NHTSA Complaint #11120235 — 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, 180K MILES, 2ND OWNER. CUSTOMER STATES: FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL TANK ONTO GROUND; SAFETY CONCERN & FIRE HAZARD. UNABLE TO PARK IN GARAGE/DRIVEWAY. FUEL LIGHT ON; LOW FUEL LEVEL. FILLED WITH $7.00 IN GAS ($2.70/GAL). AFTER FUELING, FUEL GAUGE HASN'T MOVED. ADDED MORE FUEL & SET GAS STATION FUEL NOZZLE TO AUTO STOP WHEN FULL. GAUGE SAYS 3/4 TANK (NORMALLY WOULD READ FULL TANK).THEN DROVE 12 MILES NO ISSUES. PARKED ON RESIDENTIAL STREET FOR 1-2 DAYS. SEARCHED ONLINE FOUND 'WARRANTY EXTENSION' ON FUEL TANK. DRIVING TO CERTIFIED HYUNDAI DEALER, 15 MILES AWAY. DROVE 5 MILES ON INTERSTATE, LOSING POWER. PULLED OFF AT NEAREST EXIT, DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, OVER INTERSTATE BRIDGE. OIL, BATTERY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ETC. ON. CARS BEHIND ME MAD, HONKING, RUSH HOUR. GOT IT STARTED, NOWHERE SAFE TO PULL OVER, LANE IEADS ME TO INTERSTATE, NOW HEADED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOWARDS HOME. LOST POWER, DIED AGAIN, <1 MILE FROM HOME ON EXIT RAMP. LET SIT 4-5 HRS. DARK;11PM. RESTARTED, DROVE FEW FEET, DIED. DARK OUTSIDE. PUT IN NEUTRAL, ROLL BACKWARDS, STEER ONTO SHOULDER FOR SAFETY. DOT/SHERIFF TAGGED CAR NEXT A.M. CALLED HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS & WAS ADVISED TO TOW TO DEALER. I DID. HYUNDAI STATING OUTSIDE OF MILAGE ALLOWANCE & NOT COVERED. WHY IS THIS NOT A SAFETY RECALL? THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD! EVEN WHEN PARKED! FUEL LEAKS/ISSUES PUT THE PUBLIC AT RISK! NOT SAFE PARKING IN MY GARAGE/DRIVEWAY, PUBLIC/RESIDENTIAL STREETS, NEIGHBORHOODS, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES/RETAIL PROPERTIES, LET ALONE DRIVING. WHAT IF A CIGARETTE IS TOSSED BY A PASSERBY, ROLLS UNDER A LEAKING FUEL TANK & LEADS TO FIRE, DAMAGES, INJURIES AND/OR DEATH(S) TO THOSE IN/AROUND VEHICLE? THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY! IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD! MILEAGE SHOULDN'T MATTER (SEE LEXUS RECALL, JUNE 2018; CBS NEWS). CUST=SINGLE MOM & FT COLLEGE STUDENT=THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. PLEASE ADVISE.