The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the Hyundai Sonata after receiving a number of complaints about rust damage in the vehicles. In some cases, the rust has been linked to suspension system failures and electrical problems, according to an article in the Detroit News. Both of the problems allegedly caused by the rust could result in a serious, injury-causing accident
When an experienced San Diego car accident attorney first encounters a client’s car accident case, he or she knows that looking into all possible causes of the accident, including vehicle defects, is an important part of determining what happened. Information gathered from NHTSA investigations and recalls can help.
The NHTSA investigation covers 393,000 Hyundai Sonata vehicles in model years 2006 through 2008. It is based on six complaints the agency has received about rust problems in the vehicles. In the six complaints, the rear suspension arm failed due to severe rust, which appeared in the vehicle’s rear sub frames. Three of the rear suspension arm failures occurred while the vehicle was traveling at high speed, and two of the reported suspension arm failures set off the vehicle’s electronic stability control system.
According to Hyundai, no defects have yet been uncovered, but the company notes that the investigation is still in its early stages. A Hyundai spokesperson said the company plans to cooperate with the NHTSA investigation, including issuing any recalls that may be necessary in order to fix problems with its vehicles.
