NHTSA Complaint #10840005 — 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA

WHILE ON AN OUT-OF-STATE ROAD TRIP, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO PASS ON A FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COAST TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER, WHERE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. AFTER A LONG AND EXPENSIVE TOW HOME, THE LOCAL DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED. HYUNDAI REPLACED THE ENGINE AND TURBOCHARGER FOR FREE UNDER WARRANTY WITH A REBUILT BLOCK AND NEW PISTONS, HEAD, AND TURBO. THEY DIDN'T EVEN QUESTION THE MAINTENANCE OR ASK FOR RECORDS, AND POINTED OUT THAT IT LOOKS VERY CLEAN UNDER THE VALVE COVER AND IN THE OIL PAN. I CHANGE THE OIL WITH SYNTHETIC EVERY 5000 MILES, WHICH PROBABLY HELPED. I WAS PREVIOUSLY PLANNING TO KEEP THIS CAR LONG-TERM, BUT NOW I THINK I MIGHT TRADE IT IN DURING THE COMING MONTHS DUE TO LONGEVITY CONCERNS. THIS SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO PROBLEMS REPORTED FOR 2011 AND 2012 SONATAS, WHICH USE THE SAME THETA II ENGINE.