NHTSA Complaint #10331161 — 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA OUT OF WORK, THE STRUCTURAL METAL COMPONENT THAT CONNECTS TO THE FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE TIRE (OR REFERRED TO AS LOWER ARM OR A-FRAME) SNAPPED AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND STOPPED MOVING IMMEDIATELY. THE TIRE WAS ESSENTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, FRONT BUMPER AND WHEEL COVER. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT ON A MAIN ROAD YET IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC DRIVING 40-50 MPH OR I AM CERTAIN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT WHEN I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS LATENT STRUCTURAL DEFECT. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER TO BE EXAMINED AND TOOK PHOTOS OF THE CONDITION OF THE RUSTED METAL CONTROL ARM THAT HAD SNAPPED. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON RECALLS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A 4/2009 RECALL IN CERTAIN STATES WITH HEAVY WINTERS AND USE OF SALT TO CLEAR ROADS, ETC. MY STATE (NEBRASKA) WAS NOT LISTED AS AN AFFECTED STATED BUT ALL OF THE SURROUNDING STATES (I.E. IOWA, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, COLORADO, WISCONSIN) WERE. NEBRASKA HAS JUST AS MUCH SNOW OR MORE SNOW THAN IOWA IN MY OPINION. THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN OMAHA, NE WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF IOWA. I BELIEVE THIS WILL ALSO BE A PROBLEM IN NEBRASKA AND SURROUNDING STATES POSSIBLY. IF THIS CONTROL ARM SNAPS WHILE SOMEONE IS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR OTHER ROADS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. I AM EVEN MORE UPSET BY THE FACT THAT MY ONE YEAR OLD SON VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOT GOOD. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE VEHICLE ITSELF. THE DEALER CALLED TODAY AND THEY EXPLAINED WE ARE NOT A PART OF THE RECALL BUT THE EVIDENCE IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM AND THEY ARE TRYING TO USE ARBITRARY STATE BOUNDARIES TO GET OUT OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. WE ALSO CARRY A FULL WARRANTY UNTIL 2013 ON THE VEHICLE SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. *TR