NHTSA Complaint #11359828 — 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V934000 (ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SPORT DURST HYUNDAI (4507 DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL BLVD, DURHAM, NC 27707) WHERE HE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. UPON RETURN OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD HEAR AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND FROM ENGINE WITH THE LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHITE SMOKE WOULD ALSO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE KNOCKING WAS DUE TO THE WRONG TYPE OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO USE 89 OCTANE FUEL IN THE VEHICLE INSTEAD OF 87 OCTANE FUEL. THE CONTACT SWITCHED TO 89 OCTANE FUEL HOWEVER, THE KNOCKING WITH THE WHITE SMOKE BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER START-UP. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING THE VEHCILE IN TO BE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 196,000.