Expanding gas tanks: Hyundai told Action 9 there’s a fix, driver says company told her there isn’t

CHARLOTTE — Drivers say the gas tanks on certain Hyundai and Kia models expanded. In some cases, so much so, their backseat popped up.

Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke started investigating this issue almost two years ago. He kept asking the car companies if they’d issue recalls. They did around Thanksgiving.

Amanda Wilson says she brought her Hyundai Sonata to the dealership. But she says they told her “there’s not a fix for it.” She says she double-checked with the manufacturer and that they emailed her February 5th there’s no “remedy available... as of now.”

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So Stoogenke emailed the company. They told him the opposite, writing, “Yes, there is a fix.” He asked Hyundai to clarify whether there’s a repair or not, but didn’t hear back in time for this report.

Wilson says the dealer was hesitant to give her car back for safety reasons. So -- at last check -- Wilson told Action 9 her car was still at the dealer and had been for more than two months. “I’m trying to be patient,” she said. “It’s sitting there, looking pretty, looking pretty.”

In fairness, she says the shop gave her a loaner, but she’d like Hyundai to buy back her car.

Stoogenke’s advice no matter what you drive:

Your safety: see if your ride is under recall. It’s easy, just click or tap this link.
If the repair is taking a while, do what Amanda Wilson did: ask for a loaner and -- if you want -- for the company to buy back the car. They don’t have to say yes, but you can see Wilson did get the first option.

(VIDEO: Paint peeling off your white Hyundai? You may be entitled to a free fix)