NHTSA Complaint #10508581 — 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA

HAD JUST HAD MY CAR SMOG CHECKED, OIL CHECKED, TIRES ROTATED AND BEGAN MY DRIVE FROM SAN DIEGO CA. TO SAN ANTONIO TX. I GET TO OZONA TX I HEAR A CLINKING IN MY ENGINE. I PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR DIES, THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME MY CAR IS TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN SAN ANGELO THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, AND THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS LOW ON OIL AND THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE AN ENGINE PUT IT IN AT THE TIME, AS IT IS AN EXPENSIVE ENGINE COSTING 5, -$7,000.00. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SAN ANTONIO TX WHERE BY A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS LOW ON OIL (HAD JUST HAD OIL CHANGED @ HYUNDAI). HE ADDED MORE OIL. THE PEOPLE AT HYUNDAI SAID THEY CHANGED THE OIL AND GOT THE CAR TO UNSEIZE AND TURN ON BUT IT WAS KNOCKING. MY CAR WAS LATER TAKEN TO AM AAMCO, WHERE THE MECHANICS LOOKED AT IT AND FOUND PARTS FALLING OFF IT AS THEY REMOVED THE OIL PAN. THEY CALLED HYUNDAI, BECAUSE ANOTHER CAN JUST LIKE MINE CAME IN THAT DAY WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE PERSON AT HYUNDAI SAID THERE IS NOW A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THE CAR BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN VOLUNTARILY RECALLED AS OF YET, BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE STEPPED FORWARD N FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT. THEY DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE FILTER SOAKS UP THE OIL IN THE ENGINE. IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON IN MY CAR...NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING OR SMOKE OR ANYTHING. WAS RUNNING FINE, AND DIED. IN THIS HORRIFIC PLACE I'VE BEEN PUT IN, BEING STRANDED IN A SMALL TEXAS TOWN FOR A WEEKEND, THEN ANOTHER, AND HAVING TO PAY FOR RENTAL CARS, TOWING, MULTIPLE MECHANICS, I HAVE LEARNED ALOT ABOUT THE CAR. THE ENGINE (ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI)IS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MAKE VERY MANY. IT COSTS MORE THAN THE V-6!! MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS, ITS ALL OVER MESSAGE BOARDS ONLINE AND KNOWN AMONG THE SALVAGE YARDS, MACHINISTS ETC. *TR