NHTSA Complaint #10307427 — 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

ON JAN16TH,2010 MY CAR BECAME DISABLED WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF STEERING MY CAR. AFTER STOPPING ON THE ROAD, I TRIED TO DRIVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. AT THAT POINT, I CALLED A LOCAL TOWING COMPANY AND THEY TOWED MY CAR TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP. WHEN THE SHOP OPENED ON MONDAY JANUARY 18TH THEY CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE PART THAT FAILED ON MY CAR, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, WAS ACTUALLY UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL FROM APRIL 2009 (HYUNDAI RECALL #091).THEY THEN GAVE ME A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE FROM ALLDATAPRO.COM. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE LIVED AT MY CURRENT ADDRESS SINCE APRIL 2000. I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF OTHER RECALLS IN THE PAST BY MAIL. AT THIS POINT, THE SHOP DID A FULL SAFETY INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AT WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2002, MIKE KELLY HYUNDAI, BUTLER PA. SINCE THE PARTS WHERE ON BACKORDER, I WAITED ALMOST 2 WEEKS FOR MY CAR TO BE REPAIRED. HAD I BEEN INFORMED OF THE RECALL, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SCHEDULE THIS REPAIR AT A MUTUALLY CONVENIENT TIME, AND BEFORE THE WORST OF WINTER, WHICH SEEMED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE CORROSION THAT LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM AND ONLY BY LUCK WAS I NOT HURT OR KILLED. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY HYUNDAI FREE OF CHARGE , AS IT WAS A RECALL. I AM AWAITING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TOWING CHARGES.