The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation involving 1999 to 2002 model year Hyundai Sonata s. The investigation is a result of 40 complaints that the vehicles suffer from extreme corrosion, both in the vehicles’ frame and engine cradle.
According to the NHTSA, some consumers have reported “fist-sized holes in the frame†that can lead to “wheel collapse or separation, half shaft detachment resulting in sudden vehicle disablement and or steering anomalies.”
The NHSTA believes that road salts could be to blame, as most of the cases are from “salt belt” states.
While some Sonata owners have noticed the corrosion during routine maintenance, the majority of complaints allege that the problem wasn’t notice until the suspension system completely failed, says Consumer Affairs.
While no injuries have been linked to the defect, several accidents have been reporting — including owners traveling at 65 mph when a wheel suddenly falls off or the suspension fails. The NHSTA website tells of one such accident that “resulted in the vehicle becoming disabled in the traffic lane at night with the driver and child stuck in the car†while “passing traffic swerved around the vehicle at high speeds.â€
With a pending recall this serious, we expected Hyundai to chime in on the investigation very soon.
