2009 Hyundai Elantra Body & structure Problems

I previously brought my car in for a recall in 2014 for underbody corrosion and it was repaired; however, now there has been severe corrosion of the underbody, not just the components listed in the recall but nearly the whole underbody is severly rusted and corroded (see pictures below). My mother was driving my car in July 2024 when the rear subframe completely snapped near the control arm while she was driving. Luckily she did not get injured or hurt, but it could have been potentially fatal especially with this happening. I reported this to Hyundai Motor America and towed my car to the dealership. The dealership has submitted a goodwill request to cover the repairs of the recall not the other ones; however, I raised a potential oversight for the previous recall whereby the corrosion of other components not explicitly named in the campaign such as the sway bars and backing plates which could also directly impact the vehicle’s structural integrity and safety if corroded. The omission of ALL of the components that would be subject to corrosion in the recall campaign could have been an oversight and the recall should have covered all critical underbody components prone to corrosion, not just the ones explicitly listed in the recall. Other parts corrosion are a direct consequence of the same environmental factors that led to the corrosion of the subframe and control arms. Since these components are interconnected, and since Hyundai has acknowledged the issue with the crossmember corrosion through the recall, it stands to reason that the other components’ damage should also be addressed as part of the overall remedy. These additional parts would have been exposed to the same environmental factors (e.g., road salt, moisture) that caused the other components to corrode. Since Hyundai acknowledges that these environmental factors led to corrosion in the subframe and control arms, it stands that the other components would also be affected too.

NHTSA ID

11619495

Incident

Jul 29, 2024

The front sub frame of my 2009 Hyundai Elantra is completed rusted and rotted. It looks like the control arm is about to drop out of the frame. After an inspection by my mechanic he insisted the car is no longer safe to drive and suggested I do not put any money into the other problems we were having with it ( the reason it was at the shop).

NHTSA ID

11473129

Incident

Jul 8, 2022

STARTED THE CAR AND MOTOR/ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. IT WAS THE MORNING OF 12/18/18. IT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY MOMS HOUSE (ON THE STREET).

NHTSA ID

11162908

Incident

Dec 18, 2018

Mileage

161,050 mi

IN JANUARY 2017 I WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT. I HIT ANOTHER CAR IN THE REAR AT 65 MPH. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM HYUNDIA FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND THEY WILL NOT GIVE ANY INFORMATION THEY FINALLY LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE AND SAID THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO DEPLOY IN THAT TYPE OF ACCIDENT .I ASSUME THERE IS A MANUFACTURE DESIGN PROBLEM. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND A YOUNG GIRL CROSSED FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT HER DIELECTRIC IN THE REAR AT 65 MPH. HYUNDIA WOULD PROVIDE ME ANY DOCUMENTATION TO CONFIRM THERE ASSESSMENT I AM A TEXAS LICENSED INSURANCE APPRAISER AND HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURE DESIGN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE SAVED THE CAR FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. I WAS PERMANENT DISABLED IN THE ACCIDENT AND HYUNDIA WWILL DO NOTHING

NHTSA ID

11155603

Incident

Jan 4, 2017

Mileage

46,000 mi

ON 09/17/2018 I WOKE UP AROUND 5 AM TO FIND THE ELANTRA FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN THE FRONT END. IT WASN'T RUNNING, NOTHING LEFT ON, IT HAD NOT BEEN RUN FOR 4 HOURS SO THE ENGINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COLD. NO DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS BEFORE. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, PUT THE FIRE OUT AND STATED THAT THEY SAW NOTHING SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE FIRE AND THAT I SHOULD CHECK ON PROBLEMS WITH HYUNDAI. THIS CAR ONLY HAD 70000 MILES ON IT WITH A 10 YEAR 100000 MILE WARRANTEE .I WENT TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. THIS CAR WAS COLD, PARKED, NOTHING ON, NO KEYS IN IT, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON IT SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11140848

Incident

Sep 17, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11119897

Incident

Aug 10, 2018

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON, WAS RESET, AND CAME BACK ON CONSTANTLY AND REPORTED TO LIKELY NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT'S EXPECTED TO COST ALMOST $2000 TO REPLACE. THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN ONLY WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND NOW IS CONSTANT. NOW IT'S ESSENTIALLY UNSAFE FOR ANYONE TO SIT IN MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. IN ADDITION, MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING LIGHT HAS ALSO COME ON CONSTANTLY AND THE DEALER HAS REPORTEDLY ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE AND RESET AND SWITCH OUT THE MONITORS IN ALL OF THE TIRES AND THAT INDICATOR LIGHT HAS YET TO BE FIXED. THIS STARTED WHEN THE CAR WAS JUST TURNED ON, STATIONARY. I AM STARTING TO GET A CHRISTMAS TREE LOOKING DASHBOARD. IN ADDITION, THE DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS BECOME STUCK AND WON'T OPEN, DUE TO REPORTEDLY ALLOWING WATER IN FOR THE HANDLE TO RUST. AS WELL AS ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR JUST SUDDENLY FELL OUT OF THE CEILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS IS LITERALLY THE WORST CAR I'VE EVER OWNED.

NHTSA ID

10990695

Incident

Jan 20, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

I HIT A DEER ON HIGHWAY 890 IN ROTTERDAM NY, SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL, CAR HAD DAMAGE ALL AROUND, THE MOST DAMAGE WAS IN THE FRONT RESULTING IN A TOTALED VEHICLE, MY WHOLE FRONT END IS GONE, AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, WE WERE TRAVELING DOING ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR

NHTSA ID

10820497

Incident

Dec 23, 2015

Mileage

113,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THERE HAD BEEN LOOSE GRAVEL ON THE ROAD. TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR STEADY I LOST CONTROL AND AT 50 MPH HIT A TREE HEAD ON. JAWS OF LIFE WERE USED TO REMOVE ME FROM THE VEHICLE. HAD ANYONE BEEN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THEY WOULD HAVE DIED INSTANTLY. I SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS, FRACTURED VERTEBRAE IN MY BACK, FRACTURED PELVIS, MAJOR CONTUSIONS AND HEMATOMA. WAS OUT OF WORK FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS AND THEN RETURNED PART TIME FOR MONTHS. BEGAN THE YEAR 2015 FULL TIME WHICH HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT. WORE A BACK BRACE AND NOW USE A CANE ALL THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10715396

Incident

Jul 25, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY VEHICLE THE ELANTRA ( APROX SP 40MPH) REAR ENDED A CHEVY TAHOE( APRX SP 30MPH) MY ELANTRA WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND MY LOWER BACK WAS INJURED AS WELL AS MY RIGHT HAND. I HAD TO BE TAKEN FROM THE VEHICLE FROM EMS AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE OCCUPANT OF THE TAHOE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY INJURY. THIS IS THE SECOND ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . IN 2011 MY VEHICLE MOVING APROX 55MPH STRUCK 3 DEER AT ONCE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, MY SON EXPERIENCE A SHOULDER INJURY WHO WAS MY PASSENGER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10592926

Incident

May 12, 2014

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHROME ON THE GEAR SHIFTER AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE BEGAN PEELING, EXPOSING SHARDS OF CHROME. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS TO THE RIGHT HAND FROM THE SHARDS OF CHROME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509161

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

69,000 mi