NHTSA Complaint #11404226 — 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA

RECALL ON VEHICLE. ON MARCH 9, 2021, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A CONCERNING NOISE SO WE IMMEDIATELY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT LOOKED AT BY HATCHETT HYUNDAI. THE SOONEST THEY COULD GET IT IN WAS MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021. HOWEVER, ON THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021, THE ENGINE MADE A TERRIFYING NOISE AND STOPPED DRIVING (ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD) WHICH WE HAVE RECORDED. WE PAID TO HAVE IT TOWED TO HATCHETT HYUNDAI. [XXX] WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE ENGINE AND WHAT IT WAS DOING AND IT WAS IN LINE WITH THE RECALL. ON TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021, OUR SPECIALIST [XXX] CONFIRMED THAT IT IS IN LINE WITH THE RECALL AND IS REQUESTING THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE BLEW WHILE IT WAS BEING LOOKED AT. THE ONLY CONCERN WAS THAT IT HAS A SALVAGE TITLE. I SAID I UNDERSTAND BUT THAT SALVAGE TITLE IS DUE TO COSMETIC DAMAGES AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AND THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AS THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND I HAVE OWNED IT FOR 4 OUT OF THE 5 YEARS AND MAINTAINED IT THE ENTIRE TIME. [XXX] AND [XXX] (THE MANAGER) AGREED AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE WHY IT WOULD GET DENIED AND AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS WAS ON MARCH 19, 2021 WHEN I SPOKE TO [XXX] AND [XXX] BOTH. [XXX] ALSO SPOKE WITH [XXX] ON MARCH 19, 2021 IN GREATER DETAIL. ON MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 AT 8:56 A.M. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM [XXX] APOLOGIZING AND SAYING THAT THEY DENIED THE REQUEST. I SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM WAITING FOR A CALL FROM THE ESCALATIONS TEAM. THIS IS NOT OK. THE ENGINE SHOULD BE REPLACED WHICH THE TECHNICIANS AGREE AND SAID THEMSELVES. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).