NHTSA Complaint #11577889 — 2017 HYUNDAI TUCSON

On March 9, 2024, I was driving when suddenly a warning light sounded from the dashboard that the engine "overheated" and there's a loss of power. I was very scared driving for the first time in my life. Before I pulled over to a safe place, a driver nearest to my car pulled his window down and shouted that my car was smoking. I was terrified. This incident triggered my husband's mental health conditions. I called my niece who is a registered nurse to help us. I called my car insurance for towing to the next dealership that I called about what happened. After I rented a car, I went to the dealership. However, the Service Department was closed after 4:00 pm. The next day (Monday), I received text messages that they're working on my car and the only communication was "text messages." I was stunned! The next message was transmission problem, the cost of repairing it, and authorization to fix at $1,581.40. Because my rental car was not cheap and needed a car to doctors and other appointments made on that week, I agreed to proceed. After I signed the authorization from text messages, I got a call from a service advisor to acknowledge the cost of the repair. I asked about the engine and he said it's okay. By Wednesday afternoon, I received a call that my car was done. Before this incident (2 weeks?), I called the same dealership when it's time for an oil change, but was told at 72,000 miles. Then I received a call that my car needs a transmission check up for $1,200 or more, but I told him I'll wait for the next oil change. Last year, I reported to other dealership that my engine light was on, but was told to go to Autozone. I didn't do it because the light didn't appear again. My car has been maintained by local dealership since I bought it in 2016. One dealership would not pick up my calls after fixing the side door locked from inside/outside. As this is not a traffic related incident, my car insurance doesn't want to be involved.