Short stories about Hyundai Elantra recalls, lawsuits, and other interesting bits. Signup to have these stories emailed to you for free from CarComplaints.com.
Just a hunch, but it might have something to do with connecting rods blasting holes in the engine block allowing oil to leak out onto hot surfaces where it smolders into a flame.…
keep reading article "Hyundai Recalls 187,000 Vehicles For Potential Engine Fires in the 2.0L Nu MPI Engine"Hyundai wants to inspect roughly 1,500 vehicles to inspect a weld that could be weak enough to allow the seatback to seperate in a crash.…
keep reading article "2021 Elantra Recalled for Faulty Seat Welds"The troublesome engine can be found in the 2011-2016 Elantra and is known for ticking noises, oil sludge, and premature failure. The automaker has a history of blaming these problems on poor maintenance and often denies warranty claims. So what else is Nu?
keep reading article "Hyundai Questions Merits of Nu Piston Slap Lawsuit"However there’s an issue in the way the 2018 Elantra GT’s sunroof motor was programmed that could turn it into a slow, dull, but strong guillotine.
The system won't detect if a finger, head or other objects are in the way of the closing glass and won't immediately retract.
Resist the urge to stick your head out of the sunroof until the recall begins in February 2019. Actually, just go ahead and resist that urge in general.
keep reading article "Elantra GT’s Sunroof Motor Recalled for Being World’s Slowest Guillotine"Piston slap eventually leads to block damage, oil sludge, and complete engine failure. The lawsuitaccuses Hyundai of placing blame on owners for their defective engines.
keep reading article "Lawsuit Filed Over Pisto Slap Concerns in 5th Generation Elantra Vehicles"AEB was found to reduce rear-end crashes by 39% during research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Automatic emergency braking uses a combination of radar, lidar (reflected laser light) and cameras for a forward collision warning system that gives a driver audio or visual warnings that a forward collision is near.…
keep reading article "Is Hyundai Falling Behind in AEB Technology?"
Hyundai noticed an increased warranty claim rate for Elantras that weren't included in the 2016 recall. Brake pedal stopper pads were collected from the vehicles that were built between 2012 and 2014.
The brake pedal stopper pad sits between the brake light switch and the brake pedal arm. Hyundai issued a recall last year after discovering the stopper pad was deteriorating, allowing the brake lights to stay on even when the pedal wasn’t being pressed.
Turns out that recall didn’t reach far enough.
keep reading article "Last Year's Elantra Brake Pedal Stop Pad Recall Has Been Explanded"However, a lawsuit alleges that while the trunk unlatches, it never really works as advertised.
Hyundai has marketed the Smart Trunk as a feature that automatically opens the trunk fully, or at least enough for a person to put large items into the trunk. But according to the lawsuit, the trunks are defective because they fail to open more than a few inches, or sometimes not more than a small crack.
I never saw the appeal in this feature, especially given its $950-$1,900 price.
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Hyundai’s Smart Trunk is Really Kind of Stupid"The judge said this dismissal is with prejudice because the plaintiffs keep repeating the same allegations that were already dismissed.
In other words, the plaintiffs had their chance and blew it. The original lawsuit alleged that Hyundai’s paint falls apart as the polymers break down and make the paint susceptible to peeling and flaking.
keep reading article "Judge Puts Nail in then Coffin of the Hyundai Peeling Paint Lawsuit"The Hyundai lawsuit alleges the automaker denies there is a problem by using the soy-based wiring and since no defect exists, any replacement parts will also consist of soy products.
The soy-based materials are more biodegradable and generally cost less than their plastic counterparts.…
keep reading article "Rodents Are Attracted to Hyundai’s Soy-Based Wire Coating"The plaintiffs say the cars lose power steering without warning and make it impossible to safely drive, an allegedly similar problem that caused Hyundai to recall 173,000 Sonata mid-size cars in 2016. The lawsuit alleges the automaker has long known about the steering problems but has neglected to warn consumers or take actions to fix the loss of power steering.
The lawsuit covers the 2013-2016 Hyundai Accent and Elantra.
keep reading article "Steering Wheel Locked Up? Lawsuit Says it Happens While Driving"A pe
ling paint lawsuit has been dismissed by a California district judge. Whether Hyundai knew the paint was defective was a question because the automaker said third-party websites talked about the problems, but customers weren't complaining directly to Hyundai. In other words, if customers don't complain directly to Hyundai, no one can prove the automaker had prior knowledge of alleged problems.
This is a terrible argument. Third party websites, like CarComplaints.com, are not only useful for venting. Complaint data is collected, compiled, and shared to other owners who might be having the same problem. Seeing how many others are facing a similar issue can be a catalyst for action.…
keep reading article "Peeling Paint Lawsuit Dismissed"The automaker says damaged electronic power steering connectors are the cause of the problem, a problem that won't be fun if it happens while driving at slow speeds or around a curve.
The recall is expected to begin soon.
keep reading article "99 Elantras Have a Power Steering Problem. I Hope Yours Ain’t One."Hyundai was notified in December 2016 that a supplier was receiving an increase of orders for replacement brake boosters for 2017 Elantras … The supplier determined the diaphragm in the brake booster may come loose and cause a vacuum leak.
Without the power assist, it becomes much harder for owners to press the brake pedal prompting the recall of 33,800 Sonatas. The affected cars were built in Alabama from September 12, 2016, through January 18, 2017.
keep reading article "Sudden Loss of Power Braking Forces a Recall in the 2017 Sonata"The plaintiffs say the self-healing process won't work if the scratch is deeper than a surface scratch, such as a chip in the paint caused by a rock flying off the road and hitting the car. Further, there is a concern that if the self-healing process does not occur, the scratch or chip may cause further breakdown of the paint’s molecular structure, in essence triggering the technology to operate in reverse.
Hyundai’s “self-healing” paint is advertised to heal minor scratches. A chemical compound called scratch recovery clear contains a polymer which, when exposed to ultraviolet light, becomes molten and fills gaps in paint.
That sounds great, but the plaintiffs claim that long-term exposure to ultraviolet light eventually breaks the polymers down, turning the paint into an ever-molten state that allows it to peel off in sheets.
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Self-Healing Paint Does More Harm Than Good"The plaintiff claims on or about January 7, 2015, Hyundai notified owners of its Blue Link vehicles whose Blue Link subscriptions had been inactive for more than one year. Hyundai told owners, “If you do not reactivate your Blue Link services by January 28, 2015, your current Blue Link system in your vehicle will be permanently disabled.
Except, permanent didn’t mean forever if you’re willing to pony up the cash. The Blue Link handbook mentioned that disconnected services could be easily restored for a “nominal reconnection fee.” They just didn’t say what it was.…
keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Blue Link Decreases the Vehicle’s Value"The EPA said Hyundai and Kia will lower their fuel economy (mpg) estimates for the majority of their model year 2012 and 2013 models after EPA testing found discrepancies between agency results and data submitted by the company.
…
The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.