Consumer complaint received 2023-08-13
Company: HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA
State: NY
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem extending the lease

Complaint:
Problem is twofold : first with Kia finance/Hyundai . Second with XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
First- I leased a XXXX XXXX XXXX. The three year lease ended in XX/XX/XXXX. The company is used when i initially leased ( comfort auto in XXXX ) has since closed. I spoke with a Kia representative directly and was advise that I can extend the lease for six months. And only once the lease ends. I tried extending and I believed the extension was legit and in place. I paid for the lease via monthly auto pay directly from bank to Kia finance for most of the lease time. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call from Kia finance re my lease extension. I advised the rep that I opted to extend the lease and submitted all necessary documents and want the auto pay to continue just as it was set up for the past months, maybe years. The rep put me on hold and came back. She confirmed that all was indeed in place and set up for the extension. She advised that Kia had already taken the payments. She also reassured me that she will ensure that I wont get phone calls about this anymore as all is okay for 6 month extension. I did not check my bank statements. Perhaps I was remiss in not checking, but I never had an issue with my Kia autopay and had no reason to believe that anything changed. Fast forward to XX/XX/XXXX at about XXXX XXXX I received a call from Kia finance ( though called Id read Hyundai ). I was advised that no payments were made since XXXX! I was advised that my vehicle was up for repossession! I was shocked, and I wondered why I wasnt notified until now. The rep advised that she tried calling many times. When I asked why she never left a message she said it was unlawful for her to leave any details i a voicemail. She also advised that she only calls during reg business hours on my home phone. I work during regular business hours and am not home then. I dont know why my cell phone was never called, nor why I never got any notice via email or snail mail. She was not able to advise. Please note that the caller Id reads Hyundai capital and I did not know that Kia is affiliated with Hyundai. Also please note that I did try calling the number off the caller Id back, just because I wondered why I kept seeing missed calls from them. I believe the call did state it was Kia but I was placed on hold for a disrespectfully long time before even speaking with a human and did not end up clarifying who they were and why they were calling me. Chalked it up to robocall or error Back to that XX/XX/XXXX call- I told the Kia rep that I immediately want to rectify the situation and bring my payments up to date. She put me on hold to connect me with the right department. After holding for 20 minutes range our call was cut off. I called right back only to have an automated message advise that their office is closed until Monday XXXX XXXX. Sunday morning at XXXX XXXX my bell rang. Woke me and my young kids. It was company called XXXX XXXX advising that they were here to repossess my car! I looked out my window and sure enough a flatbed tow truck was in XXXX XXXX right beside my car and my car door was open and a guy was sitting i e drivers seat! I dressed and went out to assess and communicate with the guys there. I explained that this was not a case of just skipping payments, and I offered to pay on the spot whatever was owed. They could not take payments. I could not reach Kia finance as they were closed. I begged for the car not to be taken, asked for any recourse, or compassion/understanding. I objected respectfully. They were extremely tough and advised that if I dont cooperate and give them my keys they will take the car forcefully and charge a hefty fee for the key. I surrendered my key. They took my car. Some of my belongings are still in the car. Most I got to take out. Monday XX/XX/XXXX I reached Kia finance. After hours on the phone ( literally and honestly ) I was directed to a manager XXXX. He agreed to review my conversations with Kia as they are recorded. After a few days he determined that despite the fact that I was told all is well and established appropriately for the 6 months extension, nothing changes for me. I can now only get the car back with a buy out with a one time payment of over XXXX XXXX XXXX I worry also about my credit rating very much. That is where I now stand. 
May I add a face, so to say, to this story? XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in a XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I am now a XXXX XXXX  of XXXX children. To help me manage in my new life, I got my first drivers license four years ago. This is my first experience with leasing and the company I used closed down during my lease period. I am not savvy with car leasing etc, therefore I check and double checked with Kia that all was well! I set up auto pay so that I know I wont ever be late. ( This was after two slightly late payments early on in the lease ). I never had an issue in all the 3 years of the lease, not with the car company and thankfully not with my driving either! While Kia legitimately did not get the payments as they were due, my only sin was not checking my bank statements. I never had an issue with not reviewing my statements in a timely fashion thus far. I juggle a lot and I aim to juggle well. This situation is so unfortunate and was not due to any ill will on my part. I feel the finance company should have let me know about the missing payments in a more reliable way or at least in another way. I expressed regret as soon as I was advised, and I immediately was forthcoming in getting everything straightened out. I work fewer hours on Friday, that is how I caught the one call I caught. 
I thank you for reading this. I ask for understanding please. I included both issues in the description above. 
I extend best wishes.

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