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Hyundai Sonata Exterior Lighting Safety Report | July 19, 2013
Reported on July 19, 2013
| IN A PARKING LOT I FOUND MY 2011 SONATA WITH THE RIGHT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY BROKEN AND HANGING BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. THE THREADED PORTION OF THE ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ASSEMBLY TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A WARRANTY REPAIR. I RECIEVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAYING THAT BOTH TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE BROKEN. SHE BELIEVED THAT SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO STEAL THE ASSSEMBLYS. SHE SAID THERE IS A SMALL MARK NEAR ONE OF THE LENS. THIS IS SOMETHING I FAILED TO NOTICE AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE CLOSELY. I HAD THEM PUT BOTH LENSES ON BECAUSE THE CAR WAS DUE FOR A STATE INSPECTION. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SHOWED ME THE MARKS SHE BELIEVED WERE CAUSED BY SOMEONE ATTEMPTING TO PRY THE LENSES OFF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE TWO SMALL HAIR LINE SCRATCHES ON THE PAINT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BROKEN OFF BOLTS. I TOLD THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT SCRATCHES WERE MOST LIKELY CAUSED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY BACK INTO PLACE. I TOLD HER THAT THE FORCE NEEDED TO BREAK THE FOUR BOLTS OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY WOULD CAUSE MUCH MORE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THAN TWO SMALL HAIR LINE SCRATCHES ON THE PAINT. ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO STEAL A TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IN THIS MANNER KNOWS IT WOULD RENDER THE PART UNUSABLE. THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AT THE FACTORY OR THE PART ITSELF IS DEFECTIVE. I NOTICED FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT I AM THE 14TH PERSON TO DOCUMENT THIS PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS I OWN TWO OF THESE CARS AND IF THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH THE SECOND SONATA THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY COULD BREAK OFF AND HIT A CAR BEHIND ME. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR | |
| Make: | Hyundai |
| Model: | Sonata |
| Manufactured by: | Hyundai Motor Company |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | LORTON VA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 5NPEB4AC5BH |
| Mileage: | 39000 miles. |
| Speed: | 0 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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