NHTSA Complaint #11712809 — 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Vehicle: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe On June 9, 2024, when my wife started the vehicle, the engine was immediately knocking. Due to concern for safety and the risk of catastrophic engine failure, the vehicle was not driven and was towed to our home to prevent further damage. Hyundai was contacted shortly after discovery of the issue. During a phone call, we were told there were no active recalls applicable to our vehicle and no replacement engines available. Due to the lack of immediate support and the vehicle being undrivable, we were forced to send the vehicle to a third-party mechanic on June 14, 2024, to complete a necessary engine repair. On August 21, 2024, we received warranty documentation from Hyundai related to this issue. Despite providing all requested documentation and Hyundai contacting the third-party mechanic directly, the warranty claim process was repeatedly delayed. We were told multiple times that the case was in its final stage, only to later be assigned a new case manager with no knowledge of the case, requiring the process to restart. The vehicle was not returned to us until April 7, 2025, resulting in an extended loss of our primary vehicle for our family. We paid approximately $10,000 out of pocket for the engine repair while the warranty claim remained unresolved. We have since been informed that Hyundai may require the engine to be repaired or replaced again by a dealer with no reimbursement, potentially rendering the previous repair and financial loss unnecessary. This raises serious concerns regarding Hyundai’s handling of a known engine issue and their warranty process. Hyundai Case Number: XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)