I am not going to spend my own money to purchase aftermarket shocks to help with this issue. I want Hyundai to acknowledge that there is a design flaw with the rear end of the Elantra and design a fix.

No car is perfect. There are fixes that do not cost much eg. shocks. Buying a new SUV will definately cost you.

 

This is a faulty design issue with the Elantra. I should not be forced to purchase aftermarket shocks to fix their inherent problem.

 

From user reports, the 2014 Elantra has different shocks that may improve the rear end handling. Not sure how they compare to the KYB shocks. Maybe the dealer could be convinced to change to those shocks.

 

As you alluded to, this is a very common and arguably biggest issue of the 2011-2013's. That's why I'm convinced they did something to the 2014's and 2015's because I'm not seeing the issues there. As you also alluded to, this is likely a design defect but Hyundai Corporate refuses to acknowledge it. They'll tell you that your rear toe is "within spec" despite it being twice as much as other comparable cars like the Corolla. As a result, people have typically gone with a DIY fix, shop, or try to get the service department to do something.

There a bunch bunch bunch of threads on this forum discussing the rear end issue and rear tires cupping. Off the top of my head from reading those threads, I can't recall anyone having the issue fulfilled by Hyundai Corporate. I think some people even tried contacting BBB and the attorney general, but this is small potatoes for them unless it becomes a widespread issue (I.E., the GM recalls - to give an extreme example).

I think someone was able to get their service department to do something about it but don't quote me on that. And obviously, once it's out of corporate's hands and up to the discretionary authority of each individual dealership, you'll just have to hope for a lucky draw that you get a service tech that's not a douche.

Another issue, besides the back end tailing out, is that the rear tires wear out significantly faster. So, while people are engaged in month(s) long battles with Hyundai over this, their tires are getting destroyed in the meantime. In the end, I think most members gave up and did the fix themselves with rear shims. See this thread: http://www.hyundai-forums.com/md-2011-elantra/232377-do-yourself-rear-wheel-alignment.html

I hope you have better luck.

 

Did you come here just to complain or ask for help? Since you seem unwilling to take any sort of measures of your own to correct the problem, I'm guessing it's the former.

$180 or so one time for KYBs with a lifetime warranty versus $350 a month for an SUV. I don't see the problem.

 

@lovemysantafe: Agree! I think mine were $122, something-or-the-other, for the KYB pair, with free shipping from partsgeek.com. Rear suspension is no longer my monkey and no longer my circus. I'm good in the back.

 

I'm good in the back.

that's what she said

 

Lots of cars have a solid rear axle. I guess I got lucky with mine since I have no wear problems. I also have minimal handling complaints and after switching to better tires.

Basically if you are not happy with a 2 year old car then new shocks will probably not make you happy either. You should look at trading it in since Elantra seems to be getting good trade in value.

 

Trade it. Get something with IRS or solid axle that has more weight. Nothing you do will make the rear end issue fully go away, it's just the design.

 

Torsion beam suspension

Most modern mini cars up to C-segment (for instance, VW Golf) employ torsion beam as the rear suspension. Why? compare with double wishbones, multi-link and trailing arm suspensions, it engages little width of the car, thus enable greater rear seat room. It is cheaper too. Compare with MacPherson strut, its shock absorber is shorter and can be inclined steeply away from the vertical, thus engage less boot space.In fact, torsion beam suspension is only half-independent - there is a torsion beam connecting both wheels together, which allows limited degree of freedom when forced. For some less demanding compact cars, this save the anti-roll bars. On the contrary, it doesn't provide the same level of ride and handling as double wishbones or multi-link suspensions, although in reality it is superior to its only direct competitor, MacPherson strut. Most of the Europe's best handling GTIs employed this suspenion.

 

Every car has problems. Thankfully, the handling issue that you mentioned can be solved with a pretty cheap shock upgrade. Other cars have much worse, unfixable problems that cost thousands of dollars to temporarily repair (think high pressure fuel pumps on BMWs). Don't take this personally, but if you're the kind of person unwilling to spend 150 bucks to solve your handling woes on principal alone and trade your car in for a new car instead, then I'm pretty sure that you'll just find new problems in the new car that piss you off just as much.

 

My Coupe was never that bad, but then again it had firmer OEM shocks in the rear (I think the springs are different too). Still went with the aftermarket gas shocks but the improvement wasn't so radically night and day.

 

I know you feel like Hyundai owes you and that they should fix the issue, but that will not likely occur. Do what I did: get over it. Buy the KYB's (one of the best mods I did on this car), put them on and live the rest of your life in peace and harmony. You will be glad you did. And I too have no rear wear issues!!!

 

We put the KYBs on our 2013 early on. The car has 36k miles on the original Hankooks with perfect wear pattern and no issues.

Get a pair.

 

I'll have to contact the dealer again to get a response, as well as ask them to look into replacing the rear shocks. I feel as though I should not be responsible to replace the rear shocks with aftermarket ones as this is their design issue, not mine. If they refuse to replace them with a newer model shock, then I will have to look into the KYB's (if we do not decide to purchase the Mazda CX-5!).

Thanks guys and gals.

 

I feel that they will most likely replace them with the direct part number for that year, which may actually be different for 2011-2013 and 2014-2015.

 

I am at 46K miles and am noticing more sway and "softness" in the rear than perhaps i noticed in the past. But I wouldn't say this is an "ISSUE" that I expect Hyundai to cover. I'll let them wear a little longer and get a set of KYB's that everyone on the forum talks about. New Struts are an easy upgrade.

