NHTSA Complaint #10095960 — 2000 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA FROM FUCCILO'S IN SCHENECTADY, NY IN MARCH OF 2001. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE CAR. ON FRIDAY OCT 08, 2004 I WAS DRIVING ON THE NORTHWAY AND AFTER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING AND I PULLED OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR'S SPEED DROPPED DRAMATIC TO 0. IT WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND SAID THAT THE COOLING FAN WAS MELTED AND THE WIRE HARNESS ON TOP VALVE COVER WAS TOTALLY MELTED AND THAT THE BELTS LOOKED FINE. HE SAID IT WAS SOMETHING INTERNAL IN THE ENGINE AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO FUCCILLO'S BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS GONE AND IT WOULD BE A WARRANTY ISSUE. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO FUCCILLO'S MY HUSBAND AND I WENT THERE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE. THE MECHANIC OPENED THE HOOD, DID NOT TAKE ANYTHING APART AND SAID IT WAS THE TIMING BELT THAT BROKE AND IT WAS MY FAULT SO IT WOULD NOT BE WARRANTIED. THEY OFFERED ME 50.00 FOR THE CAR TOWARDS A NEW CAR. I ALREADY OWE 5000.00 ON THE VEHICLE, I ONLY HAD IT FOR 3 THREES. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TAKEN IT APART AND CONFIRMED WITH HIM THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS FINE. I CALLED FUCCILLO'S BACK AND THE MECHANIC SAID HE WOULD LOOK AT IT BUT IT WOULD COST ME 80.00. I AGREED BECAUSE I HAD NO CHOICE. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL DAYS LATER TELLING ME THAT THE BELT "JUMPED" AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE SO IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED HE ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER CODE (P0118) CAME UP BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT I HAD A CHOICE OF TRADING IT OR PAYING 6000.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. *AK