2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

DRIVER SEAT POSITION LOCK COMES LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND SEAT SLIDES BACK ON ITS OWN. NEAR MISS OR CRASH. *TR

DASH BOARD AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON - NO CRASH, ETC. LIGHT STAYS ON. APPOINTMENT AT LOCAL DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. *TR

ON JAN16TH,2010 MY CAR BECAME DISABLED WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF STEERING MY CAR. AFTER STOPPING ON THE ROAD, I TRIED TO DRIVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. AT THAT POINT, I CALLED A LOCAL TOWING COMPANY AND THEY TOWED MY CAR TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP. WHEN THE SHOP OPENED ON MONDAY JANUARY 18TH THEY CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE PART THAT FAILED ON MY CAR, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, WAS ACTUALLY UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL FROM APRIL 2009 (HYUNDAI RECALL #091).THEY THEN GAVE ME A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE FROM ALLDATAPRO.COM. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE LIVED AT MY CURRENT ADDRESS SINCE APRIL 2000. I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF OTHER RECALLS IN THE PAST BY MAIL. AT THIS POINT, THE SHOP DID A FULL SAFETY INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AT WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2002, MIKE KELLY HYUNDAI, BUTLER PA. SINCE THE PARTS WHERE ON BACKORDER, I WAITED ALMOST 2 WEEKS FOR MY CAR TO BE REPAIRED. HAD I BEEN INFORMED OF THE RECALL, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE THIS REPAIR AT A MUTUALLY CONVENIENT TIME, AND BEFORE THE WORST OF WINTER, WHICH SEEMED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE CORROSION THAT LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM AND ONLY BY LUCK WAS I NOT HURT OR KILLED. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY HYUNDAI FREE OF CHARGE , AS IT WAS A RECALL. I AM AWAITING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TOWING CHARGES.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL ARM. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM) THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR COST FOR THE DRIVER FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL REMEDY PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 02/02/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/05/10.&JB

I'VE OWNED MY CURRENT 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SINCE 2002 (I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER) AND MY PREVIOUS CAR WAS ALSO A HYUNDAI. I'VE TOLD MANY PEOPLE WHAT GOOD CARS THEY ARE. LAST WEEK I NOTICED SOME "PLAY" IN MY WHEEL AND PLANNED TO GET AN ALIGNMENT DONE THIS WEEK. ON THURSDAY NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND MY WHEELS WENT IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. LUCKILY I WAS TURNING DOWN A ROAD VERY CLOSE TO MY HOME SO I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 15 MPH, MY 6 AND 3 YR OLDS WEREN'T WITH ME, AND NO OTHER CARS WERE COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL GUY WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE BAD (ONE RUSTED AND BROKEN, THE OTHER WITH HOLES) AND THAT THIS WAS LIKELY A RECALL ITEM AND I SHOULD CONTACT MY DEALERSHIP RATHER THAN PAY HIM FOR REPAIRS THAT MIGHT BE COVERED (VERY NICE GUY). I FOUND OUT THIS IS A RECALL ITEM. BOTH HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND GRAPPONE HYUNDAI LET ME KNOW I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE TOW (IT WAS $125) TO GET MY CAR THERE, AND FOR A RENTAL VEHICLE WHILE MY CAR WAS OUT OF COMMISSION. I HAD THE CAR TOWED THERE ON FRIDAY AS QUICKLY AS I COULD. I CALLED THIS MORNING AT 9AM TO FIND OUT HOW LONG I NEED TO GET A RENTAL FOR AND AFTER WAITING FOR ABOUT 20 RINGS SOMEONE FINALLY PICKED UP THE PHONE AND LET ME KNOW THAT NOBODY WOULD EVEN LOOK AT MY CAR UNTIL MONDAY AND THAT I SHOULD PLAN ON PAYING FOR A RENTAL FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. THIS WILL BE THE LAST HYUNDAI I OWN AND I'M VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT A DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE KILLED ME (I TAKE THE HIGHWAY HOME MOST NIGHTS AND JUST LOST A SISTER IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN JUNE) NOW IS GOING GO COST ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN MY HYUNDAI AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A DEFECT IS COSTING ME SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY. *TR

ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2009 I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF AN INTERSTATE OFF-RAMP, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT OF MY 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT. I TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD AND IT FELT LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE, BUT WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS TURNED INWARD. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECT THE UNDER CARRIAGE, THE LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT IT HAD CRUMPLED WHEN I TRIED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS (THE RIGHT ARM WAS ALSO RUSTED). THE REASON I'M SENDING THIS MESSAGE IS BECAUSE MY STATE (KENTUCKY) IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE HYUNDAI RECALL (ID #58993) THAT WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA, ACTION NUMBER PE09011. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2004. HE HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED, HOWEVER BEFORE HE COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 30 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COMPONENT FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED AND CAUSED HIM TO CRASH WITH A CEMENT CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO BODY MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPAIRED THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND OTHER UNKNOWN REPAIRS. THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V125000) HOWEVER HE DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION UNTIL WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 132,000.

MY HUSBAND AND I ARE THE OWNERS OF A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT, AND ARE THE ONLY OWNERS OF RECORD AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IN A REASONABLE MANNER. ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 2009, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH APPROACHING A LEFT TURN LIGHT, WHEN I NEEDED TO STOP SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT STOPPED ABRUPTLY IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT, PLACING MY VEHICLE INTO THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC LANE. FORTUNATELY, MY VEHICLE DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR ROADSIDE OBSTACLES. AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP, I MANAGED TO NEGOTIATE THE LEFT TURN, IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF A 5-POINT INTERSECTION AND INTO A SAFER AREA. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN THE TURN, I HEARD METAL GRINDING AGAINST METAL. I PULLED THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY INTO THE FIRST AVAILABLE TURN OFF, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A CHURCH PARKING LOT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER IN A SERVICEABLE CONDITION AND WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY TORN BETWEEN THE SHOCK MOUNT AND THE BALL JOINT. THE CORROSION DAMAGE IS SIGNIFICANT ON THE INTERIOR OF THE ARM. IT LOOKS AS IF IT BLEW UP. THERE IS STILL A SMALL PORTION THAT IS STILL ATTACHED BUT IT IS COMPLETELY IMMOBILE. THE TIRE IS PUSHED UP AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF COOPERATION THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICE RECALL DIVISION. THEY HAVE NOT AGREED TO FIX ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR AS A RESULT OR REIMBURSE EXPENSES INCURRED DUE TO THE INCIDENT. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THEY CLAIM THE REASON WE DIDN'T GET A NOTICE ABOUT THE RECALL IS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT EVERYONE TO COME IN AT THE SAME TIME SO THEY ARE SPACING IT OUT! IT'S COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THEM TO NOT NOTIFY THE CONSUMER OF THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT! I AM 6 MONTHS PREGNANT AND OFTEN DRIVE MY 2 YR OLD! *TR

COLLAPSE OF CONTROL ARM AND LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING, NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE. THEY NEED TO GET THE RECALL OUT BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT BADLY. *TR

2002 ELANTRA GT MADE R TURN FROM FULL STOP ONTO CHESTER PIKE. HEARD GRINDING FROM PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL. CAR CAME TO COMPLETE STOP. FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF. FRACTURED SUSPENSION ARM WAS SEEN. AXLE FAILURE WAS FOUND WHEN CARE WAS INSPECTED. RECALL WAS ISSUED 7/10/09. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I DO RECEIVE WEEKLY ADS FROM HYUNDAI SUGGESTING TRADE IN, SO THEY KNOW WHERE I AM. I NOW NEED TO JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO GET HYUNDAI TO PAY, AS I DID NOT FIND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL UNTIL MY CAR WAS TOWED TO AND REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE. POLICE WERE ON SCENE WITH LIGHTS FLASHING TO PROTECT DISABLED VEHICLE UNTIL TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. NO REPORT WAS FILLED AS THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. *TR