NHTSA Complaint #10638436 — 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA

CHROME PLATED INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE BEGAN PEELING, LEAVING VERY SHARP EDGES, WHICH CUT MY FINGER. WE COVERED THE HANDLE WITH TAPE TO PROTECT FROM FUTURE CUTS. I LOOKED FOR A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS PART AND FOUND ONE AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR MYSELF. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT HYUNDAI. I DID NOTHING SINCE I COULDN'T AFFORD THE REPAIR. IN THE PAST 9 MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN THE PASSENGER MORE OFTEN THAN BEFORE AND NOW THE INTERIOR HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS SAME PROBLEM-PEELING OFF, LEAVING SHARP EDGES. ONCE AGAIN I NICKED MY FINGER ON IT. RECENTLY HAD A REPAIR DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THE ADVISER ABOUT THE PROBLEM HE SAID HE HAD NO RECORD OF A RECALL. I FOUND THE RECALL ONLINE & SHOWED HIM. HE SAID I SHOULD CALL HYUNDAI,.I SPOKE TO A REP @ HYUNDAI WHO TOLD ME THAT EVEN THOUGH I MAY HAVE A PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 10/2001, WHICH MEANS I DON'T REALLY HAVE THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL I WAS FURIOUS. THIS IS NOT AN IMAGINARY PROBLEM - I HAVE CUT MY FINGERS TWICE. SHE SAID SHE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE CALL ME BACK TO DISCUS FURTHER & THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THAT WAS ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE RECALL DATE SAYS - MY CAR HAS THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. THE REP ALSO TOLD ME THE RECALL GOES BY THE DATE THE CAR WAS PUT INTO SERVICE, NOT THE DATE MANUFACTURED OF 10/01; SHE SAID THE CAR WAS NOT PUT INTO SERVICE UNTIL 3/03-AFTER THE RECALL DATE.THE RECALL SAYS 1/28/02-3/22/03. ALSO I THE CAR HAD TO BE PUT INTO SERVICE EARLIER THAN 03 BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT ON 10/16/02. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL/CAMPAIGN - WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. BOTH HANDLES ARE PEELING & UNSAFE! WE ARE KEEPING THIS CAR SO IT IS IMPORTANT. JUST BOUGHT A NEW SONATA.TO REPLACE ANOTHER CAR. *TR