NHTSA Complaint #10436948 — 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA

MONDAY, 11-07-11, RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE INSIDE INCH OF TREAD AND SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE HAD EXTREME WEAR DOWN TO THE METAL WIRES. THIS CONDITION WAS NOT OBSERVABLE FROM THE FRONT OR SIDE OF THE CAR. THE REMAINING TREAD SHOWED NORMAL WEAR. THE LEFT TIRE SHOWS SOME OF THE SAME ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERN AS THE RIGHT, LEAVING ME TO BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. TUESDAY, 11-09-11, REPLACED FRONT RIGHT TIRE. WEDNESDAY, 11-10-11, SCHEDULED AN ALIGNMENT WITH FIRESTONE COMPLETE AUTO CARE. HOWEVER, AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD BY THEIR MECHANIC THAT THE FRONT RIGHT FRAME WAS CRACKED AND SEPARATING, AND THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. CONTACTED MYRTLE BEACH HYUNDAI (MBH)TO EXPLAIN PROBLEM, AND TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THURSDAY, 11-11-11, MBH CONFIRMED THAT THE FRAME IS CRACKED AND SEPARATING. TOLD US THAT IT WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO US BECAUSE OF A RECALL, AND THAT CURRENTLY THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. HOWEVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT A NEW REPLACEMENT FRAME PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE END OF NEXT WEEK. ALSO, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY ASSOCIATED PARTS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN FRAME, SUCH AS BOLTS, BUSHINGS, AND ETC. IF THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, WE WERE TOLD THAT MBH WOULD NOT PROVIDE US WITH A LOANER VEHICLE DURING THIS RECALL REPAIRS, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. WE ARE ON EXTENDED VACATION AT MYRTLE BEACH, SC AND ONLY HAVE THIS CAR AS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. RENTED A CAR FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR FOR THE WEEK AT $156.99 PLUS TAXES, ETC. IF CAR RENTAL IS NECESSARY LONGER THAN THE WEEK, THE COST IS $29.99 PLUS TAXES, ETC. PER DAY. IN CONCLUSION, THE RECALL REMEDY OF THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SITUATION, AS MAY BE STATED TO BE FREE OR NO CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER, IT IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE RELATED EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE REPAIRS.