NHTSA Complaint #10331835 — 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON

HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, HAVE NOT PUT 200 MILES ON IT. BOUGHT THIS USED VEHICLE FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THIS TIBURON UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS A BIT STIFF AND WHEN I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, I HAD A HARD TIME FINDING IT, IT WOULD NOT LET ME PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE CLUTCH AND RETRIED IT, MANAGED TO GET IT INTO REVERSE THIS TIME, NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFOREHAND, THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND CAR HESITANTLY MOVED OUT OF THE GARAGE. STOPPED VEHICLE, PUT IT INTO 1ST GEAR AND STARTED TO DRIVE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I PUT IT INTO 2ND GEAR, THE CAR JERKED AS I LET GO OF THE CLUTCH BUT CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT. GOT ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING FINE WHEN THE TRAFFIC STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, WENT FROM 6TH GEAR DOWN TO 5TH GEAR AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, TRIED TO GIVE IT SOME GAS TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT MOVE, TACHOMETER WOULD SHOW ENGINE REVVING BUT WAS NOT ACCELERATING AT ALL. MANAGED TO COAST CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CAME TO A STOP. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, WAITED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND STARTED ENGINE UP AGAIN AND AGAIN SMELLED THE BURNING RUBBER; TRIED TO PUT IN FIRST GEAR, WENT IN BUT WOULD NOT MOVE, TRIED REVERSE AND WOULD NOT MOVE. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A TOWING SERVICE SO ENDED UP CALLING AAA, TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED ME BY THE SMELL THAT IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY THE CLUTCH HAD GONE IN IT AND HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THIS AS HE HAS TOWED SEVERAL OF THESE CARS FOR THE SAME REASON. CAR IS IN REPAIR SHOP WILL BE WORKED ON MONDAY 5-24-10. SO FAR THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. *TR