NHTSA Complaint #10648958 — 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN EXTENSIVELY YEAR ROUND, INCLUDING SNOWY NORTHEAST OHIO WINTERS. ON A SOMEWHAT COLD DAY IN MARCH 2014, MY 2004 SANTA FE SAT OUTSIDE ON A SURFACE LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY 14 HOURS. AS I PULLED MY CAR OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, THE CAR LURCHED TO THE FRONT RIGHT AND CAME TO A HALT. I HAD PULLED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET, HAD TURNED THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, AND JUST BEGAN TO HIT THE GAS TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT MY FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD BLOWN VIOLENTLY. NO ACCIDENTS OCCURED WITH OTHER VEHICLES AND NO INJURIES OCCURED; HOWEVER, SHOULD SOMEONE HAVE BEEN STANDING NEAR THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, SOMEONE MAY HAVE BEEN HURT. WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE THE TIRE, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE SPRING HAD BROKEN AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED ON A FLATBED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. I STILL OWN THE VEHICLE, AND I AM NOW AWARE THAT THIS PART HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE SPRING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AS IT IS CURRENTLY AN ORIGINAL PART. *TR