2000 Hyundai Sonata Structure

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE RUSTED THROUGH THE A FRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. ON MAY 29, 2008, THE CV JOINTS FAILED. WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT 10 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE PULLED AWAY FROM THE FRAME. UPON EXAMINATION I FOUND THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED APART. IT WASN'T DRIVABLE, HAD A MECHANIC FRIEND LOOK AT IT AND HE SHOWED ME WHERE IT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. LUCKILY HE WAS ABLE TO FIX IT HIMSELF BY TAKING OFF THE ARM AND COMPLETELY REDOING IT. NOT SURE OF DETAILS BUT HE WELDED IT BACK TOGETHER AND FIXED IT. *TR

THE CAR WOULDN'T PASS INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LUCKILY IT IS A BOLT ON PART, BUT COST WELL OVER $1,000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS OF HEAVIER METAL AND HAD MORE DRAINAGE HOLES THAN THE ORIGINAL. *TR

2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS V6 RUST AND CORROSION ON SUBFRAME (ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL) FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS -WE RECENTLY BROUGHT OUR CAR INTO A LOCAL STRAUSS AUTO TO HAVE A BASIC CHECK UP BEFORE STATE INSPECTION. THEY SPOTTED THE RUST AND WARNED IT IS VERY SEVERE AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ASAP! - THEY ALSO STATED THE SUSPENSION PROBLEMS ARE MOST LIKELY OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THE SUBFRAME NOT SUPPORTING THE CAR 100% -WE FEEL THIS IS TRULY A DEFECT BY HYUNDAI AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THEM! *TR

VEHICLE BEGAN KNOCKING AS IF SOMETHING HIT IT FROM UNDERNEATH. ALSO, STEERING SUDDENLY WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND FRONT END FELT VERY LOOSE. MECHANIC DISCOVERED A HOLE IN SUBFRAME APPROX. ONE FOOT IN SIZE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST/CORROSION ON PASSENGER SIDE. AS A RESULT MOTOR IS LOOSE AND VEHICLE IS VERY OUT OF ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS THREE TIMES ON THIS MODEL ONLY; ALSO SAID THAT FRAME DESIGN IS SUCH THAT WATER COLLECTS ON TOP AND CANNOT DRAIN. VEHICLE IS 2000 AND ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES. APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING TO THIS MAKE/MODEL OF CERTAIN YEARS, YET NO TSB'S OR RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. *TR

FRAME HAS RUSTED OUT CAN NO LONGER DRIVE MY CAR AND I NEED IT TO GET TO WORK. *TR

I TOOK MY CAR TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC ON 3/19/2008 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE ON AN IRREGULAR BASIS AND IT WAS NOT STEERING PROPERLY. HE TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE W/ MYSELF IN THE CAR. IT MADE NO NOISE AND IT DID NOT "PULL". HE REASSURED THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK AT THAT TIME, HOWEVER, IF IT BECAME A PROBLEM TO LET HIM KNOW. THE SQUEAKING RETURNED INTERMITTENTLY. A LITTLE OVER A WEEK LATER ON 3/28/2008, I WAS DRIVING FROM MY HOME IN SCRANTON, PA TO MY SON'S DR'S APPOINTMENT IN PHILADELPHIA, PA. I WAS ON THE PA TURNPIKE FOR A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR, DURING WHICH TIME I NOTED TO MY MOTHER (DRIVING WITH ME) THAT THE CAR WAS GOING STRAIGHT, HOWEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT. UPON GETTING ONTO THE SCHUYLKILL EXPRESSWAY I HEARD A SQUEAL ON THE TIGHT LEFT TURN (A VERY DANGEROUS, HIGH TRAFFIC HIGHWAY) AND STAYED ON THAT FOR APPROX ANOTHER 10MILES. I TURNED ONTO ANOTHER HIGHWAY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY I STOPPED AT THE FIRST INTERSECTION. AFTER STOPPING I TRIED TO PULL OUT AND THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE, SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. WHILE I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION (THE COPS EVEN DROVE RIGHT ON BY), I WAS FRANTIC CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT IF HAD HAPPENED SECONDS SOONER, IT WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE BEEN TRAGIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING NOT ONLY MYSELF, MY MOTHER AND MY EIGHT YEAR OLD SON BUT ALSO OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MECHANIC, WHO EVALUATED THE CAR THE PREVIOUS WEEK, STATED THAT THE SUB-FRAME WAS "ROTTED AND RUSTED OUT" WHICH RESULTED IN THE AXLE DROPPING OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. HE COULDN'T FIND USED PARTS. THE JUNK YARDS SAID ALL OF THE '99 AND '00 SONATAS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE PUT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY IN GRAVE DANGER. NO THERE WAS NO CRASH AND NO THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. THAT WAS ONLY DUE TO THE FORTUNATE TIMING OF THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE CONTACT HYUNDAI TO RECALL THIS PART NO ONE SHOULD BE PUT IN THIS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. *TR

