14th Mar 2016, 01:23
The Sonatas 2003 and after have timing chains and do not need periodic replacement.
14th Mar 2016, 13:48
Wrong.
The Hyundai 2.4L 4-cylinder did not use a timing chain until the 2006 model year. If the reviewer's car had been equipped with a timing chain, how could it have broken a timing belt?
14th Mar 2016, 23:32
The airbag light was on at the time that the car was bought according to the reviewer. It was likely in a previous wreck and had an engine placed in it from some other vehicle. The commenter is correct who said this should have a timing chain.
15th Mar 2016, 10:37
Oh, of course. An airbag light on always means the car was previously wrecked, and naturally when a car is wrecked, the engine is always replaced with one of a different design. Thanks for clearing that up.
You should also inform all those online parts vendors selling timing belts for 2004-2005 Sonata 2.4 liters that they can give it up because, according to you, those cars have timing chains.
15th Mar 2016, 20:41
Plenty of insurance companies for car mechanical problems/extended warranties, in an effort to cut costs, will simply go to a scrapyard and put the cheapest replacement part into a car. Ever wonder why certain cars have two different colored fenders if they've been wrecked like this Sonata? The closest option for a replacement, even if it's not exact, will often be selected.
16th Mar 2016, 14:52
Rather than make faulty arguments based on assumptions about airbag lights and different colored fenders, how about providing some credible proof of your assertion that 2003-2005 Sonatas were equipped from the factory with timing chains instead of belts?
And, to save time and keep this from dragging on, "credible" does not mean finding some dupe on cardomain.com or Autotrader who refers to a timing chain in their pre-2006 Sonata.
16th Mar 2016, 20:05
See the section titled, "Hyundai Sonata Timing Chain Information". http://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/timing_chain/hyundai/sonata.html
From the link, "They are available for the following Hyundai Sonata years: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000".
So you're right, 2003 was not the transition point to a timing chain, 2000 was.
Here is a link to a 2002 Sonata timing chain:
http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2002/hyundai/sonata/engine_mechanical/timing_chain.html
17th Mar 2016, 13:56
That link refers to the 2.7L V6. The reviewer's car and the subject of this thread is the 2.4L FOUR CYLINDER, not the V6.
17th Mar 2016, 19:57
The issue is whether or not Sonatas used timing belts only before 2006. Clearly they did not based on that link. The reviewer's car is disqualified from the argument given the airbag situation and all that goes along with that. How can one say Sonatas did not use timing chains before 2006 in spite of evidence to the contrary? It's likely the reviewer's car had a V6 inserted to replace the 4 cylinder.
18th Mar 2016, 15:07
The reviewer's car is disqualified "given the airbag situation"? Does this mean you really believe that every car driving around with an airbag light on was previously wrecked AND had its engine replaced? Good luck with that.
And now you are really reaching by saying the engine was not only replaced, but that they replaced a four cylinder with a V6, thereby contending not only did the reviewer not know the difference between a timing belt and a timing chain, he/she did not even know what kind of engine they had in their own car. If I was the reviewer reading this, I would be highly incensed to say the least!
18th Mar 2016, 18:15
I agree fully. An airbag warning light should be a major red flag to anyone. Carfax would highly discourage buying any car with that light on. It's clear from your link that 2000 and after Sonatas without any engine even specified, have timing chains. Thus, your link doesn't argue V6 only. The other commenter may have been the mechanic who ripped off the reviewer, convincing him the car had a timing belt?
18th Mar 2016, 19:57
No, the issue is whether the 2.4 liter 4-cylinder Sonata had a timing chain prior to 2006. Whether the V6 had one or not is irrelevant. The car in the review is the four cylinder, and to try and argue that the engine was, unbeknownst to the owner, replaced with a V6 is just wrong.
18th Mar 2016, 20:18
This just gets funnier. Now "the mechanic" is suspected of posting the comments. Not clear what his motivation would be for doing so, let alone the odds of him even finding this review on this site, but why should logic enter into it?
Your comment about the airbag light is about as wrong as saying that a check engine light on means the engine needs to be replaced. You really need to quit before sinking any deeper!
18th Mar 2016, 21:03
Not true. In all honesty, I believe a significant percentage of motorists do not know if their vehicles have 4-cyl or V6 engines, particularly in the mid sized sedan category. That's not a slight at those drivers at all. It's merely a recognition that many people don't care about what kind of engine the vehicle has enough to know all the details. It's similar to how many drivers probably haven't read owners manuals to know they should be using 91 octane petrol instead of 87. Unless noise whilst driving or raw engine power (Ford Mustang V6 vs V8 for instance) are considerations, the engine isn't important to many drivers.
19th Mar 2016, 17:51
So, unable to provide any proof that the reviewer's 2004 Sonata 4 cylinder had a timing chain instead of a belt, you are now making the argument that the engine was replaced with a V6, assuming an airbag light signifies not only a previous wreck but also a complete engine replacement, or that the reviewer was part of the "significant percentage" of drivers (existing in your mind only) who have no clue what kind of engine they have under their hood.
Apparently they just blithely drive about, using the wrong octane fuel and being taken advantage of by unscrupulous mechanics who lie about timing chains and then try to conceal their dishonesty by posting false information on car review sites.
As you are obviously unwilling to admit that you were mistaken about the timing chain issue, one can only await to see what the next far-fetched assumption will be -- hopefully it will involve inter-planetary aliens.
19th Mar 2016, 20:43
Proof was already provided, and at least 2-3 commentors said it was sufficient proof. Again, the link the one commentor sent which went back to 2000 did not specify engine. Thus, a timing chain went to every Sonata made back to 2000. That commentor also acknowledged that 2003 was wrong as stated initially because it was actually 2000. There are no unresolved issues as far as I can tell once the caveat that you're wrong is accepted as fact.
20th Mar 2016, 12:30
Obvously neither you nor the '2-3 commenters" you cite bothered to check that link. Had you done so, you would have found that entering a timing chain for any pre-2006 Sonata only brings up the V6 model, NOT the 4-cylinder. So much for your so-called "proof".
The only unresolved issue here is why you are unable to figure out a simple truth, but finding that out would be too tiresome to pursue any further. Not worth the bother.
13th Mar 2016, 20:42
Actually, it's the interference (not non-interference) engine that destroys itself if the timing belt breaks while the engine is running.
Which yours probably would not have done, had the timing belt been replaced at the recommended mileage interval: 60,000 miles.