1989 Hyundai Excel
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Hyundai › Excel › 1989
These records cover every 1989 Hyundai Excel. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 1989 Hyundai Excel. Newest first.
The heater control valve stem does not meet the material specifications. High coolant temperatures can cause the stem to leak.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This can result in a burn injury to the front seat passenger's feet and legs.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace defective valve stems.
The manual transmissions may lock up from insufficient lubrication of the gears in the transmission case. This can cause the drive wheels to seize and the vehicle to come to a sudden stop.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Sudden stops without prior warning can cause vehicleoccupants to be thrown around in the car, and cause loss of vehicle controlwhich could result in an accident.
Remedy
Hyundai will perform a cost free transmission oil change.
Deterioration of the reed valve subassembly may lead to a malfunction within the secondary air supply portion of the emission control system. The screws which attach the reeds to the reed valve subassembly may rust, and if the rusting becomes severe, the screw heads will erode and allow the reeds to separate from the reed valve subassembly. Corrosion may…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The melting plastic air filter case may lead to a firein the engine compartment.
Remedy
Replace the reed valve subassembly with one whose metal components are fabricated from corrosion resistant stainless steel.
If cruise control main switch IS in the on position when engine IS started, system can be affected by a short duration voltage drop caused by optional hi-power (H340) radio.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This could cause erratic cruise control operation, whichcould result in an accident.
Remedy
Replace electronic control module.
Owner complaints
68 complaints2 involved a crash19 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
Consumer was traveling about 30mph on highway, and she noticed that vehicle was hesitating/poppying, and didn't have any speed. also, smoke was coming from underneath vehicle. vehicle was on fire. *ak
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
While driving on a local road, traveling 45 to 50mph, looked down and spilled food. went off the road, hit a tree and driver's side seat belt didn't retract or hold. didn't contact dealer or manufacturer. *ak
- Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Defective fuel pump can cause large amount of fuel to be pushed out of a hose near the air conditioning compressor. This could have resulted into a fire. There should be a recal. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine overheated, coolant added several times, finally resulted in fire.
- Power train › Manual transmission
Recall 93v167000; 4 months after the recall had been serviced the transmission has gone out. Dealer says it needs to be replaced. *ak
- Power train › Manual transmission
Recall # 93v167000 power train:transmission: standard: manual car will not shift between 4TH & 5TH gear. There was not a prolbem with the gears before the transmission fluid was changed in the vehicle. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline · Power train › Axle assembly › Axle shaft · Structure › Body · Structure › Body › Door · Structure › Body › Hood · Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
When defrost and lights are turned on, the gas gauge reads way past full, temperature gauge goes to red, clock stops, and sometimes dash lights do not come on.
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Gas recirculation valve (egr valve)
Exhaust system - egr valve: while driving up a hill began to smell fumes, smoke started to come from vehicle. The vehicle lost power and driver noticed that the vehicle was on fire. *ak
- Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Manual indicates how to check the transmission oil level by loosening and removing the oil filler bolt and use your finger to feel inside the hole to see if the oil level IS at the bottom edge of the hole which IS incorrect. the area in th
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Suspension › Front
Vehicle pulls to right.
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
Heater core failed, causing hot fluid to pour from under dash.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Vehicle fire. (Ohio state police report) *dh
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Coolant system valve failed, causing coolant to leak into passenger compartment. *Dh
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
(Recall)took the car in to be repaired and the dealer gave him a hard time with trying to charge for a diagnosis. Heater core recall 94v103000. *ak
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
The b+ wire becomes very hot and causes the alternator to burn. *ak
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Windshield › Electrical heating element
Heater control valve replaced prior to recall. *Sd
- Power train › Manual transmission
Transmission failed twice after recall. *Dsh
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
While driving car caught on fire under the hood. Please descr0831000ails.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine compartment fire, unknown origin of fire. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
After parking, engine caught fire, for no apparent reason. *ak
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
Recall heater core; had recall done rally chev., in palmdale ca. Afterwards, vehicle will not go over 5 mph. Dealer refuses to evaluate further. tt
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
While driving on interstate vehicle caught on fire under the hood. Car was totalled. Please describe details. tt
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
Fixed under recall #94v10300. Same problem IS occuring all over again. Replaced part himself. tt
- Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash
While driving, noticed smoke coming into vehicle through vents, then suddenly engine compartment caught fire, fire department couldn't determine the cause. tt
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
When ice IS under the snow you just slide on the road. ABS IS not working. tt
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Charging system failures
There is no summary currently available
- Heater core failure
There is no summary currently available
- Transmission malfunction
There is no summary currently available
- Auto shoulder belt failure
There is no summary currently available
- Transmission lock-up
There is no summary currently available
- Transmission lockup
There is no summary currently available
- Engine compartment fires
There is no summary currently available
- Passenger brake
There is no summary currently available
- Engine compartment fires
There is no summary currently available
- Frnt suspension vibrates
There is no summary currently available
- Front suspension vibration
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10230904This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.
- 10189989This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
- 10183963This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.
- 10183960This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the Tire Balance Data Sheet must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. The Data Sheet can be found at the end of this bulletin.
- 10174808This bulletin provides information on identifying dealer stock vehicles with either: A Battery SOC alert - low Battery State of Charge (SOC) at or below 50%. A 30 Day alert - vehicle has not started and reported an SOC in 30 days.
- 10169370The Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) is a system that measures the speed of and distance from the following vehicles by using two magnetic wave radar sensors attached in the rear bumper. The BSD/BCW detects vehicles within the blind spot zone and gives off an alarm (visual and audible). The two magnetic radar sensors provide these functions for BSD/BCW: ? Senses other vehicles in the BSD/BCW zone and turns on the BSD/BCW warning lamp for the driver. The warning lamp starts blinking, along with an audible sound, when the driver turns on the turn signal lamp to enter the lane where another vehicle is driving.
- 51905Shift condition caused by short circuit in inhibitor switch.
- 39744Excels equipped with heater cores manufactured by mando may experience coolant leakage from the heater valve stem assembly.
Every Hyundai Excel model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.