Hyundai Sonata Complaints (2006)
1,047 consumer complaints on file.
- #10443226January 9, 2012AIR BAGS
THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON..THE DEALER SAYS IT'S THE SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH IS A $1,400 REPAIR. WHEN YOU SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG WARNING GOES ON AND OFF BUT THE LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE RECALL NUMBER IS 08V161000. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I CALLED HYUNDAI AND THEY TOLD ME ONLY CARS BUILT IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2006 WOULD BE HONORED FOR THE RECALL. MY CAR WAS BUILT IN JULY 2006 (ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICE). WHY WOULD THEY ONLY RECALL CARS BUILT IN MAY AND JUNE? OBVIOUSLY THEY DID NOT KNOW THE PROBLEM EXISTED DURING THE PRODUCTION OF MY CAR? WHAT MAKES MY CAR SEAT PARTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PRODUCED IN MAY AND JUNE? I ASKED IF THEY HAD PART NUMBERS THAT WERE IN THE RECALL AND IF THEY CHANGED DESIGN IN JULY? THEY COULD NOT OR WOULD NOT ANSWER ME. MY BET IS THEY ISSUED THE RECALL TO SATISFY A FEW IF ANY AND TURN-DOWN ALL OTHERS TO SAVE MONEY SINCE THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE SEAT HAS TO BE REMOVED AND SENT OUT TO BE CALIBRATED (COST ESTIMATE $1,400). THE BOTTOM LINE IS MY AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE LIGHT IS ON AND HYUNDAI HAS A LONG LONG HISTORY OF AIR BAG ISSUES. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THEM TO HONOR MY CAR IN THE RECALL? IF I WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION MY AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10442831January 8, 2012AIR BAGS
I BOUGHT A USED CAR AT TARBOX AND THE CAR AT 60 WAS FEELING LIKE IT WAS SKIPPING THEN AIRBAG LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF BROUGHT IT BACK AND DEALER RESET IT AND SKIPPING STOPPED LIGHT STAYED OFF THEN THE SKIPPING CAME BACK I WAS CHECKING THE FUSE BOX AIRBAG FUSE WAS REMOVED SO I REPLACED WITH THE EXTRA FUSE RIGHT SIZE AND LIGHT STAYS ON BUT DEALER SAYS NOW OVER WARRANTY BUT I TOLD THEM I REPORTED BEFORE THIS AND FUSE WAS REMOVED IS THERE A RECALL THAT WAS OR WASN'T DONE ON THIS CAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10442682January 6, 2012AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IN 2006, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER AT THAT TIME, THE CONTACT DID NOT EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION. RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AND AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,500. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ UPDATED 02/24/12
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10442273January 3, 2012AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10442092January 2, 2012VISIBILITY
I OWN A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA AND THE SUN VISOR HAS BROKEN TWICE, WHICH AFFECTS MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE VISOR IS UNABLE TO STAY UP AND OUT OF VIEW WHEN NOT IN USE. I'VE READ HYUNDAI ONLINE FORUMS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH A LOT OF THIS MODEL AS WELL AS THE 2007 MODEL. I'VE HAD TO SLIDE OUT THE VISOR EXTENSION AND WEDGE IT BETWEEN BY REARVIEW MIRROR AND ROOF OF MY CAR, WHICH IS NOT A SAFE OPTION EITHER AS IT CAN BECOME UNWEDGED DURING DRIVING AND FALL DOWN AND BLOCK MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. IT HASN'T CAUSED AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME WHICH TERRIFIES ME. PLEASE HELP. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10441531December 28, 2011AIR BAGS
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TEN TIMES FOR THE DEFECT. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BUCKLES WERE REPLACED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS NOT PROPERLY OPERATING BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,313. KMJ
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10441258December 26, 2011AIR BAGS
ONE MORNING THAT I STARTED THE CAR, MY AIRBAG LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OFF AFTER THE START-UP. IT HAS BEEN 5 MONTHS SINCE THIS LIGHT CAME ON, AND I BROUGHT IT TO A HYUNDAI DEALER'S SERVICE CENTER. AFTER THEIR DIAGNOSTIC, THEY SAID IT'S A SENSOR IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAD SHORTEN OUT AND IT'S CAUSING AIRBAG SIGN TO COME ON. THE MECHANIC ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS MEANS THAT IN CASE OF ACCIDENT THAT MY DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG WOULDN'T INFLATE. THIS SEEMS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM AFTER READING SEVERAL WEBSITES ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR'S AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM, BUT HYUNDAI IS KEEP DENYING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. ANOTHER THING THAT IT'S SHOCKING TO ME IS THAT IN CASE A PERSON IS DRIVING WITHOUT A SEATBELT, AIRBAG WOULDN'T INFLATE, JUST AS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN SEATBELT BUCKLE CAN CAUSE MALFUNCTION IN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME..WHY WOULD A CAR MAKER WOULD EVER DESIGN A SYSTEM LIKE THIS? TO PUNISH PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING WITHOUT A SEATBELT? WHEN I ASKED THIS QUESTION, THE HYUNDAI DEALER REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT HE DOESN'T MAKE A CAR BUT THERE TO SELL IT! