NHTSA complaint: 2013 HYUNDAI TUCSON — SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE ON A CITY STREET IN SLOW MOTION COMING TO A FULL-STOP INTERSECTION, ATTEMPTS TO SAFELY SLOW AND STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL FAILED WITH NO FEEDBACK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECELERATE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE BRAKE MASTER BOOSTER HAD WORN AND WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. COLLISION CENTER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS HAS STATED THE FOLLOWING: "OUR FINDINGS ARE THAT THE BRAKE MASTER BOOSTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. YOUR VEHICLE CAME TO OUR SHOP FOR COLLISION REPAIRS FROM AN ACCIDENT <DATE REDACTED> AND DURING OUR REVIEWS TO THE COLLISION DAMAGES WE FOUND THE POOR BRAKING CONDITION. THIS IS NOT PART OF THE ACCIDENT AND IS A MAINTENANCE WEAR ITEM. AS AN UNDERSTANDING TO THIS FAILURE THERE IS LITTLE OR NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I FEEL THAT THE BRAKING CONDITION MAY OF HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT RELATION TO THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT." VERBALLY THE SAME COLLISION CENTER REPRESENTATIVE SAID, THAT IT WOULD TAKE A VERY STRONG PERSON TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN PARTICULAR PART MALFUNCTIONS. AND THAT EVEN ON THE COLLISION CENTER LOT PRIOR TO REPAIRS USING BRAKES WAS CHALLENGING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation