2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Lx Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru warn their dealers about markups

Six weeks ago, word got out that Ford's VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada wrote one of those "It has come to our attention..." e-mails to the automaker's dealer body. The VP's problem was dealers trying to get reservation deposits for the Ford F-150 Lightning well above the official $100 fee. The tomfoolery resulted in interactions "with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation." Two weeks later, GM told its dealers to cut out the reservation gaming and the markups on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, banditry that's been going on for two years. Two weeks ago, Ford was back at it, this time about markups on the Bronco. Last week, Asian automakers swept into the melee, with Hyundai and Genesis, Subaru, and Infiniti writing letters to their dealers to deliver some variant of, "Stop pissing off the customers." Automotive News reported an SVP at Hyundai Motor America and the COO at Genesis Motor North America sent letters to their dealers expressing disappointment at "certain pricing practices which, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the health of our brand." One of the practices mentioned was dealer markups, another was the bait-and-switch, with dealers advertising one price then charging a higher price once the customer showed up at the lot. The letters acknowledged that dealers are separate companies to the automakers and have the right to set their own prices. The automakers cannot interfere with that; their leverage is distributing allocations and perks such as advertising support and financial incentives. So, like a movie boss letting the protagonist go on a technicality, the brands wrote, "we cannot stand idly by watching the actions of the aforementioned dealers undo all the efforts we collectively have put into making these brands what they are today." Jalopnik got tipped to a letter Subaru of America CEO Thomas Doll sent to that brand's dealers. Doll's polite yet insistent tone was the result of a letter a loyal Subaru owner sent to the automaker's VP of Customer Advocacy. In the market for a third brand-new Forester, the owner said they encountered a "tax" labeled a "Low Inventory Surcharge" of as much as $6,000, putting the Forester out of reach.

Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

Hyundai recalls 570k Sonatas and Accents in two separate campaigns

Hyundai is announcing two recalls that cover a total of 569,500 vehicles in the US for two of the brand's models. There are no reports of accidents or injuries related to either problem, though. The larger and potentially more serious campaign covers 470,000 units of the 2011-2012 Sonata with production dates between December 11, 2009, and April 12, 2012 at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. It's specifically for those with the 2.0- or 2.4-liter direct injected engines. During production of the crankshaft, metal debris might not have been fully removed, and those pieces could block the connecting rod oiling passages. This lack of lubrication can increase wear on the connecting rod bearings, and the issue can lead to a loud knocking noise or possibly even a failure while the car is in motion. Hyundai has a two-step process to fix the issue. First, the company will have the vehicles come in for an inspection, and if necessary will "replace the engine assembly." The company will also extend the warranty on the short block to 10 years/120,000 miles for all owners. Notifications will go out by November 2, and there will be a second letter when the parts become available. The other recall covers 99,500 examples of the 2009-2011 Hyundai Accent with manufacturing dates between March 1, 2009, and February 11, 2011. On these models, the brake light switch may begin to only work intermittently. This can lead to a variety of problems, including the brake lights not coming on, the inability to turn off the cruise control with the pedal, and the shifter not moving out of Park. The fix will be a replacement of the switch, and the campaign will begin on November 2. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Connecting Rod Wear may Result in Engine Stall Report Receipt Date: SEP 10, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 Component(s): ENGINE Potential Number of Units Affected: 470,000 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) HYUNDAI SONATA 2011-2012 Details Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America SUMMARY: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to April 12, 2012 at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and equipped with either a 2.0 liter or 2.4 liter Gasoline Direct injection engine. In the affected vehicles, metallic debris may not have been fully removed during manufacturing of the engine crankshaft.