2012 Hyundai Veloster

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, SUN ROOF "EXPLODED" LANDING ON ME AND THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR. SUNROOF WAS IN THE TILT POSITION, TO ALLOW AIR FLOW, BUT NO COMPLETELY OPEN. COOL 65 DEGREE MORNING, SUNNY WHEN OCCURRED. WAS NOT DRIVING UNDER ANY OBJECTS, NOR DID I SEE ANYTHING STRUCK THE CAR OR GLASS. MADE A LOAD NOISE WHEN IT BROKE. INTERIOR OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED AS LARGE PIECES OF GLASS FELL INSIDE. *TR ...UPDATED 08-15-12 *BF UPDATED 08/16/2012 *JS

I AM VERY TRAUMATIZED SINCE EARLIER TODAY APPROXIMATELY 11AM THE GLASS SUN ROOF ON MY 2012 VELOSTER EXPLODED WHEN I WAS RINSING THE CAR OFF. THE WEATHER WAS IN THE HIGH 70S OR 80S BUT WHATEVER THE CASE ITS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE SINCE I HAD CHILDREN THAT COULD HAVE HAD BODILY INJURY SINCE THEY WERE PLAYING CLOSE BY. THE EXPLOSION SPREAD SHATTERED GLASS AROUND 6 FEET AROUND THE CAR AND DRIVEWAY AND IT WAS SUCH AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION! I WOULD NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS OR FUTURE OWNERS SINCE IT MAKES ME SICK SINCE I LIVE FAR AWAY AND WAS SUPPOSE TO BE HOME BY NOW BUT DUE TO THIS EXPLOSION I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP! I SINCERELY HOPE THAT HYUNDAI WILL RESOLVE THIS ISSUE SINCE I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS AND SINCE THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE US MARKET FOR 8+ MONTHS ITS UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT ITS HAPPENED TO MULTIPLE OWNERS! WHEN ARRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS NO BIG DEAL AND THIS IS REALLY NOT TRUE! IT IS A BIG DEAL SINCE BODILY INJURY DID HAPPEN DURING THE EXPLOSION SINCE I TOOK OFF MY SHIRT AFTER A FRANTIC TRAUMATIC DAY TO TRY AND SLEEP AND I HAVE A SMALL CUT FROM THE SHATTERED GLASS! THIS IS REALLY MAKING ME SO UPSET SINCE ITS MY FIRST TIME AS A HYUNDAI OWNER AND I REGRET HAVING PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE AND ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT HYUNDAI WILL DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM! ITS SO WRONG FOR A CAR COMPANY TO NOT CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER SINCE THE STATEMENT FROM THE SALESMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS TOWED IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND UNTRUE! IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR TO EXPLODE WHEN RINSING IT OFF AND THERE IS NO WARNING ON THE VEHICLE OR MANUALS THAT WOULD INDICATE CAUTION TO RINSE YOUR CAR IN ANY CLIMATE! READING FORUMS SOME PEOPLE JUST HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE SUNROOF SHATTERS! THIS IS A MAJOR FLAW! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, SHE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT INJURED HER NECK, BACK, AND SUFFERED BRUISING FROM THE CRASH. THE POLICE TOOK AND REPORT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,300.

NEW VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET. AT 8:00 AM I WAS INFORMED BY A FELLOW WORKER THAT IT APPEARED MY VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THERE WAS GLASS ALL OVER IT. I FOUND THAT THE SKYLIGHT HAD BURST UPWARD AND OUTWARD. IT WAS ABOUT 80 DEGREES AT THE TIME. THE DAY BEFORE WAS ABOVE 90 DEGREES AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN SAME LOCATION, WITHOUT INCIDENT. I CALLED DEALER WHO REFERRED ME TO NATIONAL SERVICE. THEY CAME AND TOWED CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER CLOSER TO HOME. DAY 8 AND DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE REPLACED GLASS, SIDE RAILS AND NOW NEEDS TO REPLACE DEFLECTOR THAT ALL WERE DAMAGED. SAYS SOONEST REPAIR TO COMPLETE JULY 2ND PM. *TR UPDATED 8/14/12 *CN UPDATED 08/15/12

THE SUNROOF SHATTERED VIOLENTLY IN AN UPWARDS DIRECTION, SENDING SOME GLASS DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND THE REST ALL OVER THE EXTERIOR. AFTER GOOGLING I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD IDENTICAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR SUNROOFS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSES IT, BUT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT WITH HYUNDAI. THEY HAVE ANOTHER SUNROOF ON ORDER, BUT AM WORRIED I MAY HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN DUE TO THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECT FOR THIS COMPONENT. *TT

VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS TO FIFTH GEAR WHEN PASSING BUT DOES NOT RETURN TO SIXTH GEAR UPON RELEASING ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE CONTINUES AT SAME RATE OF SPEED WHEN RELEASING ACCELERATOR AS IF IT WERE ON CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE PASSING AN 18 WHEELER ON HWY 169 NORTH, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER 18 WHEELER APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET IN FRONT OF THE ONE I WAS PASSING. WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE I COULD NOT PASS BOTH TRUCKS, SO I PASSED THE FIRST ONE AND PULLED IN BEHIND THE OTHER ONE. WHEN I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR CONTINUED AT THE SAME RATE OF SPEED FORCING ME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID REAR-ENDING THE OTHER TRUCK. THIS VEHICLE (AND SUBSEQUENTLY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DEALERSHIP LOT) EXHIBITS THIS CHARACTERISTIC EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE GOES INTO PASSING MODE. HOWEVER, IF YOU BACK OFF THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY, AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THE CAR WILL SHIFT BACK INTO SIXTH GEAR [BUT ALL THE WHILE ACCELERATING]. I NOTICED THAT YOU CAN MANUALLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE BACK TO SIXTH BY MOVING THE SHIFTER TO MANUAL MODE FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN SHIFTING BACK INTO "D". THE ENGINE RPMS WILL FALL BACK DOWN IMMEDIATELY INDICATING THE SHIFT. OTHERWISE, THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN FIFTH GEAR WITHOUT DECELERATING FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 SECONDS. IN MY CASE, THE CAR DID NOT DO WHAT I "TOLD" IT TO DO: DECELERATE BY RELEASING THE PEDAL. I'VE SPOKEN TO HYUNDAI AND TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW. "CONTROL" IS THE KEY ISSUE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE. IF SOMEONE IS NOT EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE AT THE RATE OF SPEED WHEN THEY LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THEY COULD CRASH INTO SOMEONE AS I ALMOST DID. THANK YOU. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT BEGIN TO DECELERATE FROM 55 MPH AND CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 55 MPH. THE FAILURE RECURRED FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MOST FREQUENTLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE FROM SIXTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130.

VEHICLE HAD STRONG SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. NO VISIBLE LEAKS UNDER THE VEHICLE. CALLED THE HENDERSON HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO LEAVE THE A/C CONTROLS ON RE-CIRCULATE TO MINIMIZE THE CONDITION. THE FUMES WERE OVERWHELMING, CLOSE TO HOME SO DROVE IT HOME WITH ALL WINDOWS OPEN TO VENT THE SMELL. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PICKED UP VEHICLE NEXT DAY AND THE DEALER DID NOTHING, SAID THIS WAS NORMAL, AND TO RUN THE RE-CIRCULATE AS TOLD BEFORE. SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER AT HENDERSON HYUNDAI WHO GAVE ME A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT THAT STATED " SEVERAL FACTORS MUST BE PRESENT AT THE SAME TIME IN ORDER FOR THIS TO OCCUR. SOME EXAMPLES OF THESE CONDITIONS ARE, HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (100F +), HIGH ALTITUDE, POOR FUEL QUALITY, LOW FUEL LEVEL IN THE GAS TANK, EXTENDED IDLING, SLOW TRAFFIC OR STOP AND GO DRIVING. FUEL ODOR UNDER THESE EXTREME CONDITIONS IS NORMAL AND DOES NOT INDICATE A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE" I THEN STATED THAT THEY SHOULD INFORM THE BUYER PRIOR TO PURCHASE, AS ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS EXIST IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA FOR 4 MONTHS OF THE YEAR. I ALSO BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR HAVING THE A/C ON WHILE IN AN EXTENDED IDLE SITUATION, AND THE OPERATOR NOT KNOWING THIS, THEN GETTING IN THE CAR AND LIGHTING A CIGARETTE WITHOUT BEING AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND POSSIBLY CAUSING A FIRE, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT YES, THAT COULD HAPPEN. I HAVE THE COMPLETE TWO PAGE DOCUMENT FROM HYUNDAI IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF WHAT I WAS GIVEN, AS MOST OF THE EXTREME CONDITIONS NOTED ARE A DAILY OCCURRENCE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS IN LAS VEGAS, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD EVEN SELL THIS VEHICLE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS BECAUSE THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER ON THE EMISSION SYSTEM CANNOT HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF VAPOR PRODUCED. I ALSO SUGGESTED ROUTING THE VENT TO ANOTHER LOCATION. *TR

ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT TO HYUNDAI MOTORS USA "DEAR HYUNDAI MOTORS USA, I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY NEW VELOSTER FOR TWO ISSUES ON THE CAR. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT YOU TO OPEN A CASE AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES AS THERE IS NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. HERE ARE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS I HAVE NOTIFIED THE D EALER OF AND THOSE THAT NEED TO BE FIXED. 1) SERIOUS ISSUE! WHEN BRAKING UNDER HEAVY CONDITIONS, BOTH ABS AND NON ABS CASES, THE CAR SWERVES AND/OR LOSES IT'S 'REAR' TO EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. I'VE BRAKED HARD SEVERAL TIMES AND IT FEELS LIKE THE REAR END IS GIVING OUT. DURING ABS CONDITIONS, THE CAR SWERVES LIKE IT'S A RWD DRIVEN VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY SCARY AS A CONSUMER BUT DANGEROUS TO OTHERS. IF THERE IS ANY CONDENSATION ON THE ROAD WHILE BRAKING AND THE LEANING TO ONE SIDE OCCURS AND/OR SWERVING, I COULD HYDROPLANE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A MECHANICAL DEFECT. I HAVE DONE MY OWN RESEARCH AND SPOKEN TO OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS AS WELL. THEY HAVE MENTIONED THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEIR DEALER HAS ORDERED AND REPLACED ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I INFORMED MY SERVICE ADVISOR & THE MECHANIC OF THIS ISSUE ON 3 SEPARATE TEST DRIVES. 1 TEST DRIVE WITH SERVICE ADVISOR IN MY VELOSTER, 1 WITH THE MECHANIC IN MY VELOSTER & 1 IN ANOTHER NEW VELOSTER WITH THE MECHANIC. IN ALL CASES THE VEHICLE SWERVED OR FELT LIKE THE REAR END WAS COMING LOSE. PLEASE HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED AND PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT I HAVE TO WRITE YOU PRIOR TO THE DEALER SERVICING MY VEHICLE. I WILL BE COOPERATIVE IN THIS ISSUE AND LOOK FORWARD TO A SOLUTION. *TR