 

I'm not experiencing any issues, but I was used to driving a well worn 98 Chrysler Cirrus. Anything is better than that!

 

I may be experiencing it worse than you guys are, but when I did my research it sounds like hundreds of people are reporting the same as me. Click on that link in my original post and you will see what I mean.

If I contact any kind of bump or imperfection in the road with the rear end, it feels like it kicks out.

 

This is not a defect. It's just the way a crappy, low-cost torsion beam suspension works.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't test drive my Elantra long enough to notice its bad manners on rough roads, and that I've been grumbling about it ever since. But I would never for a minute suggest that it's a safety defect.

Let it go my friend; life is too short :57:

 

This is the reason the dealers allow test drives before buying. To determine if the potential buyer likes the car, with all of its faults, and every car has them. If not, they usually don't buy it.


I will admit that I did not experience the issue during my test drive too. I replaced the shocks very early and am a happy camper since.


This is not a "defect" or "failure" that would be covered under warranty. It existed from day one, as you have already stated.


The KYB's will cost less than the tax to purchase the CX-5; let alone the 2 year depreciation that you will take a hit on in trade. FYI, 158 pages of satisfied converts are here: http://www.hyundai-forums.com/md-2011-elantra/149372-kyb-rear-shocks-installed.html


The new shocks will transform the vehicle and your girlfriend will feel much more secure driving the "E".


Practicality and exercising financial prudence wins over principle every time.

 

Here's the thing: when you take the car to the dealer they will test it and come up with the conclusion that the car is "fine". But what they mean by fine is compared to other Elantras and Hyundai standards, not other cars or/and brands. I have the base model 2014. After reading some of the comments it seems that the shocks were improved a bit on this year's model. However you can still feel the car from swing side to side after 65+ mph. Do I see the impeding need to upgrade the shocks right now? No, but it's a mod I'd like to go for in the future.

 

I have a 2012 Limited and I think the stock suspension is pretty good for a car in this class. If you are not happy with the stock suspension just upgrade it, No car has a perfect suspension unless you are buying high end luxury car. I do however plan on upgrading the suspension in the near future. These cars are not designed for sporty handling around corners and are more geared towards comfort.

 

...and are more geared towards comfort.

Yeah, once you get those funky OEM tires off the rims and mount something will better ride quality built-in... But even a sway back mule can only plow so far down the row. :grin:

 

Elantra suspension issues,design flaw,unacceptable driving situation w/o kybs. It was so bad no one will believe you,only other Hyundai owners.

 

do we have anti-rollbar? I haven't check mine.

but that would be a good upgrade too

 

In front there is a stabilizer (anti-sway) bar . The rear is integrated into the torsion axle. Some sedan owners (me included) added an extra rear sway bar to the rear. I haven't done that to my GT.

 

@caliboy15: When I look at the term, "anti-roll bar," it would lend me to have this illusion that the car can't be rolled. It might offer some tiny "persuasion," against it, but certainly could not prevent it from occurring. "Anti-sway bar," I get that. Semantics, yes?

 

Or maybe means a rollbar or cage mounted inside the car in the event of a rollover, like on NASCAR or other racing cars....Then we could drive around with racing helmets and 4 point racing harnesses and look all cool with 140hp or so

 

An anti-roll bar (anti-sway bar, sway bar, stabilizer bar) is a part of many automobile suspensions that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction. The first stabilizer bar patent was awarded to Canadian inventor Stephen Coleman of Fredericton, New Brunswick on April 22, 1919.[1][2]

Anti-roll bars were unusual on pre-war cars due to the generally much stiffer suspension and acceptance of body roll. From the 1950s, production cars were more commonly fitted with anti-roll bars, especially those with softer coil spring suspension.

 

I have 2014 Elantra GT with premium package and 17" wheels and I have the same problems since the day 1 and now with 16k on the odometer with the back wheels tend to tail out on bumpy road and on the curve . I constantly have to drive with both hands firmly on the steering wheel . The long trip would be tiresome . Took my car to many different Hyundai dealers to complain and the response were the same- The car drives like it was supposed to , everything is normal , nothing is wrong with the shock and there is no recall . Read the forum and just purchased the KYB rear shocks on line for about $120/pair and got a good deal on a new set of Michelin Primacy MXM4 215-45-17 for $400 completed with tax and lifetime rotation and rebalance . The KYB shock , local auto parts want $100 each + tax . Hope it will remedy the problems . The car original Hankook tires still have over half of tread left ( 7-8/32 ) and show no sign of any problem and they seem to perform well on dry and wet surface but I consider to replace with the new Michelin if the new shocks fail to remedy the problem .

 

I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish with the new tires. Will new tires of a different brand react differently in the rain, yes. Will they act different in the snow, yes. Will they make more or less noise or perhaps handle better or worse, yes. You are trying to get tires to help with suspension issues which they should not do since you are buying the same size as factory. The factory tires are very low profile and so there is very little flex and give to the actual tire sidewall, which means the tire cannot help absorb the bumps the way a tire on a 15" rim would be able to. Larger sidewall tires of a different brand may react differently because of construction, but when the sidewall height is so small, you really aren't going to find much difference at all.


I think you may have been better off leaving the old tires on there and seeing how the car handled with the new shocks first.