[Fireescape]

Ok, been a little slack with the updates but I have a few. So I took the car into the Moss Vale Hyundai dealer but had no luck getting anything sorted. I went in previously with the video as mentioned, went back in with the car, told the receptionist what I wanted checked (steering, gearbox/creak), she said ok. I had organised a loan car, so I took the loan cars keys and drove away. Got a call that afternoon to say the car was ready to be picked up

I walk into the reception area and up to the desk, the receptionist said hello. I told her what I was there for, she gets my key and says "that's $130", $130, for what, I reply. To check the clutch, it creaks but we think the car has had a new clutch put in, so it's not covered bu warranty. She goes on to tell me that it was 3hrs work to check the clutch, but they're only going to charge me for 1 hour. I'm a bit dumbfounded to say the least. I tell her that I knew the clutch creaked, I even showed them the video of the clutch doing it . I suggested that if it took three hours for the mechanic to work this out the mechanics skills must be very lacking and that I wasn't going to pay $130 for them to tell me something that I already knew. She suggests that if I feel that way about their business I should probably not come back, I say "fine" take my keys and walk away.

So the clutch is still creaking, but the receptionist tells me they've also updated the electronic steering module computer with the latest software, which was done under warranty. Admittedly the car drives better, for about 1 day, then it's back to its wandering best, all over the road at hwy speeds. I try disconnecting the battery, which helps for maybe a day or so, but again the issue returns.

I have new tyres put on the car, a set of Michelins, and the steering feels worse than ever, so I try again with the Albion Park Hyundai dealer. I ring them and have a talk, they suggest a wheel alignment. I kinda knew this was coming so didn't have it done when the new tyres were installed, I ask them where they preferred I had it done, and this morning I take the car to their preferred tyre place for a wheel alignment. The alignment is found to be ok, just needs a little toe adjustment. I've told the tyre place about my issue so the tech takes it for a drive before and after the work is done. He tells me that the car feels funny to drive and that the steering is weird and all over the place. He also speaks to the head mechanic at the dealer and tells him the same. The mechanic tells him "that's how electronic steering feels".

So I pick the car up from the tyre place, go over to the Hyundai dealer and ask why they'd ignore the comments about the steering from someone they've recommended I go and see about it. The service manager asks me to bring the car in so someone can take it for a drive, which I'm doing next week. The saga continues.

An interesting note,  my co-worker bought his partners 2016 i30 into work today and I took the opportunity to take it for a drive. What a difference, the steering is completely different from mine, positive and direct (was set on the same "normal" setting) no meandering all over the place, couldn't be a more different car to drive. This has just reinforced my opinion that something is very wrong with mine. Updates to follow.

 

[mickd]

More steering issues,  maybe you should PM "Jackson " and discuss.

[Dazzler]

More steering issues,  maybe you should PM "Jackson " and discuss.

Think this is a different issue Mick (more like what Dave - Doggie1 had) Different model than the other guys too I think.

@ Fireescape, thanks for the update. SO frustrating  and not unlike what @Doggie 1 went through initially trying to get it fixed. Keep at them! 

[mickd]

Aahhhhh,
My mistook  ☺

[nzenigma]

Should I laugh or cry?
 Dazz, re. our past conversation.... we need to really dump on these clowns!

... He also speaks to the head mechanic at the dealer and tells him the same. The mechanic tells him "that's how electronic steering feels".

 

[The Gonz]

Shirley @Doggie 1 's case is one for the legal textbooks and would apply here - open and shut, so to speak, without all this 'meandering', so to speak.

[nzenigma]

Gonz, are you suggesting the military approach... follow orders or face the firing squad.

If so, from me.

[The Gonz]

 

Seems simple enough to me. There's precedence, there's resolution, there needs to be some falling in line here by some belligerent wimps in the dealerships.

[Dazzler]

Shirley @Doggie 1 's case is one for the legal textbooks and would apply here - open and shut, so to speak, without all this 'meandering', so to speak.

There was a fair bit of legwork with another dealer and a third party tyre place before (I think) Dave got Hyundai involved and he was referred to another dealer for assistance resulting in the fix. It took a month or two all up (from memory)

[Surferdude]

Shirley @Doggie 1 's case is one for the legal textbooks and would apply here - open and shut, so to speak, without all this 'meandering', so to speak.

There was a fair bit of legwork with another dealer and a third party tyre place before (I think) Dave got Hyundai involved and he was referred to another dealer for assistance resulting in the fix. It took a month or two all up (from memory)

Yeah. But he'd been complaining about it for a year or more before any acknowledgement of the problem.

[nzenigma]

A proven method that @Fireescape could use.

Early Saturday morning park the i30 outside the dealer with large 'lemon' signs on it. Inside so they cant be removed.

Especially State that: This car is dangerous to drive, 

... Hyundai head mechanic says "that's how electronic steering feels".

[Dazzler]

  @nzenigma

[nzenigma]

I try to think outside the square. Companies, politicians, insurers etc have an address , PR wally or similar to fob-off your complaint .
They find it really unsettling if you arrive at the backdoor unannounced. They don't have fob procedures in place for that.

[Dazzler]

Even the threat of doing it might be enough! 

[The Gonz]

Have fun with it on the cheap. Photoshop the sign across your windscreen in a picture you send them as a threat.

[nzenigma]

Have fun with it on the cheap. Photoshop the sign across your windscreen in a picture you send them as a threat.

  Well done Gonz, not just a pretty face.

[Doggie 1]

Shirley @Doggie 1 's case is one for the legal textbooks and would apply here - open and shut, so to speak, without all this 'meandering', so to speak.

