1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha engine: faults and reliability

• 1.3 12v (G4EH, 82-85 hp, 2002-2005)

  2002–2005 · 82–85 hp · G4EH

  With caution

  We have found no sources specific to the 1.3: fiches-auto has only two owner accounts for the Getz 1.3, with no engine faults, and it shares with the other Getz petrol engines the oil consumption and the occasional coil and throttle faults cited by the German guides.^[1][8][9]

• 1.4 16v (G4EE, 97 hp, 2005-2011)

  2005–2011 · 97 hp · G4EE

  Buy

  Gebrauchtwagenberater explicitly recommends the 1.4 after the facelift as the best buy in the Getz, and fiches-auto records only one timing fault across its seven owner accounts for the Getz 1.4; the documented drawbacks are oil consumption and occasional coil and throttle faults.^[1][8]

• 1.6 16v (G4ED and G4ED-G, 105-112 hp, 2000-2011)

  2000–2011 · 105–112 hp · G4ED

  With caution

  Kolesa describes the 1.6 in the Cerato I as a durable engine (250,000-350,000 km with maintenance) but one that tends to consume oil, with leaks from the crankcase breather and hydraulic tappets that perform poorly beyond 100,000 km.^[2][10]

• 1.3 12v SOHC (G4EA and G4EH, 60-86 hp, Accent 1994-2005)

  1994–2005 · 60–86 hp · G4EA, G4EH

  With caution

  CarsGuide's reviews describe the Accent and Excel of the period as cars that reach 200,000 km without serious problems when maintained properly, but warn of high oil consumption and noises from the top of the engine when it has been neglected. We have not found data specific to this 1.3: ask for the maintenance history.^[11][12]

• 1.5 12v SOHC (G4EK and G4EB, 88-91 hp, 1994-2005)

  1994–2005 · 88–91 hp · G4EK, G4EB

  With caution

  CarsGuide's reviews describe the Accent and Excel of the period as cars that reach 200,000 km without serious problems when maintained properly, but warn of high oil consumption and noises from the top of the engine when it has been neglected. We have not found data specific to this 12-valve 1.5: ask for the maintenance history.^[11][12]

• 1.5 16v DOHC (G4FK and G4EC, 99-107 hp, 1995-2005)

  1995–2005 · 99–107 hp · G4FK, G4EC

  With caution

  CarsGuide's reviews describe the Accent and Excel of the period as cars that reach 200,000 km without serious problems when maintained properly, but warn of high oil consumption and noises from the top of the engine when it has been neglected. We have not found data specific to this 16-valve 1.5: ask for the maintenance history.^[11][12]

Buy: No known serious faults, or they have already been corrected, in this version. With caution: Worth buying if something specific is verified: history, a replaced part or a completed campaign. Avoid: High risk of a serious fault that is hard to check for or prevent.

1. 1Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationOil consumption and leaks from the sump, crankshaft seal and breatherAlpha engines lose or burn oil with some regularity: on the Getz, the guides point to the sump gasket and the crankshaft seal, and on the 1.6 of the Cerato consumption rises with mileage because of the crankcase breather and the piston rings.
2. 2Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalCylinder head and blockWear of the camshafts, hydraulic tappets and intermediate chainOn the Getz, pkw.de counts worn camshafts among the best-known faults of used cars, and on the 1.6 of the Cerato Kolesa notes noise from the intermediate chain and hydraulic tappets that perform poorly beyond 100,000 km.
3. 3Low severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionFaults with the ignition coils and the throttle bodyThe German guides for the Getz note that ignition coils and throttle bodies fail from time to time on the petrol engines, and pkw.de adds that the engine electronics can cause problems.

Severity colours: low, medium, high, critical. How we rate them

Manufacturer

Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai y Kia)

Family

Alpha / Alpha II (G4EH, G4EE, G4ED)

Fuel

Petrol

Displacement

—

Cylinders

4

Fuel system

Naturally aspirated

Injection

Indirect injection

Timing

Timing belt (dry)

Power

82–112 hp

Peak torque

146 Nm

Production

2000–2011

Makes

Hyundai and Kia

Technical data^[4][5][6][7]

1. 1994–2005

   1.3 12v SOHC (G4EA and G4EH, 60-86 hp, Accent 1994-2005)

   The Alpha 1.3 has an SOHC, 12-valve cylinder head. Wikipedia distinguishes the G4EA with a carburettor (72 hp, 1994-2000) from the G4EH with injection (85 hp, until 2005). ADAC gives 60 and 75 hp for the Accent X3 and 75 to 86 hp for the LC, and the German Wikipedia gives the G4EH for the X3 and the G4EA for the LC, so the sources do not agree on which code goes with which power output.^{[4][17][18][19][20][21]}

2. 1994–2005

   1.5 12v SOHC (G4EK and G4EB, 88-91 hp, 1994-2005)

   The Alpha 1.5 has an SOHC, 12-valve cylinder head with injection. Wikipedia gives 88 hp in Europe for the G4EB/G4EK and about 91-92 hp in the Accent. The German Wikipedia gives 91 hp in the X3 and 90 hp in the LC. ADAC does not list this engine in its German versions, where the 1.5 is always the 16-valve.^{[4][17][18][19][20]}

3. 1995–2005

   1.5 16v DOHC (G4FK and G4EC, 99-107 hp, 1995-2005)

   The Alpha II 1.5 has double overhead camshafts and 16 valves. ADAC lists it as the 1.5 GT with 99 hp in the Accent X3 from June 1997, and as the 1.5 with 102 hp in the LC from September 2000 to March 2003. Wikipedia gives 102 hp and then 107 hp (G4EC), and also places it in the Elantra J2 (Lantra in Europe) from 1995 to 1998.^{[4][17][19][20]}

4. 2000–2011

   1.6 16v (G4ED and G4ED-G, 105-112 hp, 2000-2011)

   1,599 cc Alpha II with double overhead camshafts and hydraulic tappets. Wikipedia states that G4ED engines built after 2005 have variable valve timing (CVVT), and Kolesa distinguishes the G4ED-G from the earlier G4ED. The ADAC gives 107 hp for the Elantra XD, 105-106 hp for the Getz and 112 hp for the Rio II.^{[2][4][5][6][7][13]}

5. 2002–2005

   1.3 12v (G4EH, 82-85 hp, 2002-2005)

   Fuel-injected version of the original 1.3 Alpha, with a 12-valve SOHC cylinder head. In the Getz it was sold from 2002 to 2005, with 82 hp and 85 hp from mid-2004, and the 2005 facelift replaced it with the 1.4.^[4][5][14]

6. 2005–2011

   1.4 16v (G4EE, 97 hp, 2005-2011)

   1,399 cc Alpha II with double overhead camshafts, producing 95-97 hp. It reached the Getz with the 2005 facelift in place of the 1.3, and was fitted to the Rio II from 2005.^{[4][6][13][14]}

• Timing kit

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• Oil filter

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• Air filter

  • Buy part at Autodoc (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)

• Spark plugs

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