The service department at Southern States Hyundai is staffed with expert technicians who provide quality Hyundai repair and maintenance. The service department at Southern States Hyundai is staffed with expert technicians who provide quality Hyundai repair and maintenance.
I brought my Hyundai Tucson in because it was overheating and leaking coolant. After their diagnosis, I authorized and paid $1,345 in repairs. I was told the issue had been identified, repaired, tested, and verified as operating properly.
Almost immediately after picking up my vehicle, it was still overheating and still leaking coolant.
I documented the leak on video and returned to the dealership the next day because the exact issue I brought it in for had not been resolved.
At that point, I was informed that another hose was leaking and that additional repairs would be required. During my conversations with my service advisor, Nick, I was told that when once the original hoses were repaired, pressure built up and caused another leak in a third hose.
When I later spoke with Chad, I was immediately interrupted and yelled, “What you’re not going to do is say it’s on us,” despite the fact that I was repeating what had been explained to me by their own staff and had never actually claimed the dealership was at fault.
The communication throughout this process was incredibly dismissive and aggressive. I repeatedly attempted to ask questions about the diagnosis, the repairs performed, and why the vehicle had been returned to me as repaired if it was still leaking coolant and overheating. Instead of receiving clear answers, I felt talked over, dismissed, and treated as though asking reasonable questions was somehow inappropriate.
During my return visit, I was asked to wait while pricing and diagnostic information were prepared. After approximately 40 minutes, I was provided pricing for a catalytic converter code and the additional hose repair, despite specifically requesting an itemized list of the 15 diagnostic codes I had been told were present. That information was never provided.
The most concerning part of this experience occurred after I was told the coolant had been topped off. On my way home, my vehicle overheated so severely that the temperature gauge climbed into the red and I was forced to pull over and shut the engine off to avoid potential engine damage. This happened 4 times I have photographs showing an empty coolant reservoir as well as videos documenting the coolant leak.
I understand that vehicles can have multiple issues and that unexpected problems can arise during repairs. What I do not understand is paying $1,345 for an overheating and coolant leak concern, being told the issue was repaired and verified, and then finding myself stranded with the same unresolved problem almost immediately afterward.
I am hopeful management will review this situation and make it right, but based on my experience so far, I cannot recommend the service department.