Clutch has gone already

I'VE had at least one previous report of a similar clutch failure on an Elantra, but it was some time ago and was never explained. A mate who runs a Hyundai dealership told me at the time that it was very much out of character for Hyundai, given his experience with the brand. Your friend's diagnosis might be on the mark, that it's a random failure because of the quality glitch with the spring in your car. If you still have it, I would speak to Hyundai head office and ask that you be able to show it to their technical experts. If it's a quality issue, you might have a chance of getting some of that $1100 back. Warranties don't normally cover worn-out clutches; they are considered normal ``wear and tear'' items, along with brake linings, filters and tyres, etc.