NHTSA Complaint #10575446 — 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA

AFTER REMOVING THE DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL I NOTICED THE CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT POINT SEVERELY RUSTED, & THE SUB FRAME CRACKED READY TO BREAK. I KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY NEBRASKA ALONG WITH OTHER STATES WERE NOT INCLUDED. THIS CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER, & DRIVEN VERY LITTLE IN SALT/ SNOW CONDITIONS. SHE PURCHASED @ APPROX. 80 YEARS OF AGE. NHTSA SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AGAIN. WATER BEING TRAPPED IN THE SUB FRAMES IS THE REAL PROBLEM, SALT MAY HAVE ONLY MADE THE FAILURE HAPPENED A BIT SOONER. I HAVE TALKED WITH HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, & WAS TOLD THE CAR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. I LIVE 8 MILES AWAY FROM IOWA, WHICH IS COVERED BY THE RECALL. OMAHA DOES USE SALT ON THE STREETS. 14 -15 YEARS FOR A SUB FRAME TO ROT AWAY SEEMS QUITE SHORT. THE PROBLEM IS A DESIGN DEFECT NOT ALLOWING THE WATER TO GET OUT. NO STATES SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT! WHO DOESN'T WASH THEIR CAR REGULARLY? HOW MANY 1999-2004 MODELS OF THIS CAR ARE STILL ON THE ROAD? FORTUNATELY FOR OUR FAMILY WE NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SIGNIFICANTLY OUT OF POSITION, & BOTH FRONT WHEELS LEANING IN AT THE TOP. SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME WOULD NOT PRETTY AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE PICTURES I TOOK OF BOTH SIDES ON THIS CAR SEEM TO AGREE, WE WERE PROBABLY ONLY A FEW MORE CHUCK HOLES AWAY! WILL HYUNDAI NOTIFY CURRENT OWNERS OF ANY OF THESE CARS REGARDLESS OF WHICH STATE & REMEDY CORRECTLY?? WILL HYUNDAI, OR GOVERNMENT PUT OUT TSB'S OR PSA'S ALERTING ANY CURRENT OWNERS OF THE POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CONDITION WHICH MAY COST SOMEONE THEIR LIFE? *TR