2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

EXCERPTS FROM MY LETTER TO HYUNDAI PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS AN ADULT PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. A FEW WEEKS AGO, I RECEIVED YOUR BROCHURE IN THE MAIL REGARDING IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVANCED AIRBAGS IN MY ELANTRA, AND REALIZED THAT THIS CLEARLY DESCRIBES THE SITUATION WITH MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE BROCHURE AND LETTER I RECEIVED, HE TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND SHOWED ME THAT THEY HAD ALREADY ADDRESSED A PREVIOUS RECALL WITH THE AIRBAG ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN SPOKE AGAIN TO THE MECHANIC WHO WAS WORKING ON MY VEHICLE AND THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AS I HAD DESCRIBED IT. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE I RECEIVED FOR THE SERVICES PERFORMED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2006, THE DEALERSHIP DID A REFLASHING. TODAY, I HAD AN ADULT PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED EACH TIME THE PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT. I HAVE SEVERAL POINTS OF CONCERN: 1. THE DEALERSHIP KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION WHEN I FIRST WALKED IN AND HAD TO READ THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED FROM HYUNDAI 2. EVEN AFTER READING THE INFORMATION, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED. 3. EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM (I.E. A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED) A SITUATION THAT WOULD WARRANT OCS REPROGRAMMING, THE SITUATION REMAINS UNCHANGED! 4. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SCENARIO OF AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE DEPLOYED AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED IN SPITE OF MY EFFORT TO FOLLOW YOUR DIRECTION TO HAVE IT FIXED? THE ANSWER TO #4 FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS CLEAR. *JB

I PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN MARCH 2004. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1994 HYUNDAI EXCEL WHICH I ALSO PURCHASED NEW. THE DURABILITY OF THE EXCEL AND THE WARRANTY ON THE ELANTRA WERE THE REASON I CHOSE TO BUY IT. AT 13,000 MILES IN APRIL, 2005, THE CLUTCH ON THE ELANTRA BEGAN SLIPPING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. IT IS COVERED ONLY UNDER A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. AFTER NEGOTIATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT, THE DEALERSHIP AGREED TO COVER 50% OF THE REPAIR. THIS WAS ACCEPTABLE AT THAT TIME AND THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE CORRECTED. IT IS NOW AUGUST, 2006, AND THIS VEHICLE HAS 33,066 MILES ON IT AND CLUTCH #2 IS WEARING OUT. STARTING OUT IN LOW GEAR IS DIFFICULT, THE CLUTCH SLIPS IN THE LOWER GEARS (2 AND 3) AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS EXTREMELY STIFF. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE PERFORMS OK. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER SINCE THEY ARE MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO PUT THE SAME PIECE OF JUNK CLUTCH IN AS A REPLACEMENT TO THIS ONE. I HAVE TALKED TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY CAN USE A NON-OEM PART TO REPLACE. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SOLUTION IS THAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE +$1000 VERSUS THE $800+ THAT THE DEALER WILL CHARGE AND THE USE OF THE NON-OEM PART MAY VOID THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A FEW OTHER FACTS: THE 1994 EXCEL WENT TO 122,000 MILES BEFORE NEEDING ITS CLUTCH REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH WAS STILL IN THE CAR WHEN IT WAS TRADED IN AT 176,000 MILES. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STANDARD SHIFT VEHICLES EXCLUSIVELY SINCE 1990, SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE AT HYUNDAI SUGGESTING THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A STANDARD SHIFT VEHICLE. I CURRENTLY DRIVE A 1997 PLYMOUTH A 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. ITS CLUTCH WAS REPLACED IN APRIL 2006 WITH AT 135,000 MILES. MY WIFE, WHO IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE HYUNDAI IS A PROFESSIONAL BUS DRIVER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IT INDICATED THAT A WEIGHT OF GREATER THAN 56.4 POUNDS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WILL TURN OFF THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT, AND ALLOW THE FRONTAL AND SIDE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THERE HAVE BEEN OCCUPANTS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHO WEIGH GREATER THAN THE LIMIT, BUT THE INDICATOR WILL NOT TURN OFF, THEREFORE THE AIR BAGS PROBABLY WOULD NOT ENGAGE DURING AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE DEFECT, HOWEVER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 03V322000 WHICH RELATES TO THE AIR BAGS HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 8/1/2006 - *NM

