Hyundai is recalling over 60,000 Elantras due to an unusual but potentially troublesome issue.
According to the recall notice, the problem revolves around the brake pedal stopper – a component to which most of us have probably never given any thought. But on the 2013 Elantra, it could be prone to deterioration.
Big whoop, you say? It may not be the most critical part in a car, but if the stopper isn’t there to do its job, the brake light switch plunger may stay extended after the brake pedal is released. Then the brake lights will stay on indefinitely, which kind of defeats the purpose of having brake lights at all.
On top of that, if the car “thinks” that the brake pedal is depressed, it could allow the transmission to be shifted out of Park and into gear or neutral and roll freely away. “Either condition,” warns the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “increases the risk of a crash.”
So Hyundai is notifying the owners of 64,500 Elantras across America – specifically those manufactured between December 1, 2012, and April 30, 2013 – to bring their cars in to have an improved stopper pad installed. Simple fix for a straightforward problem, but one that could lead to disaster if not addressed.
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