NHTSA Complaint #10782994 — 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

RIGHT FRONT AXLE BOLTS BECAME VERY LOOSE AT 39,000 AND THE AXLE COULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND OR WHEEL POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND BEING INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. HYUNDAI SHOULD EITHER USE EFFECTIVE LOCK WASHERS OR LOCK TIGHT ON THE BOLTS TO PREVENT THEM FROM BACKING OUT OF THE AXLE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE TRANSMISSION AND OR WHEEL. A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED. IF YOU GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM THERE IS A VIDEO ON THE WEB WHERE ANOTHER ELANTRA HAS THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. I BECAME AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY ELANTRA STARTED MAKING A VERY NOT8ICEABLE POPPING SOUND WHEN YOU PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE BOLTS BECAME PROGRESSIVELY LOOSE TO THE POINT THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN I WOULD TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE AXLE WOULD POP DUE TO LOOSENESS AND WHEN I PLACED MAY FOOT BACK ON THE ACCELERATOR IT WOULD POP. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW. WHEN I LOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY CHARGED ME $63.65 TO RE-TORQUE THE AXLE BOLTS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BECOME LOOSE.