Man urges you to check open recalls after his car abruptly goes up in flames

Justin Huntley showed Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke a burn spot in the driveway after his Hyundai went up in flames one day.

Statesville driver catches gas pump price going up, but no gas coming out

There was also debris left where the heat melted some of the siding on his house.

“The feeling is you’re helpless. You know what I mean?” Huntley said. “I couldn’t do anything. I’m watching my house about to burn down, my car about to burn down,” Huntley said.

Huntley said that morning he started his car and went back inside. He was about to load his kids into the car.

“If it would have been two minutes later, they would have been in the backseat,” he said.

The car was under recall because of a fire risk and, according to federal safety records, hadn’t been fixed, Stoogenke confirmed.

“We never received anything in the mail,” Huntley claimed. “We never received anything via email. If there was something that needed to be done, I would have gotten it taken care of, especially a recall, because there’s no cost to me.”

He said insurance is footing the bill, but it isn’t just about money.

“Just trying to spread the word and let people know because this, they might not be as fortunate as I was,” he said.

Action 9 and Hyundai exchanged emails about this case, but the company didn’t respond with an official statement in time for this report.

Stoogenke urges you to see if your car has an open recall.

If it has been recalled, the repair is free, so don’t procrastinate, Stoogenke advised.

Action 9 has highlighted a widespread problem within the industry regarding recalled vehicles lacking available repairs.

If that happens, Stoogenke suggests:

Ask your dealer for a loaner. It doesn’t hurt to try.
Depending on the recall, there may be a safe solution while you’re waiting for the remedy. For example, if the problem only impacts 4WD vehicles, maybe you can switch modes for the time being.
You can always stop driving your car, but that’s not practical for many people.

VIDEO: Kannapolis homeowner frustrated by Google Maps directing traffic onto driveway