Hyundai Elantra ball joint problems

Filed Sep 26, 2025 · Suspension · PA

I have a 2005 hyundai elantra that the front and rear subframe/ suspension crossmembers are completely rotted out. There is a safety recall that I found online for 2003 elantras for this same problem, but I can't seem to find anything for a 2005 model. They are the same body style and it's the same exact crossmember used on these years. Hyundai knew there was an issue and they never fixed it for the 2005 model year. The rear crossmember rotted right through on mine and the back tires almost fell off of the car. Luckily I was right down the road from my house when it happened. After I replaced the rear crossmember, I noticed that the front was just as bad and there's a Crack and as soon as I pushed on it with my fingers, they went right through the metal and now there's a baseball sized rust hole right by the lower control arms on both sides of the front suspension crossmember. The car has just over 100,000 miles and now it's not drivable. There are dozens of reports online with people reporting the same exact issue. Myself or another driver could have been killed if this happened on the highway. The body is in nice shape on the car, so it's not like the whole car is rusted out. I looked for a new crossmember on multiple elantras in the junkyard and they all have the same issue, the body's are in good shape but both crossmembers are completely rotted away. This was an issue that hyundai had a recall on and never fixed for this year. There are many of these models still on the road that are an accident waiting to happen as well. Apparently from what I've read, the crossmembers and control arms never had any drain holes in them and they would rot from the inside out. Here's a link to the same issue for the 2003 year. I'll upload pictures of the crossmember and the underside of the car showing that the car isn't all rusted out, it's just the crossmembers. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 2, 2025 · Suspension · IL

Rear lower control arm detached from subframe while highway driving. Lost control of vehicle. The problem has been an issue for sonata and azera however not for elantra when the same thing happened. The component has not been inspected yet. There were no warning lights. Happened suddenly. Is available for inspection. Subframe became corroded from road salt. Vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Road salt applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months may result in progressive, internal corrosion of the front sub-frame on the vehicles, and may result in thinning or perforation of the sub-frame steel. The corrosion is frequently visible and often discovered during inspection or routine maintenance, and owners may also hear noises or notice tire misalignment and steering pull. If these signals are undetected or unheeded, the corrosion may progress and the forward mounting of the lower control arm may detach from the sub-frame. That’s exactly what happened.

Filed Feb 24, 2025 · Steering, Suspension · NY

As I was driving about 25-30 mph when the front drivers side lower control arm snapped, resulting in loss of control and steering, which could’ve caused a major accident if driven on a highway/interstate at a higher rate of speed. The damage revealed the control arm had rotted from the inside and had broken from the bushing connected to the frame, with no indication of rust in the outside, which has been something that has documented with other same generation Hyundais. I have not been able to bring it to a dealer or mechanic to have it checked

Filed Jan 27, 2025 · Steering, Suspension · IN · crash

I was driving normally down the road and all of a sudden I lost control and couldn’t turn my vehicle apparently the control arm rusted from the subframe, causing me to swerve hit a curb and cause more damage to the front end. Thank God I was on a not so busy street! I could have killed myself or someone else all because this company’s metal rusted out.

Filed Oct 12, 2024 · Body · NJ

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.

Filed Oct 10, 2024 · Body, Suspension · 80,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the driver's side front control arm fractured. Additionally, the contact noticed that the undercarriage was rusted. The contact was able to pull into a parking spot. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the arm to the steering wheel was rusted and had cracked. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jul 25, 2024 · Brakes · 64,520 miles · MD · crash

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and turning right during rainy weather conditions, the brake pedal was lightly depressed however the wheels locked. The vehicle drove over a pothole and the contact lost control causing the vehicle to skid 50 feet. The contact crashed into the curb on the driver's side front tire. No warning light illuminated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was undriveable and towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the driver's side control arm, the front tire suspension, the tire and rim, the front bumper, and the grill needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that he had also experienced the same failure recently during a rain storm where the vehicle braked independently and he again lost control and crashed. The contact stated that he observed that the ABS warning was illuminated. The contact stated that he had not been injured during the incident. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,520.

Filed Jun 26, 2024 · Brakes, Engine · TX

I was driving down the interstate when my car completely locked up, my brakes stopped working, the steering wheel wouldn't turn, the car completely shut down, so I had to make my way off the bisy interstate luckily I didn't have an accident so I took it to a mechanic and found out the alternator went out, so it was replaced then less than a year later i had issues with the headlights not working then magically comong on while driving, and the interior lighta will work then bot work but the bulbs are new, leading to another replacement alternator, then less than about 8 months pass and I have issues with the electrical stuff again not wanting to work even when new bulbs are pit in the car, the radio turning on and off by itself and I've had to put it a third alternator in less than 3 years, it's a driving hazard and safety hazard. My driver side door handle will only open from the inside and it doesn't shut inkess the door is locked and the car has to be turned on. The belt in my 2016 hyundai elanyra looks like it's shredding and it's throwing black stuff on the inside of my hood. I've had preoffwsional mechanics look at it and the alternator is assembled correctly, and now my ball joints are all of a sudden needing to be replaced inthe front.

Filed May 18, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · TX

UnKnown. When financing the vehicle through Adonis Auto Group I was unaware of the unrepaired safety recall. Also I am under the impression nothing was done to the car before purchasing it, I have had to make repairs to the car only after 10,000 - 15,000 miles of driving. For example replacing the control arm, axle, brake hardware. My point is they are selling cars without repairing them and not advising the customer upon purchase. I also asked for the repair paperwork for what has been done to the car before purchase and never received it.

Filed Nov 7, 2023 · Steering, Suspension · PA

On July 25, 2023, I was driving in our town when I heard a noise coming from the rear of the car. I was very close to a repair facility that I sometimes use, so I slowly drove there. They looked at the car and showed me that the rear driver-side wheel was about to fall off. They then raised the car in the shop and told me that the rear upper-control arm had rusted through and broken, causing the wheel to break off. They showed me a photo of this. I was also told that had this happened on a highway at a higher speed, there could have been fatalities because control of the car would have been seriously affected. I contacted Hyundai about this and they told me to take to a dealer to be looked at. I refused to pay for this inspection and I now do not trust Hyundai.