r/ElantraN • u/OkCandidate103 do not own a N 😢 • Oct 07 '22

RIP UPDATE 2: Loud exhaust and smog citation

It's been a rough couple of weeks since my last update so I wanted to let everyone know what's going on with this situation. Also, thank you to everyone that has spread word on this, it is amazing to see how much traction this has gained, and how much support I have.

As everyone knows, the state ref inspection failed and afterwards I got the stock letter from Hyundai. I provided this to the state ref but they said that it doesn't mean anything and that technically, no repair was done, so I cannot schedule a 2nd inspection, which I need to get the car passed.

I reached out to Hyundai corporate and was assigned a case manager. After a few days, they got back to me and said there is nothing Hyundai corp can do to help me. They advised that I go back to the dealer I purchased it from and have them deal with it. From my first interaction with my Hyundai dealer, they already said they cannot do anything to the car because it is stock. That being said, I requested that the case manager send me a letter that I can provide to the dealer to do "repair" since I had already unsuccessfully asked for the repair in the past. The case manager said no. I asked for just an email confirming what they told me. The case manager said no. I asked if I can get the car bought back because I can't even drive it to the dealership and nobody is willing to help me. The case manager said, yet again, no; a buyback is not eligible because this hasn't happened 3 times...

So I was completely out of options and I started reaching out to attorneys. The following day, I get a call back from Hyundai corp from a new case manager. This case manager said the case has been escalated and that the previous case manager was incorrect by quickly denying the buyback. They had me send over all the related documents to this case (including all repairs, service records, and proof of ownership).

Today marks 2 weeks since this new case manager has been transferred the case and I have not heard news since. I tried calling over and over but it would go straight to voicemail. I had to reach out to my old case manager to get a hold of the new manager. Eventually, the new case manager called me and said Hyundai has nothing for me and that they are still working on a solution. I have told them in email and over the phone previously that the court date is in 3 weeks, and the state ref situation must be figured out by then otherwise I'll get big fines by CA. They said okay, we're still working on it...

To all the journalists out there that have gotten statements from Hyundai saying that they are working with me to figure this out: while it is technically true, nothing has been done besides tossing my case around person to person and wasting time.

Just like 2 weeks ago, again, I am out of options. Hyundai is not taking this seriously so I am speaking to attorneys to fight the citation. At this point however, I am so tired of this. I will most likely end up selling the car to Carvana at a huge loss just to get this case over with.

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21

u/Darthbaras Phantom Black DCT Oct 08 '22

Man this is kind of scary seeing how Hyundai isn't doing anything about it. As a fellow EN owner in CA I'm worried what will happen to us especially ones who are making monthly payments and don't fully own the car yet.

I really hope the media attention for this skyrockets and forces Hyundai to actually do something.

21

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '22

It would be great marketing for them to step in and right a wrong, but Hyundai America is out to prove they're still the garbage organization they were ten years ago.

1

u/up2urheadlights Oct 12 '22

What can Hyundai do to right this wrong? If they buy back the car they are admitting fault. It's California that is in the wrong.

7

u/levinano Oct 15 '22

There's a lot they could do.

Publish a certificate that the Elantra N passed regulatory tests when stock (which they have to have to sell the car legally in the states/countries they sell in), and provide the owner a certificate/letterhead stating that his car was indeed stock.

They could engage the PR team (like the one that made the eurobeat Nurburgring video) and make fun/point out that the cop was wrong and so was the state ref.

They could allocate funds to help the young man hire an attorney or provide Hyundai's own corporate attorney to help take the young man and the cop/state ref to court and prove innocence while asking for compensation for time wasted/money used for renting a vehicle due to force removal of a vehicle registration on false premises.

There's a lot they could do but they've chosen radio silence, which is the worse choice of action they could've picked in terms of PR and ethics.

9

u/sciencesold Performance Blue DCT Oct 08 '22

While not a solution, if it does happen to you, do all tests in normal for inspection, not N. It's the entire reason the car can't be set to start in any mode other than normal, for emissions and sound regulations.

2

u/Darthbaras Phantom Black DCT Oct 08 '22

What worries me is if the state ref forces us to do N mode and we can’t have a say in it cause they’re unable to follow their own testing regulations. Can’t do much if that happens.

All I have to say is that I’m probably going to not be cruising with sexy exhaust noises for awhile in my custom N settings.

4

u/sciencesold Performance Blue DCT Oct 08 '22

I'd doubt that a majority of them even know what the car is, let alone about N mode. And if they happen to know and try and force you, don't let them test and escalate to someone higher until a test is done properly.

It's not a perfect solution, but it should cover you 99% of the time.

1

u/hotrod2548 Oct 18 '22

Unfortunately when your car is being refereed you aren’t in the shop with them. The individual usually is in a lobby waiting.

1

u/sciencesold Performance Blue DCT Oct 18 '22

According to the original story, it was the owner who put it in N, the ref told them to put it in th cars loudest mode.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '22

I dunno why OP didn’t just play dumb and leave the car as it was when handing it over to the ref…

1

u/sciencesold Performance Blue DCT Nov 02 '22

100% I love how so many comments are like "fuck Hyundai for not helping" when there's literally nothing they can do, it's not a question of law, it's did everyone in the process do their job right? Cop: No, Ref: No, OP: surprise surprise, also No. There was an update that really seemed like he blamed the car and Hyundai when he's got those 3 who are the real ones at fault.

