Hyundai Click: common faults & what to check

Which Hyundai Click are you looking at?

1 generation variant documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Engine not documented

1 variant documented

2002–2011TB2002–2011TBEngine not documented for this generationEngine not documentedDocumented issues8 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Chu via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Start your free check on this Hyundai Click

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Hyundai Click before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Check the inner sill lip for bubbling paint or scale rust.

  See why

  Floor Pan and Rear Sill Structural Rust

  The Getz has thin, minimally protected steel in the floor pan under the rear seat and along the inner and outer rear sills. In coastal and high-rainfall New Zealand environments, these areas accumulate road salt and moisture and corrode from the inside out. Perforation of the floor pan is a WOF failure and a structural safety issue. Rear sill corrosion compromises the jack points and the side-impact load path. Vehicles from coastal towns or those that have stood on grass or gravel are at highest risk.

  What you would notice

  • Bubbling or flaking paint along the lower rear sill below the door aperture
  • Soft or springy feel when pressing the floor steel under the rear seat
  • Visible perforation or daylight through the floor pan on hoist inspection
  • Jack point collapses or deforms when vehicle is raised
  • Musty smell in cabin with no obvious water leak source

  Typically $600–$5,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Verify service history shows belt AND tensioner replaced together.

  See why

  Timing Belt Tensioner Failure Causing Valve Damage

  The hydraulic or spring-type timing belt tensioner on G4EC 1.5 and G4ED 1.4 engines loses tension prematurely, allowing the belt to skip teeth on the camshaft sprocket. Even a one-tooth skip bends inlet valves on this interference engine. Failure typically occurs well before the 90,000 km replacement interval if the tensioner has never been renewed alongside the belt. This is the single most destructive documented failure mode for this engine family.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling or slapping noise from the timing cover area on cold start
  • Engine cranks but will not fire after a sudden stall
  • Loss of power or misfires before catastrophic failure
  • Check engine light with camshaft position sensor fault codes
  • Bent valves confirmed on compression test showing zero compression on affected cylinders

  Typically $350–$3,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  With the engine off, fully depress and release the accelerator pedal several times and observe the throttle pulley at the throttle body.

  See why

  Throttle Cable Fraying and Binding

  The mechanical throttle cable on G4EA 1.3 and G4EC 1.5 variants frays at the cable end fitting where it exits the outer conduit near the throttle body pulley. The cable inner wire unravels one strand at a time, eventually snagging inside the conduit, causing the throttle to stick open or respond with a lag. A throttle that sticks open is a direct safety hazard. The failure is accelerated by the cable routing around a tight bend on right-hand-drive variants and by lack of lubrication.

  What you would notice

  • Throttle sticks open momentarily before snapping closed
  • Delayed throttle response followed by sudden surge
  • High idle that will not settle unless pedal is gently tapped
  • Visible frayed wire strands at the throttle body cable fitting
  • Accelerator pedal feels rough or catches during application

  Typically $120–$320 to put right.

• Costly issue

  With the engine cold, inspect the radiator end tanks and seam joints for dried coolant residue or staining (pink, green, or orange deposits).

  See why

  Radiator Coolant Leak and Overheating

  The plastic-tank aluminium-core radiator on the Getz is prone to cracking at the crimped seam where the plastic end tanks join the aluminium core, typically from the top hose fitting side. Leak rate is initially slow but accelerates with heat cycling. Owners frequently top up coolant without identifying the source, causing the system to run low and the engine to overheat. Overheating in an interference engine risks head gasket failure. The thermostat housing on G4EA engines is also a documented weep point.

  What you would notice

  • Coolant level drops repeatedly without visible external puddle on driveway
  • Temperature gauge climbing above the normal midpoint during normal driving
  • Sweet smell from the engine bay after a run
  • Dried pink or orange residue on the radiator end tank seam
  • Low coolant warning light or temperature warning activating

  Typically $300–$1,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Probe the underside of the trailing arm tube with a pick at the weld bracket.

  See why

  Rear Torsion Beam Corrosion and Trailing Arm Rust

  The rear suspension on the Getz uses a torsion beam axle with pressed steel trailing arms. The hollow sections of the trailing arms and the beam itself trap road grit and moisture and corrode from the inside out. In wet or coastal New Zealand conditions the welds between the trailing arm and beam bracket are a known crack initiation site once significant rust has formed. Cracked or perforated trailing arm steel compromises rear axle geometry and is a WOF structural failure. Less severe corrosion causes brake line clamps and handbrake cable guides to seize and fracture.

  What you would notice

  • Rear suspension clunk or knock under cornering load
  • Rear axle crabbing or uneven tyre wear indicating geometry change
  • Brake lines corroded through causing partial rear brake loss
  • Handbrake cable seized at the axle guide causing dragging rear brakes
  • Vehicle fails WOF on rear structural corrosion inspection

  Typically $400–$2,200 to put right.

• Common issue

  Inspect both rack boots for ballooning, oil staining, or splits.

  See why

  Power Steering Rack Seal Leak

  The hydraulic power steering rack on the Getz develops internal seal leaks at the rack piston seals and the pinion shaft seal. Fluid weeps past the seals and accumulates inside the rack boots, eventually contaminating the inner tie rod area and causing the boots to balloon or split. As fluid level drops, the pump whines under load and steering effort increases noticeably when parking. Replacement racks are inexpensive but the fault is frequently left unaddressed on high-mileage examples.

  What you would notice

  • Power steering pump whines or moans when turning at low speed or at full lock
  • Steering fluid reservoir consistently low between checks
  • Oily staining on or around the steering rack boots
  • Rack boots ballooned or visibly oil-filled
  • Increased steering effort when manoeuvring at low speed

  Typically $350–$950 to put right.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Hyundai Click’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Cambelt Replacement Cost

Other Hyundai models