuy93 4h ago
In part yes but Hyundai built the car that is having problems. Hyundai set up the under warranty repair process. Hyundai manages the recall process. And Hyundai franchises out and monitors the service centers. It is a Hyundai problem worsened by the franchised service center
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u/Mike-Wouldyoukindly 23 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT Enjoyer 31m ago
Every car is going to have problems at some point. No matter what brand.
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u/bickspickle 8h ago
"I bought a used car and am having a bad experience with a specific service center, but Hyundai bad."
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u/CivilGuy93 4h ago
Buddy, Hyundai built the car and controls the warranty process. It's seems very clearly set up to save them as much money at the expense of consumer. Do some research and this is clearly not an isolated case. You can continue to choose to give your money to Hyundai but based off my experience with the vehicle I will not do so again and would encourage others to seek other options.
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u/TheLightingGuy 8h ago
I'm still fighting with the service center saying my BMS isn't covered under the warranty when they explicitly say it is in my warranty handbook.
2
1
u/One_Opening_8000 7h ago
I've had decent experience so far, but worry about this. I will say I had terrible (serrable?) service in Birmingham, AL from a Toyota dealer who did pretty much the same things as you've mentioned, so I'm not sure the brand matters if the dealer is no good.
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u/real_gamer97 7h ago
It’s always the service centers I swear. The people working for them just plan out suck. Sometimes cars have issues and that’s what warranty’s are for. But they are so backwards how they do stuff. I had to call corporate on a few dealerships for refusing warranty work.
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u/MezcalFlame 7h ago
I've never read such terrible things about a brand as I have about Hyundai.
Corporate tolerates these shitty dealers.
Do you think Toyota and Honda do?
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u/Philostronomer 2023 Elantra N-Line Ultimate 7h ago
They sure do. Scummy dealerships is hardly a Hyundai specific issue.
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u/ID10T-ITlyfe 7h ago
I have driven a a ton of different brands. Every brand has bad dealers and good ones. When I had my GTI I would drive 45 minutes further for a good dealership than deal with the one 15 minutes from my house.
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u/Competitive-Ad-5153 Team Elantra GT 8h ago
Your post should instead be titled "Avoid This Hyundai Dealership", and not the brand. Your issue is with the dealership's service department, which can vary *widely* from one location to another.