THE CAR WAS NOT STEERING CORRECTLY AND WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT FIXED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THE ALIGNMENT BUT THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTED. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS WE ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. IT WILL COST US AROUND $2000 TO HAVE FIXED, AND WE ARE NOT SURE IT WILL EVEN BE ABLE TO BE FIXED. THE MECHANIC SAID WE ARE LUCKY THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT FALL OUT, THE CRADLE WAS SO RUSTED. AT THIS POINT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND, AGAIN WE ARE UNSURE IT CAN EVEN BE FIXED. *TR

I'VE HAD A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, AND RECENTLY I HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM BECAUSE THE INSIDE OF MY TIRES WHERE WEARING OUT TOO FAST. SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE/TRANS CRADLE(SUB-FRAME) WAS ALMOST TOTALLY RUST OUT AND THAT IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOR A VERY LONG TIME(WHICH ALSO MEANT THAT THE DEALER I GOT THE LOAN FROM SOLD ME THE CAR KNOWING IT WAS IN BAD SHAPE). IT WAS RUSTED OUT SO BAD THAT THE CONTROL ARMS WHERE ABOUT TO FALL OFF AND THAT THE CAR WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER I GOT THE CAR FROM DOES NOT COVER THOSE PARTS UNDER THE SERVICE AGREEMENT(THE CAR IS OUT OF MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY WITH OVER 137000 MILES). SO I TOOK THE CAR TO A FRAME SHOP THAT WANTED OVER $1800 TO INSTALL THE CRADLE AND CONTROL ARMS. THE END OF THE STORY IS THAT I'M STILL DRIVE THE CAR, BECAUSE ITS MY ONLY WAY TO WORK, AND STILL TRYING TO SAVE MONEY TO GET THE THING FIXED. I'M JUST WANDERING WHICH POT HOLE I HIT IS GOING TO KNOCK THE CONTROL ARMS OFF THE REST OF THE WAY. *TR

THE SUB FRAME HAS RUSTED OUT ON MY 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR 5 YRS AGO FROM A DEALER IN LEXINGTON, KY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL THAT A CAR THAT IS 8 YRS. OLD WOULD HAVE SUCH A SEVERE PROBLEM AND THAT I SHOULD NOT KEEP THE CAR, OR THAT I SHOULD REPLACE THE FRAME WHICH WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO. *TR

SUBFRAME ON THE FRONT CHASIS WAS SEVERELY RUSTED THROUGH, ON THE VERGE OF LOSING THE WHEEL. DISCOVERED DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. MECHANIC ADVISED DRIVING THE CAR DUE TO THE DANGEROUS CONDITION AND IMMINENT PROBABILITY OF LOSING THE WHEEL. *TR

PULLING UP TO A LEFT TURN INTO THE DAYTONA SAM'S CLUB, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND LOWER WISHBONE ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE'S SUB-FRAME AND MY WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR. MY MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SUB-FRAME HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE. THERE IS NOT A SPECK OF RUST ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE CAR! IT WAS BY GOD'S GRACE THAT I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 15MPH FOR JUST MOMENTS EARLIER I WAS DOING 70MPH ON I95! MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHICALLY DEADLY! IT ONLY HAD ABOUT 58,500 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE SEPARATION. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SOMEONE WHO USED TO WORK FOR HYUNDAI THAT THIS IS A KNOW DEFECT BECAUSE HYUNDAI USED RECYCLED METAL TO MANUFACTURE THESE FRAMES WITHOUT USING RUST INHIBITORS. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS IN STORAGE AND I HAVE CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE RUST HOLES WHERE THE WISHBONE BOLTS PULLED OUT OF THE SUB-FRAME AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO YOU. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC DEFECT AND HYUNDAI IS BURYING ITS HEAD IN THE SAND. I CONTACTED THEM AND THEIR ATTITUDE WAS THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM SINCE I WAS THE SECOND OWNER. I CONTACTED THEM TWICE, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE, BUT THEY NEVER CALLED ME AGAIN. I HAVE OVER $2000 IN REPAIRS TO REPLACE THIS SUB-FRAME AND MAKE THE VEHICLE DRIVABLE; NOT INCLUDING THE BODY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WHEEL HITTING THE RIGHT FENDER. HYUNDAI IS CONDUCTING ITSELF IN A WHOLLY RECKLESS MANOR AS THIS DEFECT CAN, AND PROBABLY WILL, TAKE HUMAN LIVES AS THESE SUB-FRAMES RUST APART! THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE WITH OTHER PROBLEMS, BUT NONE I WOULD CONTACT NHTSA OVER THESE SINCE THEY ARE NOT-SAFETY RELATED, BUT HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE HAS A HUGE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE AND MUST BE ADDRESSED! *TR

I'M SEEKING HELP GETTING HYUNDAI USA MOTOR CO. TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS NECESSARY TO MAKE MY 2000 SONATA SAFE TO DRIVE AND TO TRY AND START AN INVESTIGATION OF THE NEED OF A RECALL ON ALL SIMILAR SONATA MODELS 1999 ' 2001 AND POSSIBLY 2002 ' 2005 AS WELL. THE PROBLEM IS THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WAS NOT DESIGNED WITH SUFFICIENT CORROSION RESISTANCE AND IS ROTTING AWAY. HYUNDAI CUSTOMER AFFAIRS (1-800-633-5151) STATES THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS 8 YEARS OLD AND HAS 120K MILES ON IT THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT AN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER HAS CERTAIN LIABILITIES FOR SAFETY AND THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLES THEY PRODUCE BEYOND THE NORMAL WARRANTY PERIOD. THE FIRST I NEW OF THE ISSUE WAS WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE IN A PARKING LOT AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING I JACKED THE FRONT OF THE CAR UP THINKING A WHEEL BEARING WAS GONE OR SOMETHING. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THE 'ELBOW' THAT COMES FROM THE FLOORBOARD AREA TO THE WHEEL WAS ROTTED THROUGH ON THE CORNER AND SPLITTING DOWN THE SEAM. THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS ALSO CORRODED BUT NOT NEARLY AS BAD. I CALLED HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER FOR EVALUATION. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE SUB-FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST $2300. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS BACK TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS THEY WON'T CHANGE THEIR OPINION THAT BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. SINCE THEY HAVE HAD TO FIX THIS ON OTHER VEHICLES SHOULDN'T THE DEALERS BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE CORRODED SUB-FRAME. MY SONATA WAS AT THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN 2003 -2006 AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE DRIVING CARS THAT THE FRAME HAS BEEN WEAKENED BY CORROSION AND COULD HAVE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IF I HAD HIT A POTHOLE ON THE INTERSTATE INSTEAD OF IN A PARKING LOT, MY WIFE'S LAWYER COULD VERY WELL BE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF ME. *TR

