2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT I AM THE SON OF THE CAR OWNER. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 8:30 AM ON JUNE 17, 2010, IN BETHESDA, MD. I WAS EXITING THE GIANT FOOD PARKING LOT AND STOPPED FOR TRAFFIC ALONG OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD. THE CAR STOPPED BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN INCHED AHEAD. I PUSHED DOWN HARDER ON THE BRAKE; HEARD THE ENGINE RACING; SAW THE TACHOMETER GO PAST 6000 RPMS. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. I TURNED OFF THE CAR. I STARTED THE CAR AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED, THE TACHOMETER WENT PAST 6000 RPMS. I TURNED OFF THE CAR. I ROLLED THE CAR TO A PARKING SPACE. I CALLED MY WIFE. A FEW MINUTES PAST, AND I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. THIS TIME IT OPERATED PROPERLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO FITZGERALD AUTO MALL THAT EVENING, FOR NEXT DAY SERVICE. THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED HEARING OF SUCH INCIDENTS WHEN "AFTER MARKET OIL FILTERS WERE USED ON BOTH HYUNDAI'S AND ON SUBARU'S." I RECENTLY HAD AN OIL CHANGE ON THAT CAR. THE GASKETS ARE APPARENTLY NOT THE SAME AS ON THE FACTORY OIL FILTERS. SO THE OIL AND FILTER WAS CHANGED. THEY ALSO FOUND A MIS-FIRE CODE IN THE COMPUTER. SO THE PLUGS AND WIRES WERE CHANGED. THERE WAS NO VACUUM LEAK CODE IN THE SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. SHE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 2MPH THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED IT AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.THERE HAD BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. SHE IS VERY CONCERN ABOUT HER SAFETY IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55271 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65427.

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN HER 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. HER CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT AS SHE OVERCORRECTED, THE CART WENT ACROSS THE FREEWAY, SPUN OUT, UP THE EMBANKMENT, LANDED ON THE (DRIVER'S) SIDE AND SLID ABOUT 50-100 FEET BEFORE IT LANDED BACK UPRIGHT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SIDE AIR BAGS SHOULD OF DEPLOYED FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CAR LANDING ON THE SIDE. HER CAR HAS BEEN DECLARED A "TOTAL LOSS". AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THE 2004 ELANTRA "DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS". WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL. MY DAUGHTER SUSTAINED HEAD, NECK, AND DUAL SHOULDER INJURIES. THANK GOD SHE IS ALIVE BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE NOT SURVIVED? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. SHE STATED THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON HER VEHICLE, (SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V322000), HOWEVER THE DEALER ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO RE-PROGRAM THE SENSOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE THEN STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATS IN ORDER TO ACCURATELY REPAIR THE AIRBAG SENSOR, HOWEVER THE COSTS IN DOING SO WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE, SHE SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE RECALL IS STILL OPEN ON THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 90,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND EYES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR PERFORMED IN THE MANNER IT WAS DESIGNED; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 44,000. UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ HYUNDAI STATED THE AIR BAG PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THEY STATED IT APPEARED THAT THE ANGULAR COLLISION WAS HIT SOLELY BY THE DRIVERS DOOR, WITHOUT AND DEFORMATION OF THE SIDE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE RESULTING ENERGY ABSORPTION MEANT THAT THE DECELERATION EXPERIENCED BY THE SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR DID NOT MERIT DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAGS. UPDATED 01/05/09. *JB

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT WORK FOR PERSONS UNDER 145 LBS AND THE COMPANY REPS HAVE INSISTED THAT IT IS DESIGNED THAT WAY FOR SAFETY AND THAT THEY ARE HAPPY TO TAKE OUT THE SEAT AND SEND IT AWAY TO BE WORKED ON BUT THERE IS A 999 CHANCE OUT OF A THOUSAND THAT IT WILL BEHAVE JUST THE SAME WAY ON RE-INSTALLATION BECAUSE "THE CAR DECIDES THAT IT'S SAFER FOR THE AIRBAG NOT TO DEPLOY" AT MY WEIGHT -- WHICH IS OVER 140 LBS. I POINTED OUT THE FAULTY LOGIC AND THEY AGREED TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS (WHICH THEY BELIEVE WILL BE INEFFECTIVE IN FIXING THE PROBLEM). *TR

INSTALLATION ISSUES REGARDING EVENFLO GENERATIONS COMBINATION SEAT, MODEL 3522607 L1, MANUFACTURED IN 14TH APRIL 2008. 1) LATCH ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED TO THE BOOSTER SEAT WITH A PLASTIC PEG AND A STRAP WHICH IS SEWEN ONTO THE LATCH BELT. THIS ASSEMBLY PREVENTS THE LATCH BELT FROM BEING FULLY TIGHTENED ON ONE SIDE AND IN TURN PREVENTS THE SEAT FROM BEING PROPERLY INSTALLED. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2004, MAKE=HYUNDAI, MODEL=ELANTRA). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO HIGH WINDS. SHE MERGED INTO THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK THREE TIMES ON BOTH SIDES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER NECK, BACK, AND SHOULDER. THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL FILED REPORT NUMBER 07848144. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT AND STATED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD GO TO THE LOCATION WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER IS CURRENTLY REQUESTING THAT SHE SEND THE PROOF OF PURCHASE, INSURANCE COVERAGE, AND PICTURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,000.

CAR BROKE DOWN AT A LIGHT ON MY WAY TO WORK ON FRIDAY JUNE 6. IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER. THEY SAID THE CAR OVER HEATED. REPAIRS WERE MADE AND CAR WAS GIVEN BACK TO ME ON JUNE 11 OR 12. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR. DEALER WAS CLOSED SO CALLED THEM THE NEXT DAY AND TOOK IT BACK. DEALER KEPT IT ANOTHER DAY OR TWO TO CHECK EVERYTHING OUT MADE SOME MINOR REPAIR AND GAVE IT BACK. ON SATURDAY JUNE 21, THE CAR OVER HEATED AGAIN AT AN OUT OF TOWN LOCATION. *TR

ON 11/26/07 THE CAR GOT OVERHEATED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, COOLANT LEAKED OUT, CAR TOWED IN. BRIDGEPORT KEY HYUNDAI REPLACED COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR ON 04/11/08 THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, COOLANT LEAKED OUT, ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE BACK. THE CAR WAS TOWED IN, IT NEEDS ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE BELIEVE THE COOLANT REPAIRS TO BE DEFECTIVE. DEALER DENIES OUR CLAIM AND BLAMES ENGINE FAILURE ON POOR MAINTENANCE. I HAVE READ A NUMBER OF REPORTS ABOUT HYUNDAI ENGINE STALLING/COOLANT LEAK. IN ADDITION ABS/TCS LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATING AND MAKING NOISE. CAR WOULDN'T STOP AS REQUESTED ESPECIALLY ON WET, ICY SURFACE. DEALER CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM PLEASE INVESTIGATE BOTH DEFECTS. *TR