NHTSA Complaint #10240126 — 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA

ON AUGUST 25TH, 2007, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING HOME ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY. THERE WAS QUITE SOME TRAFFIC (STOP-AND-GO KIND OF THING) SO WE WEREN'T AT A HIGH SPEED. WHEN THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME HAD TO STOP SHORT, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, AND THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL OF MY CAR SUNK, AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE LIKE METAL SCRATCHING AGAINST THE PAVEMENT . AFTER I FINALLY MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT GETTING HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER, AND CHECKING TO SEE IF MY WIFE WAS OK, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR JUST TO FIND OUT THAT MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS IN AN ALMOST HORIZONTAL POSITION. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP, MY MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT THE AXLE AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE BECAUSE THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, AND THEREFORE THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR THE AXLE AND THE CONTROL ARM TO SUSTAIN THE WEIGHT AND PRESSURE OF THE SUDDEN STOP. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I BELIEVE THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN INJURED, OR TO CAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE AN INJURY. THE REPAIRS WERE COSTLY, BUT I HAD TO DO IT. I NEED THE CAR TO WORK, AND WE LIVE IN A PLACE WERE THE CAR IS AN EVERYDAY NECESSITY. THE CRADLE FOR THIS VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED COMPLETELY AT A COST OF $2,897.22. WE ALSO INCURRED THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES DUE TO THE CRADLE FAILING WHILE WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY ON AUGUST 25TH, 2007: TOWING CHARGE OF $168.37, CAR RENTAL CHARGES OF $164.53. A WRITTEN ESTIMATE FROM A LOCAL BODY SHOP FOR $996.59 SHOULD BE ADDED TO COVER THE BODY DAMAGE SUSTAINED WHEN THE RIGHT SIDE AXLE AND RIGHT SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKED, CAUSING THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE WHEEL TO BEND THE RIGHT SIDE BUMPER COVER. MY MECHANIC KEPT THE OLD CRADLE UP TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WHEN AFTER DEALING WITH THE LOCAL DMV OFFICE AND EXPLAINING THE SITUATION THEY INFORMED US THAT "A DMV JUDGE WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THIS CASE". I DO STILL HAVE PICTURES OF THE RUSTED CRADLE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE FIST-SIZED HOLES IN IT. *TR