Hyundai Elantra Complaints (2003)

234 consumer complaints on file.

#10260918March 6, 2009
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SUSPENSION
I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT THAT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 58000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING HOME, WHEN I WAS APPROX 2 MILES AWAY I NOTICED THAT THE CAR STARTED TO PULL TO ONE SIDE A BIT. THINKING IT WAS A FLAT, I DROVE SLOW FOR THE REMAINING MILE OR SO AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM MY DESTINATION, THE FRONT END DROPPED AND THE CAR STOPPED. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, IT LOOKS LIKE THE FRAME WHERE THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE MEETS THE STEERING ROD COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH AND BROKE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE WEB, IT SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO INVESTIGATION PE09011. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252631December 23, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I PURCHASED MY CAR ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASE, THE ENGINE LINE LIT UP. I NOTICED WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE RPM'S DROPPED AND THE CAR WOULD SPUTTER. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. HE CHECKED THE CAR BY COMPUTER AND FELT IT NEEDED 2 SENSORS. I LET HIM REPLACE THESE. 2 DAYS AFTER THE REPAIR THE SAME ISSUE BEGAN OCCURRING AGAIN. THIS TIME, WHEN I STOPPED AS FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR WOULD STALL, ALL WARNING LIGHTS WOULD GO ON, AND IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF TRIES TO START. ALSO, I PURCHASED THIS CAR AT ARNOLD HYUNDAI IN ROSEVILLE, MI. THEY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS NOT LONG AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK THE CAR TO A HYUNDAI DEALER. THEY THOUGHT A GUIDE WIRE HAD COME LOOSE AND REPAIRED IT. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE CAR WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON DECEMBER 22. THEY DID A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND SAID THERE IS A LEAK IN THE VACUUM SYSTEM? ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST. I'M WONDERING HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SYSTEM OR DO HAVE SOME SORT OF RECOURSE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251678December 13, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I'VE OWNED THIS 2003 ELANTRA SINCE JULY AND HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED. THIS IS UNCOMMON. THE CAR HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES. SOMETHING IS WRONG THE LIGHTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251076December 8, 2008
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 72,000. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/21/09
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10250896December 5, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. GAUGE READS NORMAL TEMPERATURE WITH NO COOLANT IN THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250776December 4, 2008
AIR BAGS
MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT & THE AIRBAG MODULE WENT OUT & AM TOLD IT WILL COST OVER 800.00 TO FIX & IT WON'T DEPLOY IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HYUNDAI EXTENDED COVERAGE PLAN OF 10 YEARS/100,000 MILES & WAS TOLD IT COVERS 'EVERYTHING BUT THE SINK' THEY TELL ME IT WON'T COVER THIS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249817November 25, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEAD LIGHTS - I HAVE A 2003 ELANTRA AND HAVE TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS EVERY TWO TO SIX MONTHS. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP ONLY CLAIMS THAT EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING, BUT OFFER NO EXPLANATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248297November 10, 2008
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER MASTERCRAFT SENSYS 01 TIRES, SIZE 195/60/R15 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES FOUR TIMES. A TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE TIRES AND CONCLUDED THAT THE BELTS WERE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TIRE SHOP STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE TWO OF THE FOUR TIRES. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248335November 10, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
SINCE HAVING THE CAR, I BOUGHT IT USED A YEAR AGO, WHILE NOT NOTICING ANY MAJOR ISSUES, I STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT. I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS CHANGED THREE TIMES NOW WITH ALTERNATING SIDES GOING OUT EVERY FEW MONTHS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THIS BEING A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247365October 31, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHT BULBS KEEP BURNING OUT. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS IN MY CAR ABOUT EVERY 3-6 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN OCT 2002. AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THEM, GARAGES REPLACE THEM, A NEIGHBOR WHO IS A MECHANIC AND MYSELF SO IT'S NOT THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE CORRECTLY. I HAVE STARTED BUYING THE 2 PACK OF BULBS BECAUSE ALMOST LIKE CLOCKWORK ONCE THE ONE BULB GOES THE OTHER GOES WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. I HAVE PUT ABOUT 10-15 BULBS IN EACH HEADLIGHT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE HIGHBEAM BULBS ONLY THE LOW BEAM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245036October 10, 2008
TIRES:VALVE
I PURCHASED NEW TIRES FOR MY VEHICLE IN 2006, I DRIVE ONLY ABOUT 8000 MILES A YEAR. I HAVE HAD TWO FLAT TIRES THIS YEAR, ONE ON 5/21/08 AND THE OTHER ON 8/31/08 AND BOTH WERE CAUSE BY FAULTY VALVE STEMS. WITH THE INCIDENT ON 8/31/08, MY TIRES WERE ALL INFLATED PROPERLY WHEN LEFT I THE HOUSE TO RUN ERRANDS. I LEFT ONE PARKING LOT, TURNED ON THE MAIN STREET AND WITHIN SECONDS I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND I HAD A FLAT. IT HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE FLAT WAS FIXED (ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE) AND I THEN WENT BACK TO SEARS WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE TIRES. I HAD THE ROADSIDE HAZARD AGREEMENT. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE AUTO CENTER SAID THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM WITH VALVE STEMS. I SAW SOMETHING ON TV ABOUT A HORRIBLE CRASH THAT HAPPENED WHEN THE VERY SAME THING HAPPENED TO SOME MAN. I WAS LUCKY, I HAD ONLY TURNED ONTO THE MAIN STREET AND WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237707August 11, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT
TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE ABOUT 50-60 MPH AND APPLIED BRAKES. DURING BRAKING (NOT SKIDDING) THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM FAILED AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE TURNED OUT SKIDDING THE CAR TO A STOP. MANAGED TO SKID THE CAR INTO THE MIDDLE MEDIAN AND HAD IT TOWED BACK TO REPAIR SHOP NEAR HOME. REPLACED BROKEN CONTROL ARM. WHEEL HITTING INSIDE OF FENDER ALSO BENT FENDER. THIS WAS ON A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 113,000 MILES. CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTING OUT WHERE IT BROKE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236233July 29, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
A DEER LEAPED IN FRONT OF MY CAR CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THE DIVIDER ON HIGHWAY - NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DURING THIS INCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10233890July 2, 2008
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT, SEATS
2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA DEFECTIVE SEAT AND HEAD RESTRAINT. CONSUMER SENT IN A STATEMENT FROM A COURT PROCEEDING. ***NAR*** *KB THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT FROM A DEFECT RELATED TO THE SEAT AND HEAD RESTRAINT. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10229138May 28, 2008
STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION:FRONT
I WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL TO A STOP SIGN (FROM ABOUT 20MPH), AND PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, AT WHICH POINT I HEARD AN AWFUL CRUNCH NOISE, AND THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF MY CAR JOLTED, SHOOK, AND SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS GRINDING TOGETHER. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO LOOK AT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL, AND SAW THAT IT WAS TURNED IN TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE CAR, AND BENT UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR, ABOUT 1/4" AWAY FROM THE BACK OF THE WHEEL WELL, WHILE MY OTHER FRONT WHEEL WAS AIMED STRAIGHT AHEAD. I DROVE THE CAR 100 FEET TO A SAFE PLACE OFF THE STREET, DURING WHICH TRIP THE STEERING WHEEL TRIED TO SPIN WILDLY IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS, AND THE CRUNCHING, JOLTING NOISES AND MOTIONS CONTINUED. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE, SO I CALLED A FLATBED TOW TRUCK, WHO TOWED IT TO MY MECHANIC.. WHEN THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, HE DETERMINED THAT THE CONTROL ARM HAD COMPLETELY SNAPPED IN HALF, AS A RESULT OF RUST CORROSION FROM THE INSIDE OUT. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE CONTROL ARM CONFIRMED THAT THE METAL IT IS CONSTRUCTED OUT OF WAS CORRODED DOWN TO A THICKNESS OF APPROXIMATELY 5 OR 6 SHEETS OF PAPER. WATER KICKED UP FROM WET ROADS BY THE TIRES HAD GOTTEN INSIDE THE CONTROL ARM (THROUGH A FAULTY SEAL) AND, AS THERE ARE NO DRAINAGE HOLES IN THE CONTROL ARM, IT REMAINED INSIDE, EATING AWAY AT THE METAL UNTIL FINALLY THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR SNAPPED THE ARM IN HALF. THIS FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM ALSO WRECKED THE SUSPENSION OF THE CAR, AS WELL AS THE CV SHAFT, THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE, AND THE SWAY BAR LINKS. THE CONTROL ARM, THE CV SHAFT, AND THE SWAY BAR LINKS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED, AND THE CAR NEEDED A REALIGNMENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227061May 8, 2008
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, STRUCTURE
A TRUCK STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING, IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT MY BRAKES AND TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISON, MY CAR FELT LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. I CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO FLAT, BUT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS NOT GOING STRAIGHT AS THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE A-FRAME HAD RUSTED AND SNAPPED. I HAD THE A-FRAME REPLACED, AND THE MECHANIC ALSO CHECKED OUT THE A-FRAME ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR, AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO RUST OR DAMAGE ON THAT SIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225866April 28, 2008
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, I IT REPLACED. I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT WILL WORK, IF IT WILL GO OFF AND KILL SOMEONE DRIVING THE CAR. PLEASE RECALL THE CARS AND HAVE HYUNDAI REPLACE OR REPAIR THIS SITUATION BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. THANKS *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219194February 26, 2008
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 PLUS, SIZE P/195/60R15 (NA) TIRES. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE TREAD AND SEAM COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE TO THE POINT WHERE THE CANVAS WAS VISIBLE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,000. UPDATED 03-18-08 *BF
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216005January 25, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, GAS SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND. FUEL WILL ONLY ENTER THE VEHICLE 30 CENTS AT A TIME. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH A HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V178000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214538January 11, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND PAUSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 31,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BUCKING FROM THE REAR. UPDATED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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