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Chit Chat Hyundai Tucson tech

jeepyj

jeepyj

Middlesex NY
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
57
Messages
442
Loc
Middlesex NY
Here's hoping there's a Hyundai tech here.

My daughter bought a 2014 Hyundai Tucson in March. 97K miles on it now. I think it's a 2.0L. 2000 miles since last oil change. 5w-20 in it. Oil pressure light flickers on and off faintly when warm. It looked to be a pint low on the dipstick (halfway down the hashed area)

Called the dealer to see if this was normal. Dealer said to bring it in for oil consumption test. [change the oil, bring it back in 1k miles, bring it back in 2k miles, etc.] Then they would send the info off to Hyundai to see if they'll put an engine in it. I told them she wasn't the original owner and they bailed on that plan, then told me to see if we can get the aftermarket warranty for a couple grand and get them to replace the engine. It's concerning that they never mentioned anything less than engine replacement.

It was a quart low. I put a quart in it but the light did the same the next day.

Shop changed the sending unit because I asked them to and it still happens. Shop said mechanical gauge showed 15psi. He also said the light comes on at about 12psi.

Internet says light comes on at 6-8 psi
Internet says bad PCV valve could cause oil consumption.
Internet says use OEM oil filters. Not sure why.

The current plan is to replace the PCV valve and change the oil with some 5W-40.

1: What is the actual pressure the light comes on?
2: Why the OEM filter?
3: Short of putting an engine in it, what next?

.
 
former hyundai tech here (only for a short while because fuck that place). I can't even begin to tell you how many of those engines i've seen get replaced at the dealer. They are junk and like to do exactly what you are describing. Dealer won't help you unless yo are the original owner as you are finding out. Put a heavier weight oil in it and trade it in at the dealer for something they have used that's not a hyundai. In all likelihood they will think its fine (the two departments dont typically talk to each other) Good luck i wouldnt give one of those shit cans to my enemy.
 
That oil consumption is normal and not the problem.

The oil pressure light is on because the oil pump or bearings are failing or there is debris in the oil pump pickup.
 
I was thinking check oil supply.. change oil, put oem filter on. Maybe drop the lower section of the oil pan and see if something has made its way onto the oil pickup tube and clogged the screen.

Heres a story on why I like to check the pickup screen, on a bmw with low oil pressure.

It starts off with the customer saved a couple bucks by going to jiffy lube. The o rings they use on aftermarket oil filters for bmw do not seal very well and tend to leak after a couple hundred miles. Customer never ever pops the hood, ignores oil spots on driveway and keeps driving. The oil filter is mounted up high and oil runs down all over everything including the belt. Belt gets saturated with oil, belt slips off and manages to wedge itself between balancer pulley and eng block and tears up the crank seal, these crank cases are under vacuum so it sucks in pieces of the seal and belt into the crank case.

Takes the car to indy shop, they sell oil change crank seal and belt (chunks of belt still inside engine). Degrease it and ships it. Next week, check engine light on, low oil pressure, vanos (variable valve timing) faults etc. The indy shop tries to sell him an engine. So they bring it to the dealer and I get it. Customer does not tell service advisor anything about what happened....

Engine looks clean and shiny but with new parts its like obvious work has been done, check faults and has low oil pressure, vanos etc. Go to check oil pressure at idle, is in spec. Higher rpms, pressure is in spec but slowly drops below spec after 10 seconds or so. Thinking its an oil pump issue I sell time to drop the oil pan and inspect the pump. I dropped the pan and found the problem. Practically the entire fucking belt had been sucked into the oil pan, each rib was cut into a long strip one at a time and made its way inside. The pickup screen was completely clogged, i dont know how it was able to make any pressure at all. Cleaned out all the shit, put it back together and good to go.

So, whenever I hear of an oil pressure issue, I like to drop the pan and check the pickup tube for debris.
 
Fishnbeer said:
I was thinking check oil supply.. change oil, put oem filter on. Maybe drop the lower section of the oil pan and see if something has made its way onto the oil pickup tube and clogged the screen.

Heres a story on why I like to check the pickup screen, on a bmw with low oil pressure.

