2009 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES MORE THAN 35 MPH THE CAR WILL START DECELERATING (AS IF IT'S BRAKING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME ENGAGING THE BRAKING SYSTEM)AND THE ESC LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH. ALSO THE EXHAUST MAKES A POPPING NOISE AFTER ENGINE IS SHUT OFF WHICH CAUSE A POWERTRAIN ISSUE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS NOT ACCERRATING PROPERLY. I PERSONALLY KNOW SOMEONE THAT HAS THE SAME EXACT VEHICLE AND THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES THE SAME ISSUE.

STEERING MAKES CLICKING SOUNDS, WHEN MOVED FROM A CENTER POSITION, EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. STEERING SEEMS TO 'STICK' I.E. DOES NOT MOVE SMOOTHLY. THE CULPRIT IS A "STEERING COUPLING" MADE OUT OF PLASTIC THAT COUPLES THE STEERING MOTOR TO THE STEERING COLUMN. KNOWING THIS IS A DEFECT, HYUNDAI QUIETLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON ITS REPLACEMENT TO 100,000 MILES. HOWEVER THEY DID NOT SEND OUT A NOTIFICATION LETTER TO VEHICLE OWNERS. MYSELF AND MANY OTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLE OWNERS ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS WOULD LEAD TO LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, LEADING TO ACCIDENTS AND LOSS OF LIFE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, AND INCORRECT CHOICE OF COUPLING MATERIAL, WHICH IS BOUND TO GET WORN OFF OFTEN, SINCE IT IS A PLASTIC PART SITTING BETWEEN TWO METALLIC PARTS MOVING AGAINST EACH OTHER. THIS SHOULD BE A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD NHTSA HAS APPARENTLY ALLOWED THE COMPANY TO JUST EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON FIXING THIS; SO IT DOESN'T NEED TO BEAR THE EXPENSES AS VEHICLES GO BEYOND 100,000 MILES. IT TAKES $400-$500 TO FIX MAINLY DUE TO LABOR EXPENSES, TO REPLACE A $5 PART WHICH IS HARD TO REACH. NHTSA HAS TO DO A BETTER JOB AT PROTECTING THE CONSUMERS AGAINST ISSUES WHICH ARE A RESULT OF DEFECTIVE DESIGN WHICH CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND LOSS OF LIFE. HTTPS://AUTOSERVICE.HYUNDAIUSA.COM/TXX7/MICROSITETEMPLATE/MICROSITETEMPLATEVINVALIDATE/2687

PASSENGER SIDE EXTERIOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DOOR TO MY CAR ON AUGUST 10, 2018. I OCCASIONALLY DRIVE MY 92 YEAR OLD COUSIN TO CHURCH OR DOCTOR VISITS AND SELDOM HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR WITH ME. I NEED TO HELP BUCKLE IN AS WELL AS UNBUCKLE MY ELDER COUSIN. I SEE THIS BROKEN HANDLE AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS I AM 80 YEARS OLD AND NOT ABLE TO CRAWL AROUND THE INSIDE OF THE CAR TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN THE HANDLE BREAKS. ELEVEN MONTHS AGO THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND , THE REPAIR BILL WAS $125.00 AT THE LOCAL DEALER. MY CAR HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES MAY HAPPEN IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND OUTSIDE HELP CANNOT GET THE PASSENGER DOOR OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE HANDLE BREAKS OFF IN THEIR HAND. SO NOW IT WILL COST ME AGAIN TO REPLACE THE HANDLE AS I WAIT TO SEE WHICH HANDLE WILL FALL OFF NEXT! I HAVE CHOSEN MULTIPLE CARS OVER THE YEARS FOR MY SEVEN CHILDREN AND MYSELF AND NEVER BEFORE HAD A CAR DOOR HANDLE FALL OFF. PLEASE GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THIS PROBLEM AND DEMAND A RECALL FROM HYUNDAI SO THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FIX THIS CHEAP COMPONENT.

ESC SENSOR MALFUNCTION CAUSED ONE OR MORE BRAKES TO BE APPLIED AND THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN IN HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC. ESC LAMP REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I WAS REQUIRED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WITH A FOOT ON THE GAS TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING. THIS PROBLEM IS THE SAME EXPLAINED IN A RECALL OF LATER MODELS, THE 2011-2012 MODELS, RECALL #137. MY YEAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT HAS THE SAME ISSUES.