There was a fair bit of legwork with another dealer and a third party tyre place before (I think) Dave got Hyundai involved and he was referred to another dealer for assistance resulting in the fix. It took a month or two all up (from memory)

Yeah. But he'd been complaining about it for a year or more before any acknowledgement of the problem.

Trevor is correct.
This had been going on for a long time, but the kms mounted quickly because I was doing @ 1,000 kms per week.
The dealership H/A told me to take it to was not one bit interested in finding the problem.
The second dealership was.
So the entire steering column/EPS was replaced in order to rectify the problem.
I am not an advocate of protesting, "lemon" signs on windscreens, etc and never have been.
But persistence through the proper channels resulted in a fix at the end of the day.
The bottom line is, I won't go back to the dealership that charged me to investigate a warranty problem but then didn't find it.
But I would go back to the dealership that listened.
I provided the appropriate feedback (in both instances) to H/A.
Good luck.

[Dazzler]

Thanks Dave. How is it behaving now. I think you suggested it was feeling a bit odd lately?

[Surferdude]

Thanks Dave. How is it behaving now. I think you suggested it was feeling a bit odd lately?

Your CAR, Dave.
Dazz is referring to your car. 

[Doggie 1]

It was behaving oddly before I had the tyres replaced but since then all good.
The worn tyres were not helping.

[Dazzler]

  Good to hear.

I'm still planning on getting over there in mid July. 

[Fireescape]

Update time -

So this morning I took the car into the Hyundai dealer in Albion Park Rail (City Motors Group) to get the head mechanic to take the car for a drive to see  if he could feel/observe the steering issue. We first took it across to the large car park across the road from the dealer, with the mechanic driving, and drove it back and forth over a 150mtr or so stretch of the car park. The issue was pretty evident even here, with the car pulling to the left and right randomly and with the steering wheel not recentring after turning a corner. We then took it out on to the Hwy heading north out of Albion Park. The mechanic could see, and feel, what I was experiencing and at no point tried to say it was normal. We drove back to the dealer, wobbling all the way, and parked near the workshop. I got out and waited in the waiting room as the mechanic put the car on a hoist, lifted it up, and checked the steering system under the car, including disconnecting a steering rod end to check to see if there was any binding.

After 30min or so the mechanic came back in and asked me to go for another drive, which we did, going back up the hwy same as before, and the issue was still evident. He told me that the steering mechanism underneath the car was all good, no binding or anything, so he was now convinced the issue was in the eps system under the dash, so he agrees to replace the whole column under warranty. He also told me he'd quickly looked on the internet and saw that others had had the same issue. (thanks to i30 owners club here, I pointed out a few of the threads on here as we drove, pretty sure he checked them out when I was waiting for the car as they checked it)

Pretty happy with this outcome, all I could ask for really. I'm just waiting for a call  to tell me the part is in and to book the car in for the work. More updates to follow. 

[eye30]

Can't remember but are all the tyres ok etc etc no uneven wear erc etc

Hopefully a result once work done

[Dazzler]

Thanks for the update Fireescape. Hopefully it will be sorted soon. Great news.

[Fireescape]

eye30
Yep, brand new set of Michelin's Primacy 3's (I think that's what they're called) just put on the car. I actually think the problem got worse with the new tyres, thinking that the greater grip or change of profile between the worn out Hankook's and the new Michelin's might have increased the effort needed to keep the car in line or something, or at least changed to amount of effort the steering system needed to apply to the steering rack and tyres to change the direction of the car. I also made sure that the wheel alignment was done by a shop recommended by the dealer, just to eliminate the question of alignment.

[nzenigma]

Great result and top marks for your perseverance @Fireescape   

Also an excellent Hyundai dealer : Albion Park Rail (City Motors Group) 

From what you tell us, it seems that the fault was not immediately known to their mechanic;
 which probably indicates that EPS failure is rare.

[beerman]

Good work,

Unfortunately the after sales stuff is a bit hit and miss. It is excellent that Hyundai reached out to the club for the launch of the new i30. It is a shame they don't seem to see value in using the site to solve customers problems. It would be a cheap and effective way to increase customer satisfaction and identify dealers who either arn't doing the right thing, and/or need further training.

[Dazzler]

Good work,

Unfortunately the after sales stuff is a bit hit and miss. It is excellent that Hyundai reached out to the club for the launch of the new i30. It is a shame they don't seem to see value in using the site to solve customers problems. It would be a cheap and effective way to increase customer satisfaction and identify dealers who either arn't doing the right thing, and/or need further training.

Well said mate. You are wise beyond your years...  I still can't believe you are only 23! 

[Surferdude]

Good work,

Unfortunately the after sales stuff is a bit hit and miss. It is excellent that Hyundai reached out to the club for the launch of the new i30. It is a shame they don't seem to see value in using the site to solve customers problems. It would be a cheap and effective way to increase customer satisfaction and identify dealers who either arn't doing the right thing, and/or need further training.

Well said mate. You are wise beyond your years...  I still can't believe you are only 23! 

And he doesn't look a day over 60.

[Doggie 1]

Good work,

Unfortunately the after sales stuff is a bit hit and miss. It is excellent that Hyundai reached out to the club for the launch of the new i30. It is a shame they don't seem to see value in using the site to solve customers problems. It would be a cheap and effective way to increase customer satisfaction and identify dealers who either arn't doing the right thing, and/or need further training.

Well said mate. You are wise beyond your years...  I still can't believe you are only 23! 

And he doesn't look a day over 60.