Has anyone wondered why in Santa Fe maintenance manual it indicates us to change the timing belt at 60K but it's only a recommended act for CA? I inquired from Hyundai and talked to a lawyer. It seems for CA, there's a law which states if car company mandates a service request which normally goes beyond some XXX $$ generally, it really has to prove first it's mandatory. Thus, if you notice, the timing belt really gets replaced AFTER 100K, irrespective for CA or non-CA state.

I think, the timing belt replacement at 60K is really not required, but required at about 105 to 120 K. The problem is, dealers seems to demand it or otherwise warranty is kaput. I challenged on this front to dealer and Hyundai, none had any answers. Any comments?

I'm not sure why they would mandate you to not have to do it in California, but I will HIGHLY reccomend you do it around 60K miles. Around 65K miles, I was driving and noticed the all too familiar sound of the timing belt needing to be replaced. However, I didn't have time to do it myself so I dropped it off at a local mechanic (non hyundai dealer). He said it was fine and didn't need to be replaced. While driving back home from the dealer, the timing belt snapped, ruining the crankshaft and the camshaft. So, what would have been around $100 to fix, turned into around a $500 job. So, I'd HIGHLY reccomend changing it around 60K. Every hyundai owner I've talked to said the same thing.

Thanks :liebe011: Matter resolved.

$100! Where do you get your work done? My local dealers quoted $600-$900. Does it have to be a dealer repair?
Thanks

That's more in line with what we pay here!

Dear bmn and others,

Yes, you absolutely want to replace that timing belt at 60K miles. True, the belt will likely break off a few teeth and slip timing as a warning....seconds before the belt snaps in two.

Not sure what type of timing belt is installed on Santa Fe's in California, but rubber timing belts will not make it to 105K miles...no way.

$450-$600 for a timing belt replacement here in Colorado Springs. I bought the timing belt and outer belts myself for $135, and the dealer charged me $283 for labor only and made me sign a disclaimer that thedealer was only warranting the labor but no parts.

Byron

According to Edmunds.com in the maintenence schedule. A timing belt replacement should run about $253. Is this something that can be done by the home mechanic?

Prices for timing belt replacement here on Long Island range from $368 (Pep Boys) to $422 (Valley Stream Hyundai) to $550 (Plainview Hyundai) to $915 (Meineke). Needless to say, I won't being visiting Meineke for anything.

I've had good luck with Pep Boys. I had a leaky heater system in my 1995 BMW 525 and they repaired the entire system (pump, hoses, valves, etc.) in one day for under $600 using BMW parts. It's not a job I would have tackled myself and the parts are only available from BMW. The dealer price was more than double. I bought the car new and haven't made a car payment in nine years so the occasional repair bill is part of the deal.

Certain jobs I have been willing to handle. I replaced the front swaybar links for $34 worth of parts and about two hours of labor. The BMW dealer price was nearly $500. The parts alone were $200, but the same parts were $17 each from Advance.

Luckilly I haven't needed to perfrom any repairs on the Elantra yet, but I'm a bit overdue for the timing belt. That's also not something I'm willing to take on myself.