NHTSA Complaint #10289937 — 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

TO WHOM THIS CONCERNS, REGARDING NHTSA "CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER" 09V125000. WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 ELANTRA THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL MOVED (SLIPPED/SNAPPED) OUT OF PLACE TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE BACK OF THE WHEEL WELL WHEN TRYING TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR DID NOT STOP AS IT NORMALLY WOULD (IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO STOPPING POWER). MY VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MOON TWP AUTO BODY TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR THE DAMAGE. PART OF THE ESTIMATE WAS TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE ADJUSTER WROTE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW THAT ANYONE HANDLING THE CAR SHOULD TAKE CAUTION AS THE CONTROL ARM IS "RIPPED" OUT. FOR CONSIDERATION I POSE THIS QUESTION "WHY WOULD THE BODY SHOP ESTIMATE REPLACING THE CONTROL ARM IF IT WASN'T BROKEN?" I'VE JUST RECEIVED AN INVOICE FROM THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP (FALCONI'S 412-269-1234) ITEMIZING THAT THEY REPLACED BOTH CONTROL ARMS PER THEIR CAMPAIGN NUMBER 091, BUT THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS NOT BROKEN. ADDITIONALLY, I RECEIVED PICTURES TAKEN BY THE DEALERSHIP SHOWING SIGNIFICANT ROTTING ON BOTH SIDES OF CONTROL ARM. I CONTEND THAT THE ACCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE CONTROL ARM HAD NOT SLIPPED OUT OF PLACE. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HYUNDAI CORPORATION AT 800-633-5151 AND ASKED THEM TO COMPLETE ALL REPAIRS FOR THE DAMAGE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT. THEY CONTINUE TO CLAIM THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS NOT ROTTED AND DISPLACED AND WILL NOT FIX THE DAMAGE. MY CASE NUMBER WITH HYUNDAI IS #3711968. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT I WAS UNAWARE OF THE RECALL AS THE PREVIOUS/ORIGINAL OWNER (MY FATHER) NOR MYSELF HAD RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. NOTE: A RECALL LETTER HAS STILL NOT BEEN RECEIVED BY EITHER OF US. I MOVED FORWARD AS IF I HAD NO CLAIMS AGAINST ANYONE OR ANY COMPANY. I HAVE MORE INFO/PHOTOS IF REQUIRED.*TR