NHTSA Complaint #11170649 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

2012 2.0T LIMITED WITH 95K. 12-18-18, WHILE DRIVING FROM AUSTIN TO HOUSTON TX VEHICLE LOSES ACCELERATION ON THE HIGHWAY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, ALONG WITH THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE LIGHT (WHICH COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND DEALERSHIP YET TO DEFINE PROBLEM), AND ABRUPTLY GOES FROM 75 TO 0 MPH. VEHICLE WILL NOT RESPOND TO ANY ACCELERATION AND I HAVE TO FIND A WAY FROM THE FREEWAY TO FEEDER WITHOUT POWER. INOPERABLE. LIMPED THREE MILES WITH POLICE ESCORT. CAR TOWED. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. I MAKE THEM KEEP VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE. THEY GET A CODE ERROR AND CHANGE OUT THE ECM FOR A MERE $1400. MEANWHILE, I MUST FIND TRANSPORTATION IN A CITY I DO NOT LIVE AND RENT A CAR FOR A WEEK. RETRIEVED VEHICLE. 2 WEEKS LATER, TRAVELING TO HOUSTON ON 12-26, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE; SPITTING, FEELS LIKE NO GAS GETTING TO ENGINE, HEAVY SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE. CHRISTMAS EVE, NO PLACE TO STOP. BARELY MAKE IT TO HOUSTON. INOPERABLE. CAR GOES TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IN HOUSTON. AGAIN, WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION IN A CITY I DO NOT LIVE IN. FAULTY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. CARBON BUILDUP. ANOTHER $1100. PRIOR TO THAT, MARCH 2017, ENGINE FAILURE TRAVELLING TO HOUSTON. KNOCKING NOISE. WONT GO. INOPERABLE (LUCKILY, THIS ONE I MADE IT TO A FULL STOP). CAR TOWED. WAITED THREE MONTHS FOR A NEW ENGINE (NOT IN MY HOMETOWN). HAD TO TRAVEL TO PICK UP VEHICLE. (CAR HAD BEEN INSPECTED BY HOMETOWN DEALERSHIP SPECIFICALLY FOR METAL DEBRIS AND IT DID NOT GET FLAGGED FOR REPLACEMENT). DIRECTLY AFTER THAT, WHILE DRIVING IN AUSTIN. VEHICLE STOPS IN MAJOR INTERSECTION. INOPERABLE. TOWED. DEGRADED BATTERY CABLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SAT FOR THREE MONTHS WHILE WAITING FOR AN ENGINE. THE ONLY WARRANTY WAS THE ENGINE. CAN YOU SAY LEMON? THE ONLY SAVING GRACE IS THAT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY WERE NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN OUR VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY.