NHTSA Complaint #11375663 — 2013 HYUNDAI TUCSON

ON 10/20/20, LEAVING THE PARKING GARAGE AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT I THOUGHT I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT AS I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW TO LISTEN, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. I CHECKED THE DASH FOR WARNING LIGHTS; THERE WERE NONE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ALSO NORMAL, SO I CONTINUED HOME. ABOUT 10 MIN. LATER, DRIVING SOUTH ON I-5 WHILE IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AT 70 MPH, MY 2013 HYUNDAI TUCSON LIMITED EXPERIENCED A MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE, MANIFESTING WITH A TERRIBLE METAL CRASHING SOUND AND SHAKING. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY CROSS TWO LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC, HAZARDS FLASH, TAKING THE EXIT THAT WAS FORTUNATELY RIGHT THERE ON THE IMMEDIATE RIGHT. I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT TO THE NEXT EXIT 1 MILE AWAY. BY THE TIME I REACHED THE END OF THE RAMP AND PULLED INTO THE EMERGENCY PARKING, THE ENGINE WAS BARELY SPUTTERING, THE CAR BARELY ROLLING. NEXT DAY, UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALER, THEY SAID METAL DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE, SAME BEARING ISSUE AS THE OTHER ENGINE FAILURES THAT WERE RECALLED EARLIER (SANTA FE MODELS, SONATAS, ELANTRAS, AND OTHER TUCSONS). MY MODEL AND TRIM PACKAGE ISN'T PART OF THE RECALL YET. ONE MONTH PRIOR, THE DEALER HAD DONE A SAFETY INSPECTION AND $1,000 OF WORK REPLACING THE DRIVE BELT, HOSES, AND THERMOSTAT GASKET SO THAT I WOULDN'T LOSE THE ENGINE, AS I WAS TOLD BACK THEN. SINCE I STILL LOST THE ENGINE ONLY ONE MONTH LATER AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND BECAUSE MY MILEAGE WAS OVER WARRANTY AT APPROX134K, THE DEALERSHIP SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO HYUNDAI FOR GOODWILL AND RENTAL CAR ASSISTANCE ON MY BEHALF. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO PAY 75% AND PROVIDE RENTAL CAR ASSISTANCE IF PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. IT WAS 3 WEEKS TO ORDER PARTS AND COMPLETE REPAIRS. NO RENTAL CAR ASSISTANCE. I PICK UP THE CAR TODAY. MY PORTION OF THE COST IS MORE THAN $2200. IF THE 2013 TUCSON LIMITED IS ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST, WILL I BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT?