NHTSA Complaint #10106327 — 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA

I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. LESS THAN 4000 MILES AGO, I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP TO CORRECT A "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CONDITION, WHICH WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT AT THE MILEAGE THE CAR WAS AT I NEEDED ROUTINE SERVICE ON THE TRANSMISSION UNDER TERMS OF THE WARRANTY. THIS WAS DONE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MY SERPENTINE BELT AND SPARK PLUGS WERE DUE TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT REMINDED THAT MY TIMING BELT HAD TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE 60000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD FAILED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND THAT SINCE I NOW HAD 60255 MILES ON THE CAR, AND HAD NOT HAD THE TIMING BELT REPLACED, THE 100000 MILE WARRANTY WAS VOID AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY DAMAGE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR WAS MORE THAN $5000 AND HYUNDAI WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THAT COST. HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AFTER ONE WEEK, STILL HAS NOT ANSWERED MY PHONE CALLS. *JB