NHTSA Complaint #11509079 — 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA

My 2016 Hyundai Sonata (sport) with the 2.4 GDI theta II seized on me WHILE DRIVING down the interstate on April 14, 2022, no engine light, no warnings, nothing. It was extremely dangerous & also very scary. The car did this at 135,000 miles. I had my Sonata towed to a Hyundai service center after this happened. They did a diagnosis, confirming it needs an engine replacement due to connecting rod bearing failure. They sent in a Prior Approval request to Hyundai and Hyundai DENIED the engine replacement, due to not having Campaign 953 (knock sensor detection software) completed prior to bearing failure. (EVEN WITH having this sensor update done, it would NOT prevent the motor from failing, just tell you when it happened.) That software update wasn't going to save my engine, it was only designed so Hyundai had a LOOPHOLE to deny as many engine replacements as possible and not process these warranties the right and ethical way. They put a faulty engine in my car and it seized and failed at NO fault of my own. But the fault of Hyundai for allowing these vehicles with bad engines to be sold to innocent people who had no idea these engines were made to fail. Hyundai knew the Theta 2 engines were going to fail and STILL allowed these vehicles to be sold and NOT RECALLED knowing the dangers. That is wrong and unethical. It is crucial that these vehicles be RECALLED. Any engine liable to seize while driving 70+ mph on the interstate warrants a RECALL. They needed to be recalled long ago, but instead Hyundai created a loophole by issuing Campaign 953 (knock sensor detection software). It never fixed these dangerous, faulty engines. It's only put more people at risk by not issuing a RECALL on all THETA 2 engines.