Hyundai recalls 470,000 Sonatas to fix big engine problem

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai is recalling nearly a half-million midsize cars in the U.S. to replace key engine parts because a manufacturing problem could cause them to fail.

The recall covers 470,000 Sonata sedans from the 2011 and 2012 model years equipped with 2-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline engines.

The company says metal debris may not have been removed from the crankshaft. That can restrict oil flow to the connecting rod bearings, causing them to fail. If that happens, the engines could stall and cause a crash.

Dealers will inspect the cars and replace engine assemblies if necessary for free. The company also will increase the engine warranty for 10 years or 120,000 miles.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4711a93aa2574b9dbee59ea93b048608/hyundai-recalls-470000-sonatas-fix-big-engine-problem

[KansDem]

1. Is it just me, or have there been a spate of recalls of late?

I can remember when recalls were extremely rare. Now they seem to come on a weekly basis.

The company says metal debris may not have been removed from the crankshaft. That can restrict oil flow to the connecting rod bearings, causing them to fail. If that happens, the engines could stall and cause a crash.

Metal debris in the crankshaft? What's up with that?

Perhaps automotive craftsmanship disappeared along with "Made in the USA."

[madokie]

4. The crankshafts are drilled

from main bearings to rod bearing to supply the rod bearing with oil and in that passage is where the debris they're talking about be.

[KansDem]

5. Wouldn't one think that debris would have been removed...

...as part of the drilling process?

I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into this. I just think leaving debris constitutes an incomplete, or incompetent, drilling process.

I'm all through drilling now. What should I do with the debris?
Leave it...
Okay. I guess they can always recall the car if they have to.

[madokie]

6. Of course

Some passages may even be cast in the crank when they're cast and that may be the case here and if thats the case the debris would likely be sand. You would think that no matter what they'd make sure the passages were cleared of any debris. Hell when I rebuild an engine I'll make sure the passages are clear even when that engine has already gone thousands of miles or plowed hundreds of fields.
The machining of the crank journals are probably done after the drilling so if that is the case that would be the source of the shit in the oil passages. At any rate its incompetence that led to this problem.
A union shop would not have this problem I might add.

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

2. Engine and car built by non-Union labor. Perhaps there will be a life lesson in this for the owners

[Plucketeer]

7. Be realistic

There's been PLENTY of recalls on union-built vehicles through the years. No one builds a perfect car. I used to work on Classic and collectible cars for a living. Some of the vaunted Rolls Royce offerings from the fifties were almost unfit to drive - even when all systems were perfect. And were they rust-buckets!

[ileus]

3. Nissan would have just extended the warranty to just short of the fail point.

[IHateTheGOP]

8. My Hyundai Veloster is a POS.

[The River]

9. My '06 Tucson is a dream

that stills runs like new. Only 82K mi.
Should be good for another 10 years.