NHTSA Complaint #11677599 — 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA

The vehicle experienced engine stalling and rough running. We discovered it had an open engine recall related to known defects in the Theta II engine. We dropped the vehicle off at a Hyundai dealership (Hyundai Napleton) on July 1st, 2025 for recall repair, following instructions from ACV Auctions. After holding the vehicle for over three weeks, Hyundai Napleton informed us they could not perform the recall due to their internal policy against working on dealer-owned vehicles. This directly contradicts the purpose of a federally mandated safety recall, which is supposed to apply regardless of ownership. On July 23, 2025, we received a call from Hyundai Motor America, stating they would not approve the recall repair because the vehicle had been declared a total loss. This is entirely false—the vehicle has never been declared a total loss by any insurance company or official source. It appears Hyundai Motor America and the dealership are passing responsibility back and forth, providing conflicting and inaccurate information, while the vehicle sits unrepaired and inoperable. This behavior delays a federally mandated repair, puts consumers at risk, and reflects serious breakdowns in how Hyundai handles recall compliance. We need NHTSA’s help to investigate and enforce the proper handling of this safety recall. Vehicle VIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)