NHTSA Complaint #11209309 — 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE STARTED THE INFAMOUS 'TICKING OR KNOCKING' SOUND IN JANUARY THIS YEAR WHEN IT WAS VERY COLD. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO AWAY AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP BUT IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE WITH TIME. THE TICKING SOUND BECAME VERY LOUD AND ANNOYING. I TOOK IT TO COUPLE OF RELIABLE MECHANICS TO TAKE A LOOK AND GET AN IDEA OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THEY BOTH TOLD ME SEPARATELY THAT ONE OF THE PISTONS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IN ORDER TO FIX THIS ISSUE I HAVE TO HAVE MY ENGINE REPLACED.I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A 'KNOWN ISSUE' WITH ELANTRAS 2012-16. ANYWAYS I TOOK IT TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP HERE IN CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND FINALLY TOLD ME THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WILL COST ME $8000 TO PUT A NEW ENGINE AND ABOUT $4000 OR SO TO REPLACE WITH USED ENGINE. THIS IS SHOCKING GIVEN THAT HYUNDAI IS WELL AWARE OF THE FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TICKING PROBLEM YET THERE IS NO RECALL !!!