I HAVE A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. IT HAD A RECALL ON THE AIRBAG SENSOR. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TWO TIMES TO BE FIXED. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD. IT COMES ON AND OFF REGARDLESS IF ANYONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT. EACH TIME I TAKE IT BACK THEY SAY IT IS FIXED. I AM AFRAID IF I AM IN A WRECK IT WILL NOT WORK IF SOMEONE IS SITTING THERE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER AIR BAG (OCS SYSTEM) IS SUPPOSE TO ACTIVATE WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND NOT ACTIVATE WHEN A CHILD IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE OCS SYSTEM WILL NOT ACTIVATE FOR THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SITTING IN THE SEAT PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE DRIVER IS LESS THAN 120 POUNDS WHICH IS THE REASON THE OCS WILL NOT ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT CONTENDS THIS INFORMATION IS NOT LISTED IN THE HANDBOOK AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE REAR BRAKES HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE REAR BRAKE SENSORS WERE BENT AND BOTH REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED AND THE ROTORS WERE TURNED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSORS WERE REPROGRAMMED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE SENSORS ARE STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IF A SMALL STATURE PERSON IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING THE AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF. THERE IS A RECALL # 03V322000, CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS, HOWEVER THE RECALL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPROGRAMMED THE OSC ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT. THE DEALER STATED THE PERSON SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MUST SIT IN A CERTAIN MANOR FOR THE SENSOR TO BE ACTIVATED.

2004 ELANTRA PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG REMAINED ON. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RECALL WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE AIRBAG. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED. *JB

WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. IS THERE A SPEED AT WHICH THE AIRBAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY?*JB

ON 3/4/2005, WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE CAR STALLED AND WOULDN'T IMMEDIATELY START. IT DID START LATER. I WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHICH REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ON 4/21/2005, I GOT TO MY PARKED CAR TO FIND THAT IT WOULDN'T START FOR 10-15 MINUTES. THE SYMPTOMS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO THE MARCH 4 INCIDENT, WITHOUT THE STALLING OUT ON THE HIGHWAY TO PREFACE IT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT DEALER, WHERE THEY TESTED THE CAR BUT MADE NO REPAIRS. I WROTE HYUNDAI. A REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE CONTACTED ME AND ASKED THAT HYUNDAI HAVE AN ATTEMPT TO FULLY INVESTIGATE. I HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM, AND THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE CONTACTED THEM TO COORDINATE EXAMINATION OF THE CAR. THE DEALER HAD ONE OF THEIR TOP ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS PEOPLE EXAMINE THE CAR IN CONSULTATION WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICE ON 5/7/2005. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. ON 1/3/2006, THE CAR STALLED OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND WOULDN'T START IMMEDIATELY. A DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ON 1/13/2006, THE CAR STALLED OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND WOULDN'T START IMMEDIATELY. A DEALER EXAMINED IT AND CONSULTED WITH HYUNDAI TECH LINE BUT DID NOTHING. I SENT HYUNDAI ANOTHER LETTER. THEY ASKED TO BE ABLE TO SEND A REGIONAL TECHNICIAN TO LOOK AT IT. A DEALER REPLACED THE POWER CONTROL MODULE AND CHECKED CONNECTIONS PER DIRECTIONS OF THE REGIONAL TECHNICIAN. HYUNDAI DEEMED THE CAR OKAY BECAUSE THE TECHNICIAN WENT FOR A 15 MILE TEST DRIVE; THE CAR HAS HAD THREE POTENTIALLY FATAL INCIDENTS IN 22,491 MILES. A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE SAID THE THEY REPLACED THE POWER CONTROL MODULE BASED ON INCIDENTS IN OTHER CARS, WHERE THE ERROR CODE FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HAS COME UP. HE SAID THIS WAS A "PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE," THAT THE TECHNICIAN WASN'T ABLE TO VERIFY THE COMPONENT THAT FAILED, AND COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WASN'T SUGGESTED EARLIER. *JB