NHTSA Complaint #11532438 — 2018 HYUNDAI TUCSON

i was driving on the freeway on Nov 22, 2022 when without warning my car went into limp mode. the engine warning light flashed. this puts the driver (and any passengers) at great risk, as the engine is severely limited in its power output. the car will move, but very slowly and acceleration is weak to non-existent. at highway speeds, this situation could have also impacted anyone behind me who came upon my limp vehicle and could not react in time to my slow speed. it has 60,250 miles on it. i drove home, had an initial diagnosis at a local auto repair shop as follows, "removed the (spark) plug and it is badly damaged with oil in cylinder indicating an internal engine problem". i had the car towed on Dec 7, 2022 to the dealer where i purchased the vehicle. the dealer could not look at the vehicle until Feb 17, 2023 when they diagnosed a burnt valve and the engine would have to be replaced. on Feb 21, 2023 i was told that the replacement was awaiting approval and should only take a day or two. it took until May 19, 2023 to approve the engine replacement under warranty. as of this writing (July15, 2023), i am still waiting my turn at the dealership for the engine to be replaced. it appears that i am not alone in this situation of Hyundai/Kia producing bad engines that prematurely fail and then have to fight for a warranty replacement. i have been almost 8 months without my vehicle.