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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / September 2005

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2000 Elantra Idle Drops (Electrical?)

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philaphan80@yahoo.com - 27 Sep 2005 14:44 GMT
Recently, when sitting at traffic lights in my 2000 Hyundai Elantra,
I've noticed the idle dropping ever so slightly.  Usually, it runs at
about 800-700 RPMs, but it was dropping about 100 RPMs to 700-600.  The
drops were small and random, so I just shrugged them off thinking I
might need a tune-up soon.

Recently, since fall has arrived, I've been using less A/C and more
windows.  Just yesterday, when sitting in a parking lot after lunch, I
discovered a pattern.

When I shut the A/C off, I no longer saw the idle drop.  Just out of
curiosity, I tried pushing the up button for the windows (even though
they were already up.)  The idle dropped.  Then I let go and the idle
returned to normal.  A/C on, idle dropped.  A/C off, normal.

Could this be something related to my electrical system or am I way off
base here?  I only know the basics about cars, so please include
layman's terms with the technical stuff.  ;)

Two other things I should note.  Might be related, might not be...

My car's reaction to the gas pedal has also been slow lately.  I know
it's not a powerful car, but it used to react to the pedal very
quickly.  Now, it sometimes hesitates for a second or two before it
kicks in.

I've also had chronic problems with light bulbs blowing out (usually
the tail lights.)  The mechanic would catch them during an oil change,
etc., and I'd have them replaced.  Within weeks, the same bulbs might
blow out.

Thanks in advance!
Bruce Chang - 27 Sep 2005 17:26 GMT
> Recently, when sitting at traffic lights in my 2000 Hyundai Elantra,
> I've noticed the idle dropping ever so slightly.  Usually, it runs at
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance!

The A/C needs engine power to run.  When you turn it on, the clutch engages
and the engine is loaded down by the additional power it needs to supply to
the A/C compressor for it to work.  It does this intermittently because the
A/C compressor does not run full time.  It cycles as the pressure is built
up in the system or the air cools sufficiently.  Once either has been
reached, the compressor shuts off until the air warms up enough that the A/C
comes back on again and requires the compressor again.

As to the light bulbs, I would imagine you might have purchased the wrong
ones.
Spud Demon - 27 Sep 2005 21:41 GMT
philaphan80@yahoo.com writes in article <1127828678.398328.71530@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> dated 27 Sep 2005 06:44:38 -0700:
>Recently, when sitting at traffic lights in my 2000 Hyundai Elantra,
>I've noticed the idle dropping ever so slightly.  Usually, it runs at
>about 800-700 RPMs, but it was dropping about 100 RPMs to 700-600.  The
>drops were small and random, so I just shrugged them off thinking I
>might need a tune-up soon.

tune-up = new cap, rotor, plugs, wires.  Good idea.  Especially if you
notice any roughness when the idle drops randomly.

>Recently, since fall has arrived, I've been using less A/C and more
>windows.  Just yesterday, when sitting in a parking lot after lunch, I
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>they were already up.)  The idle dropped.  Then I let go and the idle
>returned to normal.  A/C on, idle dropped.  A/C off, normal.

AC is a load on the engine.  So is the alternator, which works harder when
you use a lot of electrical current.  All of this is normal.

>My car's reaction to the gas pedal has also been slow lately.  I know
>it's not a powerful car, but it used to react to the pedal very
>quickly.  Now, it sometimes hesitates for a second or two before it
>kicks in.

I don't know whether the Elantra is fuel-injected or carbeurated.  If it's a
carb, I'd say you have a bad accellerator pump.  

>I've also had chronic problems with light bulbs blowing out (usually
>the tail lights.)  The mechanic would catch them during an oil change,
>etc., and I'd have them replaced.  Within weeks, the same bulbs might
>blow out.

I lived in a house like that once.  :^)  I guess the main causes are
electrical (as in bad alternator/regulator) or temperature (wind blowing or
water dripping on the bulb).  

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.
 
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