ON 8/3/18, WHILE EXITING OFF HIGHWAY, I WAS STATIONARY AT A STOP LIGHT AT TOP OF RAMP. WHEN LIGHT CHANGED, I TRIED TO TO TURN LEFT, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. IT WAS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN SO I THREW ON MY FLASHER TO HELP AVOID BEING REAR ENDED. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, 8/6 AND THEY PERFORMED DIAGNOSTICS TESTS WHICH PULLED UP CODES RELATING TO MALFUNCTIONS TORQUE SENSOR, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, EPS FAILURE, ECU FAILURE. AT LOW MILEAGE OF 32,485 MILES, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AND EPS DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE. COMPUTER WAS UNABLE TO READ TORQUE TO ECM. I PROMPTLY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI USA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING MAJOR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH STEERING PARTS BREAKING, MALFUNCTIONS, AND RECALLS THAT HAVEN'T FIXED THE CRITICAL UNDERLYING PROBLEMS THAT RESURFACE. EPS MODULE RESET/REPLACEMENT DURING RECALL IN 2015 DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED, THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHY ARE MAJOR STEERING MALFUNCTIONS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH HYUNDAI USA?

AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH STAYS ILLUMINATED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT SWERVED INTO THE SHOULDER LANE, TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY HANDBRAKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE, AND STOPPED IN AN EMBANKMENT IN A HEAVY BRUSH WOODED AREA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DETERMINATION OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA CASE #11488507. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,587. *TT UPDATED 01/31/18*JB

MY SON WAS DRIVING TO CHURCH ON A CITY STREET AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED AND SEAT BELTS STOPPED WORKING.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE JUNE 5TH AND I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYWHERE. DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO ACCIDENT ON OR ABOUT MAY 14, 2018, I NOTICED THE EPS LIGHT WAS LIT UP ON MY DASHBOARD ON MAY 21, 2018 MY CAR WAS SERVICED BY __________ TO CORRECT RECALL #127- EPS MODULE FAILURE. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE OTHER TWO RECALLS UNTIL THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT DAY! WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR WAS FINE AND THE EPS LIGHT WAS NO LONGER LIT UP. ON MAY 25TH/26TH I NOTICED THAT THE EPS LIGHT WAS LIT UP AGAIN ON MY DASHBOARD. I CALLED _____________ TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS AND THEY SIMPLY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN TO BE LOOKED AT. DATE, LOCATION AND DETAILS OF ACCIDENT ON TUESDAY, MAY 29TH, 2018 I WAS DRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF ______________. IT WAS AROUND 7:00 PM. I WAS THE LAST OF SEVERAL CARS IN MY LANE, OUR GREEN LIGHT WAS TURNING YELLOW SO I BEGAN TO REDUCE MY SPEED. I GLANCE DOWN THEN LOOK UP TO SEE THAT THE CAR AHEAD, A COUPLE OF FEET IN FRONT OF ME HAD COME TO A PREMATURE COMPLETE STOP. I TRIED TO CHANGE/SWITCH LANES BUT DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STEER AND/OR TURN OR MOVE THE WHEEL. AS A RESULT, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FORCEFULLY HIT THE BRAKE AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP, STOPPING SHORT WHICH CAUSED ME TO BANG DIRECTLY INTO THE REAR END OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW THE EPS LIGHT IS STILL LIT AND I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. I NOTIFIED HYUNDAI ABOUT THIS AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK TO ME SINCE MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT ON JUNE 5TH AND THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED ME THE USE OF A LOANER CAR FOR THE TIME BEING. I WARNED THEM THAT I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER ACCIDENT AND THEY ARE STILL NOT TAKING ACTION.

I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE EPS LIGHT WAS ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. THIS STARTED HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. AT FIRST THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND IT WORKED FOR A WEEK. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THEY SAID THAT I NEEDED A NEW STEERING COLUMN AT THE COST OF $2200.00. ON 8/1/2015, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL ON THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. RECALL 127. SUPPOSEDLY, THIS PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF, BUT IT WAS JUST POSTPONED. I BELIEVE THE CURRENT INCIDENT IS RELATED TO THE RECALL. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS THAT I FOUND IN THE INTERNET. HTTPS://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/CONSUMER-COMPLAINT/2009/HYUNDAI/ELANTRA/STEERING