27th Jan 2003, 17:06
I have a 1999 Hyundai Elantra. It has 80,000 miles on it. My driver side door handle broke too. AND I had to have my transmission REBUILT $1700!!!
14th May 2003, 23:22
I just wanted to say that my driver's side handle broke as well. I replaced it for about 10 dollars at a wrecking yard. My heater cable broke free from the switch on the console too! It is so much fun to have full heat or none at all. I now have 88k on my 97 Elantra and now the check engine light comes on for about two days and then shuts back off.
16th Jun 2003, 13:44
My 1997 Elantra also has a broken driver-side door handel. The overdrive switch on the tranny selector also decides when it wants to work. I have to roll down the window now to get out of the car. I use a large rubber-band to hold the OD switch down when I get on the interstate.
28th May 2007, 20:03
Regarding the engine shut down at 70mph - my wife's 92 Saturn had the same problem. Turned out it was the spark plug wires had broken down internally and basically short circuited themselves out. Might be something to look at.
17th Oct 2008, 18:03
Our 99 Hyundai Elantra station wagon has done well with the engine. Few problems other than what would be expected. However, our driver's side window doesn't stay on track when you roll it down and the back windows don't work at all. Recently the passenger's side inside door handle broke into about six pieces when my friend couldn't figure out how to open the door. The windows I can live with, but I need my friends to be able to get out of the car without having to roll down their window. It's costing me about $75 for BrakeMax to fix the handle. Classy.
23rd May 2011, 16:47
Fords, Chevys and Dodges are all horrible cars as well... I would suggest a Nissan or Toyota.
24th Jun 2011, 17:00
I have exactly the same problems with my '02 Elantra.
Bought it used with 92,000 kms.
First the inside door handle on the driver's side broke. Snapped right in half inside the door. Very familiar with the roll down the window to exit scenario. Then the windows choose their own speed to raise and lower at.
My windshield wiper transmission seized mid wipe during a major rain storm.
And now, for the last 2.5 months my car goes in and out of overdrive whenever it feels like it. City driving, hwy driving, anytime.
I will never buy another Hyundai again. Should have stuck with Honda.
Lesson learned.
20th Aug 2002, 14:08
I purchased a 1998 Hyundai Elantra. The Driver side door handle broke (luckily I live in a rural area, so few people saw me roll down my window to get out of the car). The driver's side windshield wiper quit working. Actually, quit isn't the word I want... flew off would be more like it. To top it all off, after 86,000 miles, I was driving down the highway at 60 mph, the oil light flashed, literally flashed, for maybe 2 seconds and the entire engine blew. Do yourself a favor, buy a FORD, a CHEVY, a DODGE - anything, but a Hyundai.