NHTSA Complaint #10490185 — 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

THE NUT THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE REAR LIFT GATE STRUTS TO THE BODY OF THE CAR CAME LOOSE AND WE BELIEVE DROPPED DOWN BEHIND THE BODY LINER AND POSSIBLY ONE OF THE REAR AIR BAGS. ANYWAY, THIS ALLOWED THE REAR LIFT GATE TO DROP AS IT WAS ONLY NOW BEING HELD UP BY ONE STRUT. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WOULD REQUIRE REMOVING THE BODY LINER AND AIR BAG TO GET INTO WHERE THE NUT "MAY" HAVE DROPPED TO IN ORDER TO SECURE IT AND RE-ATTACH IT TO THE BODY OF CAR, AT A COST OF $600. SINCE OUR CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY HYUNDAI DID NOT FEEL THEY SHOULD PAY FOR IT, WE CONTENT THAT THIS WAS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE, WEAR OR TEAR ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH BY THE WAY IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY NEVER SAW THE VEHICLE AND THEY NEVER WROTE ANY SERVICE REPORT ON IT. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FIRST BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD GET INTO THE AREA AND DID NOT WANT TO TRY WORKING AROUND THE AIR BAG. HYUNDAI HAS ESTABLISHED A CASE # 4999075, AND AFTER OUR INITIAL E-MAILS, WE CALLED THEM AND THEY WERE TO GET BACK TO US WITH FURTHER UPDATE, BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANOTHER WORD FROM THEM AND OUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THEM WAS ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AGO. WE JUST TODAY SENT ANOTHER E-MAIL TO THEIR CUSTOMER CONNECT CENTER TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET SOME RESOLUTION FROM THEM, AT NO COST TO US AS CONSUMERS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND IT IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD, THE LIFT GATE WILL NOT STAY UP WITH ONLY ONE STRUT AND WE MUST USE A PIECE OF LUMBER TO HOLD THE LIFT GATE UP SO WE CAN USE THE REAR STORAGE AREA. ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS FOR THAT PIECE OF WOOD TO FALL OUT AND DOWN WOULD COME THE GATE WITH SOME FORCE, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER FEASIBLE WAY TO REPAIR THE STRUCTURE WITHOUT A SIZEABLE EXPENSE ON OUR PART WHICH WE DO NOT FEEL IS JUSTIFIED. *TR