NHTSA Complaint #10155577 — 2000 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A USED VEHICLE IN APRIL 2004. IT ONLY HAD 38,000 MILES ON IT. I REPLACED ALL THE BELTS, TIRES AND FLUIDS IN THE VEHICLE. IN AUGUST 2004, THE CAR OVERHEATED. I CALLED ATLANTIC HYUNDAI IN EAST ISLIP AND THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED THERE. THREE DAYS LATER THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE HAD ACTUALLY MELTED THE RADIATOR. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT HAD BLOWN A HEAD GASKET. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. AFTER MUCH ARGUING WITH THEM AND THE WARRANTY DEPT., THEY FINALLY AGREED TO DO THE REPAIRS. MUCH TO MY DISAPPOINTMENT, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. THE CAR CONTINUALLY OVERHEATED. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SAID THE THERMOSTAT HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY NEVER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. I THEN PAID TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT. THE CAR CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT IF DRIVEN AT SPEEDS OVER 30 MPH. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR DUE TO OVERHEATING. THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN MORE THAN 30 MILES BECAUSE IT WILL OVERHEAT. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED 7 TIMES FOR OVERHEATING ISSUES. THE LATEST ISSUE IS THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT DOES NOT CIRCULATE AND CAUSES THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. MY 19 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, FOR WHOM THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, WAS RECENTLY TRAVELING ON THE SUNRISE HIGHWAY, LESS THAN 4 MILES DRIVEN, WHEN THE CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 46,000 MILES. *JB