It starts off with the customer saved a couple bucks by going to jiffy lube. The o rings they use on aftermarket oil filters for bmw do not seal very well and tend to leak after a couple hundred miles. Customer never ever pops the hood, ignores oil spots on driveway and keeps driving. The oil filter is mounted up high and oil runs down all over everything including the belt. Belt gets saturated with oil, belt slips off and manages to wedge itself between balancer pulley and eng block and tears up the crank seal, these crank cases are under vacuum so it sucks in pieces of the seal and belt into the crank case.

Takes the car to indy shop, they sell oil change crank seal and belt (chunks of belt still inside engine). Degrease it and ships it. Next week, check engine light on, low oil pressure, vanos (variable valve timing) faults etc. The indy shop tries to sell him an engine. So they bring it to the dealer and I get it. Customer does not tell service advisor anything about what happened....

Engine looks clean and shiny but with new parts its like obvious work has been done, check faults and has low oil pressure, vanos etc. Go to check oil pressure at idle, is in spec. Higher rpms, pressure is in spec but slowly drops below spec after 10 seconds or so. Thinking its an oil pump issue I sell time to drop the oil pan and inspect the pump. I dropped the pan and found the problem. Practically the entire fucking belt had been sucked into the oil pan, each rib was cut into a long strip one at a time and made its way inside. The pickup screen was completely clogged, i dont know how it was able to make any pressure at all. Cleaned out all the shit, put it back together and good to go.

So, whenever I hear of an oil pressure issue, I like to drop the pan and check the pickup tube for debris.
Click to expand...

just n5x motor things.
 
87manche said:
just n5x motor things.
Click to expand...

Yep. Not having any history on the vehicle or previous repairs could lead you down a different path. This one was pretty obvious that it was just worked on. But if the car had been on the road for a month or two after the repair it could be much harder to tell.
 
There is actually a good chance that that motor is already a replacement.


My neighbors bought one of those cars brand new off the lot and within months it was at the dealership getting a replacement motor.

They don't have the car anymore...Maybe your daughter does:laughing:
 
I may or may not work for Hyundai. I also may have an entire shed of engines that are going to scrap, because knocking/ oil consumption.
 
jeepyj said:
Thanks for your help. :flipoff2:

.
Click to expand...

:flipoff2:

1:Hyundai says the switch should have no continuity at 7.25psi, meaning below 7psi the light will come on if the switch is working.
2: OEM filter to make sure correct pressure is going through the system. Not every filter is made the same.
3: Sell it. I have a shed full of those engines for a reason.
 
axjwhlr said:
:flipoff2:

1:Hyundai says the switch should have no continuity at 7.25psi, meaning below 7psi the light will come on if the switch is working.
2: OEM filter to make sure correct pressure is going through the system. Not every filter is made the same.
3: Sell it. I have a shed full of those engines for a reason.
Click to expand...

Thanks. . . For real.

.
 
jeepyj said:
Can you answer questions 1 and 2?

.
Click to expand...

i unfortunately dont have access to their database for that info. the 12psi comment seems about right if i recall correctly but i thought it was less. as for the filter they want it to be sure it is filtering and pressure to their spec.
 
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Update for the sake of it. . . We started running 10-40 in the Tucson and are currently getting 3000 miles between oil changes without the light. She brings her own oil to the jimmynumbers palace and they use it after telling her it's not recommended, bla bla bla, and she informs them that its a bearing clearance issue and to just do it. :dustin: I love her.
 
3000 miles between oil changes, with heavier oil, due to consumption.

Yeah, quality vehicles there. Have you thought about buying a Branson tractor :flipoff2:
 
Nothing to add other than my 2013 Tucson is at the dealer now getting the engine replaced. It just stopped on me going down the road. No warning, no oil usage, didn't even make a noise when it locked up.

GET RID OF IT ASAP. It's not a matter of if, it's a when it locks up.

I am the original owner, and had plenty of oil change receipts to prove I did the required maintenance. They didn't even blink when it came in on a trailer with a bad engine. They said they are doing 2-3 engines a day right now.

Up until the engine blew, it had given me almost 150k miles of trouble free service.
 
TRINDU said:
3000 miles between oil changes, with heavier oil, due to consumption.

