NHTSA Complaint #10560477 — 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER

THE 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO HAS A TORSION BEAM REAR SUSPENSION THAT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE FACTORY 18" WHEELS AND STOCK KUMHO SOLUS TIRES GIVES THE CAR VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OVER BUMPS WHERE THE REAR OF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS "STEPPING OUT." AFTER TALKING TO 5 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS AND HAVING THEM PERFORM VARIOUS ALIGNMENT ATTEMPTS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR ROAD FORCE BALANCING TO IMPROVE THE PROBLEM, IT WAS STILL NOT CORRECTED AND NEARLY RESULTED IN NUMEROUS CRASHES IN THE 1ST YEAR OFF OWNERSHIP. AFTER SO MANY ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE ISSUE AND NOT HAVING IT RESOLVED AND SEEING NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS OF IT ON FORUMS AND OTHER REVIEW SITES, I AM CONVINCED THAT THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO HIDE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. EVEN THE HYUNDAI SERVICE MANAGER WHO MOST RECENTLY DROVE MY CAR SAID "I FELT IT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT." THIS WAS AFTER THE FACTORY TECHNICIAN AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP FELT THE ISSUE AND SAID "IT IS A VERY LIGHT CAR SO IT WILL JUST DO THAT" AND WHEN I REPLIED THAT A SAME YEAR VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WITH THE SAME REAR SUSPENSION DESIGN DID NOTHING OF THE SORT AND EVEN ANOTHER MODEL IN THE HYUNDAI LINE (ELANTRA) DID NOT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, HE DIDN'T REPLY. MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL IS IF A REAR TIRE BECOMES DEFLATED AT ALL ON A SNOWY OR ICY SURFACE. IN MY SITUATION AN LEFT REAR TIRE WENT DOWN A FEW POUNDS AND THE CAR SWERVED MUCH MORE WILDLY THAN MOST OTHER CARS WOULD A LITTLE LOW ON AIR. I WENT A YEAR WITHOUT LETTING ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THE CAR OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS UNTIL I FINALLY PUT WINTER TIRES ON IT IN 2014 IN A 17" SIZE AND FELT AN IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE (SO FAR) WITH BOTH IMPROVED GRIP AND OVER THE ROAD/ BUMP RESPONSE. THE FACTORY LOW BEAMS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM ALSO, AGAIN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AT NUMEROUS HYUNDAI DEALER(S) IGNORED. *TR