NHTSA Complaint #11190198 — 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR ON ITS OWN AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS STILL UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. POHANKA HYUNDAI (1770 RITCHIE STATION COURT, CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD 20743, (240) 788-4240) DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER INITIALLY FOUND CODES RELATED TO THE ABS SPEED SENSOR AND STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE ABS MODULAR WAS ACTIVATING ON ITS OWN, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $2,900 AND THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY; HOWEVER, THEY OFFERED TO COVER A PART OF THE LABOR COSTS. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR OVER A MONTH AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ALL THE REPAIRS AND CONCLUDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE CONTACT'S MOTHER PASSED AWAY; THEREFORE, THE ORIGINAL POWER TRAIN WARRANTY WAS VOIDED. THE MANUFACTURER CALLED THE DEALER AND OFFERED TO CONTRIBUTE $630 TOWARDS THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.