NHTSA Complaint #10733166 — 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN THE CAR SEIZED AND INITIALLY APPEARED TO LOSE POWER. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT OCCURRING AND THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATORS OF ANY PROBLEMS SUCH AS SMOKE, A SMELL, OR ANY LEAKS ON THE GROUND WHEN DRIVING OR PARKED. AFTER PULLING THE CAR OVER AND OPENING THE HOOD EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE FINE. WE WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE NEXT DAY THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND STATED THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME SORT OF UNKNOWN DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO COMPLETELY DRAIN OF OIL. OIL COVERED THE ENTIRE AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDERNEATH THE CASING. THE MECHANICS AT THE SHOP WERE UNABLE TO GET THE ENGINE TO TURN AT ALL. THE VEHICLE JUST HAD A FULL SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 4/24/2015 INCLUDING: OIL & FILTER CHANGE, FUEL INDUCTION SERVICE, REPLACE ENGINE AIR FILTER, REPLACE CABIN AIR FILTER, ROTATE TIRES, CHECK BRAKES, CHECK EXHAUST, SUSPENSION, BELTS, AND HOSES, TOP OFF ALL FLUIDS, AND MULTI-POINT INSPECTION. AT THAT TIME THE CAR WAS NOTED IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION AND NO ISSUES WERE ANNOTATED. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR THE ENGINE IS BETWEEN $9,000 AND $10,000, BUT THE REPAIR SHOP HASN'T FULLY ASSESSED THE DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS SHOULD BE UNDER THE EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, BUT I'M CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE CLAIMS PROCESS TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS. A QUICK SEARCH BRINGS UP A MULTITUDE OF SIMILAR CASES FOR HYUNDAI SONATAS REFERRING TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WITH NEAR IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANCES TO WHAT I EXPERIENCED.