NHTSA Complaint #10838629 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA THAT MY CAR IS PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN 15V-568. THE ISSUE IS METAL DEBRIS FROM THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND POSSIBLE ENGINE SEIZING. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE WILL EVALUATE THE ENGINE WITH A "SOUND" TEST, ONLY, TAKING ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THIS BEING THE AUTHORIZED METHOD FROM HYUNDAI TO THIS DEALER. I ASSUME THAT NHTSA HAS APPROVED THIS METHOD OF EVALUATION. THIS METHOD OF TESTING WILL ONLY IDENTIFY THOSE ENGINES THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED ENOUGH EXCESS WEAR TO CAUSE UNUSUAL NOISES. THIS DEPENDENT ON MILES DRIVEN WHICH WILL VARY SIGNIFICANTLY AMONG THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES EFFECTED. METAL DEBRIS BLOCKING OIL PASSAGES WILL NOT BE DETECTED BY THIS TEST. CRANKSHAFT AND BEARING DAMAGE DUE TO METAL DEBRIS THAT WILL BE A LONG TERM PROBLEM WILL NOT BE DETECTED BY THIS NOISE TEST. VEHICLES WITH LOW MILEAGE SUCH AS MINE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO CAUSE ANY DETECTABLE NOISES AT THIS TIME. THE PROPER EVALUATION OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WOULD CONSIST OF REMOVING OF THE OIL PAN AND INSPECTING FOR DEBRIS, DISASSEMBLY OF THE OIL PUMP FOR INSPECTION, REMOVAL OF ALL CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS AND INSPECTION FOR METAL DEBRIS OR PREMATURE WEAR. THIS PROCESS WOULD PROVIDE A MORE REASONABLE ASSURANCE THAT A FUTURE ENGINE SEIZURE WOULD NOT OCCUR. THIS PROBLEM REPRESENTS SAFETY UNCERTAINTY UNLESS PROPERLY EVALUATED, WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE IS BEING DONE PER YOUR APPROVAL TO THIS MANUFACTURER. IF POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF YOUR WRITTEN APPROVAL TO THIS MANUFACTURER TO USE THE SOUND TEST FOR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. I AM AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER AT ANY TIME [XXX] THANK YOU INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).? *TR