2001 Hyundai Elantra Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND DRIVE AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM). THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THE DRIVE AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FREE REMEDY REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH SUSPENSION: FRONT CONTROL ARM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UP THE STREET. THE CONSUMER HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE TOW DRIVER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD FAILED. HE ALSO TOLD THE CONSUMER A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE RECALL NOTICE ARRIVED IN THE MAIL TWO WEEKS LATER. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V125000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM). THE RECALL MANUFACTURER REPORT DATE WAS APRIL 14, 2009. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THE EXTENSIVE TIME FRAME THE MANUFACTURED HAD TAKEN TO MAIL RECALL NOTIFICATION REGARDING SUCH A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND PROCEEDING TO STOP SIGN, THE FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM BROKE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM BROKE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. UPDATED 06/29/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE SECOND CONTROL ARM FAILED, THE MECHANIC INFORMED HER A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE AS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. IT WASN'T UNTIL MARCH 2010, THAT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL. UPDATED 07/01/10.*JB
2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, 72K MILES, DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM FRACTURED WHILE GOING 5 MPH. IT HAD RUSTED PAPER THIN AND GAVE NO WARNING. AXLE, FENDER AND FRONT BUMPER ARE DESTROYED TOO. LOREN HYUNDAI OF GLENVIEW, IL ACTED STUPID ABOUT IT, LIKE THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AND NO CONCEPT OF THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY INVOLVED IN SUCH A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I WILL TALK TO CORPORATE ON MONDAY. I AM REPORTING THIS INCIDENT OUT OF CONCERN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED BY A RECALL, IN MY OPINION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
WE PURCHASED A USED 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA FOR OUR SON TO TAKE TO COLLEGE. ON MONDAY EVENING (9/21/09), HE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN WHEN THE WHEEL FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT AXLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE POLICEMAN AT THE SCENE INFORMED MY SON THAT HE AVOIDED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE WAS STOPPED WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. UPON RESEARCHING A "CARFAX" SITE, I FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL FOR CORROSION AND FRACTURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL, NEITHER BY THE MANUFACTURER NOR BY THE DEALER FROM WHOM WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.\ MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY CONDITION AND WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT EXISTED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE SPEED DECREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS AGAINST THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE LOWER BALL JOINT STABILIZER FAILED AND WAS CORRODED. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $1,200. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 79,500.
BOTH CONTROL ARMS ON MY 2001 ELANTRA WENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A DEFECTIVE PART BY HYUNDAI. MY MECHANIC REPORTED HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. HE WAS IMPRESSED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN KILLED. *TR SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS AUTOMOBILE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO STAND UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
I MADE A RIGHT TURN OFF OF M59 IN HOWELL, MI ON TO N OLD US HWY 23. I SLOWED TO ALMOST A STOP, YIELDING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO KROGER. UPON TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND TRYING TO DRIVE FORWARD I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. UPON INVESTIGATION THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN NEAR THE BALL JOINT. IT WAS NOT A BALL JOINT FAILURE, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM EITHER FATIGUED OR SHEARED, MAYBE DUE TO CORROSION. THE DRIVERS SIDE HALFSHAFT WAS PULLED FROM THE TRANSAXLE AT THE INNER CV JOINT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A FRIENDS HOUSE IN THE AREA AND IT SITS THERE PENDING A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER SO THAT REPAIRS CAN BE MADE. I LIVE IN LANSING WHICH IS AN HOUR AWAY FROM WHERE MY CAR IS. I PLAN TO TAKE PICTURES AND INVESTIGATE MORE WHEN I GET THE PARTS AND RETURN TO REPAIR IT, IF POSSIBLE. *TR UPDATED 04/22/09.*JB
LTR FROM CONGRESSMAN MURPHY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT WHO IS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION AN AUTOMOTIVE FAILURE WITH HER 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. *NJ WITHOUT WARNING, THE FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE APART; THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE IN TWO SEPARATE SPOTS WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE END RESULT WAS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FELL ONTO THE PAVEMENT. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AND CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL WAS NOT POSITIONED IN THE WHEEL WELL AND THERE WAS VISIBLE RUST WITHIN TWO INCHES OF THE BALL JOINT. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE VEHICLE HIMSELF AND NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,865. UPDATED 05/06/10.*LJ UPDATED 07/19/10*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN A TURN WAS MADE. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THEN COMPLETELY FAILED. THE DRIVER SAFELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CAR HAS 79000 MILES ON IT AND CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND THE DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM RUSTED THROUGH AND CRACKED CAUSING THE WHEEL TO TILT AND PULL THE VEHICLE. ALSO CAUSED THE SUB FRAME TO CRACK. THANKFULLY I WAS ONLY ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WHO KNOWS THE CAR WOULD HAVE REACTED AT 65 MPH, WOULD I STILL BE ALIVE? CAR HAS BEEN FIXED AT A BILL OF $2400.00. THIS IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH AT THIS TIME. *TR
