NHTSA Complaint #10266576 — 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

10/2008, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL AND BEGAN TO DOWNSHIFT, WHILE BRAKING. MY CAR JERKED AND SKIDDED AT THE BOTTOM. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A FLATBED TOWED IT AND DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL/TIE ROD HAD BROKEN. THE MECHANIC NOTED SOME CORROSION, BUT REPAIRED WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. MARCH 2009, I HAD NEW FRONT TIRES PLACED AND BALANCED. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, I GOT A FLAT TIRE, HAD THE SPARE PUT ON AND BROUGHT IT BACK FOR REPLACEMENT. THE FRONT END SEEMED OUT OF ALIGNMENT, SO IT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE MECHANIC FOR REALIGNMENT. IT WAS THEN THEY SAW THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND "DANGEROUS" TO DRIVE. THE FRONT ARMS WERE BENT AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED. THE REPAIRS AT THIS TIME WOULD EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE CAR AND I AM REDUCED TO "JUNKING" MY 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. *TR