NHTSA Complaint #11568316 — 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

On [XXX], I was driving southbound on the highway near Elizabeth City, NC when all of a sudden, my vehicle decelerated from 65 mph to 20 mph (limp mode) with no warning except for the sudden onset of a knocking noise in the engine compartment and the check engine light coming on immediately before entering limp mode. I was in the passing lane and thankfully was able to safely make it to the shoulder of the road. I had the vehicle towed to an independent engine and transmission shop where I was informed that the timing chain had caused severe damage to the engine, including metal shavings in the fluids. I had just had an oil change 3 days prior and am the second owner of the vehicle. It only has approximately 78,500 miles on it and I have only owned it for three months. I have insured that all maintenance was up to date and verified with the dealer that it had been maintained per the maintenance schedule prior to me purchasing it. The engine seems to be a constant and known problem for 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe’s with the 3.3L engines, and it truly needs to be addressed before someone is seriously injured or, worse yet, killed from not being able to safely make it to the shoulder of a road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)