NHTSA complaint: 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA — POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
I PURCHASED A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT. TO DATE WE HAVE HAD THE O2 SENSORS REPLACED DUE TO NUMEROUS CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS. WE HAVE HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, THE CLUTCH DEPRESSION SWITCH AFTER HAVING THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE SWITCH FAILED TO WORK CONSISTENTLY PREVENTING THE CAR FROM STARTING. AFTER HAVING THE SWITCH REPLACED, THE VERY NEXT DAY I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL WHICH THEN CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS TO DIM THE HEATER FAN/MOTOR TO DROP IN SPEED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOUSER HYUNDAI OF SPRINGFIELD, MA. AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE SERVICE BAY DOORS TO OPEN THE CAR WAS ENVELOPED IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE THE INSTANT I TURNED THE HEATER ON (JANUARY 10, 2004) TEMP OUTSIDE WAS -9 DEGREES. AT ANY RATE THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS NOTIFIED THE INSTANT I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING BUT HE DID NOT SEE THE SMOKE WHEN I WAS WAITING AT THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. HE DID ADMIT TO SMELLING THE BURNING ??? BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN WE LEFT IT TO BE CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE OLD SAYING GOES WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THIS "FIRE" SO I AM CHECKING IT OFF AS SUCH IN THIS COMPLAINT. THE CAR IS AND HAS BEEN A SAFTEY CONCERN TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE A CO-WORKER AND MY WIFE AS WITNESSES TO BOTH THE BURNING SMELL AND ELECTRICAL "LOAD" MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO WHAT EVER HAS SHORT CIRCUITED AND MY WIFE IN PARTICULAR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation