Brand new car already busted at 5000 miles

[rdb9879]

I bought a 2018 Hyundai Sonata in January in the state of Georgia. At only 5000 miles, a control knob on the steering wheel has already broken. I've spent months and several visits to the dealership's service center to get them to fix it, but I keep getting the same response: The part is on back order. Their explanation is that the car is so new that the logistics of keeping and holding this part in stock has not been established. I tried a different Hyundai dealership and got the same result. It's literally been 3 months now and one third of my total time in this car has been with this busted part.

I'm pretty peeved about this, mainly for the fact that I paid for the cost of a brand new car and I'm essentially driving what feels like a busted used car.

I've given them months to fix this thing, without luck. I want a total refund. Will the lemon law come into effect here?

 

[HighwayMan]

I'm pretty peeved about this, mainly for the fact that I paid for the cost of a brand new car and I'm essentially driving what feels like a busted used car.

Being a bit dramatic, aren't we?

I've given them months to fix this thing, without luck. I want a total refund. Will the lemon law come into effect here?

There is no way that you will be given a refund. The lemon law does not apply to this situation.

You need to take this issue up with Hyundai corporate and see what they say. As far as I'm concerned the explanations given by the two dealerships seems reasonable.

 

[rdb9879]

I tend to get dramatic when I could have spent $10k less for a used car and had a similar (maybe even better) experience. Wouldn't you be peeved if something broke at only 5k miles, with no fix in the foreseeable future?

Could you explain why the law doesn't apply in this situation?

 

[Zigner]

I tend to get dramatic when I could have spent $10k less for a used car and had a similar (maybe even better) experience. Wouldn't you be peeved if something broke at only 5k miles, with no fix in the foreseeable future?

Could you explain why the law doesn't apply in this situation?

http://consumer.georgia.gov/faqs/index/category:2

Be patient - they'll get the part in and fix it for you. This is not a recurring problem, nor is it serious, nor does it have a major impact on the value of the vehicle.

 

[not2cleverRed]

I tend to get dramatic when I could have spent $10k less for a used car and had a similar (maybe even better) experience. Wouldn't you be peeved if something broke at only 5k miles, with no fix in the foreseeable future?

Could you explain why the law doesn't apply in this situation?

It's a control knob.

Other than that, the car functions fine. Actually, depending on what the control knob controls, and the type of breakage, the damage may be cosmetic, and turning still possible and it may actually be usable in its current state.

The "lemon law" is for situations where a car's functionality is affected, and a simple repair will not fix it. This is fully fixable. Furthermore, it is apparently legally drivable, as you have continued to put miles on it. Such was not the case a few months after I bought my car when a defect in the car's electronics caused a loss of dashboard lights and rear lights - can't drive at night without rear lights.

If enough cars have a particular failure, the company may issue a recall and pay for the repair. In the case of my car's electronics, a recall was issued a few months after the repair. So, when you get the knob replaced, keep any receipts, so that you can be reimbursed should there be a recall notice.

Perhaps if you have a clever friend with access to a 3D printer, you could get a customized (temporary) knob made - something that's more reflective of your personality than the plain standard issued knob.

 

[xylene]

How many days have you been without USE of you vehicle?

Prove you didn't break the steering wheel do-dad.

 

[Zigner]

How many days have you been without USE of you vehicle?

The Lemon Law in Georgia doesn't appear to refer to the number of days that the vehicle is out of service. I may have missed it (?)

Prove you didn't break the steering wheel do-dad.

Good point.

 

[xylene]

(C) § 10-1-784. The vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of one or more nonconformities for a cumulative total of 30 days.

The Lemon Law in Georgia doesn't appear to refer to the number of days that the vehicle is out of service. I may have missed it (?)

I was mostly asking to point out this made has not made the car inoperative, which would be an approach even if the part was backordered... but this sounds basically like a trim piece.

 

[Zigner]

I was mostly asking to point out this made has not made the car inoperative, which would be an approach even if the part was backordered... but this sounds basically like a trim piece.

Thanks for pointing out the cumulative out-of-service days in Georgia.

I agree that this matter, as explained by the OP, doesn't make the car inoperative, etc.

 

[HighwayMan]

It almost sounds to me like the repair is being covered under warranty. It's just a feeling and maybe I'm wrong. The OP can clarify that.

If it is, in fact, true then there is that much less of a reason for the OP to be whining.

 

[HighwayMan]

...a control knob on the steering wheel has already broken.

Maybe you can also tell us what "control knob" this is? Where on the steering wheel is it and what does it do?

 

[justalayman]

It almost sounds to me like the repair is being covered under warranty. It's just a feeling and maybe I'm wrong. The OP can clarify that.

If it is, in fact, true then there is that much less of a reason for the OP to be whining.

Yes it is being covered under warranty per the op

But the part is nit available at the moment.

I presume this is a new part starting in the year of ops vehicle and right now all the parts are going to the production line.
It takes a different route for them to be packaged individually for retail sale

I would suggest op contact the manufacturer. Somewhere along the line the manufacturer can pull one of the parts off the shipments destined for them assembly line and divert it if they want to be super customer oriented.