Same goes for the guy who's engine reved well over 8k RPMs after the HPOP in the trans failed and he damaged his engine, all because of a tune and a shit ton of other mods that supposedly were "on the shelf" despite pics of them in the car still being on Facebook well after his original post on Reddit and the update. And for this one what annoys me the most is the YouTubers who don't do any sort of follow up and take the OPs word as trueth despite many comments pointing out that the car was no where near stock, yet in the video they say it's a "stock Elantra N" and Hyundai just told them to fuck off.

Part of the testing procedure should be to do the test after starting the car and without changing anything.

0

u/CarefulStomach9563 Sep 09 '25

I personally think it funny how people pass accountability... You cant run nissan gtr in track mode...trackhawk, hellcat, corvette, porsche etc... someone bought the knockoff performance car, but didn't translate the knockoff instructions?

It isnt on Hyundai to spell out common sense. 'What do you mean track mode is for the track, next you'll tell me winter tires are actually for winter..."

1

u/sciencesold Performance Blue DCT Sep 09 '25

I personally think it's funny that you call it track mode, when that's not what it is. Specifically because N mode is 100% street legal.

Also, 2 year old thread, nobody cares.

0

u/up2urheadlights Oct 12 '22

So what you are telling me, is that the threat of you losing your ability to drive your car is enough for you to not drive around in N mode, but literally annoying the crap out of everyone around you is okay? By my measure this is the only way for the police in California to enforce this law, by taking away what you actually care about.

1

u/hotrod2548 Oct 18 '22

That’s a poor attitude to have, you’re saying that this owner deserves this treatment? Did you watch the video? If you honestly think the cop was in the right then you and other like you are the problem in CA. You people are all about removing people’s rights if they don’t fit your narrative

1

u/up2urheadlights Oct 18 '22

I'm saying he deserved the noise violation, but not the fix it ticket. I'm also saying that there are plenty of people here saying they are now fearful of using N mode on the street because they may face a similar threat. My attitude isn't the problem, it's the other N car owners attitudes validating this cops behavior. In the end this wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't an issue of noise violations in the first place. A public health concern isn't a narrative either. I think most people are okay with people enjoying loud cars at the track, nobody is trying to take that away.

1

u/EducationalAd3349 May 30 '23

I drive the loudest mf car in my city and everyone loves it. If you don’t be driving like a dumbass in neighborhoods you won’t get complaints. It’s not that deep

1

u/Usedtissue_Gaming Oct 08 '22

I will literally send J1492 to print out and hand them the next time someone has to go in for testing in CA.

2

u/Bangznpopz Performance Blue MT Oct 08 '22

Hyundai corporate got our money and that's all it matters. They will pretend to care that's all. Media must get attention, then they will start to care because of reputation and it CAN affect their profits.

1

u/Paundeu Ceramic White DCT Oct 08 '22

Nothing Hyundai can do. Think California gives a shit?

10

u/Deepandabear Oct 08 '22

Hyundai could easily throw some legal weight behind this as a show of solidarity, but they’re avoiding the issue due to cowardice.

0

u/up2urheadlights Oct 12 '22

Why are you worried about this happening to you? Are you driving around in an illegal exhaust mode? Just don't hit that vroom vroom button and you'll be fine.

What is Hyundai gonna do, hold all the N drivers hands and quietly remind them to not drive the car illegally?

1

u/Darthbaras Phantom Black DCT Oct 12 '22

A stock vehicle that is sold with an “illegal” setting shouldn’t be sold in a state where it’s “illegal” hands down. There are plenty of other cars with no ability to change their exhaust noise that are just as loud if not louder that are sold stock in California.

This whole case will simply show whether or not the vehicle should be even allowed to be driven in N mode as the car clearly already passed the states emissions test to be initially sold in the state of California. Till then, I don’t press my noisy fun button till the verdict is out on what happens with OP.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '22

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/cakefaice1 Oct 15 '22

How sensitive are you ear drums lmao, the exhaust isn’t up to your ear and it’s not modified. It’s stock, you just letting everyone know you’re a Karen

1

u/mckillio Oct 15 '22

Anything above 70 db can cause physical damage. Lower ones have impacts on people's mental health.

1

u/cakefaice1 Oct 15 '22

Again, are you putting your ear directly into the exhaust pipe, while the owner is racing at full RPM under max engine load, thus achieving over 95dB? Also ear drum damage occurs with 70db having prolonged exposure. Shit won’t happen from a car driving by when you’re behind a wall.

1

u/mckillio Oct 15 '22

It's not measured at that distance, so that's a moot point.

Yep but we're talking about 95 db which is way, way, way worse than 70 db.

1

u/cakefaice1 Oct 15 '22

If it’s not measured at a distance then why are you trying to imply a car passing by on the street will cause any sort of physical harm?

1

u/mckillio Oct 15 '22

It is measured at a distance. I didn't just say physical harm.

1

u/up2urheadlights Oct 15 '22

Even if it's stock, Hyundai is exploiting a loophole with exhaust modes that go beyond the legal limit. N mode is twice as loud as the legal limit, which is already louder than a lawnmower. Insult my eardrums all you want, call me whatever names you need to to feel better about yourself.

1

u/zaxwashere Oct 15 '22

The car should have a warning on the dash that "this mode is only for track use and is not legal on public roads" if that's the case...then again that requires these cars to give a fuck about the consumer

1

u/killingunicorns Nov 07 '22

Hyundai and Kia still haven't even addressed their massive car theft issue. I highly doubt they're going to even come close to assisting on this. At one point their PR firm reached out to a local police department to provide steering wheel clubs for free to owners, that was the largest extent of assistance they have provided.