2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

CONSUMER 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS A DESIGN FLAW, IN THE POSITIONING OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ITS PROXIMITY TO THE GAS PEDAL. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *TS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BACKED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE CURBSIDE MAILBOX. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE BUCKED AND HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THEM. THE CONSUMER NOTICED HOW THE PEDAL WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER AND NOT AS CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. *SC

THE AIRBAGS IN THIS CAR HAVE FAILED TO OPEN EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN 3 COLLISIONS IN WHICH CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE BUMPERS AND FRONT QUARTER PANELS HAD TO BE REPLACED IN ALL THREE CASES. *JB

MY FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 40 MILES FROM HOME ON THE HIGHWAY ON A DAY THAT WAS NEAR 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE. WHEN PICKING MY CAR UP 4 DAYS LATER (BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK) I FIND OUT THAT THE PART WAS A RECALLED PART ON MY CAR. I ASKED THE SERVICE PERSON WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS AND HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT THE RECALL WAS "ONLY IN COLORADO". KEEP IN MIND THAT CHEYENNE WYOMING IS ONLY 10 MILES FROM COLORADO AND OFTEN DEALERS IN CHEYENNE GET THEIR CARS FROM COLORADO. I AM A CONSULTANT AND I TRAVEL ACROSS THE STATE OF WYOMING-MY CAR IS MY EMPLOYMENT. THIS PUT ME IN A SITUATION WHERE I COULD HAVE LOST MY JOB. I HAD TO BORROW A FRIENDS CAR, TRANSFER ALL MY EQUIPMENT FROM MY CAR TO THEIRS. ALSO, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE ON A VERY HOT DAY, NOT ONLY IS IT DANGEROUS TO BE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT OUTSIDE AND THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS NOT NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME OF THIS, IT WOULD HAVE SAVED ME AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE. ALSO, MY CAR WAS FULL OF GAS FUMES AFTER THE REPAIR--I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL BECAUSE OF HOW THE REPAIR IS DONE AND THAT IT WOULD BE GONE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. IT TOOK OVER A WEEK FOR THE STENCH IN MY CAR TO DISAPPEAR. I HAD TO USE MY CAR IMMEDIATELY TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE STATE-I HAD TO DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY WINDOWS OPEN IN ORDER TO NOT GET SICK. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECT/RECALL-BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. I WAS VERY FRUSTRATED THAT THE SERVICE CENTER IN CHEYENNE WAS "DUMBFOUNDED" ABOUT THE WHOLE EVENT. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED ON 10-16-2002 HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. SOMEONE HIT THE CONTACTS VEHICLE ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT IT ALSO AFFECTED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WHICH WAS WHERE THEIR HANDICAPPED SON WAS SITTING AND WAS INJURED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG CAME OUT, BUT IT WAS NOT INFLATED, IT WAS TORN. HYUNDAI SAID THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. EVERYONE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THERE WERE PICTURES, AND A POLICE REPORT. *AK THE AIR BAG DISPLAYED A 4-5 INCH GASH. IT DEPLOYED BUT IT WAS FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *SC

EVER SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THE 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA NEW 2 YEARS AGO, I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD SERIOUS EXHAUST PROBLEMS, AND HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS. I HAVE BEEN REALLY SICK, BREATHING IN THE FUMES FROM THE CAR. MY CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL IS HIGH, AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING FOR A LONG TIME NOW. THE DEALER REFUSES TO SEE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE DRIVE IN MY CAR, AND SMELL THIS EXHAUST. THE EXHAUST SMELLS LIKE A SKUNK, AND BACKS UP THROUGH THE FRONT INSIDE VENTS, IT SMELLS BEHIND THE CAR, AND I CANNOT OPEN THE WINDOWS, BECAUSE THE SMELL IS SO STRONG IT COMES THROUGH THE WINDOWS WHEN OPENED TO. THE DEALER KEEPS SAYING THEY DON'T SMELL ANYTHING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER, AND IT AMAZES ME THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT MONEY, INSTEAD OF SOMEONE'S HEALTH AND SAFETY. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONTACT STATES THERE WAS A RIGHT SIDE FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACT HAS NOT BEEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER OR CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.

THE CAR CONTINUES TO MAKE WHISTLING SOUND WHEN TRAVEL AT SPPEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. THE NOISE IS DISTRACTING

I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT FROM A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE UNTIL 3/10/05 I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO MOTOR WORLD (WILKES-BARRE, PA) FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ON".ONE TIME THE SERVICE GUY TOLD ME TO JUST PUT BLACK TAPE OVER THE LIGHT AND I WILL NOT SEE THE LIGHT .THROUGHOUT MY OWNERSHIP OF THIS CAR I HAD IT SERVICE EVERY 3,000 MILES FOR OIL CHANGES AND 1 TIME FOR TIRES / BRAKES. I HAVE ALL DOCUMENTATION FOR ALL SERVICES. ON SUNDAY NIGHT 3/20 I WAS DRIVING MY MOTHER AND 10 YEAR OLD BROTHER HOME WHEN THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR.MONDAY MORNING 3/21 I HAD TO TAKE THE DAY OFF WORK AND ARRANGE FOR TOWING DOWN TO MOTOR WORLD (HYUNDAI CO. IN WILKES BARRE, PA THAT HAS BEEN SERVICING THE CHECK ENGINE PROBLEMS).I RECEIVED THE CALL ON 3/22 THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AS I DID NOT HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IT IS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE THE FLUID CHANGED AT 30,000 MILES IF NECESSARY, IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. THE CAR HAS 34,000 MILES, THERE WAS NO SIGNS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. I HAVE MADE CONTACT SEVERAL TIMES WITH MOTOR WORLD AND THE HYUNDAI REP. WHO MADE THE DECISION AND THEY WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME AS I HAVE A CASE WITH THE LEMON LAW. I HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE CAR PICKED UP FROM THERE LOCATION , HOWEVER I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION ENGINE) AND PAY $ 300 A MONTH. THE LAST TIME IT WAS SERVICED AT MOTOR WORLD FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THE REP. I DEALT WITH (MIKE TAYLOR) TOLD ME TO RELAX THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OR THE CAR, THIS KIND OF THING IS SIMPLE AND CONTINUED ON THAT I WAS BLOWING IT OUT OF PROPORTION. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THAT SAME REP. AND FOR THE SERVICE MANGER AT MOTOR WORLD TO SPEAK WITH THAT SAME REP. AND I WAS TOLD HE DOES NOT WORK THERE ANY LONGER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE HOOD POPOED UP. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THEN, DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HOOD LEVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS GOING 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED. THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER. *AK *SC *JB