NHTSA Complaint #11119897 — 2009 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

PASSENGER SIDE EXTERIOR HANDLE FELL OFF WHEN PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DOOR TO MY CAR ON AUGUST 10, 2018. I OCCASIONALLY DRIVE MY 92 YEAR OLD COUSIN TO CHURCH OR DOCTOR VISITS AND SELDOM HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR WITH ME. I NEED TO HELP BUCKLE IN AS WELL AS UNBUCKLE MY ELDER COUSIN. I SEE THIS BROKEN HANDLE AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS I AM 80 YEARS OLD AND NOT ABLE TO CRAWL AROUND THE INSIDE OF THE CAR TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN THE HANDLE BREAKS. ELEVEN MONTHS AGO THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND , THE REPAIR BILL WAS $125.00 AT THE LOCAL DEALER. MY CAR HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES MAY HAPPEN IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND OUTSIDE HELP CANNOT GET THE PASSENGER DOOR OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE HANDLE BREAKS OFF IN THEIR HAND. SO NOW IT WILL COST ME AGAIN TO REPLACE THE HANDLE AS I WAIT TO SEE WHICH HANDLE WILL FALL OFF NEXT! I HAVE CHOSEN MULTIPLE CARS OVER THE YEARS FOR MY SEVEN CHILDREN AND MYSELF AND NEVER BEFORE HAD A CAR DOOR HANDLE FALL OFF. PLEASE GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THIS PROBLEM AND DEMAND A RECALL FROM HYUNDAI SO THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FIX THIS CHEAP COMPONENT.