I just turned over 41,000 miles and want to share my findings and experiences. On the positive side I am pleased with ride, handling, and comfort. I also like the quiet ride when I have new tires. The car still looks good and the paint has held up very well. The highway mileage ranges from 27-29 mpg while city driving runs 21-22 mpg, not great.

There are several negatives first of which is the "ticking" noise from the engine, its still there and the latest Mobil-1 oil change quited it a little but its not completely gone and I don't want the engine torn down to fix it. The "belt tensioner" failed some time ago and was replaced under warranty. The drivers side door trim has worn where I rub it getting in and out, likely inherent with the auto backing of the seat each time the engine is turned off. I had to pay service to program the car so the doors would automatically lock when placed in gear, something a good salesman would have mentioned at the time of purchase. And lastly the problem with the rear tires wearing on the inside because of "shock hopping" (two different service managers used this phrase). I just put new Yokahama tires on it and the car is quiet again like when I first bought it. I will follow Discount Tires advice and have the tires rotated every 6,000 miles to minimize the rear tire wear and see what happens.

Rogerf

 

How often did you rotate the original tires?

 

You don't consider 22 city and 29 highway great for a 3600+ pound, full sized car like the Azera? You do realize that the EPA rates the Azera at 17 city and26 highway. So you are getting 4-mpg better fuel economy than the EPA rated it butyou consider that "not great". You have high expectations.


Are you using OEM Hyundai oil filters or aftermarket? There is a TSB about engine ticking when using non-Hyundai filters.


Did you rotate them regularly?

 

WOW! I would be tickled pink if I could get this kind of mileage. I have to really try hard just to get 18 mpg in light city driving and I've never gotten better than about 18.5 mpg (in town). It is usually between 16.5 and 17.8 give or take a few tenths.

Do you have some sort of secret for getting 21-22 mpg.When I see people reporting better than 18 mpg in city driving, it makes me wonder if there is something wrong with mycar.

I think most of my problem is that my 5 mi. (in town) commute to work is mostly driving at around 35 mph and the tranny stays in 4th gear most of the time. It won't shift into 5th (in manual nor auto mode)until I reach at least 38/39 mph which would be over the speed limit on most of the streets in my town.

 

We havebeen down this road before.
With the Azera and the late Sonatas, that TSB does not apply.

What difference can it possibly make whose filter cartridge is inside the cannister
or whether in fact there is even any cartridge inside the cannister?
This cannister filter is not a spin-on type.Pressure is controlled by a seperate
valve within the cannister, and not by the filter cartridge itself.

 

You are doing better than I do.

It all depends on whether or not there are any uphills or downhills and most importantly,
how long one must stay stoppedwaiting for the traffic lights to change.
Whenwe are sitting stopped, how many miles per gallon are we getting? [sm=exactly.gif]

 

The TSB (05-20-002) states: "ALL MODELS"
http://www.hmaservice.com/local_view...ocu_no=1143259

 

After 9,000 miles I started rotating every 6,000 but it must have been too late and the damage already done because the 'howling' noise stayed before and after all rotations. The dity driving is mostly at 45 mph until I get in to the center of town where its 30 mph and mostly level. We live a few miles outside town so get to enjoy a five lane highway with a 45 mph speed limit. I don't carry excess weight in the trunk, keep the tires inflated, change air filters, and don't race Maximas, Acuras, etc. From Ft Worth to Shreveport in IH20 I always get 29+ mpg at 65 mph. Going to Michigan and back in June driving 70 (and 75 where allowed in Okla) I averaged 27.2 for almost a 3,000 mile trip. All oil changes have been done by Hyundai at 5,000 miles.

 

Well that resolves the aftermarket oil filter issue...there isn't one.

I would suggest you have the dealer check into (at least diagnose) the ticking sound. Yes, the car is still under warrenty for a long time to come, but this could be a simpler problem (like a failing actuator or the power steering pump) that doesn't require a full engine removal and major dismantlement (like the tensioners). Actually, there's a new TSB where Hyundai has figured out how to change the tensioners without totally removing the engine which I guess has meant dealers are less reluctant to deal with that issue.

I think you mileage is pretty good, especially if your Azera has the 3.8 liter engine.

 

Note the date of that TSB. July, 2005

In July 2005, there were no Hyundais that had the newer cannister type filters.

Withthespin on types, it is possible forafter market manufactures to get the pressure
relief valves wrong, but with the cannister types such as the Azeras and late Sonatas
have, NO CHANCE at allas the pressure relief valve in below the cartride insert.
It does not matter who makes that insert nor does it even matter pressure wise whether
or not there is in fact any cartride there at all. Pressures will not be affected.

Therefore, it does not matter who makes the cartridge you install in that filter.