NHTSA Complaint #10444330 — 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

SINCE NEW, OUR 2001 ELANTRA HAS HAD AN INTERMITTENT "THUMPING" SOUND IN THE REAR WHEELS WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IT WOULD GO AWAY FOR MONTHS, THEN RETURN, USUALLY AFTER SOME MAINTENANCE EVENT SUCH AS A TIRE ROTATION. INTERNET SEARCHES REVEAL THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT. PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED ALL SORTS OF PARTS; WHEEL BEARING, SUSPENSION PARTS ETC., USUALLY WITH NO FIX. I FOUND THE CAUSE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL !! ON OUR MODEL, THE WHEEL NUTS ARE "CLOSED", MEANING THAT THEY ARE NOT DRILLED AND TAPPED ALL THE WAY THOUGH. ON OUR CAR, SOME OF THE WHEEL NUTS BOTTOM OUT ON THE WHEEL STUDS BEFORE THE BRAKE DRUM IS SECURED. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE RESULTING LOOSE BRAKE DRUM CAN "WOBBLE" ON THE STUDS, MAKING THE SOUND,. ANOTHER ISSUE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM: THERE IS ONE PHILLIPS SCREW WHICH SECURES THE BRAKE DRUM TO THE HUB. IN MY CASE THIS SCREW WAS MISSING, PROBABLY HAVING BEEN LEFT OFF DURING A SAFETY INSPECTION. HOWEVER, IF THE NUTS WERE NOT BOTTOMED OUT, THE DRUM WOULD BE SECURE EVEN IF THE SCREW IS MISSING. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS CONDITION COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO STUD FAILURE. AT THE VERY LEAST, IT IS A SERIOUS AGGRAVATION. PROBABLY THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO FIX THIS WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE WHEEL NUTS WITH ONES THAT ARE DEEPER, ALLOWING MORE CLEARANCE FOR THE END OF THE WHEEL STUD.