2005 Hyundai Elantra

GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM WRITING CONCERNING AN INCIDENT CAUSED BY A CAR ANTENNA ON A HYUNDAI ELANTRA, WONDERING WHETHER THIS HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING INCIDENT. ON DECEMBER 30, 2010 I TOOK THE ANTENNA OF THE VEHICLE TO THEY EYE SOCKET AS I WAS BENDING OVER TO PLACE A BAG NEXT TO THE TRUNK. I UNDERSTAND THIS MAY SEEM LIKE JUST AN ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE RESULT IS DUE MAINLY TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE ANTENNA, SINCE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I KNOW OF THIS EVENT OCCURRING ON THE EXACT SAME CAR. THE MAIN PROBLEM I SEE IS THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE ANTENNA LEAVES THE TRUNK. THOUGH THIS MAY NOT AFFECT EVERYONE, I HAVE NOTICED IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO INDIVIDUALS OVER SIX FEET TALL. AT ALMOST 6'5', MY INJURY OCCURRED AS I WAS BENDING DOWN TO PLACE A BAG NEXT TO THE CAR. AS I WAS BENDING FORWARD, THE ANTENNA ANGLE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ANTENNA TO SLIDE INFERIOR FROM THE BRIDGE OF MY NOSE AND INTO THE ORBIT OF MY EYE. IMMEDIATELY DUE TO THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE ANTENNA MADE CONTACT WITH MY FACE, AND THE FORCE OF LEANING FORWARD, MY EYE SWELLED SHUT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, AFTER AN IMMEDIATE TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, NUMEROUS VISITS TO TWO OPTHAMOLOGISTS, A VISIT TO AN E,N,T DOCTOR, AND TIME, I AM STILL LEFT WITH DOUBLE VISION 10 AND A HALF WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL ACCIDENT. I UNDERSTAND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN; HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. MY FAMILY OWNS CARS, MY FRIENDS OWN CARS, AND IN THE SUMMERS I EVEN WORK WITH CARS, BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN ANTENNA DESIGNED LIKE THIS. I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE DESIGN WITH THE NEWER MODELS, BUT THE MATTER IS THERE ARE OLDER MODELS STILL OUT ON THE RODE WHICH STILL PROVIDE RISK. THE INTENTION OF THIS LETTER IS TO NOT ONLY INFORM THE DEPARTMENT OF MY INCIDENT, BUT TO ALSO GATHER INFORMATION ON WHETHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS INCIDENT GREATLY AFFECTED ME AND IF THERE IS A WAY I CAN STOP IT FROM HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA THAT I BOUGHT USED WITH 28,000 MILES. I TOOK IT IN AT 39,000 MILES TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKES REPLACED. AT 49,000 MILES THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE SHOT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I TOLD THE DEALER THAT THIS IS CRAZY, AND THEY SAID THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN THAT FAST. I NOW HAVE 60,000 MILES AND MY REAR BRAKES ARE SHOT AGAIN. NOW THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT MAYBE THEY SEE THE REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT MORE FREQUENTLY IN MY CAR MODEL, BUT THEY AREN'T SAYING IT IS NORMAL. THEY WANT ME TO PAY ANOTHER $300 TO REPLACE THE REAR PADS,AND THEN LOOK AT THEM AT 5,000 MILES. THEN THEY WILL TRY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THE PADS TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. I AM AFRAID THAT MY CAR IS NOT SAFE, BECAUSE MY REAR BRAKES ARE NOT WEARING NORMALLY. I'M AFRAID THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, THAT THE DEALER DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. *TR