Consumer complaint received 2021-12-29
Company: HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA
State: DC
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Title loan
Issue: Problem with the payoff process at the end of the loan

Complaint:
Hello, I have made ongoing attempts to have Hyundai Motor Finance ( HMF ) complete a state-to-state transfer of my ( financed ) vehicle title since XX/XX/XXXX and have gotten nowhere. I am currently driving an unregistered vehicle because of this. Here are the details. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I purchased my XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, XXXX I am financing the vehicle through Hyundai Motor Finance for 60 months, which will end in XXXX of XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I moved to XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I went to the XXXX and filled out all the paperwork required for me to get my license and registration. I do remember it involved filling out some paperwork for the Lien, and I was able to get all of this done in one day, and I received my tags and license in the mail within a few weeks. I never received the title, but this did not raise any flags with me at the time since I wasn't familiar with XXXX  XXXX laws. 

XXXX : I moved in with my parents temporarily in XXXX XXXX, when XXXX of XXXX was approaching I realized I would need to register the vehicle in XXXX as my XXXX  plates were about to expire. At the XXXX DMV I was able to get a license, but they told me that since I was coming from the state of XXXX then I should have a copy of the title as they are a title holding state. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX : I spoke with the XXXX DMV 3 or 4 times by phone to try and figure out why I could not order a duplicate title through their website. Each time they said they did not know, and would have someone call me back within 2 weeks to help resolve the situation. Each time, no one followed up. The final time I spoke with them, they suggested I fill out a paper application and mail it in, which I did on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I moved to XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX : I received a letter from the XXXX  XXXX stating they could not provide a duplicate title for the following reason ; " XXXX needs the out of state title from XXXX  in order to process your transaction. Please contact your Lien holder for assistance. '' ( See Attached document ) XX/XX/XXXX : I call Hyundai Motor Finance ( HMF ) for the first time. They send me a secure message, and I fill out the information for the State-to-State Title Request. I call back twice over the next two weeks before a representative ultimately takes the info over the phone to start the process. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I call HMF a few times to check on the process. HMF states that the title will be overnighted to the XXXX  XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I spend the entire month calling the XXXX  XXXX. They continue to state they have not received the title. HMF continues to confirm that they have XXXX  XXXX the title to the XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. On one call, a XXXX XXXX tells me to ask for the XXXX XXXX tracking number from HMF. After several calls with HMF telling me that there is no tracking number, they are finally able to confirm that they did not in fact overnight the title to the XXXX because their request from the state of XXXX was denied for the reason that the XXXX title was no longer valid, meaning they never received it. I call the XXXX DMV and they tell me that they surrendered the title to the state of XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX ( which doesn't make much sense because I moved to XXXX in XXXX of XXXX ). They tell me to have HMF submit the XXXX form again along with documentation from XXXX that they don't have the title. 

XX/XX/XXXX : This month is spent trying to figure out how to get a copy of the attached letter to HMF and have them submit it with the request. I sent it to two of their title email addresses. The representatives at HMF claim they have no phone number for the titles department, and can only email them. I am told I will receive the title on XX/XX/XXXX. Near the end of XXXX or early XXXX I am told the request was denied again because XXXX believes they are not the title state. It is still not clear to me whether they actually provided my attached letter. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Many calls to HMF, the XXXX DMV, and XXXX XXXXXXXX. The XXXX  XXXX states that when I registered my car, they created a temporary title number for me in order to complete the process. The XXXX speculates that having this temporary title number in the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  is what makes XXXX think they are not the title holder. They tell me they can remove it. I speak with the XXXX  DMV and they state that this will resolve the issue. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I receive an email from the XXXX  XXXX that states, " Good morning, The XXXX entry has been removed from XXXX, XXXX is now showing as the current state of title. XXXX  should be able to issue a duplicate title. If you need anything else please let me know. Have a wonderful day! '' I call the XXXX DMV. They confirm that XXXX shows XXXX  as the title holder and that HMF can request my title again. I call HMF and ask them to set up the request again as I know it takes several weeks for them to actually do it. 

XX/XX/XXXX : After several calls where I am told a wide variety of different information ( sometimes that the request has yet to be sent, sometimes that it came back and was denied ), I am finally told that they have received the title from the state of XXXX, but do not want to send it to the XXXX XXXXXXXX as I no longer live there. 

XX/XX/XXXX : At the request of HMF, I call the XXXX  DMV to see if it's ok if HMF sends them the XXXX  title directly despite having ( expired ) XXXX  tags. They agree that this will be fine and I am ecstatic that I won't have to take the extra step of dealing with the XXXX  XXXX before finally registering my car in XXXX XXXX I give HMF the address of a XXXX DMV, and they tell me it will take 7-10 business days for the titles department to process and send out. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I feel I can finally relax because I will soon be driving a registered vehicle, the nightmare is almost over. I make weekly calls to HMF and am continuously told there is no update because the titles department is backed up. 

XX/XX/XXXX : On a call with HMF, I am told that the latest update came in that same day : XXXX  denied their request because they are not the title holder. Their statement on XX/XX/XXXX about having already received the title from XXXX was apparently a lie. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I speak with the XXXX DMV and am told that the system shows XXXX as the title holder and there is no record of any other state ever having the title. He speculates HMF may have submitted the incorrect form, but it seems like there is no way to know.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation