Hyundai Elantra Gearbox & Transmission Problems

It’s not likely to be a safety concern; you can still drive the car, as you normally would no matter what mode it’s in. The differences in the modes usually comes down to shift points. In ECO it will shift at lower revs than when in NORM, and at higher revs when in SPORT. Hyundai has informed you that a fix is coming, so I would suggest you do as they have said, and wait.

The Focus is a good car with a serious flaw; it has a dual-clutch automatic transmission that gives trouble. I would happily have a 2012 Focus with a manual gearbox, but I wouldn't buy one with a dual-clutch auto. I'd be looking at a Japanese or Korean brand and going for something like a Mazda 3, Honda Civic or Accord, Hyundai Elantra with a good record of reliability.

No, I don't, but I don't know how he could know that non-genuine fluid was used when last serviced. That said, auto transmissions do wear out and often need rebuilding. The cost would seem to be reasonable. It's certainly not a normal warranty issue.
 

You're right, what the dealer told you is ridiculous. Your description of a car that struggles to reverse up a slight incline suggests a mismatch of engine and gearing, the engine it seems doesn't have enough torque to handle the gearing of the Elantra, and the clutch then becomes the weakest link and the only thing it can do in the circumstances is slip. A slipping clutch is one that wears out quickly.
 

We haven't had any significant reports of premature clutch wear on the Elantra, but it is an issue that seems to be creeping into the car business generally. We have had numerous reports of premature clutch wear on a number of makes and models, such that it could be concluded that carmakers are cutting back on clutches in order to save money. Two clutches in less than 50,000 km is not fair wear and tear, and I would be having Hyundai or its dealer show me the worn parts and justify to me that it isn't a component problem and their responsibility.

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.