NHTSA Complaint #11679198 — 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

My vehicle is a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD with a GDI Theta II 2.4L 4 cylinder engine. We purchased it in Feb. 2024 with 120,310 miles. Since then we have only put approximately 8,000 miles on it in 17 months. On Aug. 1st 2025 while driving up a hill out in the country the engine suddenly quit. Of course the steering and the brakes failed to operate. However I was able to coast to the next road and barely able to turn the wheel but made the corner and coasted to a stop. Without a nearby corner I would have been stuck on a state highway with many semi-trucks traveling on it. Could have been much more dangerous for my wife and I especially since we had to have the car put on a flatbed to be hauled home. The person who came to haul it checked the battery which was fine. You could hear the starter engage and try to turn the engine but it would not turn one bit. Once home we had a mechanic with many years experience have a look and listen to it. He could not get the engine to move even when trying to turn it by grabbing the engine belts and pullies. By all appearances the engine is seized. No warning lights were one and the oil was checked that very morning before leaving home. The vehicle was using about 1 qt of oil every 200 miles or so. Always used a high quality oil of proper weight/viscosity. Had no visible oil leaks on ground where it was parked every night. Hesitate to spend hauling fees to take it to the dealer 40 miles away if they are not going to do anything but offer to replace it for many thousands of dollars. For a couple living on social security this can absolutely turn things upside down as we only own one car (which we still owe on).