NHTSA Complaint #11170520 — 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON

PURCHASED CAR USED ON 10/24/18. "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE" OCCURRED 53 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. ENTERING HIGHWAY, ACCELERATED ABOVE 45MPH, HAD TROUBLE CHANGING SHIFTS (AUTOMATIC), "SPUTTERING" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AND COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE, ENGINE CUT OFF SUDDENLY, ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO COAST SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER. WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN ENGINE BACK ON. TOOK TO AUTO SHOP - WAS FIRST TOLD IT WAS A BAD STARTER, STARTER WAS REPLACED BUT STILL NOT FIXED. NEXT DIAGNOSIS: IT WAS A BAD BATTERY, BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT STILL NOT FIXED. NEXT DIAGNOSIS: BAD WIRING FROM BATTERY TO STARTER BUT STILL NOT FIXED. MORE INVESTIGATING BY AUTO SHOP AND REPORTED THAT TIMING CHAIN WAS PRESUMED BROKEN AND CAUSED ENGINE TO "LOCK UP". "ENGINE REBUILD" NOT RECOMMENDED, BUT 2.4L ENGINES ARE NO LONGER MANUFACTURED, THE ONLY OPTION IS TO GET A USED ONE. MY MILEAGE WAS 86,722 AT TIME OF INCIDENT.