2002 Hyundai Elantra Body & Structure Problems

Your car was subject to a 2002 recall for salt belt corrosion repairs that were never completed by Hyundai. The underside of your vehicle has since developed severe rust and corrosion, and you've been told by multiple sources that this corrosion could cause structural failure in a high-speed accident, potentially leading to the car's structural collapse. Hyundai has offered to buy back the vehicle but only for $1,000, citing it as a "rust bucket." Addressing this issue would require professional undercarriage inspection and extensive rust repair or structural reinforcement.

Your front stabilizer link assembly and control arms have severely corroded and lowered, causing excessive rust on the front end. This corrosion caused your front tires to fall off the vehicle. The repair will likely involve replacing the corroded stabilizer links, control arms, and possibly wheel fasteners.

Your car's frame has developed extensive rust throughout. This is a structural integrity issue that may worsen over time and could affect the vehicle's safety and resale value. Addressing rust typically involves professional inspection, rust removal or treatment, and protective coating application.

Your car has rust developing and breaking through the quarter panels at the front of the vehicle. This is a structural issue that will worsen over time if not addressed. Repairing this will likely require removing the affected panels and either welding new metal sections in place or replacing the panels entirely.

MY CAR PAINT STARTED CHIPPING IT'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2010. I'VE RESEARCHED AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THERE CARS PAINT CHIPPING. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALERSHIP WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

I HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR OF MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA 02 AND UPON BRINGING IT TO A SERVICE STATION WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS CORRODE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THERE WAS A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, HOWEVER THE 02 ELANTRA WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. THIS LEFT ME WITH AN 11 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAD BEEN HOUSED INSIDE A GARAGE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY THE HOOD SIMPLY POPPED OPEN COMING BACK SMASHING THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2002 LOWER UNDER CARRIAGE CORROSION. PLUS EXCESSIVE BODY CORROSION SIMILAR TO TOYOTA PICKUPS. *TR

ON 08/06/10 WHILE DRIVING MY CAR IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND COME FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR, BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. AT THAT TIME, I DISCOVERED THE FRONT AXLE HAD ACTUALLY BROKEN (PASSENGER SIDE) AND WAS DRAGGING THE GROUND. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM (A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA- I CONTACTED FIRST TEAM AUTO MALL WHERE I HAD BOUGHT IT NEW), AND ADVISED THE SERVICE PERSONNEL OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THEY ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT MY CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP. I PAID $632.89 TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, INCLUDING SWAY BAR/LINK KIT AND RE-ALIGNMENT. ON 09/28/10 I FOUND A LINK ONLINE TO A WEBSITE DETAILING MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR 2002-2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRAS- RECALLS HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED IN SEVERAL AREAS NEAR ME, BUT NOT IN MY PARTICULAR STATE. THE RECALL INVOLVED ROAD SALT CAUSING CORROSION TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO BREAKAGE. THE REPAIR SHOP I TOOK MY CAR TO THAT DAY COULD NOT TELL ME HOW THE DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED; THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. I ALSO NOTICED ON 09/28/10 A RECALL REGARDING LEAKAGE OF BRAKE FLUID; I HAVE HAD TO REFILL THE BRAKE FLUID IN MY CAR TWICE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS (I HAD NEVER HAD TO DO THIS BEFORE MAY OF THIS YEAR AND I'VE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2002). I AGAIN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO ADVISED ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS ARE HAPPENING/HAVE HAPPENED TO MY CAR, AND POSSIBLY OTHER CARS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RE-EVALUATE THE RECALL CRITERIA AND EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE ANY AND ALL VEHICLES THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE AFFECTED. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE ON THE DAY MY LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, THE DAMAGE WOULD VERY LIKELY HAVE KILLED ME AND ANY OTHER MOTORIST UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE NEAR ME AT THE TIME. *TR

