2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO HIS DRIVEWAY AT RELATIVELY LOW SPEEDS, THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHEEL FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION OF THE FRAME AND CONTROL ARM. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA OUT OF WORK, THE STRUCTURAL METAL COMPONENT THAT CONNECTS TO THE FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE TIRE (OR REFERRED TO AS LOWER ARM OR A-FRAME) SNAPPED AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND STOPPED MOVING IMMEDIATELY. THE TIRE WAS ESSENTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, FRONT BUMPER AND WHEEL COVER. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT ON A MAIN ROAD YET IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC DRIVING 40-50 MPH OR I AM CERTAIN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT WHEN I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS LATENT STRUCTURAL DEFECT. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER TO BE EXAMINED AND TOOK PHOTOS OF THE CONDITION OF THE RUSTED METAL CONTROL ARM THAT HAD SNAPPED. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON RECALLS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A 4/2009 RECALL IN CERTAIN STATES WITH HEAVY WINTERS AND USE OF SALT TO CLEAR ROADS, ETC. MY STATE (NEBRASKA) WAS NOT LISTED AS AN AFFECTED STATED BUT ALL OF THE SURROUNDING STATES (I.E. IOWA, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, COLORADO, WISCONSIN) WERE. NEBRASKA HAS JUST AS MUCH SNOW OR MORE SNOW THAN IOWA IN MY OPINION. THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN OMAHA, NE WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF IOWA. I BELIEVE THIS WILL ALSO BE A PROBLEM IN NEBRASKA AND SURROUNDING STATES POSSIBLY. IF THIS CONTROL ARM SNAPS WHILE SOMEONE IS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR OTHER ROADS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. I AM EVEN MORE UPSET BY THE FACT THAT MY ONE YEAR OLD SON VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOT GOOD. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE VEHICLE ITSELF. THE DEALER CALLED TODAY AND THEY EXPLAINED WE ARE NOT A PART OF THE RECALL BUT THE EVIDENCE IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM AND THEY ARE TRYING TO USE ARBITRARY STATE BOUNDARIES TO GET OUT OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. WE ALSO CARRY A FULL WARRANTY UNTIL 2013 ON THE VEHICLE SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000, SUSPENSION, FRONT CONTROL ARM AND THE PART NEEDED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WAS CORRODED AND WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED. TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING THE FAILURE, THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 4DSD VIN # [XXX] ....I HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, SINCE 1/1/10, HERE IN SELDEN, NY 11784 FOR THE "SUSPENSION: FRONT CONTROL ARMS". I HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR THE RECALL ON 4/1/10. THE DEALERSHIP AT HUSTED HYUNDAI AT 1752 MIDDLE COUNTRY ROAD CENTEREACH 11720 PH# 631-580-0800 INFORMED ME IT QUALIFIED FOR REPLACEMENT OF SAID SUSPENSION FRAME, BUT THE "PART(S) ARE NOT AVAILABLE". THEY DID NOT OFFER ME A LOANER VEHICLE OR ANY SHORT TERM REPLACEMENT PLAN. BEING THAT IT IS MY ONLY VEHICLE, I CANNOT LEAVE THE VEHICLE THERE WHILE THEY "WAIT FOR THE PARTS", AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SIGN A DISCLAIMER OF "TAKING THE CAR AT MY OWN RISK" UNTIL THE PART(S) ARRIVE. I HAVE CALLED TODAY,5/3/10, AND THE PART(S) ARE NOT IN, AND THEY SAY THE DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE IN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY, AND MY FAMILY'S, SAFETY IN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WHILE IT IS DEEMED "UNSAFE" BY THE MANUFACTURER. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS THEY HAVE GIVEN ME NO OPTIONS BUT TO WAIT FOR THE PART TO COME IN, WHILE JEOPARDIZING MY SAFETY WITH THE CURRENT RECALL DUE TO BACK ORDER OF PARTS. IS THERE ANY AUTHORITATIVE OR GOVERNING ORGANIZATION THAT CAN HELP ME(AND OTHER RECALL CUSTOMERS) PROMPTLY RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI'S OBLIGATION TO RECALLS? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN A PARKING LOT AND HEARD A NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO ENCOUNTER A POTHOLE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS POSITIONED AT AN ANGLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE CONTROL ARM ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.

2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA DRIVEN UNDER VARIOUS BUT PRIMARILY MODERATE CONDITIONS, PURCHASED AND ORIGINALLY RESIDING IN COASTAL VIRGINIA, TRAVELING OCCASIONALLY ANYWHERE FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA, RESIDING IN EASTERN ENGLAND FOR FOUR YEARS (OWNER WAS ACTIVE DUTY US MILITARY), AND NOW HAVING BEEN IN OKLAHOMA FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, RECENTLY EXCEEDING 90,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE CAR HAS BEEN PRIMARILY HIGHWAY DRIVEN SINCE IN OKLAHOMA WITH SOME TRAVEL ON GRAVEL ROADS. SEVERAL FEET AFTER ENTERING A PARKING LOT, WITH WHEELS TURNED, THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED RESULTING IN THE TIRE CONTACTING THE CAR BODY AND COMING TO A SKIDDING HALT. NO SIGNIFICANT BODY DAMAGE OCCURRED, THOUGH LOADING ONTO A TOW TRUCK WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE WAS DIFFICULT. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP REPAIR FACILITY BUT THEY SHOW NO RECALL FOR THE ITEM. AT THIS TIME I (THE OWNER) AM ASSUMING THIS IS BECAUSE THE PURCHASE AND REGISTERED STATE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT RECALL. *TR

HEADLIGHTS BURNING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED 10 DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS AND 2 PASSENGER HEADLIGHTS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2003. THE DEALER SAYS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

MY CONCERN WITH MY 2003 ELANTRA IS WITH THE SAFETY OF REAR BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE CAR. ON OCT 23, 2003 I HAD THE SERVICE PERFORMED FOR THE RECALL 31B03R1 BRAKE CAMPAIGN 061. AT 10,834 MILES. ON OCT 7, 2007 I HAD REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AT 45,072 MILES. ON JULY 8, 2008 BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING AN HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AGAIN. AT 51887 MILES. ON MARCH 13, 2010 BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE FOUND AGAIN TO BE LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 64,638 MILES. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT REGULAR 3,000 MILE INTERVALS WITH ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE AT MY DEALERSHIP. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS CAR,LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDERS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 13,000 MILE INTERVALS SEEMS LIKE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH IN A PARKING LOT. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF THE STEERING CONTROL. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SUB AXLE EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO HAVE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION NOT UNTIL FEBRUARY 25, 2010; CONCERNING SUCH A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

CAR WOULD NOT GO IN GEAR. WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER SAID TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT. WOULD NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WHEELS SPINNING IN THE SNOW. THE CAR WAS NEVER SPUN AS IT WAS ON CLEARED ROADS. THEY SAID TIRES SHOW SPINNING WEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WITH A REBUILD TRANNY. I THINK WE ARE GETTING THE RUN AROUND ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR