A 12-hour drive to repair your car: Angry Madenotes

As soon as she arrives in the islands, she tries to check out her 2019 Kona, which is still under warranty. But she learned that Hyundai no longer has a service point in the islands. Line LeBlanc contacted the manufacturer’s customer service department. Me, I called Hyundai Canada and to have my car repaired, I have to go to Prince Edward Island at my expense.Madeleine explains, upset by the situation.

In fact, the nearest Hyundai dealership is in Charlottetown, a 5-hour ferry ride and an hour’s drive one way.

Due to the ferry schedule, it is impossible to repair the vehicle and return the same day, with few exceptions. In the best case scenario, the return day is the next day. Therefore, accommodation and food expenses need to be provided. In addition, in the event of a storm, the departure will be postponed.

For Line LeBlanc, there was no question of making such a trip. I can’t leave like this. Besides, I can never explain my problem. I don’t speak Englishshe said.

For now, she asks to honor her promise without having to pay anything. Lacking change, she considers disposing of her car. I love it, my self. But if it continues, I will move to Montreal and then I will sell the car. I have no choice. You cannot keep a Hyundai car without serviceMadelinien said.

Line LaFrance, resident of Îles-de-la-Madeleine and owner of the recalled Hyundai vehicle

Photo: Radio Canada

Laine LaFrance and her husband Steve Turbid also own a Hyundai vehicle. When these Madeleinos find out their 2021 Santa Fe is subject to a recall, they resign themselves to making the big crossing. But rather than travel to Prince Edward Island, they choose a Hyundai dealership in Matane to serve in French and have family in the area to accommodate them.

Their journey takes about ten hours, and their journey extends over ten days because they have to wait for a part. According to the couple, the forced trip costs about $1,300. But getting a refund is impossible.

Line LaFrance was unhappy because their vehicle was purchased in the islands before the Hyundai point of sale closed. What pisses me off about this is that you buy a car with a warranty. We had a dealer here that did it all. We have peace of mind. And then having to pay to go somewhere else seems shocking to me, she tells us. Line LaFrance said he feels that he has faced a big company like Hyundai Like a small drop of water in the ocean.

Sara Martinet, Îles-de-la-Madeleine resident and Hyundai vehicle owner

Photo: Radio Canada

Sarah Martinet is the proud owner of a Hyundai Sonata. All was well until his vehicle was subject to a safety recall. Hyundai Canada customer service told her the same thing and had to go to Prince Edward Island for the recall.

For Sara Martinet, it doesn’t make sense. She refused to leave the islands to repair her vehicle because of the costs. She goes to her local mechanic who can’t do anything due to lack of parts and permission from Hyundai.

Like many other Madelinotes, she feels trapped and is asking Hyundai Canada to take action. I want to serve. Just because you live on an island and the Magdalen Islands, doesn’t mean a big company like Hyundai can’t service you.Sarah Martinet argued.

The brand she adored had lost its luster in her eyes. I have no intention of buying a Hyundai product, that’s for sure. Even though I left the islands, I think it was over for me because I had a broken faithSara Martinet adds.

Motorists’ Rights – Hyundai’s Responsibilities

Hyundai already has sales and service centers in the Magdalen Islands. But that situation has not been there since last year. The result: hundreds of customers orphaned. In fact, more than 800 Hyundai vehicles are in circulation in the islands, including Line LeBlanc, Line LaFrance and Sarah Martinet.

Lawyer Hubert LaMontagne, legal adviser to the Association for the Protection of Motorists (APA), understands the mutterings of these Madelinots well. For him, it makes sense to ask Hyundai vehicle owners from the Magdalen Islands to go to Prince Edward Island to repair their vehicle. It’s the equivalent of asking a Montrealer to fly to Toronto for an encore. Do we accept it? I don’t think soHe \ he said.

For him, Hyundai Canada has responsibilities:

• Hyundai vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle in the islands and are still under warranty;
• Owners of Hyundai vehicles are subject to the recall regardless of the place of purchase.

According to the APA, if it does not offer after-sales service in the Magdalen Islands, Hyundai must provide pickup at the Cap-aux-Meles wharf, where the ferry departs, provide customers with a vehicle replacement and return the vehicle. A consumer does not need to take the ferry to enforce a recall or conventional warrantyMentions Me Hubert Lamontagne of the APA.

The ferry provides a connection to Prince Edward Island, which is more than five hours away.

Photo: Radio Canada

Hyundai is actively looking for a solution

Hyundai Canada declined our request for an on-camera interview. In writing, the company said it is actively working to find a solution that meets its standards. We are hopeful that Hyundai customers in the Magdalen Islands will once again have access to a local service point in the coming weeks.Let us know the manufacturer in its announcement.

Hyundai Canada has also committed to refunding its Madelinote customers:

• Those forced to leave the islands for the recall or to take advantage of their warranty;
• Islands pay out of pocket to get work done through their warranty.

A contract with a mechanic from the Magdalen Islands should be announced soon.