Check your Hyundai Elantra!! (Possible recall?)

[alph]

This evening my daughter came home and told me a mechanic said she needs a new axil.  So, knowing she’s not a mechanic herself, I decided to take a look.  That’s when I found that her car has actually rusted away on an important part of the car, the lower swing arm.  Take a look at these pictures!!  If you have a Hyundai Elantra, or any Hyundai I strongly suggest you check this out!! 

It’s a ’01 with only 95k miles!!  Of course, the 10 year/100,000 mile warranty expired last October!!

Thankfully my daughter wasn’t stranded on the side of the road.  Had this gone any longer, that front left wheel would have completely fallen off, imagine if she was going 70mph on the highway!!

[old2soon]

Good catch. Thank GOD she is safe. Just fer yuks and giggles go to the Hyunai dlr and see what they say. They might want to be of help and avoid the bad publicity. Can't hurt. RIDE SAFE.

[Jess Tolbirt]

holey smokes!!! that thing looks like it is made of pot metal,, hard to believe that part is that thin,,,durn good thing you got it in time,,,

[alph]

she told me the other day that it's not driving right, i thought she hit a curb or something 'cause she was ticked off with her sister giving her "bad" directions for picking her up, but she insisted she didn't hit anything and all she did was a "U" turn on the road and it mad a funny clunk sound.  now i see this, and it really gets me worried about when she goes off to college this fall, what happens if that sort of thing happens in the middle of no where!?!?

i will take it to the dealer as "old2soon" sugests.  i know the owner, she use to be my neighbor, who knows if the car will make it that far!!

[cookiedough]

I'd still be civil about it and go to dealer to see if they can contact corporate Hyundai since this does not ordinarily happen.  They may cover at least the part and you just pay labor to replace and that would be fair I would think considering the car does not have 100K yet but over 10 years old.  Can't hurt to ask, I would.

I do know my newer Toyota Tundras' I have had has had rust issues in frame, both chrome bumpers, lugnuts on rims, tailgate, and lower body panels before 2 years and 24,000 miles.  And here I thought there was a song about 'rusty chevrolet' not 'rusty tundra'? All besides the rusted frame were taken care of and either replaced or repaired/repainted under warranty.  

[old2soon]

I lived in Lake county Il. There and Wisconsin are HEAVY on the salt. Let us know plz if they will do anything on that cancered out suspension piece. RIDE SAFE.

[alph]

LUCKY ME!!!    called the dealer, it's a recalled part and they'll repair it for free!!!  now, what gets me is why wasn't i able to look up "recall notices" on line?  did a lot of searching too last night, many of them included other things  , but some were for the car......

couldn't call last night, the dealer was closed......

[..]

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
HYUNDAI / ELANTRA 2001-2003
HYUNDAI / TIBURON 2003
NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 09V125000
Summary:
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 160,904 MY 2001-2003 ELANTRA AND MY 2003 TIBURON VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT USED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IN THESE JURISDICTIONS MAY RESULT IN INTERNAL CORROSION AND THINNING OF THE STEEL IN THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS TO THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM'S UPPER AND LOWER PANELS BECOME PERFORATED. A PERFORATED FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY FRACTURE BETWEEN ITS BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT AND THE FORWARD AND REARWARD PIVOT ATTACHMENTS TO THE CHASSIS.
Consequence:
THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOR CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS INCORPORATING ADDITIONAL HOLES IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PANELS. IF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS DO NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER WILL ADD DRAINAGE HOLES TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND WILL TREAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIALS TO ARREST THE INTERNAL CORROSION PROCESS. THESE PROCEDURES WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
Notes:
HYUNDAI RECALL NO. 091. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

[alph]

Britman, just found that out!!  thanks for the heads up.

on my way to the dealers, i push the break for a traffic light, and all of a sudden it swerves to the right and the stearing wheel gets cockeyed.  tire was rubbing on the strut, could bearly move.  so i put on the four way flashers and limp it another mile to the dealers.  they pull up a picture of what their recall covers and it's the same piece, they call it the control arm (stupid me.....)  so thankfully it's going to get fixxed and not have her stranded on the side of the road.....

they'll have it done by tomorrow, and thankfully it's free!!!

[old2soon]

Britman, just found that out!!  thanks for the heads up.

on my way to the dealers, i push the break for a traffic light, and all of a sudden it swerves to the right and the stearing wheel gets cockeyed.  tire was rubbing on the strut, could bearly move.  so i put on the four way flashers and limp it another mile to the dealers.  they pull up a picture of what their recall covers and it's the same piece, they call it the control arm (stupid me.....)  so thankfully it's going to get fixxed and not have her stranded on the side of the road.....

they'll have it done by tomorrow, and thankfully it's free!!!

  That is really GOOD news. Soon as i saw the pictures you posted said to myself-self thats salt corrision. One of those things you grow up with you never forget-no matter where you live. Again Alph-good catch. I less item fer a dad to worry about with a daughter of the several trillion we do worry about. RIDE SAFE.

[..]

Britman, just found that out!!  thanks for the heads up.

on my way to the dealers, i push the break for a traffic light, and all of a sudden it swerves to the right and the stearing wheel gets cockeyed.  tire was rubbing on the strut, could bearly move.  so i put on the four way flashers and limp it another mile to the dealers.  they pull up a picture of what their recall covers and it's the same piece, they call it the control arm (stupid me.....)  so thankfully it's going to get fixxed and not have her stranded on the side of the road.....

they'll have it done by tomorrow, and thankfully it's free!!!

Made me feel sick seeing the photo.

Hopefully drivers in non recall states will be checking their cars as soon as they can !

[The Anvil]

Hyundai's customer service department is EXCELLENT. I had a 2000 Elantra and I had a front end issue (not related to the control arm) and they went crazy fixing it for me and even replaced two front tires when the ones that were on there were probably okay. My mother had a 1989 Excel that ate TWO transmissions. Both were out of warranty but they replaced them gratis both times.

[GotValk]

Love my Hyundai's, I have two of them and it's good to hear they care about there customers,
I have a 2010 Santa Fe, and now a 2012 Sonata. So far they both seem to be Excellent cars had one problem with the wiring harness on the Santa Fe but that was correct in a timely manner.
So far 2 thumbs up!
Alph thanks for the report!

Gary

[Slick]

I've been thinking of trading the wife's Altima for a new Sonata.  thanks for the report & glad that got caught & fixed on time- whew

[Valker]

Love my Hyundai's, I have two of them and it's good to hear they care about there customers,
I have a 2010 Santa Fe, and now a 2012 Sonata. So far they both seem to be Excellent cars had one problem with the wiring harness on the Santa Fe but that was correct in a timely manner.
So far 2 thumbs up!
Alph thanks for the report!

Gary

+1 I have a 2002 Santa Fe and a 2009 Santa Fe. Quite happy with both of them.

[cookiedough]

Must be santa fe report day.  Also bought last year a 2011 santa fe SE 3.5L V6 with 6 speed tranny.  So far, knock on wood - excellent no real issues unlike my previous 2007 toyota RAV4 3.5L V6 5 speed.