20 of the 138 complaints about the 1996 Hyundai Elantra are about the transmission — 14% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 81,000 miles.
20
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN STARTING THE IGNITION TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF. IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO RESTART VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10053366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANS. SLIPS. WHEN YOU RELEASE GAS PEDAL AT HIGH SPEEDS AND ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY,THERE IS AT LEAST A 5 SEC. PAUSE. I AM NOW GOING IN TO A SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSES DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER AND NO REVERSE GEAR PRESENT. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10019099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE LOST ALL DRIVE GEARS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER SERVICE REPORTS TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OCCURED WIHOUT WARNING , NO NOTICABLE CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND AT ONLY 69,975 MILES (MOSTLY IN-TOWN 20 MILE WORK COMMUTE). DEALER CLAIMS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE.
NHTSA complaint #748230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. 100,000 EXTENDED WARRANTY IS DUE TO EXPIRE. VEHICLE PLACE IN SERVICE SHOP FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 4TH TIME. VEHICLE WAS ROAD TESTED IT, HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HAVE INCURRED FINANCIAL LOSSES DUE TO FREQUENT REOCCURRENCE OF PROBLEM (LOSS OF WORK, VEHICLE RENTAL, ETC.) WOULD LIKE PROBLEM FIXED PERMANENTLY OR REPLACEMENT VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #725697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS CAUSING JERKING AND BUCKING. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #553027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS CARS TRANSMISSION HAS FAIDED 3 TIMES IN 3 1/2 YRS.
NHTSA complaint #723312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION
NHTSA complaint #715608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION
NHTSA complaint #715609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CAR HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF ON ME SINCE PURCHASE/GOING IN REVERSE ON ITS OWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON.
NHTSA complaint #710035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE LOCKS IN SECOND GEAR, DOWNSHIFTS FROM HIGH TO LOW GEAR AT HIGH SPEEDS, WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF HIGH GEAR, ALL CONDITIONS INTERMITTANT.
NHTSA complaint #709586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON,SURGES,MISSES,JERKS,DIES,TAPPING NOISE,LOSES POWER,THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. OTHER REPAIRS 9-26-98 ALTERNATOR,GENERATOR MILEAGE 24662: 10-29-98 MISSING AND ROUGH IDLE COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, MILEAGE 25350; 3-22-99 PLUG AND CABLE SET CHANGED AGAIN, MILEAGE 29167; 4-12-99 REPLACED TRANSMISSION PART, MILEAGE 29760; HAVE TALKED TO CONSUMER ASSISTANT CENTER,THE DM,ALL I AM TOLD IS TO KEEP TAKING IT IN . AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS CAR AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE IT LOST ALL POWER WHEN DRIVING ON I- 65.WAS TOWED IN 2 TIMES BECAUSE OF NO POWER.THEY OFFERED FOR ME TO TRADE IT IN ON A NEW CAR, THAT WOULD MEAN ANOTHER 5 YR. LOAN AND ANOTHER $50.00 A MONTH PAYMENT.I DID NOT FEEL THIS WAS A VERY GOOD SOLUTION .SERVICE DEPT.HAS BEEN GOOD AS TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEMS, BUT I AM NOT HAPPY THAT THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED THIS CAR AT NO COST TO ME, FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD.
NHTSA complaint #705793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON 8 TIMES/SEATBELTS WON'T LATCH/TRANSMISSION SLIPS/POOR ACCELERATION/EXHAUST SMELLS LIKE "ROTTEN EGGS"--
NHTSA complaint #704229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
I REPORTED THIS INFORMATION GIVEN TO YOU TO THE MAIN COMPANY IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS TOTALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON AN AUTOMOBILE THAT IS LITERALLY FALLING APART. I FEEL THAT IT HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE MADE SOME PREPARATION TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMER,ONE WHO HAS AN EXCELLENT PAYING HISTORY. I AM VERY DISSATIFIED WITH THIS PRODUCT AND WOULD LIKE A BETTER AUTOMOBILE, ONE IN WHICH I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AND PAYING FOR IN THE REMAINDER YEARS. PLEASE HELP! THANKS, CAROLYN B. THOMAS. NOT AIR BAG COMPLAINT (E.G., SEAT BELT, TRAILER SUSPENSION AIR BAG, ETC.) ADDED ON 09-07-1999.
NHTSA complaint #700032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY SINCE OWNERSHIP, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER FAILED TO RECTIFY.
NHTSA complaint #538558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. (QCAW)
NHTSA complaint #537359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #815702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE PARKED THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #808807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND THE CLUTCH DIDN'T WORK,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT; VEHICLE ALSO HAS OTHER PROBLEMS . PLEASE DESCRIBE .
NHTSA complaint #805498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #510582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.