chronic intermittent ignition and headlight problem
 

This problem seems coincidental.
It's chronic, but may happen day after day for a short series of days, then not recur again for two weeks or even a month or two. Weather does not appear to be the issue.
The 2004 Elantra has 128,000 miles, but problem began at about 75,000 but no one has beenable to identify it. Been to a local auto wizard electronics specialist, to a Ford dealer on a diagnostic machine, now at the Hyundai dealer on diagnostic.
No one seems to get the car to fail while at the shop, and no one's diagnostic machine shows electrical system or ignition system failure.

Here are the recurring symptoms: turn key to crank position, all dash lights alright, fuel pump audible, one click audible, but no starter whirr, and not engine turnover.
sometimes, a multiple repeat of key attempts with auto shifter in Park and ignition accomplished with no noticeable low battery symptoms. Sometimes it takes two dozen or more off again turn on again key rotations will accomplish ignition.

When it is the worst case scenario, I have accomplished ignition by putting shifter to Neutral position and the car will start first try. Other times, in Neutral, I have to tap the steering column at key insertion point, and it will start, but that seems coincidental.

Other coincidental phenomenon associated with a failure to start is when headlights and fog lights are all on, all bulbs light up. But when fog lights are turned off, passenger side headlight goes off too. Strange. Have had bulbs changed and checked, by this will happen immediately afterwards whenever ignition problem arises.

Car is at Hyunda dealer in Evansville, Indiana right now, after a particularly bad series of ignition failures. But after their diagnostic machine failed to identify any problem, they have successfully started the car twice per day, with no failures noted, three days running.

This has been the best car we've ever owned, and since purchasing it new, have bought a Kia Spectra for daughter, and Kia Sorento for oursemves, and will never again buy anything other than a Kia or Hyundai.
It's just that we use this 2004 Elantra strictly for running around town runn

Yeah, sounds like an ignition switch problem.

I also bought Spectras for my daughters. A silver 06 Spectra5 SX hatchback for my oldest and a black 06 SX sedan for my second. And a blue 08 Rondo for the wife (that I added 18" wheels from a Kia Soul).

https://www.hyundaiforum.com/forum/m...ctra5-1171.jpg

https://www.hyundaiforum.com/forum/m...a-07b-1341.jpg

https://www.hyundaiforum.com/forum/m...ls-01-1356.jpg

I really love the Hyundai vehicles and sometimes wish that I would not have gotten rid of my Elantra... If you can leave the vehicle at the shop until the problem is duplicated I would, hopefully it is a simple ignition switch.

Sounds like the park/neutral safety switch or the little nut that holds the alignment for the switch.