NHTSA Complaint #10683682 — 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 2/14/15 AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. AS I SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, MY CAR DIED. I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO MAKE IT OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THAT MY STARTER HAD GONE BAD ON 2/14/15. I WAITED TO HEAR BACK ON MONDAY, 2/16/15 THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE STARTER, BUT INSTEAD THEY CALLED AND STATED THAT MY ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP AND I WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE FOR $5600 (INCLUDING LABOR). I MADE REGULAR OIL CHANGES (I WAS NOT EXACTLY 8,000 MILES FOR EVERY OIL CHANGE THOUGH), I COMPLETED ALL RECALL REQUIREMENTS, I HAD MY OIL PAN REPLACED DEC 2013, I HAD THE CAR LOOKED OVER 100% DEC 2013 AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE IN GREAT WORKING CONDITION, & MY ENGINE ACTUALLY TURNED OVER WHEN IT DIED ON 2/14/15, SO THE STARTER MADE SENSE. I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND IT APPEARS THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR ~ 30 INCIDENTS WHERE THE HYUNDAI ENGINE SEIZED ON THIS YEAR, MAKE, & MODEL. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ENGINE THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH NOW, WHEN AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT SEIZE UP AFTER ONLY 120,000 MILES WHEN TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. THE FACT THAT IT STOPPED WHILE I WAS STILL DRIVING IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A WRECK. I BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINES ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO SAFETY REASONS. *TR