JUST CAME OFF INT. 95 APPLIED BRAKES AT RED LIGHT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE OFF. SENT CAR INTO CURB AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. SHOP SHOWED ME THE DAMAGE AND THE CONTROL ARM IS COMPLETELY ROTTED. STILL THERE WAITING ON PARTS. *TR UPDATED 04/22/09.*JB
DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT APPROX 40 MPH MY WIFE'S HYUNDAI ELANTRA'S PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL POPPED AND BEGAN RUBBING THE BACK OF THE WHEEL WELL. LUCKILY SHE WAS ABLE TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES AND CONTINUE ABOUT ONE BLOCK INTO A REPAIR SHOP LOT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND JUST BROKE. THE SHOP REPLACED BOTH SIDE CONTROL ARMS WITH USED PARTS. *TR
WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE CAR LOST STEERING CONTROL AND WENT INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD AND LUCKILY AVOIDED A HEAD ON COLLISION. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC, AND HE SAID THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED AWAY. HE SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PART TO HAVE A FAILURE ON, YOU LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR. *TR
DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE MY MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS RUSTED SO SEVERELY THAT FAILURE IS IMMANENT. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL FOR A 7 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 66K MILES ON IT AND THEY WOULD REPAIR AT THE NORMAL CHARGE. FROM MY RESEARCH THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT NO COST AND IS NOT "NORMAL". LUCKILY IT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE THE PART FAILED ON MY COMMUTE DOWN INTERSTATE 495 TWICE A DAY. I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH HYUNDAI CORPORATE TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED - THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR
LEFT FRONT, LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILURE, WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT LESS THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR, WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN ACROSS ROADWAY, TO ENTER DRIVEWAY. AT EDGE OF ROADWAY, JUST BEFORE REACHING DRIVEWAY, EXPERIENCE FALL OF FRONT PORTION OF VEHICLE TO ROAD AND LOSS OF CONTROL. INSPECTION REVEALS LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES. ONE PIECE REMAINS ATTACHED TO BALL JOINT, ONE PIECE REMAINS ATTACHED TO CAR. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALS LOWER CONTROL ARM RUSTED THROUGH, FROM INSIDE OUT. ONLY A MINUTE BEFORE, VEHICLE WAS OPERATED ON LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY, AT HIGHWAY SPEED. NOTE: VEHICLE GARAGED, WITHIN ATTACHED GARAGE, WITH CONCRETE FLOOR. VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY. *TR
TRAVELING LESS THAN 25 MPH I APPLIED BRAKES TO AVOID A PEDESTRIAN RUNNING ACROSS TRAFFIC. AFTER STOPPING VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER AND MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISE. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. REPAIR WAS MADE TO THE LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM THAT RUSTED THROUGH AND SNAPPED .SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE FAILURE HAD HAPPENED A SLOWER SPEED AND THAT A FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND POSSIBLE INJURIES. THE PART WAS RETURNED TO ME. *TR
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND HAD JUST COME TO A STOP WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. SHE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR PREFERRED REPAIR SHOP. THEY TOLD USE THAT THE SUSPENSION HAD RUSTED OUT AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE. *TR
REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARMS LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. *TR
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT 30 MPH, VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND WAS NEARLY INVOLVED IN A CRASH. PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM WAS DETERMINED TO BE ROTTED AWAY. NO OTHER SIGNS OF VISIBLE RUST ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS IMPRESSED BY THE FAILURE AND TOOK PHOTOS TO EMAIL TO HYUNDAI DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE WHO DENIED ANY DEFECTIVE PARTS OR BLAME ON HYUNDAI'S PART. DEALER IS REPLACING THE CONTROL ARM AT MY EXPENSE. PART IS BEING SAVED. *TR
DRIVING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 25MPH, I STOPPED QUICK TO AVOID A CAR COMING OUT OF SIDE STREET. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC HE SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF CAR HAD ROTTED AWAY AT ONE POINT, AND THE METAL WAS PAPER THIN. HE THAN TOLD ME IT WAS GOOD THAT I WAS NOT GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED, OR I WOULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I WAS LUCKY, BUT IF THIS DEFECT IS ON OTHER CARS SOMEONE MAY GET KILLED. THIS WAS ON A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. I'M NOW WAITING FOR THE PART TO REPLACE IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND NOTICED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS CRUMBLED AND THE TIRE WAS PUSHED INTO THE INNER FENDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ,WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. *AK UPDATED 10/31/07 *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2001 Hyundai Elantra has 57 Suspension complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.