TIRES STARTED SQUEALING ABOUT 9/12; GOT WORSE, DRIVING VERY, VERY LOOSELY SO TOOK TO SHOP ON 9/25. SHOP SAID THERE WAS 'FRAME DAMAGE." TOWED TO FRAME SHOP SAME DAY. 9/29 FRAME SHOP ADVISED THE ENGINE CRADLE AND A-FRAME WERE NEARLY RUSTED THROUGH COMPLETELY AND CAR WAS 99% FAILED. 9/30 RECEIVED INFORMATION VIA WEB BLOG REGARDING NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES OF THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE IN A NARROW RANGE OF YEARS/MODELS FOR MFGR. CALLED HYUNDAI TO OPEN A CASE TO GET THEM TO REPAIR, ALTHOUGH VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY HAVE REPAIRED NUMEROUS OTHERS OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA AT 15 MILES/HR ON GOOD-CONDITION ROAD WHEN I HEARD A CRACKING NOISE AND FELT THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE SINK TO THE GROUND. I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRAME, AND THE FRONT AXLE WAS DISPLACED. THERE WAS SERIOUS CORROSION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME WHERE THE POINT OF BREAKING WAS. NO ONE WAS HURT SINCE THE SPEED WAS SLOW. BUT IT COULD BE VERY SERIOUS IF DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FRAME / AXLE ARE ORIGINAL PARTS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY. I FOUND SIMILAR REPORTS ONLINE (SEE THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://WWW.MOTORAUTHORITY.COM/NEWS/INDUSTRY/HYUNDAI-SONATA-FRAMES-RUST-US-NHTSA-INVESTIGATES/ ). I THINK THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

I WAS CALLED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC THIS EVENING TO COME LOOK AT MY 2000 SONATA WHILE IT WAS ON THE RACK TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND BELTS. HE TOLD ME I HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO COME SEE IT FOR MYSELF. THERE IS A RUSTED OUT SECTION OF THE UNIBODY SUBFRAME ON THE RIGHT FRONT JUST UNDER WHERE THE SWAYBAR ATTACHES. YOU CAN PUSH THE METAL AND IT FALLS APART. IT GOES AROUND, ALMOST LIKE A SEAM, BUT HAS NOT MADE IT ALL THE WAY, YET. THE LEFT FRONT IS ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF SPOT RUSTING. I WAS GOING TO CONTACT A BODY SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED AND WAS SEARCHING ONLINE FOR ADVISE WHEN I BEGAN NOTICING THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WAS LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON REPAIRING THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GOT HURT. WHILE RESEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED THAT THERE IS AN NHTSA ODI PRELIMINARY EVALUATION THAT HAS JUST BEGUN CONCERNING REPORTS SIMILAR TO MINE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER FOR EVALUATION AND NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT HAS BEEN SEEN BY A HYUNDAI DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REGIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HYUNDAI WOULD CONTACT ME AFTER THAT. I AM TAKING IT TO THEM ON MAY 2. MY HYUNDAI CASE # IS 3282801. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA WHICH I PURCHASED USED IN 2003 FROM KOEPPEL HYUNDA IDEALER IN LONG ISLAND CITY NEW YORK. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AT ALL. THIS WEEK I BEGAN TO NOTICE SOMETHING NOT FEELING RIGHT IN THE FRONT END, SO I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE SAID THE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THAT I HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN THAT. IT SEEMS THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME OF THE CAR IS RUSTED AND ROTTING AWAY. HE TRIED TO LOCATE A USED FRAME FROM A JUNKYARD,(BECAUSE THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRENTY), BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET ONE. EACH PERSON HE SPOKE TO AT VARIOUS JUNK YARDS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDED , BUT INFORMED HIM THAT A USED SUBFRAME FOR THE SONATA WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO COME BY BECAUSE ON ALL THE SONATAS THAT WERE JUNKED, THE SUBFRAMES WERE ROTTED THROUGH FROM RUST. I'M BETTING THAT SOME OF THESE CARS WERE JUNKED FOR THAT VERY REASON. APPARENTLY THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE, BUT HYUNDAI IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. WHEN I CALL THEY TELL ME THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. HARD TO BELIEVE. I WAS TOLD A NEW FRAME WOULD COST ME1300 DOLLARS. THE ONLY THING THE MECHANIC CAN OFFER TO DO FOR ME IS TO WELD STEEL TO THE PARTS OF THE FRAME THAT ARE STILL SOLID AND TRY TO REINFORCE THE FRAME. AT THIS POINT I AM VERY FRUSTRATED, BECAUSE I WORK AT NIGHT AND NEED A CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR A RENTAL FOR THE PAST 3 DAYS AND IT'S GETTING EXPENSIVE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY HURT.

