NHTSA complaint: 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA — SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
PURCHASED 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA NOVEMBER 14, 2007. DEALERSHIP CARFAX SHOWED 40,836 ODOMETER MILES. DEALERSHIP ODOMETER DISCLOSURE STATEMENT SHOWED 8,494. NOVEMBER 18, 2007 DROVE I-26 IN COLUMBIA, SC. DROVE ON EMERGENCY STRIP TO AVOID DEBRIS ON ROAD. REAR END SPUN OUT AND LOST CONTROL OF CAR. CRASHED INTO 18 WHEELER AND PUSHED ACROSS INTERSTATE, UP AN EMBANKMENT, UNDER A CATCH FENCE AND STOPPED ON A SERVICE ROAD. A TOTAL LOSS. NOT UNTIL 11/29/07 THAT I WAS MADE AWARE OF A POSSIBLE RECALL ON THE STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DMV.ORG REPORT OF 11/24/07 SHOWS ODOMETER READING 40,836 AND NO ODOMETER PROBLEM TITLE RECORD. CARFAX REPORT STATED NO RECALLS REPORTED. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIPS HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE ODOMETER DISCREPANCY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CARFAX INFO WAS CHANGED SHOWING ODOMETER READING 8,584 AND ALSO THEY BACKDATED INFORMATION. SHOWED ODOMETER DISCREPANCY ON THE ALTERED REPORT. JUST CLERICAL ERRORS? IF WE SUFFERED A TOTAL LOSS, HOW COME OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? DID WE HAVE A TRUE STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILURE? DID WE TRULY HAVE 40,836 MILES ON OUR ODOMETER? WAS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE FOR 40,835 MILES? *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation