Consumer complaint received 2024-07-11
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease — Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off
Company: HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA (VA)

I paid my car in full on XX/XX/XXXX and never received any official communications from the bank. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have not received the car title or an official lien release letter stating that I paid the car in full. I do have a letter sent to me automatically by the website in which I paid the loan in full stating that I have paid the entire remaining balance but no official lien release or title has been provided to me despite multiple attempts to get it. This is VERY concerning to me because I am moving out of the country on XX/XX/XXXX due to a government job and I will have to spend several thousands of dollars storing my car until my tour is completed and I am able to return to the XXXX to sell my car. 

Below is a detailed timeline of events : XX/XX/XXXX : Purchased a XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX and selected Hyundai Capital America to help me finance the car. 

Week of XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX XXXX Customer Service to let them know that I was moving to Virginia and asked what I needed to do to change my address. The agent that I spoke to instructed me to change my address in the self-service online system ( kiafinance.com ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : Moved to Virginia for work. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Per the agent 's instructions, I went to kiafinance.com and changed my address ( email proof attached ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX XXXX Customer Service to ask about the process for paying my call in full and getting the car title. I explained that I had moved to Virginia. The agent that I spoke to informed me that there was a max amount of money for a single payment that I could do online and he explained that I could either send a check for the full amount or pay online, splitting my remaining balance into two separate payments. 
After speaking with the customer service agent, I paid my XXXX XXXX in full by making two separate online payments. I never received any email or mail communications acknowledging that I had paid my account in full and providing information about getting my title. I only received the standard email payment receipts. 

Around XX/XX/XXXX ( exact date unknown ) : I called XXXX XXXX Customer Service to let them know that I had not received any information about my car title and they : ( 1 ) apologized for not sending the standard mailing and ( 2 ) assured me that they had now triggered an official release of lien holder letter to be sent to me. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX XXXX Customer Service again to let them know that I still had not received any letter communications and that I was getting anxious because I was moving out of the country soon. The customer service agent ( 1 ) apologized again, ( 2 ) stated that the title release had been declined by the DMV, and ( 3 ) assured me that I would be getting information within the next week and a half. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX XXXX Customer Service again, explained that I still did not receive any letter or my car title and asked to speak with a supervisor. I spoke with a supervisor ( name unknown ) who told me that ( 1 ) she would be sending me an email immediately stating that I had finished paying my car, ( 2 ) that a certified letter would be sent to my address but that it would take a few days to arrive, and that ( 3 ) I simply needed to go to the XXXX  XXXX to request my car title and they would give it to me. Under the instruction of the supervisor, I went to the XXXX  XXXX and was told by them that XXXX XXXX had never released the title, that they still had the XXXX on it, and that in order for me to retrieve it I would need to get the XXXX  XXXX title and bring it to them. I panicked at this point of time. 
I went back home and called XXXX XXXX Customer Service once again, had to explain everything to the agent, and asked to be escalated to a supervisor. At this time I spoke with XXXX XXXX who kindly listened to my entire situation. She apologized profusely for what the supervisor in the morning had told me, she also said that she had trained that one supervisor herself and that I had been given wrong information. She explained that my car title was in CA and insinuated that it was my fault for not submitting a Change of State Request when I moved to Virginia. I explained to her that I had called XXXX XXXX to inform them of my change of address and asked for guidance and that no one had told me that I needed to submit a Change of State Request. She told me that it was my responsibility to do so and I explained to her that there was no way for me to know that such a form was needed and that I was under the impression that everything had been taken care of when I called them and was informed to simply change my address in the self-service online XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX explained that she would be sending me the email that the supervisor in the morning had failed to send me ( that's the email below in this email chain ) and that she would request the title department to release the lien in CA. She told me that this process would take up to 5 business days. At this point of time I asked for the ticket number ( she gave me ID # : XXXX ) and to also be escalated to someone with higher authority to handle my case. She assured me that she had escalated my case to the corporate office and that I would be getting a call from them. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received a call from XXXX XXXX who apologized profusely for the issue and said that he was expediting my car title release and that by Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX the title would be released. I asked XXXX to please notify me when the title department had released my title because I would then need to work with CA XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I had not received a call from XXXX XXXX, so at XXXX PM EST I called the XXXX XXXX Customer Service and asked them to please reach out to him to have him call me. At XXXX PM, XXXX called me and told me that he had confirmed that the title department had released the lien. I asked when would the XXXX  XXXX be notified and he said it was immediate and to give it XXXX day and call the XXXX  XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I told him that I would call the XXXX  XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and I asked him for his direct line to reach out in case there were any further issues. XXXX gave me his direct line ( XXXX ) and stated that he would call me on XX/XX/XXXX to check in on me. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called the XXXX  XXXX in the morning and spoke with them at length. They explained to me that ( XXXX ) the financial organization had not removed the lien in the car yet and ( XXXX ) that I would need a certified original letter by the financial company stating that I had paid the car in full and that they did not have a lien on the car anymore in order for them to process the car title and release it to me. At this point I was incredibly worried about my family 's financial investment in this vehicle as well as extremely frustrated at Hyundai Capital America 's inability to provide a resolution. I called XXXX every hour and left a voicemail explaining the issue and asking him to contact me immediately. I called him and left voicemails at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX never called me back. I called the XXXX XXXX Customer Service and asked to speak with XXXX XXXX. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with her because she knows my situation. XXXX told me that there was nothing that she could do and that I needed to work with XXXX, so I asked her to please have XXXX call me back. XXXX placed me on a long hold and came back to tell me that XXXX was in another call with another client and that he would call me back. I asked XXXX if I could be escalated to XXXX 's supervisor and she said that she did not know who that person was. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Emailed the COO of the company, XXXX XXXX asking for his help.