[Glendave]

Our  MY2012 CW SLX CRDi is exactly like Gwandads^*, sounds like a mix of completely flat hydraulic lifters and shot big-ends. The engine and/or transmission (automatic) would also jerk and kangaroo to the point where if you didn't take your foot of the accelerator quickly you might seriously damage the drive train.We took it back to the dealer in Bankstown, Sydney around 2,000 kms and their Service Manager claimed there was nothing wrong! We managed to eventually talk with one of the mechanics who seemed to know about this "normal" noise and described it perfectly. He spoke of "matching the injectors with the computer" and mentioned injector serial numbers. They took it into the shop and after a couple of hours we got it back sounding almost normal. Over the next couple of thousand kms however the noise has gradually returned to the point it is embarrassing to drive and we are also acutely aware we may have bought a proverbial lemon. A quick test drive in another i30 diesel showed us that the engine can indeed run quietly.

After speaking with the dealer several times and being assured our engine was normal and they would indeed fix any problem, we made the mistake of returning it to them for its 15,000 km service and asked for the engine to be fixed properly. We also noted the leather cover on the steering wheel had begun to peel. The service manager had never heard of a noisy i30 diesel and thought we had a "noise in the engine bay".

When we picked up the car following its expensive 15,000 km service we were told that they didn't notice any unusual engine noise so hadn't done anything to the engine, and that the peeling steering wheel cover wasn't covered by the Hyundai warranty. After some discussions they photographed the steering wheel and said they would advise Hyundai of the defect. After driving the car it might have been less noisy than usual but after some 500 kms the clattering and knocking has returned, albeit not as loud. Now that the weather is warming up the engine/transmission jerking/kangarooing has also diminished. We have exclusively used Caltex or Shell diesel from mainstream service stations for the life of the vehicle and use it in a mix of city and freeway driving.

In despair at around 10,000 kms we did contact Hyundai Australia who listened politely and advised to take it back to the dealer. One thing for sure is that after this last service we would never take it back to that particular dealer. We could however use the combined knowledge and advice of some concerned forum members on how and where to have this problem resolved. Where do we go from here?

Administrator Comment

^* Taken from here

[ElleB]

wow... that is not good !!

 Let me get back to my mate that had similar problems....the one that had Hyundai "fry" 2 onboard computers when they tried to reflash them as a result of a similar problem.....

Will advise..But , just off the cuff, how about using a phone camera to record both sound and vision when it acts up, so you have an immediate record...which can be replayed to the so called experts !!
 Also there are some "direct phone numbers" for Hyundai area section and service managers floating around somewhere on the forum...maybe a call on the side will "rattle the cage " a little...

Hang in there!!

 Elle B

[Dazzler]

Welcome Glendave That is a terrible tale of woah 

Dealers like that who turn their back and play dumb make my blood boil.. I can only imagine how you are feeling.. 

The i30 CRDi is a brilliant car (normally) but these relatively isolated situations that aren't rectified properly will have a negative effect on their reputation...

I would be putting something in writing to hyundai and trying another dealer (and as Tony says capture as much of the issues as you can on Video)

Mention this site by all means .. hope it helps 

[Doggie 1]

Welcome to the forum Glendave. Sorry to hear about the problems you are having.
Please keep us posted.

[Phil №❶]

Welcome Glendave, Bankstown eh, we need a forum member close by that has had a welcome experience with a better dealer. Not my locale so can't help I'm afraid. Good luck 

[eye30]

Our  MY2012 CW SLX CRDi is exactly like Gwandads^*,

Reply #45 indicated that it was the injectors and once replaced the car was OK.


ps welcome

[Asterix]

Hi Glendave.

Sorry to hear about your trouble.

I would also say the injectors. Some 20+ years back, when I was a mechanic apprentice, the diesel engines would sometimes sound like you describe. If an injector was dripping, it would sound like someone was inside the engine with a hammer, knocking on the metal.

Today's diesel engines ECU can make one injector "help" another faulty injector. If e.g the injector @ cyl 4 does not inject  proper amount of diesel or at the right time, the ECU will make cyl 1 inject sooner/later/more or less to make balance in the engine, which I think explains their statement "matching the injectors with the computer".

Maybe we are lucky to have our diesel-wonderboy Komaterpillar see this thread, he will for sure have something to add.

[komaterpillar]

Each injector has a calibration code. All it is, is an indication of the amount of diesel that injector will inject for a baseline injection event from the ecu. When the injectors are made they are flow tested and then given the appropriate code. Each injector will have a minute discrepancy from the others as to how much diesel it will inject, hence the need for the calibration code. So what they are talking about when they say they have calibrated the injectors with the ecu, all they’ve done is re-entered the calibration codes so that the ecu can adjust the injection events so that all the injectors are working as close together as possible.

The only time there should be a problem is if a replacement set of injectors are installed (new calibration codes) or if somebody pulls the injectors and doesn’t put them back in the same positions, or if for some inexplicable reason the ecu loses the calibration codes.

The problem with calibration codes is, when nozzles and needles start to wear, and needle springs start to lose there tension, or if you get a bit of crap go through them, the calibration code becomes a guess.

[Phil №❶]

Each injector has a calibration code. All it is, is an indication of the amount of diesel that injector will inject for a baseline injection event from the ecu. When the injectors are made they are flow tested and then given the appropriate code. Each injector will have a minute discrepancy from the others as to how much diesel it will inject, hence the need for the calibration code. So what they are talking about when they say they have calibrated the injectors with the ecu, all they’ve done is re-entered the calibration codes so that the ecu can adjust the injection events so that all the injectors are working as close together as possible.

The only time there should be a problem is if a replacement set of injectors are installed (new calibration codes) or if somebody pulls the injectors and doesn’t put them back in the same positions, or if for some inexplicable reason the ecu loses the calibration codes.

The problem with calibration codes is, when nozzles and needles start to wear, and needle springs start to lose there tension, or if you get a bit of crap go through them, the calibration code becomes a guess.

Hi Kom,

And the solution is 

When would this be likely to occur 

[komaterpillar]

Hi Kom,

And the solution is 

my solution if i were fixing it would be to pull the injectors and actually check the calibration codes on each injector, i would campare this to what is in the ecu, while they are out i would check the nozzles for damage, i would also replace the crush washers with the updated style, then i would drive it for a couple of days and see how it went. If no better, i would then put a set of injectors in it and recalibrate the ecu accordingly.

When would this be likely to occur 

even with low k's it is still possible that one or two injectors are shagged, could be a dodgy one from the factory (think about how many of these are made, it’s inevitable that a few bad ones slip through), or it doesn't take much crap to slip through the filter to do damage and the injectors packing it in is normally the first/most obvious symptom to rear its head.