NHTSA Complaint #11206172 — 2015 HYUNDAI EQUUS

MAY 4TH 2019 VEHICLE FOUND DEAD AND WOULD NOT START. NO SIGNS OF ANY BATTERY ISSUES IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED DIRECTLY TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT EMPIRE HYUNDAI LOCATED IN FALL RIVER, MA. VEHICLE CONFIRMED BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TURN OVER, HOWEVER NO LIGHTS OR CLOCK AND NO POWER. THEN ALL WENT DEAD FOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THE ONGOING ELECTRICAL ISSUE, AND THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. THE SOLUTION THAT WAS PROVIDED WAS TO INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT BATTERY. WHEN THE BATTERY WAS INSTALLED, THE 'ISSUE' SEEMED TO GO AWAY. THIS IS A RE-OCCURRING ISSUE RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS, AND THAT IT IS UNLIKELY THAT REPLACING BATTERY IS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. EMPIRE'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS DOCUMENTED THE ONGOING ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS THE CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN NUMEROUS TIMES USUALLY 'SHUTTING OFF 'AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH THE WHEELS LOCKING UP. (5 TIMES). WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A GROUND ISSUE AND A 'NEW GROUND BOLT WAS INSTALLED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO 'SHUT OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 'AND THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL AS LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING OCCURS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND IS DANGEROUS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER CARS OR OBJECTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS IS CLEARLY RELATED TO THE WIRING HARNESS\GROUND BOLT AND THE FAILURE MODE IS SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED DURING OPERATION . COMMUNICATED WE DID NOT FEEL SAFE CONTINUING TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS ISSUE UNRESOLVED. CASE # 15744270 W/ HYUNDAI COMPLAINT DEPT. ATTN: THERE ARE PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS IN NHTSB DATABASE FROM OTHER EQUUS USERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF POWER WHILE VEHICLE IS UNDER OPERATION. THE RISK WITH THIS FAILURE MODE IS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH AND SHOULD BE ASSIGNED YOUR HIGHEST SEVERITY RISK RATING.