[Colin Dye]

I am thinking about leaving this forum, as there doesn't seem to be anything much relevant to vehicles more than 3 years old. Any posts I make concerning my car get some views but no responses, so this is obviously not the place for me to be. Are there any technicians or admins still on here? The "news" post seems to be more like ancient history too, as it goes back to 2013, and hasn't changed since I signed up!

If anyone can recommend a UK forum for owners of older models like mine, I would be most grateful if they could let me know.  

[Ruperts Trooper]

It may be worth checking the Australian forum, can't remember the website, as their vehicles are very similar to ours - not just RHD but the specifications, emission controls, etc

[Colin Dye]

It may be worth checking the Australian forum, can't remember the website, as their vehicles are very similar to ours - not just RHD but the specifications, emission controls, etc

Thanks, that might be worth a try.

[Yettoner]

I have to admit this forum is a little quiet.

I had a VW Tiguan before my Tucson and their forum buzzed, a bit sad really as on the whole I think the Tucson is a better car, and it doesn't cost you £165 to update the satnav every year, not that I was daft enough to do so.

[Ruperts Trooper]

Activity on a car forum is usually directly proportional to the number sold and the number of faults they get - some brand/models have very busy forums while others are very quiet.

[Colin Dye]

I think maybe I got spoilt while I had a Mazda Bongo some years back. If someone posted a problem on there, they would get replies within minutes, and probably at least 10 posts within an hour, usually very helpful. The vehicles weren't particularly problematic, (at least, mine wasn't) it was usually people wanting to make some modification or other. Many of them were camper-conversions. Owners always seemed to be very enthusiastic.

I had a Volvo V70 before my Tucson, and I was on their forum. Much quieter than the Mazda one, but not as quiet as this one seems to be. I usually got a response of some kind within 12 hours, and I don't think I ever got no response at all.

[dartman]

Most on here don't do their own maintenance, it also would seem that when they run into problems they just get shot of the car, some to other makes, others update, they were cheap cars with high spares cost and a not so helpful dealer network, all the helpful dealers were ditched in Hyundai's corporate decision to go up market.
 Land Rover has a base following and though their cars are expensive there is a huge after market allowing the cars to be reasonably maintained, still not cheap but their forums are a mine of information with many specialists chipping in their experience, their parts are common with other makes and models, LR always was a mongrel as many UK and European cars are.
Hyundai does not have common parts with other makes except Kia and there are very few after market parts probably due to tooling costs and a small market, If it's in a scrappy then it's either worn out all round or a write off, engine parts will be in short supply due to most cars being maintained on the cheap and the cambelt has let go, later models with the chain at £2K replacement are destined for the scrappy yard.

[paully]

I agree with Dartman..Quite honestly I don`t think I would have another. I certainly would`nt run it outside of the OEM warranty. The dealer network is patchy to say the least, they are overly reliant on electronics which usually takes you back to the dealers. Reliability is still way behind the Japs and getting hold of parts can be difficult.

  Interestingly the UK Kia forum is very busy and you can pick up bits and pieces from the sister car owners. That said Kia appear to have a stinking reputation for not accepting warranty claims. Far worse than Hyundai.7 year warranty?...well something has to give doesnt it?

[Colin Dye]

Hmm, that's food for thought Paully and Dartman. No wonder by far the largest number of posts on here seem to be from owners of cars less than 3 years old. I get the impression nobody on here still owns one as old as mine. Maybe I'll take a look at the Kia forum.

I must admit I got a shock at the cost of a cambelt replacement recently. More than twice what I paid for the same job on my Volvo V70, even at a local independent garage. I didn't want to take a chance on it though, as the car had 96,000 miles on it and I had no evidence it had ever been done.

