NHTSA Complaint #11476627 — 2022 HYUNDAI SANTA FE PLUG-IN HYBRID

Car's power steering has suddenly stopped working twice while I was driving. -- First time occurred on 7/24/2022. I was driving approximately 30 mph at the time. I was able to retain control of car and safely park. When steering stopped working, steering light illuminated red. I also got warnings about lane-keeping assist and blind spot detection features. According to Hyundai customer portal, car recorded the following DTCs (diagnostic trouble codes): -- * C168886 (System: CHASSIS; Sub-System: LKAS) * C240162 (System: CHASSIS; Sub-System: EPS) -- After I turned car off and back on twice, warnings cleared and power steering started working again. -- I had car transported to nearest dealership. -- Dealership's service department investigated and indicated the following: -- SCANNED SYSTEM FOR CODES FOUND HISTORY CODES C240162 MOTOR CIRUIT C16886 MDPS C168881 MDPS SIGNAL C168808 MDPS SIGNAL HISTORY. -- Their corrective action was as follows: -- CHECKED GROUND CONNECTION FOR MDPS. GOOD. FOUND LOOSE CONNECTION AT DRIVER'S LEFT FOOT KICK PANEL LOOSE. CLEARED CODES AND TEST DROVE VEHICLE 3 MILES OPERATING NORMALLY -- However, when I picked up car on 7/29/2022, immediately after exiting dealership's parking lot (while driving at low speed), power steering suddenly stopped working a second time. There were similar warnings (probably about lane-keeping assist and blind spot detection features again), but Hyundai customer portal shows no DTCs this time. -- I returned car to dealership's service department for them to investigate further. -- Sidebar: A coolant line in car's engine compartment was replaced in June 2022 due to rodent damage. When dealership was first looking at this steering issue, I reminded them of that occurrence and requested that they consider possible rodent damage to electrical system as a cause of the steering issue. They did not notice any such damage.