2011, 2012 Hyundai Sonatas Prone to Engine Failure, Class Action Says

Hyundai Motor Company was hit with a class action lawsuit, alleging that the defective engines in some of its Sonatas pose a serious safety risk.

Plaintiff Elizabeth Mendoza of California alleges in her Hyundai class action lawsuit that the 2.4 liter Theta II Engine (G4KC) installed in the Sonatas in the 2011 and 2012 model years are faulty due to a design defect, which Hyundai allegedly knew about.

Mendoza claims in her Hyundai class action lawsuit that she purchased a 2011 Sonata in February 2012 after it was driven 30,000 miles by a previous owner.

In October 2014, when the Sonata had been driven about 85,000 miles, Mendoza “was driving when she heard a loud ‘knocking’ noise emanating from the engine of her vehicle.”

She brought the Sonata to her local Hyundai dealership to have the problem inspected and was told “that one of the pistons in her engine had blown out,” however she was told that the repair would not be covered under her warranty, but that the dealership could replace the engine for about $4,500. She opted to have the engine replaced by a local mechanic, which cost about $3,000.

Mendoza claims that from the time she owned the vehicle that she always “adhered to the Hyundai’s recommended maintenance intervals.”

Specifically, the alleged defective engines have “defective connecting rod bearings and insufficient channels of the engine lubrication,” the Hyundai Sonata class action lawsuit says.

“When the connecting rod bearings begin to fail, metal debris from the defective rod bearings is transported throughout the class vehicles’ engines via contaminated engine oil,” Mendoza explains.

“This defect — which typically manifests itself during and shortly after the limited warranty period has expired — will inevitably cause the class vehicles to experience catastrophic engine failure,” the Sonata class action lawsuit alleges.

This alleged engine defect “poses a safety risk” to Sonata drivers and their passengers because it can occur “at any time and under any driving conditions or speeds.”

Mendoza alleges that the Sonata engine defect was “actively concealed” by Hyundai, while having “long standing knowledge” of the defect.

In addition, when the problem does arise “Hyundai has routinely refused to disclose the existence of the defect when [Sonatas] displaying symptoms consistent with the defect are brought in for service.”

Mendoza claims in the Hyundai Sonata class action lawsuit that Hyundai is “well aware” of the engine defect based on customer complaints, repair records from Hyundai dealerships, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records, warranty claims, internal tests, and other sources, as well.

She cites several complaints filed by other Sonata owners with the federal agency detailing the alleged defect.

The class action lawsuit contends that the repair should have been covered by her Powertrain Warranty, which is supposed to cover “powertrain components through 10 years and 100,000 miles,” which includes the engine and transmission.

However, Mendoza argues that Sonata “has evaded its warranty obligations by failing to tell consumers that their vehicles are defective and by representing that the cause of the defect is the owner’s neglect to properly maintain the engine oil.”

She is looking to represent a nationwide class and California class of those who owned or leased 2011 and 2012 Hyundai Sonatas with the alleged engine defect.

The class action lawsuit alleges that Hyundai violated the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, the California business law, the California False Advertising Law, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, breach of written warranty under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Common Law Fraud, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and violating the Song-Beverly Act.

The plaintiff is represented by Richard D. McCune, David C. Wright and Jae “Eddie” K. Kim of McCuneWright LLP and Joseph G. Sauder and Matthew D. Schelkopf Chimicles & Tikellis LLP.

Counsel information for Hyundai is not yet available.

The Hyundai Sonata Defective Engine Class Action Lawsuit is Mendoza v. Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. et al., Case No. 3:15-cv-01685, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

UPDATE: On July 8, 2016, a California federal judge granted preliminary approval of the Hyundai Sonata defective engine class action settlement.

UPDATE 2: On Dec. 15, 2016, a federal judge says she will grant final approval to a proposed Hyundai Sonata defective engine class action settlement.