Hi everyone,
We have a 2013 Hyundai Accent under 57,000 miles and is been making a rattling noise for a little while now. A few times we mention to the dealer when we had the oil change that we heard a noise and it was driving us crazy, for a while they couldn’t hear it. We took our car to an independent mechanic and they heard the noise right away, did an oil change and told us to take it back to the dealer because it could be the engine. We did and they don’t know where the noise is coming from, they order some parts and told us that our extended warranty could be void because we didn’t use their oil. Is this even legal? They gave us a paper that says since 2012 not to use another oil that is not from Hyundai, they never mention that before and we feel we been taken advantage. Help!!! Any thoughts? The independent mechanic told us they will try to get out of it if it is the engine : (
Is your question about the noise or the terms of the warranty? The only way you can determine the terms of the warranty is to read what it says on the policy you received when you purchased it. It wouldn’t be uncommon for them to insist — to keep the warranty in effect —on specific lubricants meeting their specifications.
For the noise issue, mechanics have special type of stethoscopes geared for using in cars, which can help isolate where in the engine compartment a sound is coming from. I use a short length of garden hose as a stethoscope, which works pretty good too.
our extended warranty could be void because we didn't use their oil.
Probably depends if it’s an actual warranty or a “service contract,” but if it’s a warranty no, you do not have to use dealer-specific oil as long as the oil that you do use meets the manufacturer’s specs (i.e., no using 40W oil in a car that calls for 5w-20).
Please refer to this page for more information on your rights.
Thank you so much shadowfax!
Hi GeorgeSanJose, is actually both. The dealer spend 3 hours in our car yesterday and they have no idea what is causing the noise but they ordered some parts for the car (why if they don’t know what is causing it), they did mention they used a stethoscope and the noise possibly comes from the front of the valve cover above the cvvt’s. I mentioned the warranty because they told us because we didn’t do the oil change with them AFTERMARKET oil filters will cause engine knocking noise (how about that!). This is been going on for a while now even before we did the oil with the new mechanic but they don’t care.
Wait, this is important: Did they actually say, exactly, “it’s coming from the front of the valve cover above the cvvt’s?” Because if they did, they’re morons and you need to find someone else to work on your car. CVVT is the name of a technology (continuously variable valve timing) that uses various parts in the engine to work. It is not the name of an individual part.
What they said would be like me fixing a television and saying the problem is located underneath HBO.
But then you already need to find a new dealership because these crooks are already violating Magnussen-Moss by telling you aftermarket oil filters void your warranty, when they most certainly do not unless the dealership can prove that the aftermarket filter you used actually caused real damage.
You are not required to use Hyundai oil filters but if you use an inferior oil filter that results in engine noise it will not be corrected as a warranty repair.
Here is the Hyundai service bulletin that warns about the use of aftermarket oil filters;
DATE
SEPTEMBER 2012
MODEL
ALL MODELS
SUBJECT
USE OF AFTERMARKET ENGINE OIL FILTERS
CAUSING ENGINE KNOCKING NOISE
This bulletin supersedes TSB 05-20-002.
Description:
Some vehicles may experience an engine knock noise with the use of an aftermarket oil filter. Aftermarket oil filters may use different materials, construction and specifications than genuine Hyundai oil filters, which may lead to pressure variations within the engine, thus contributing to an engine knocking noise.
Vehicles Affected:
All Models
Repair Procedure:
Perform an oil change on the vehicle and replace the aftermarket oil filter with a genuine Hyundai oil filter.
NOTICE
Any concerns caused by previous use of an aftermarket oil filter should be noted in the repair order and discussed with the customer.
Warranty Information:
Normal warranty procedures apply.
This is NOT a warranty repair.
Older cars could get away with using a variety of different oils without problems, but modern engines sporting variable valve timing are very sensitive to the oil and you have to use exactly what the manufacturer says, and replace the oil and filter per the maintenance schedule just like the owner’s manual says, otherwise you risk expensive to correct engine problems. It sounds like on this car the oil filter can cause problems too, so best to use both the proper oil and an OEM filter going forward. On many cars OEM filters are about the same price as aftermarket filters, but don’t know about this brand. My guess, the best course of action is to just change the oil and filter again, this time using the OEM versions. Hopefully that will make this unusual sound disappear.
Sounds to me like Hyundai has issued a corporate warranty policy that violates the Magnusun-Moss Warranty Act
A company policy cannot supersede federal law.
A formal complaint to your state’s Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs might be in order here.
Thanks for all your comments.
We went to another dealer and they kept the car for 2 days and diagnosis: Carbon buildup on the pistons, probably the gas is not good quality:! We gas at Sam’s club and we don’t know what to think anymore, isn’t gas the same everywhere? Pardon my ignorance but I have seen expensive cars gas at Sam’s club so their car will be having problems soon than. Has anyone of you heard something like this?
Once again thank you everyone for your help.
Here a list of top tier gas companies. I use Techron every 5k miles in 2 of my cars. This last time I used BG44 as mentioned on the show. It smoothed out the idle on my wife’s car. She drives only a few miles a week. I change her oil and additive every year as stated in the manual. http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers/
Carbon build up on the pistons a 2013 w/ less than 60K? And the engine seems to be running ok and getting the expected mpg? hmmm … There was an article posted on the Car Talk website main page only a couple days ago about mechanics finding that some newer Hyundai engines are developing some kind of serious problem. The implication was that it is a design problem unique to these engines, not a service and maintenance problem. OP, suggest you use the search feature on the main page to see if you kind find that article.
Edit: Here’s the link.