NHTSA Complaint #10255328 — 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THERE HAS BEEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION (LOWER CONTROL ARM) FOR MY 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ONE INCIDENT IN WHICH THE DRIVERS SIDE CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT CAUSING IT TO SNAP, HAPPENING ABOUT 7 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT HAPPENING LAST NIGHT. THE CAR THEN SPUN IN THE ROAD CAUSING ENDANGERING TO TRAFFIC AND A NEAR HEAD ON ACCIDENT. THIS NEW INCIDENT, (SAME PROBLEM) THE CONTROL ARM SNAPPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF THE ROAD. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING AND NEARLY EXPERIENCED A ROLL OVER WHILE DRIVING. FROM RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE NHTSA HAS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION ON THE HYUNDAI SONATA FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, LOWER CONTROL ARM SUSPENSION FAILURE WITH RUST CORROSION. I AM AFRAID THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI AND IS GOING TO CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED WITH A RECALL OF BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS. *TR