NHTSA Complaint #10232960 — 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

ON MY WAY TO WORK ONE MORNING, I APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR STOPPED TRAFFIC. I HEARD SOMETHING CRACK, AND THE CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. AFTER BACKING, AND CHECKING UNDER THE CAR TO SEE IF I HIT SOMETHING, WHICH I DIDN'T I PROCEEDED, AND IT SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL I HIT THE BRAKES AGAIN TO HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK, WHEN HE ARRIVED HE LOOKED UNDER AND TOLD ME THAT MY LOWER RIGHT CONTROL ARM HAD BROKEN. I HAD IT TOWED IN AT A COST OF $61.00. THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY I HADN'T BEEN ON THE TURNPIKE, AS I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, AND THEY HADN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE REPAIR COST $324.85. I CALLED HYUNDAI, AND THEY ISSUED ME A CASE#3271798. AFTER FAXING THEM THE BILLS, I WAITED ABOUT A WEEK, WHEN THEY CALLED ME BACK, THEY DENIED THE CLAIM,SAYING (A) THE CAR WAS SOME 30,000 MILES AND A YEAR AND A HALF OUT OF WARRANTY,AND (B) THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IMAGINE HOW I FELT WITH THAT STATEMENT WHEN MY WIFE AND SON ALSO ARE DRIVING HYUNDAI'S. UNTIL THIS HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT 10 MORE OF THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT CARS, BUT I HAVE SEARCHED OTHER COMPLAINTS , AND I T SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI HAS NOT ADDRESSED. WHEN MINE WAS REPAIRED, THEY LOOKED FOR A USED PART, AND WERE TOLD THIS THEY WERE ALL IN THE SAME SHAPE, AND WHEN BUYING THE PART FROM THE DEALER THEY HAD SEVERAL ON THE SHELF, INDICATING A PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE BEEN SATISFIED IF THEY HAD REIMBURSED ME, BUT THEY CHOSE TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. WAS THIS THE ONLY YEAR IT AFFECTS?OR ARE THERE OTHER POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS OUT THERE WAITING TO HAPPEN? *TR