NHTSA Complaint #10749313 — 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

WE BEGAN HEARING SOME NOISES FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND AN OIL CHANGE ON WEDNESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK (8/18/2015 WAS OUR APPOINTMENT). ON 8/17/15 THE CAR STARTED LIKE NORMAL, WE GOT BACK ON THE ROAD, AND MY HUSBAND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. IT ACCELERATED TO 15MPH, THEN STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE CAR HAD SHUT OFF. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES CEASED TO WORK, AND WE BARELY MADE IT OFF THE ROAD. WE PUT IT IN PARK, TOOK THE KEY OUT, WAITED FOR A MINUTE, AND TRIED RESTARTING IT. IT WOULD CLICK ONCE, THEN NOTHING. WE TRIED JUMPING IT, NOTHING. WE WERE TOLD IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ALTERNATOR, SO HAD IT TOWED TO A NEARBY AAA SHOP. THE FOLLOWING DAY (MONDAY, 8/17/15) WE RECEIVED A CALL THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. AND UPON CALLING THE DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, FOUND OUT THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE PURCHASED, HAD JUST EXPIRED AT 109K MILES AND WE WERE AT 130K MILES. WE ASKED THE AAA AND THE DEALERSHIP TO CALL AROUND TO GET PRICING ON HOW MUCH AN ENGINE WOULD BE. THEY WERE SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT THE ENGINE FOR THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA IS UNAVAILABLE NATIONWIDE, INDEFINITELY. THIS IS UNHEARD OF AND IS WHAT PROMPTED ME TO SEARCH ONLINE TO CHECK IF A SEIZED ENGINE WAS ONE OF THE MANY PROBLEMS/RECALLS/MISTAKES MADE WITH THIS CAR, AND SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS! I TRULY HOPE THE NHTSA WILL INVESTIGATE AT THE VERY LEAST! AND RECALL THIS CAR!