I must admit the Tucson wasn't my first choice, but being a state pensioner I have very limited means and have to take what I can get. My Volvo was starting to get problematic, and although it still drove beautifully it had 176,000 on the clock and it was starting to get one thing after another. I wanted a diesel automatic that had a higher driving position, had space in the back for my dog's cage, and would pull my caravan. My first choice was a Nissan X Trail, but I couldn't find one that I could afford within 300 miles of home, then the Tucson came up. I'm still not sure I've done the right thing by buying it. Generally it drives fine and ticks all the above boxes, but it does have a couple of annoying problems. It has quite a whine to it, particularly at lower speeds, and it has this "intermittent misfire" that I have asked about and got no response. I used to do all my own maintenance and repairs, but I can't do it any more so I have to decide whether to keep or get rid. I've only had it since September though and I've already spent quite a bit on it. Maybe I should have kept the Volvo after all.

[dartman]

If the intermittent misfire is on acceleration it is a soft ware problem, the Kia Sportage of that vintage also had it from new, and of course it couldn't be replicated by the dealer

[Colin Dye]

If the intermittent misfire is on acceleration it is a soft ware problem, the Kia Sportage of that vintage also had it from new, and of course it couldn't be replicated by the dealer

It's normally when cruising at a constant speed, mostly below 60mph. It's just one miss then fine again. Rarely does it during acceleration or deceleration or much above 60mph. It's very irritating and disconcerting and I always find myself half-expecting it to cut out completely while I'm on a journey. I did a 120 mile round trip recently mostly on motorways, and it hardly did it at all, then I'll go 10 miles and it will do it several times. Intermittent faults are always the worst!

I'm not entirely convinced it is a misfire at all. I can't help wondering if it is connected with a torque converter "fault" that was indicated at one time, especially with that annoying whine it has. The EML came on and my code reader suggested a transmission fault so I took it to an auto specialist. He took a more in-depth reading and it said that the lock-up clutch was sticking. However, he then took it for a test drive and said the lock-up clutch was doing exactly what it was supposed to.

General performance is great, and it tows my caravan a treat. Normal day to day mixed driving it seems to do about 35 - 38 mpg, which I think is probably about average. I like the car, it's just those irritating faults and constantly not knowing whether it is suddenly going to cost me a fortune to repair. I have several minor jobs that need doing, such as a scratch on the nearside that looks like it has been "keyed" at some time, and it's going to need some tyres on the rear soon, but I'm reluctant to spend any more on it if it's suddenly going to become uneconomic to repair because of a major fault. It's got to the point where I don't really trust it.

[dartman]

Unfortunately with a car of that age not much makes it uneconomical to repair,  more a choice of the devil you know or one you don't, pot luck, labour and the skill of the diagnostics operator are the big costs. I still think your problem is software as I had a similar problem on my Kia, just a momentary hiccup then OK

[Colin Dye]

I think you are probably right. It could be a problem in the gearbox ECU, as it does sometimes feel like rapid gearchange when it hasn't actually changed gear if you know what I mean. It did it several times coming home last night, a journey of about 14 miles. Still don't know what that annoying whine is though. It seems to disappear over 60mph. Maybe it's normal for these cars?

Sometimes regret getting rid of my Volvo. It was 18 years old, had 176,000 on the clock, but it drove like a 2 year old car. Just that things kept going on it, like the alternator, then the steering rack, both of them just after I'd had the cambelt changed.

[dartman]

I have a thought, it may be the gearbox is dropping out of lock up, there is an amount of slippage in each gear before it locks up, where it is adjusted I wouldn't know or how, but it may be it drops out of lock then straight back in. Try checking the speed and RPM when it happens, is it a 5 speed auto?

[Colin Dye]

I wondered about something like that Dartman. The only thing is it happens so quickly that I don't really have time to check the tacho. The speed at which it happens varies. it could be at 25mph or 55mph, or anything in between. It rarely if ever happens at 70mph or even above 60mph. It's a 4 speed auto not 5, I think that's the later ones.

I used to be good at diagnosing cars, and even had my own repair workshop at one time, but all the electronics today I'm not so familiar with. I've changed torque converters and auto boxes in the past, but they weren't electronically controlled back then. I got out of the motor trade at a time when electronic ignition was just starting to come in, so that shows how long ago it was!     I still understand the mechanical side of things though.