NHTSA Complaint #10135255 — 1998 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1998 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS SPORADIC AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AT ANY GIVEN TIME THE VEHICLE WILL JERK TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP AS IF SOMEONE HAS PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. THIS WILL HAPPEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND HAPPENS WHETHER OR NOT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE AS IT FRIGHTENS ME TO DRIVE MORE THAN 20 MPH. I USE MY VEHICLE FREQUENTLY FOR MY EMPLOYMENT AND HAVE BEEN RENTING A VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS NOT AS UNCOMMON AS IT APPEARS TO BE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON HYUNDAI (ACCENT)AND ELANTRAS WHERE THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS THE SAME. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO THE DRIVER OF THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, BUT ALSO TO ANYONE WHO MAY BE FOLLOWING CLOSE BEHIND. I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS DURING THE DOWNSHIFT, BUT LUCKILY NO ACCIDENTS. I HAVE READ ARTICLES WHERE THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AS MANY AS FOUR TIMES IN ONE YEAR AND STILL THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. AS YOU KNOW, TRUST WORTHY AUTO MECHANICS ARE A RARE BREED, AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO GO THROUGH NUMEROUS PARTS REPLACEMENTS WHILE THEY TRY TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE SEEMS TO COST AT LEAST $24.95 TO OBTAIN AND I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I AM GETTING THE INFORMATION I NEED. I KNOW THAT HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HIDE THE DETAILS FROM CONSUMERS. THE LAST TIME I DROVE MY VEHICLE, I ARRIVED HOME IN TEARS, SHAKING FROM HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL SO TIGHTLY IN CASE IT DECIDED TO JERK TO A STOP. PLEASE HELP. *JB