Yeah, quality vehicles there. Have you thought about buying a Branson tractor :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
How do you find out which models are junk and which aren't?

I've got an 07 Santa Fe 3.3l with 200k miles as a work beater and it's essentially brand new and never been wrenched on. I see that body style all over the roads still ticking off miles. I assume I'll get at least 300k out of it before it needs a "just haul it off" repair.
 
45acp said:
How do you find out which models are junk and which aren't?

I've got an 07 Santa Fe 3.3l with 200k miles as a work beater and it's essentially brand new and never been wrenched on. I see that body style all over the roads still ticking off miles. I assume I'll get at least 300k out of it before it needs a "just haul it off" repair.
Click to expand...
the 2.4l and 2.0l engines are the ones with issues.
 
45acp said:
Gotcha.

I just think it's kinda neat- company makes a long lasting, durable cheap shitbox... and also makes a complete unreliable pile of shit cheap shitbox.

:laughing:
Click to expand...
from what I have read. the 2.4l problem comes from them not properly cleaning the crankshaft after machining, It contaminated the main bearings with shavings when it was assembled. The pictures online of the aftermath are pretty nasty.

The 2.0 comes from them not properly heat treating the piston rings leading them to wear out prematurely.
 
45acp said:
How do you find out which models are junk and which aren't?

I've got an 07 Santa Fe 3.3l with 200k miles as a work beater and it's essentially brand new and never been wrenched on. I see that body style all over the roads still ticking off miles. I assume I'll get at least 300k out of it before it needs a "just haul it off" repair.
Click to expand...

Luck of the draw. You're an exception, not the rule. Count your blessings.

Buying a well maintained vehicle from your geriatric parents isnt the same as general open market abuse.
 
TRINDU said:
Luck of the draw. You're an exception, not the rule. Count your blessings.

Buying a well maintained vehicle from your geriatric parents isnt the same as general open market abuse.
Click to expand...
But that's simply not true (okay, yes the buying from 1 owner parents part is) not the luck of the draw part.

I see these shit piles all over town. Maybe not Hyundai in general, but Santa Fe whatever body style the 07 is. They're everywhere and still on the road. I'm pretty sure Shaqueefa is not big on routine maintenance let alone dropping $$$ on a longblock every couple of years. Yet there she is, purple weave and all headed to the dollar store to sell groceries off her lone star card.

So IMHO not all models are POS's.
 
45acp said:
But that's simply not true (okay, yes the buying from 1 owner parents part is) not the luck of the draw part.

I see these shit piles all over town. Maybe not Hyundai in general, but Santa Fe whatever body style the 07 is. They're everywhere and still on the road. I'm pretty sure Shaqueefa is not big on routine maintenance let alone dropping $$$ on a longblock every couple of years. Yet there she is, purple weave and all headed to the dollar store to sell groceries off her lone star card.

So IMHO not all models are POS's.
Click to expand...
He said that the one he has is a 3.3L V6 and the ones that are said to have problems are the 2.0L and 2.4L I4 powered models.
So it's possible the ones you're seeing on the road are either all V6s and the I4s are either in the junkyard, or they are running cheap heavier oil and dealing with it using oil.
Pretty sure the ones my in-laws have are also V6 powered and they have been very reliable.

Aaron Z
 
45acp said:
How do you find out which models are junk and which aren't?

I've got an 07 Santa Fe 3.3l with 200k miles as a work beater and it's essentially brand new and never been wrenched on. I see that body style all over the roads still ticking off miles. I assume I'll get at least 300k out of it before it needs a "just haul it off" repair.
Click to expand...
That 3.3 is a 300k engine imo

I use car-part.com to look up the supply demand for major components before buying a personal car
 
I have that exact car and it has been the least troublesome vehicle I have ever owned. I love this damn car. I change the oil and put tires on it, that's it other than one head light bulb. :knock on wood: :laughing:
 
We got an 06 Tucson used. Drove that bitch for 9 years. Timing belt, brake, tires and an o2 sensor in that time. Timing belt because of mileage not failure. Would still be driving if not for a fucking deer last year. due to the experience with that car everyone in my in my family now drives a Hyundai. They have been rock fucking solid for us. Guess we got lucky and missed the shit models.
 
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