NHTSA Complaint #10127821 — 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

DT: 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR AN INSPECTION, ON 6-20-05, AND MECHANIC ROTATED/ BALANCED TIRES, AND REPLACED TWO TIRES WITH NEW ONES. ALSO, REPLACED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM/ REPLACED A GASKET/ FRONT WHEELS WERE ALIGNED/ STEERING WHEEL WAS CENTERED, AND THEY CHECKED CASTER AND CAMBER ANGLES. THEN MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE PASSED NY STATE INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER STARTED TRAVELING FROM NY TO VA ON 6-30, AND ON 7-2 VEHICLE STALLED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE HAD COMPLETELY STOPPED ALTHOUGH ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, OIL GAUGE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, IT WENT UP TO HIGHEST POINT. THIS WAS FIRST TIME VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT HE SHOULD TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEN REPLACED RADIATOR AND RADIATOR PUMP. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT WAS REASON FOR VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND STALLING. THIS WAS AFTER CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. SO CONSUMER TRAVELED BACK HOME, ROADS WERE WET AND IT WAS LATE IN DA. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AS SOON AS LIGHT CAME ON THE SPEED REDUCED BUT THE ENGINE ITSELF WAS STILL ON BUT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE AT A SAFE SPEED AND STALLED. CONSUMER'S AND HIS FAMILY LIVES WERE IN DANGERED ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO ACTUAL ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS A HOSE NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID. *AK