NHTSA Complaint #11394368 — 2008 HYUNDAI ENTOURAGE

I WAS TAKING MY FAMILY FOR SHOPPING, AND AFTER MY KIDS (5 KIDS) WERE SEATED IN THE CAR AND MAKING SURE THE SEAT BELTS WAS WORN. I WALKED TO THE DRIVER DOOR TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE TO THE DESTINATION; A THICK WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE HOOD EVEN THOUGH THE CAR'S ENGINE WAS STILL OFF! I WAS SHOCKED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FIRST! SHOULD I SAFE MY FAMILY AND HELP THE KIDS TO RUN OUT OF THE CAR OR CHECK THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE! SINCE I AM AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH CARS, I KNEW THE PROBLEM WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND IF I UNPLUG THE BATTERY THIS SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM FASTER! WITH A LOT OF SMOKE, I WAS ABLE TO UNPLUG THE CABLES OF THE BATTERY. THEN, I DID HELP MY KIDS TO GET OUT OF THE VAN' THEY WERE VERY SCARED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO HELP! I CHECKED ON THE CAR AND I DID FIND THE SMOKE WAS LESS AND AFTER COUPLE MINUTES STOPPED COMPLETELY. SITUATION COULD BE WORSE THAN THAT, THE VAN WAS FULL OF GAS PARKED IN MIDDLE OF OTHER 4 CARS, 15 FT FROM OUR HOMES. I DID SEE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) MODULE WAS BURNED-OUT! I DID ORDER A USED ABS MODULE FROM EBAY (SEE ATTACHED FILE) AND REPLACED THE OLD ONE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT WORK! MANY LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD APPEARED (BREAK, ABS, ENGINE) AND LOST SOME FUNCTIONS OF THE DRIVING LIKE CRUISE AND SMOOTH ENGINE SOUND! AFTER VISITING MANY LOCAL REPAIRERS, I DID CALL THE LOCAL DEALER AND ASKED FOR NEW MODULE AND GOT QUOTE ON NEW ABS MODULE (PART ONLY COSTS ABOUT $2500). AFTER ABOUT A MONTH FROM THE ACCIDENT DAY, I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM HYUNDAI COMPANY IN USA WITH TWO RECALLS IN WHICH ONE OF THEM SAID ABS MODULE MAY SHORT CIRCUIT AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITHIN THE ABS MODULE MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN INJURY. CONTACTED THE COMPANY BUT THEY DID NOT SOLVE MY PROBLEMS.