NHTSA Complaint #11191341 — 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

I HAD JUST MERGED ONTO THE INTERSTATE I-90 AT RUSH HOUR, AT ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE STEERING FROZE AND THE CAR TOTALLY STOPPED. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT & MAINTAINED IT REGULARLY. THEIR MECHANICS CHECKED IT OUT. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS THE BEARING MATERIAL WENT FIRST, CAUSING A SEIZED CRANKSHAFT. NEED A NEW ENGINE AT 105,000 MILES !!! DEALER COST OF NEW ENGINE WAS STATED AT $8000. THEY ALSO GAVE ME THE ALTERNATIVE OF BUYING A USED ENGINE FOR $6000 BUT ONLY WITH A 3 YR WARRANTY. AT MY NORMAL USAGE, ASSUMING I CONTINUE TO DRIVE ABOUT 17,500 MI/YEAR, IT WILL COST ME $8000 PLUS REGULAR MAINTENANCE TO GET ANOTHER 52,500 MILES OUT OF THIS CAR. THIS IS A TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT HANDLING IN A PRO-ACTIVE MANNER. AT LEAST HYUNDAI COULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR MY CAR TO ALLOW THIS FIX TO BE DONE AT NO COST TO ME. THEY OBVIOUSLY KEPT THE SCOPE OF THEIR RECALL TOO NARROW BECAUSE PAGES AND PAGES OF COMPLAINTS EXIST ON NHTSA WEBSITE ARE DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAD. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.