NOTICED AT LAST OIL CHANGE, POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF FRONT SUB FRAME/ENGINE CRADLE DUE TO RUST OUT CAUSED BY DESIGN THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER AND BE TRAPPED IN SUB FRAME. CARS IN "SNOW BELT" AREAS (OHIO) ARE AFFECTED BY ROAD SALT. SUB FRAME HAS 2.5" RUST HOLE AND SURROUNDING AREA SHOWS FATIGUE AND CRACKING. CAR APPEARS TO BE ONE "CHUCK HOLE" AWAY FROM FAILURE. *TR

CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT ,AND HAS HAD 1 OWNER.VECHICLE IS HOUSED IN CENTRAL N.J. ,VECHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AS TO HYUNDAI'S SERVICE MANUAL RECOMENDATIONS.ALSO VECHICLE HAS RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED JUST BEFORE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY EXPIRED FOR DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION SERVOS (CAR WAS ON LIFT AT TIME OF SERVICE ).ALSO THIS VECHICLE STILL HAS ORGINAL EXHAUST SYSTEM INCLUDING MUFFLER.ON AUGUST30,2007 MY SELF MY CHILD AND MY NEPHEWS WERE DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT 65 MPH AT APPROXIMATLY 9 PM WHEN THE TRANSMISSION EXPLODED AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN TRAFFIC LANE WITH VECHICLES APPROACHING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED AND SWERVING AROUND ME THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY I WAS TRAPPED IN CAR WITH CHILDREN WE CALLED 911 AND THE STATE POLICE HAD TO PUSH VECHICLE TO A SAFE ZONE WHERE WE WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK.UPONFURTHER INSPECTION OF VECHICLE IT WAS FOUND TO BE CAUSED BY A SEVERLY ROTTED SUBFRAME WHICH CAUSED THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION TO DROP CAUSING THE AXLE TO BE TORN THROUGH TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO BREAK AWAY FROM ROTTED SUBFRAME ALSO(AS STATED EARLIER THE VECHICLE WAS NEVER INVLOVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS NO BODY OR UNDERCARRRIAGE RUST INCLUDING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS STRUCTUAL PROBLEM AS SUBFRAME CARRIES ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN (MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION AND ALL STERING COMPONENTS).AT THIS TIME NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY HYUNDAI TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION WE WERE TOLD ITS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY WE WERE NERER MADE AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM AT TIME OF SERVICE AT AUTHORIZED HYUNDAI DEALER. STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM A SUPERVISOR FROM HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT HE CALL THE HYUNDAI DEALER. HYUNDAI HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE ALIGNMENT APPEARED TO BE OFF ON MY 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. ON OCT. 1, 2006, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT A LOCAL FIRESTONE STATION. THE MANAGER SHOWED ME THE CAUSE OF THE MIS-ALIGNMENT: THE ORIGINAL ENGINE CRADLE HAD NEARLY RUSTED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THERE WAS A RUSTED OUT HOLE IN THE ENGINE CRADLE THAT MY HAND COULD HAVE FIT THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO A HYUNDAI DEALER'S SERVICE CENTER. DUE TO THE PRICE OF THE REPAIRS COMPARED TO THE VALUE OF THE CAR, I ELECTED TO FORGO REPAIRS. THE CAR WILL BE SOLD TO A SALVAGE YARD FOR PARTS. THE CAR HAD BEEN AT A HYUNDAI DEALER FOR REPAIRS IN OHIO IN MARCH AND MAY 2006. AT NEITHER TIME WAS RUST IDENTIFIED AS A THREAT TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY, THE DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES OCCURRED.