I Am Scared To Drive My 2022 Hyundai Palisade

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 49 – October 2022 | Scared

Dear Suzanne, 

I own a 2022 Hyundai Palisade that currently has 2,172 miles on it and I can tell you that I am not so happy owning this vehicle. I purchased it brand new last year. Also, since purchasing this car, I have taken it twice to the Hyundai dealership, and each time it had to be towed with both incidents occurring under 200 miles. Can you see where I’m going with this?

Okay, so here’s what really happened the first time I had an issue with the car. I was heading home from work when my car engine suddenly went off. When I tried restarting it, it would not start so I called the dealer and they came to pick up the car. 

Upon diagnosis, they said the band surrounding the power post on the battery was faulty. Their excuse was that since the car had been sitting in the showroom for a while now, some parts might have developed problems due to lack of use. They did not replace the battery, rather they just tightened the post and that was all. 

They also cleaned the car, something they called a complimentary cleaning or such. They did this only because I was dissatisfied with simply tightening some bolts and I wanted something more done. After they fixed it, I left hoping never to encounter the issue again but sadly, that was just wishful thinking. 

This brings me to the second time I took my car for repairs, but this time, to a different dealer; here’s what happened. So, the thing is I’m the security rep for a basketball team and on this particular night, I headed to my car while leaving the arena at around 11 pm after the bus left. I tried igniting the car engine, but it refused to start. The dashboard lights were coming on, but the engine failed to turn over. I was perplexed and wondered what exactly could be wrong. Imagine being stranded alone late at night in LA. Scary, right?! 

I then called the dealer, skeptical that they wouldn’t pick up, but fortunately, they did. So they sent a lift to come to pick me up as the car had to stay there that night. Another problem was that I did not want to leave my car there overnight as I was flying out the next day. As a result, I had to contact a friend of mine to meet the towing company to direct them to a dealership that was nearby, because they couldn’t tow it to my regular dealer since they only tow cars 25 miles from the initial location.

At this new dealership, they actually discovered something wrong with the wiring, particularly the wiring under the flooring, and they fixed it. They did not replace the battery, rather, they rewired the system. I found all these issues disturbing because my car had been to the dealership twice, albeit two different dealers and it is still relatively new. I remember this last event happened on Mario Day weekend because they said there was no rental and I was so irate because it was gonna be a very long weekend. The only thing that kept me going was that I wasn’t charged for any of these visits. 

Also, I have communicated with the Hyundai corporate department and they have been investigating this issue for about two months. The operator I spoke with said the process was taking longer than normal. As a result of all these issues, I haven’t really been driving my vehicle because I’m fearful of compounding the things that are already wrong with the car. 

Now, I’m looking to dispose of the vehicle, but I am not so familiar with lemon law. The only thing I know is that the dealership once told me that if I wanted to turn this into a lemon law case, I would have to bring the car in a certain number of times to be eligible. So how do I go about this? 

 
Scared.

 
Watch: Demystifying The Hyundai Lemon Law Buyback Settlement Option: Vital Information You Should Know

 

No One Should Be Scared Of Driving Their Car

Dear Scared,

I understand your concern because although you have very low miles on the vehicle, you are still having these issues. Also, even though the problem has been fixed, it is still a cause of concern as to why you experienced it in the first place. 

So typically, the way lemon law works is that to qualify, you need at least two visits to your dealership within the manufacturer warranty period. With respect to this, you qualify, and not only that, you have very low mileage and you are still a far way from an expired warranty. 

Now, there are two different warranties on every vehicle; there is the basic and there is the powertrain. The basic is anything electrical, brakes, steering, etc which lasts for about 5 years or 60,000 miles whereas the powertrain deals with the transmission and engine and it expires after 100,000 miles or 10 years. 

Usually, when a vehicle has issues this early on, it most likely will get worse down the line as you keep on using the car. Also, it is not the fault of the dealer that you’re experiencing these problems but that of the manufacturer who built the vehicle wrong. This is why when you take the car in for repairs, you hear different diagnoses or stuff like they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. 

That said, there are generally two options that you can go with as a lemon owner – the buyback and the cash and keep. Now, since you said you’re looking to discard the vehicle, you most likely will be interested in the buyback option. It is simply where the manufacturers buy back the car from you and they pay you out all that you have spent on the car. 

This buyback includes your down payment, your monthly payments, and your taxes and interests are included as well. Also, if you took out a loan on the vehicle, the automakers have to settle that for you and by doing so, your credit goes up. 

The only deduction that the manufacturers have a right to is the mileage offset. The mileage offset is what the automakers charge you for the period you drove the car without any issues. This is usually based on your mileage on your first visit to the dealership. Since you were under 200 miles at this time, there really is nothing to worry about because there isn’t much they can deduct from that. There’s more information about the Hyundai Lemon Law buyback settlement option here.

The second option is the cash and keep offer which is basically you receiving cash compensation from the manufacturers while you keep the vehicle. With this option, your warranty won’t be voided or canceled. Also, if you wish to sell the vehicle later on, you can do so without deeming it a lemon to the next owner. 

Additionally, the good news about purchasing your vehicle in California is that it is a very customer-friendly state and so there are no fees charged on lemon law cases. That is, lemon law cases are taken on contingency, and any bills accrued are settled by the manufacturers, whether win or lose. This implies that 100% of the settlement will be going over to you. If you have any further questions, they can be directed to your attorney.

 
Suzanne

Free Legal Advice About Your 2022 Hyundai Palisade Law Claim

Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.

DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to help@lemonlawyers.org. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.

Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a CA Lemon Law Attorney to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.

Related Articles:

• Eight Things You Need To Know About California Lemon Law
• How To Avoid Buying A Lemon & What To Do If You Already Bought One
• 7 Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make When Filing A Lemon Law Case

Featured Image:

• 2022 Hyundai Palisade ©Damian B Oh (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)