If you are considering bringing your car to Hyundai of - steve
If you are considering bringing your car to Hyundai of Downtown Los Angeles for service — please read this first.
In January 2026 I dropped off my 2018 Hyundai Elantra for a manufacturer paint campaign. My car was in perfect working order. They kept it for 159 days — more than five times the 30-day legal limit under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. During five and a half months I received no proactive updates, my calls went unreturned for weeks, and when I tried to reach the General Manager I was pointed to the wrong person and allowed to believe he was in charge. I only discovered the actual General Manager — Cooper Mugg — by researching their website myself.
When I retrieved my car, Assistant Service Manager John Ragan acknowledged a mechanical problem documented in their own service report and attempted to charge me $250 to diagnose it — a problem that developed while my car was in their exclusive custody. I declined and took the car. Within two hours it was stalling at every intersection. My son was a passenger. I returned the car the same day.
John Ragan's response was "not my problem." He refused to take any action without payment — even knowing the car was stalling at intersections with a passenger aboard.
I sent a formal legal demand letter. General Manager Cooper Mugg's own response confirmed the car had no problems at drop-off — directly establishing that everything that went wrong happened under their watch. Their response? Employee pricing on repairs for damage that occurred during their custody. No warranty. No acknowledgment of responsibility.
Their service department made three attempts to address this — none genuine. First a $250 charge attempt. Second a promised inspection with video documentation that never happened. Third a "free diagnostic" attached to an inadequate settlement after a legal demand letter.
Complaints filed with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair, NHTSA, the BBB, and the California DMV. Multiple media outlets contacted.
Do not bring your car here for service. 159 days. Stalling at intersections. "Not my problem." You deserve better.
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