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 1 WEEK AGO FROM HYUNDAI..ON THURSDAY NIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEEL "BROKE" OFF LEFT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.. CALLED A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP ON FRI. MORN AND ARRANGED A TOW..VEHICLE ARRIVED AT DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO TAKE VEHICLE AS THERE IS A 4 WEEK BACKORDER. CALLED A SECOND HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD THAT IF THE CAR WAS DOWN HYUNDAI HAS EMERGENCY STOCK TO FIX THE VEHICLE..NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR A SECOND TOW TO THIS DEALERSHIP AND ALSO HAVE TO WAIT 1-2 WEEKS TO HAVE THIS FIXED. *TR

2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA RECALL NEVER RECEIVED UNTIL 3/1/10. WHEEL FELL OFF AND WENT IN DITCH. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO GARAGE AND HYUNDAI REFUSED PAYMENT OF TOWING BILL AS TOWING WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO GET IT TO THE GARAGE. THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS HURT; IT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH A RECALL OF CORROSION PROBLEM OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. I CALLED ONE MONTH AGO FOR A APPOINTMENT GOT A DATE OF MAY 17 FOR INSPECTION. APRIL 16 MY CAR BROKE DOWN DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. I TOWED MY CAR TO HYUNDAI THEY INSPECTED MY CAR BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS ONE ALREADY BAD THE OTHER NO GOOD AND ALSO THE FRONT SUBFRAME HAS TO BE REPLACED. THEY TELL ME THERE IS A NATIONAL PARTS SHORTAGE AND WILL TAKE UP TO A MONTH TO REPAIR MY CAR. MEANWHILE I HAVE NO CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN MY TOWN AND I WENT TO TAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW MY STEERING WHEEL JOLTED FURTHER TO THE LEFT THAN I HAD TURNED IT AND I WAS IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY THE ONCOMING CAR HAD ENOUGH TIME TO STOP AND SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE, BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION I NOTICED THE BOTTOM OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS TILTED INWARD ON ALMOST A 45 DEGREE ANGLE SO THAT THE HUB CAP WAS ALMOST IN CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT. I WAS ABOUT A MILE FROM MY HOUSE AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR BACK HOME WITH OUT SWERVING ALL OVER THE ROAD TRYING TO STEER. UPON INSPECTION BY A MECHANIC, WHO HAD TO COME TO MY HOME, THERE WAS A LOT OF RUST UNDERNEATH THE CAR, ESPECIALLY ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. I WENT ONLINE TO RESEARCH HOW MUCH IT MIGHT COST TO FIX AND FOUND THAT IT HAD BEEN A RECALL WITH HYUNDAI, HOWEVER I NEVER GOT THE RECALL NOTICE. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO INQUIRE, THEY CLAIMED THEY DIDN'T HAVE MY ADDRESS AND THEREFORE I NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2004, IT IS NOW 2009, I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS ANY EXCUSE AS TO WHY THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD MY ADDRESS AND TO WHY I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL. SOMEONE COULD HAVE GOTTEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. HYUNDAI WILL ONLY COVER THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND NOTHING ELSE. NONE OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BECAUSE OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE IS COVERED AND I CAN'T EVEN GET A RENTAL. I NEED NEW TIRES AND NEW HUB CAPS, THERE IS A HOLE IN MY RESONATOR FROM HITTING THE CURB WHEN I VEERED OFF THE ROAD, THERE ARE SCRATCHES ON MY REAR AND A CRACKED BACK HEADLIGHT FROM THE ONCOMING CAR BRUSHING AGAINST MY REAR. HAD I GOTTEN THE RECALL NOTICE, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! THE ROOT CAUSE IS POOR MANUFACTURING, ALL OTHER DAMAGES DUE TO THIS SHOULD BE REIMBURSED WITH OUT ANY HASSLE BECAUSE HYUNDAI SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THEY HAVE NOT KILLED ANYONE YET. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE FRONT OF MY 2002 HYUNDAI ELANTRA COLLAPSED. TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERYWHERE, DRIVER'S FRONT WHEEL AT A RIGHT ANGLE, AND THE SUBFRAME WAS BROKEN COMPLETELY IN HALF. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LEAKED WHEN IT RAINED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE WATER STILL LEAKS INTO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM