NHTSA Complaint #10787681 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
ENGINE issue reported to NHTSA
Fire
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 10787681 |
| Vehicle | 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA |
| Component | ENGINE |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | 84,000 miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | Yes |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | NY |
Consumer Description
IN AUGUST, 2015 MY ENGINE SEIZED ON MY WHILE DRIVING; THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS NOR ANY WARNING THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THANKFULLY I WAS DRIVING 20 MPH ON A LOCAL RESIDEINTIAL STREET WITH NO CARS BEHIND ME SO I WAS NOT INJURED. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED IF NOT KILLED DUE THE IMMEDIACY OF THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. A LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP INSTALLED A BRAND NEW ENGINE AND THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME. I FOUND OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER RECEIVING MY CAR BACK THAT HYUNDAI WAS PUTTING OUT A RECALL FOR ALL 2011/2012 SONATAS YET I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY PAPERWORK. ON OCTOBER 11, 2015 MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE ENGINE SEIZED, I LOST MY BRAKES AND MY ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY I WAS TRAVELLING UP HILL SO THE CAR STOPPED ON ITS OWN WHILE IT SAT THERE AND BURNED AND MORE THANKFULLY, ALL THREE PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR UNHARMED. THE INITIAL INSPECTION CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS AN ENGINE FIRE WHILE FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT IF THERE HAD BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS TO FIND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN, THAT THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME WITH ENGINES SEIZING AS WELL AS CATCHING FIRE. ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 30TH I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BUT WITH NO CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS...JUST A "SIT BACK AND WAIT TO BE CONTACTED WITH A NEXT STEP". I DO NOT FEEL THAT HYUNDAI IS DOING ENOUGH TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS INVOLVED. THE ENGINES SEIZING IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE A POTENTIAL DEATH NOT TO MENTION THE ENGINES CATCHING ON FIRE. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS IN A MORE EXPEDITIOUS FASHION. I AM NOTIFYING EVERY AGENCY POSSIBLE IN HOPES OF AVOIDING ANYONE ELSE FROM EXPERIENCING WHAT I HAVE - TWICE!
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