--- title: "Hyundai Steps In To Help Elantra N Owner Ticketed for Loud Stock Exhaust: Report" description: "A Hyundai Elantra N owner was ticketed for too loud of an exhaust but the car was stock. Now, Hyundai is reportedly stepping in to help." date: "2022-12-18" modified: "2022-12-18" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/hyundai-steps-in-to-help-elantra-n-owner-ticketed-for-loud-stock-exhaust-report" categories: - "Hyundai News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # Hyundai Steps In To Help Elantra N Owner Ticketed for Loud Stock Exhaust: Report ![]() Back in October, a [Hyundai]() Elantra N owner in California was pulled over by a cop claiming the car was "backfiring." What the cop was hearing was the exhaust system's burble tune, which the car makes from the factory. When the driver mentioned that, the cop immediately became combative, saying "You're gonna to spend about $7,000 on this car right now" to have its "track" equipment removed. The cop also said that the driver's registration would be suspended. Now, it's being reported that Hyundai North America is stepping in to help the driver prove that there was nothing illegal about the noises the car made. The driver posted a dashcam video of the interaction with the officer on *Reddit* and you can hear how quickly the conversation goes south. The cop asked the driver if the car was in a "track mode" and the driver said yes (although it's called "N" mode). Although its N mode comes from the factory, the cop said that dealerships are supposed to explain that such modes aren't legal to use on the road. After the incident, the owner took the car to California state inspection, where it actually failed the noise test. According to the owner, the pops and bangs hit 102 decibels, well over the 95 decibel legal limit. After the inspection, the owner took the car to a Hyundai dealership, where they recommended fitting a muffler silencer temporarily, to pass inspection. It seemed that the owner was looking to sell the Elantra N, and even got an offer from Carvana, but that no longer seems to be the case. ![]() According to the driver, who goes by *OkCandidate103* on *Reddit*, about a month ago Hyundai picked up the car, brought it to the HATCI (Hyundai American Technical Center Inc.), and provided a hybrid loaner to drive around in the meantime. The owner is still currently in the hybrid loaner, while continuing to make payments on the Elantra N, so Hyundai is giving them $500 as compensation, although that won't cover the Elantra N's monthly payments for the entirety of this dilemma. However, Hyundai did apparently tell them weeks ago that there's nothing wrong with the car. *OkCandidate103* hired an attorney and has a court date scheduled for February 23. While there may be an end in sight, that means they still have to make at least two more monthly payments to not drive their Elantra N. The owner will make one last Reddit update when the situation is resolved. *We've reached out to Hyundai for a quote and we will update this story when we hear back.* https://youtu.be/_45rMWR4bcE *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()