NHTSA Complaint #10416777 — 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

THE CAR STALLED 6/21/11 AT 7PM ON THE FREEWAY IN 10-20 MILE AN HOUR STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS MILD, I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 20 MIN BEFORE HITTING TRAFFIC, AND BOTH AIR CONDITIONING AND RADIO WERE ON. I WAS IN TRAFFIC APPROX. 10 MIN. I WENT TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WAS THERE. I HAD TO GET OUT (ON FREEWAY) AND PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO CENTER DIVIDE (NO CALL BOXES). TWO STRANGERS STOPPED AND HELPED ME TO SIDE OF ROAD. AFTER 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START CAR AND DRIVE HOME. THE CAR STALLED AGAIN ON 7/29/11 IN 10-20 MPH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AT 5PM. THE TEMP WAS MILD AND I HAD JUST FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS. 15 MINUTES LATER ON THE FREEWAY (STOP AND GO TRAFFIC), WITH AIR CONDITIONER AND RADIO ON, I WENT TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WAS THERE. WAS IN TRAFFIC LESS THAN 10 MIN. AGAIN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. THIS TIME I DID NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR BUT WAS ATTEMPTING TO CALL FOR HELP WHEN CHP PULLED UP BEHIND ME AND USED HIS CAR TO PUSH ME OFF THE ROAD. I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, CHP PUSHED ME OFF THROUGH ENTIRE LANE OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC INTO CENTER DIVIDE. THE BRAKE WOULD NOT WORK. I HAD MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR BUT CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME FROM ROLLING INTO SIDERAIL. WHILE WE WAITED FOR TOW TRUCK, I ATTEMPTED TO START CAR AND IT STARTED. CHP ESCORTED ME OFF FREEWAY AND I DROVE HOME 5 MIN. AWAY. *KB