Update:
Got the car back yesterday after servicing and resolving other issues. I am afraid the steering rattle issue still persists.
On Friday last week(06 May 2011), we left the car at Shreenath Hyundai, Rajkot( which is around 180 kms drive from Veraval) for servicing and to address some issues(as mentioned below)
1. Servicing - The servicing work, as on the previous occasion with Shreenath, was superb. All the pedals have a crisper feel to it. Engine has become much more smoother and responsive. Full marks to them.
2. Steering Rattle - I am afraid the rattle has reduced but is still audible. They have worked on it and have tried their best, but the rattle still persists - clearly indicating there is something horrible wrong in the system itself.Took two TDs with the mechanics. I made sure that the exact rattle is made clear to them. They admitted that they could hear the rattle as well. They were quite frank and polite when the gave the answer to it. They said they can't really do anything else. They said, for making me happy, they said they could tighten it but the rattle will start again. What else could I say to them? Deja Vu!!!!!
Though they did not admit it, their helplessness in getting rid of the rattle clearly indicates there is a manufacturing defect and/or design fault in the steering system. I also told them that this rattle only gets worse with time, to which they simply nodded.
Then a little birdie told me that the new Verna too may have the same rattle sooner or later as it has a similar steering unit as in the i20s.
So as of today, the situation remains as it was before, though the rattle has reduced. Only days later, I am sure it will back at its loudest.
3.
Dust accumulation inside the speedometer - Speedometer was opened and cleaned.
4. New Tyres - Four new Bridgestone B250 185/65R14 tyres installed(Rs 3900 per tyre)
5. Loose Alloy wheel hub cap - New hub cap - Rs 508
6. Replacement of dashboard central console - The whole plastic console ( which, as reported earlier, was damaged by the great men at Om Hyundai, Junagadh) has been ordered and will soon be arriving at the workshop after which it will be replaced. Although many may question this, but the ugliness of the dashboard console and the passenger airbag display unit really bugs and pains me. Hence the decision to get the plastics & passenger airbag display unit replaced.
7. Rusting on the hatch door - Painted without opening the rear glass.
8. Driver's Side Fog lamp not working - Fixed
9. Noise from the rear wiper while operating - The blade has worn out and has to be replaced. Was advised to get it changed during monsoons.
Conclusion -
1. The servicing work on the car by them was impeccable. There was a significant change in the way the car was behaving after service. The less I say about previous services at Om Hyundai, Junagadh, the better
. During a service, the only things that those highly "qualified" engineers at Om Hyundai, Junagadh were doing was to change the fluids. They never checked the pedal settings or the engine, to which I should probably be thanking the heavens!!!
2.
Steering Rattle issue not solved. I don't think it ever will. Only way to end this misery is probably getting rid of the car. Till then, this vicious circle will continue. I don't think the Hyundai "higher ups" will ever take this complaint seriously enough to solve it nor do have the guts to stand up to their Korean bosses over this very shameful issue. Loose talk like " next time steering rattle crops up, we will come to your residence to solve it" didn't make us happy either. For get the rattle, when the EPS malfunctioned and the car lay stranded at home for nearly a month, there was no help whatsoever from Hyundai.
It is now proved that car's steering rattles and not that I "hear" things or cause "jhik jhik". The car had this rattle from the beginning itself. IT UNDERWENT STEERING RACK CHANGE TWICE, STEERING COLUMN CHANGE ONCE AND UNDERWENT COUNTLESS NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTS & OPERATIONS. In between, as per the WM in Junagadh, the rattle sound magically kept on changing from steering noise to suspension noise to dashboard noise. All stupid & lame excuses!!!!
Six and half lakh rupees wasted on a car that rattles this bad!!!!! It was a serious blunder to let go of our Old Swift and instead buy this uber rattler i20. The way certain individuals in Hyundai behaved didn't help things either.
It pains me to say that resolution of an issue with car just makes me feel relieved rather than happy, such has been the frequency at which issues kept on cropping up with the car and the way I was treated by Hyundai over the past year.
Sorry no pictures. Haven't really had the time to click pics. I am flying off to Mangalore tomorrow. Shall be able to report on other aspects of the car later after driving the car thoroughly.