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10441094December 23, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN VEHICLE ENGINE SPEED DROPS TO APPROXIMATELY 1000 - 1100 RPM, HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM OR BRIEFLY SHUT OFF, RADIO WILL SHUT OFF, AND INTERIOR FAN SPEED WILL DROP. THIS HAPPENS FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND AND IS INTERMITTENT. FROM SEARCHES OF THE INTERNET, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE ASSEMBLY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN HANDLED VIA A RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE HEADLIGHTS DIMMING OFF OR SHUTTING OFF DURING NIGHT DRIVING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO THIS CAR. IN ADDITION, PROBABLY DUE TO THIS VOLTAGE DROP PROBLEM, SEVERAL HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS ETC., HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS ALREADY COST ME SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIR, PRIOR TO LEARNING ABOUT THE CABLE ASSEMBLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10439824December 13, 2011AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,500.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10438092December 2, 2011AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES TO HAVE THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM REPLACED UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V161000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE MANUFACTURER CONTINUOUSLY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AND WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10437887November 30, 2011STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE REAR STABILIZERS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 176,000. UPDATED 03/16/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, BECAUSE THE FRAME WASN'T BROKEN. UPDATED 05/11/12 THE CONSUMER STTED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE SUBFRAME WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BY HYUNDAI. UPDATED 12/21/2012 *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10437597November 28, 2011SUSPENSION, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, SHE COULD HEAR A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 06/07/12*LJ
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10436571November 21, 2011AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE MAT SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,949.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10436650November 21, 2011AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
THE "AIRBAG" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. IT WAS REPORTED BACK TO ME THAT THE SEAT BELT SENSOR HAD FAILED, CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON (AND IT WAS NOT COVERED ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY). FROM RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HYUNDAI SONATA 2006. HYUNDAI REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10433867November 1, 2011ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SOON AS HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD GENERATE A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE TIMING CHAIN. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10430892October 19, 2011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DURING ROUTINE SERVICE INSPECTION THE DEALER MECHANICS REPORTED THE REAR DISK BRAKES WERE WORN "ALMOST METAL TO METAL". I REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE PADS MYSELF. THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTSIDE PAD WAS WORN ALMOST TO THE METAL BUT THE OTHER THREE PADS WERE WORN NOT MUCH AT ALL. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS. THE BRAKES WORKED FINE BEFORE AND AFTER THE PADS WERE REPLACED. MY SON HAS THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND TYPE VEHICLE WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE THAT EXHIBITED THE VERY SAME PAD WORN IN A LIKE MANNER. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10430579October 17, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OUTAGE INCLUDING INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DIMMING LIGHTS, RADIO TURNS OFF/ON, AC SHUTS OFF/ON, DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON AND EVENTUALLY TURN ON (ENGINE, ABS LIGHTS, ETC...). THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR, 4-5 TIMES IN A 10-15 MINUTE DRIVE. USUALLY HAPPENS AT LOWER SPEEDS, WHEN DECELERATING/ACCELERATING, BUT NOT CONSISTENTLY. AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR LAST 3 MONTHS. AIR BAG LIGHT ISSUES COUPLE YRS AGO AND TOOK TO DEALER FOR RECALL ISSUE, ATTRIBUTED TO A SENSOR ISSUE, WHICH SEEMED TO FIX IT UNTIL RECENTLY. HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 MONTHS AGO, WITHOUT IMPROVEMENT. 3 MECHANICS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY CAUSE. VERY FRUSTRATED! OTHERWISE CAR HAS DONE WELL. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED, AS I'VE NOTICED MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10429923October 12, 2011AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V161000 (AIR BAGS) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10429423October 11, 2011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DURING BRAKING, BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AND RESULTED IN DIFFICULTY BRAKING. GRINDING NOISE NOTICED FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR. UPON CHECKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE WITH SONATA'S ONLINE, I DETERMINED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A PREVALENT ISSUE WITH SONATA BRAKE ROTORS PREMATURELY WEARING AWAY. AGAIN, IN 9/2011, I NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE SAME REAR ROTORS, AND WILL HAVE TO GET THIS REPLACED. INITIAL COST WAS VERY HIGH, AS THE AUTO SHOP NOTED THAT THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS WERE BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *KB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10428991October 6, 2011SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELT MODULE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0