NHTSA Complaint #10551857 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

WHILE BACKING UP OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A CRASH AND REALIZED THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY REAR BUMPER COVER FELL OFF. THIS WAS COMPLETELY RANDOM, AS I HAVE NEVER BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND AND THERE WERE NO DENTS, SCRATCHES, CRACKS OR OTHER VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER COVER WHEN IT FELL OFF. THE BUMPER AND BUMPER COVER SEEMED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION, BUT THE PLASTIC CLIPS HOLDING THE BUMPER COVER TO MY BUMPER APPEARED SEVERELY DEGRADED AND DAMAGED. WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT, THE MAN WHO TOWED MY TRUCK BROKE OFF THE REMAINING CLIPS THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUMPER. THE NEXT DAY, I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE, AND MY BUMPER AND BUMPER COVER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I WAS SHOCKED, CONSIDERING THE BUMPER FELL OFF, AND BELIEVE THERE IS NO REASON WHY I SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON A COMPLETELY NEW BUMPER AND BUMPER COVER IF JUST THE CLIPS WERE BROKEN. THE SERVICE MANAGER SIMPLY TOLD ME THE CLIPS WERE DAMAGED AND THAT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HE DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER FOR WHEN I ASKED HOW THE CLIPS COULD POSSIBLY BECOME DAMAGED TO THE POINT OF BREAKING, WHEN THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER COVER. HE BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY THAT I HAD BEEN HIT IN A PARKING LOT AND DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, IF THIS WAS THE CASE, I WOULD LIKE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN ENTIRE BUMPER FALLING OFF A VEHICLE. LITTLE FENDER BENDERS AND PARKING LOT ACCIDENTS ARE COMMON, BUMPERS FALLING OFF A CAR ARE NOT. HAVING A BACKGROUND IN POLYMER SCIENCE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE GRADE OF PLASTIC USED TO MANUFACTURE THE CLIPS IS AN APPROPRIATE CHOICE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE, AS I AM SURE MY VEHICLE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN JUST IN THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE EASILY FLOWN INTO A DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD CAUSING A FATALITY. *TR