2002 Hyundai Elantra GLS review from North America

The clutch failed at 21,466 miles.

I received a recall for the rear brake tube and went to the dealership for them to inspect. At the same time I requested that they look for the cause of an intermittent noise coming from the left rear brake. The tech took the car for a drive and the engine quit. The car was towed back to the dealer to determine the problem. Much to my surprise I was told that the clutch was destroyed and that there was no warranty coverage after 12k miles. Having driven standard shift cars for 30 plus years I insisted that there was something wrong. I requested that the factory rep be contacted. He was and said it was probably my driving habits. Hyundai would not cover any of the cost. We're heading for arbitration. Has anyone experienced clutch failure at low mileage? Hyundai seems to think this is normal wear. I should have kept my 86 Mazda 626. It had 256k, got great mileage and had the original clutch. Guess I knew how to drive that one.