Why you should never by a Hyundai: #1 Hyundai does not honor it’s 100,000 mile warranty

Why you should never by a Hyundai: #1 Hyundai does not honor it’s 100,000 mile warranty

We purchased our 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, with undersized 4 cylinder engine (turbo charged to provide the power required by SUV application). The 100,000 mile warranty was key to the purchase decision as one worries about the longevity of this engine configuration. Turbo charger gave at around 70k miles.

1. Took to Pedder Hyundai of Poway CA
2. They confirmed the problem indicated by the OBD2 error code and ordered the part
3. After they had the car for 2 WEEKS thinking the part would be in any time…Hyundai finally stated that they would not have the part in for another 2 months

The part required was readily available online (I found and confirmed availability from several Hyundai and KIA dealerships all outside southern california) and if this was not a warranty repair the dealership would have fixed it within 3 days (had part shipped in).

I called Hyundai National … the first level people you talk to just take info to hand over to case manager to help expedite. They took my statement:

1. The part required is readily available from authorized Hyundai and Kia dealerships
2. Loosing a car for 2.5 months is a way of loosing future business… Doesn’t make business sense as they still will have the cost of repair but lost a loyal customer

I called back an additional 2 times over the next two weeks… message I got was they were still assigning a case manager. So I talked to the dealership about providing a rental car (I did not want a rental car … I wanted my car fixed) in hopes that if we started costing Hyundai something they would get off their butt and provide the part to the dealership. Dealership said that Hyundai would not authorize a rental car as this was not a safety issue (And being without a car is safer than driving one as cars are dangerous).

After 1 Month Hyundai assigned a case manager:

Their manager is really there to comfort you, feel your pain, and make you feel heard but not do anything about the problem. We went over the following items:

1. I could provide them a list of dealerships where they could get the part: He said they could only get it from the standard supply chain and were not interested that the part was readily available.
2. I wanted a rental car (I told him this was to help force Hyundai to fix the problem): He said that only the dealership could authorize that. We went over the fact that this was total B.S (remember Hyundai is not going to reimburse the dealership so why would the provide a car for this warranty service).
3. My arguments that they were going to have to fix the problem anyway … why loose future business: He said this was not something he could be concerned … his concern was doing the best for his customers???

Currently at 1.5 Months

1. I cost Hyundai the sale of one SUV (small victory)… We had previously encouraged one of my Nieces to buy a Hyundai Santa Fe (standard not sport). A second niece was ready to buy we pointed out that Hyundai was happy to leave us without a car for a minimum of 2.5 months and she should look elsewhere. She is now the happy owner of a Honda SUV
2. We just purchased a Honda Accord to replace the car my daughter crashed last week. We did not visit any Hyundai or Kia dealerships as part of the selection process
3. I’m on the waiting list for a Nissan Leaf EV (Crossed Hyundai and Kia off the list)
4. Actively spreading the word about Hyundai to extended family
5. I’m starting to post to sites such as this and will make the rounds every week till the car is fixed.

As Jerry Seinfeld once said when he got a rental car counter and the car he reserved was not there:

I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding.

In this case repairing the car is the most important part of the warranty.

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[EDIT] The reason I put the dealer and car info was so Hyundai corporate could trace this if they care... I have no issues with the dealership. Additionally they have recordings of all my interactions with them to date... They should listen them and ask the question "If it were them would they want to future business with this company?"