Hyundai Sonata Complaints
17,026 consumer complaints on file.
- #10546239September 30, 2013FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL TANK HAS SPLIT IN HALF DUE TO POOR WELDING. SEEMS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ISSUE WITH 1998 HYUNDAI SONATA. 3-4 GALLONS OF GAS LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND WITHIN A FEW HOURS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10546258September 30, 2013FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS INFORMED THIS MODEL HAS A SAFETY VALVE IN THE GAS FILLER NECK THAT WILL PREVENT THE GAS FROM LEAKING OUT SHOULD THE VEHICLE OVERTURN. MY VALVE MUST BE STUCK IN THE PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION SINCE I CAN ONLY FILL THE GAS TANK EVERY ONE-THIRD OF A GALLON BEFORE THE GAS DISPENSER SHUTS OFF. THEN I HAVE TO WAIT 10 SECONDS FOR IT TO SEEP INTO THE TANK BEFORE I CAN CONTINUE TO PUMP. FILLING MY 17 GAL TANK TAKES ABOUT 10-12 MINUTES WITH MOST OF THE TIME JUST WAITING FOR THE GAS TO SEEP INTO THE TANK. HYUNDAI WANTS OVER $600 TO REPAIR. UNACCEPTABLE SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10546336September 30, 2013VISIBILITY
DRIVERS SIDE VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP IN ANY POSITION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545987September 28, 2013SERVICE BRAKES, AIR BAGS, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
MY ESC AND AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED AND MY BRAKES MAL-FUNCTIONS. RECALL CAMPAIGN 110 RECALLS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON SOME OF THESE CARS BUT NOT ON MY YEAR AND MODEL. I AM SUGGESTING THAT THE RECALL MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE 2009 SONATA SINCE THE SWITCHES SEEM TO MALFUNCTION IN THAT MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AS WELL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545606September 27, 2013STEERING
VEHICLE WANDERS WHEN TRAVELING AT 60+ MPH. CAN STAY IN MY OWN LANE. CANNOT KEEP THE VEHICLE GOING STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT. STEERING SENSITIVITY FEELS WAY TOO SENSITIVE AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AT THOSE SPEEDS. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF THIS BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY SOLUTIONS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545748September 27, 2013VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
ON 09/22/13, I LEFT FOR A 75 MILE TRIP. WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY CAR THAT MORNING, I NOTICED IT WAS MOVING SLUGGISHLY, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO OUR OVERNIGHT CHILLY TEMPERATURES. I DROVE THE SHORT DISTANCE TO THE INTERSTATE. AS I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I HAD THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR TO PREPARE TO MERGE AND DISCOVERED THAT I HAD PRACTICALLY NO ACCELERATION! MY CAR GOT TO BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 RPMS BEFORE IT SHIFTED OUT OF FIRST GEAR! AT THAT POINT, I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO AN INTERSTATE, IN FRONT OF A SEMI THAT WOULD NOT GET OVER FOR ME TO MERGE. I LITERALLY HAD MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL PUSHED TO THE FLOOR, AS THE CAR AGAIN HIT BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 RPMS TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR! I WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GET MY CAR TO 65 AND TURN ON THE CRUISE CONTROL . I DOUBLE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I WAS IN DRIVE (RATHER THAN NEUTRAL OR MANUAL--NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON). ON OCCASION DURING THAT DRIVE, I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE AND HIT THE ACCELERATOR TO SEE IF WHAT I HAD EXPERIENCED WAS A FLUKE'IT WAS NOT. MY ACCELERATOR WAS LITERALLY MASHED TO THE FLOOR AS MY CAR'S SPEED SLOWLY LURCHED HIGHER, WHILE MY RPMS RAISED ABOVE 5000 BEFORE SHIFTING TO THE NEXT GEAR. ONCE I RETURNED HOME, I TURNED OFF MY CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE TO TEST IT. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS GONE (ALTHOUGH I QUESTION WHETHER MY TURBO IS STILL WORKING EFFECTIVELY, AS IT SEEMS LESS RESPONSIVE). TODAY, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS THE RECENT SONATA RECALL, AND I ALSO REQUESTED THEY EXAMINE MY TRANSMISSION, DESCRIBING THE ABOVE INCIDENT TO THEM. I NOTED THAT OTHER DRIVERS MENTIONED THAT A WASTE GATE' ISSUE APPEARED TO BE CAUSING THE SHIFTING PROBLEMS. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED I SHIFTED INTO MANUAL ACCIDENTALLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545272September 25, 2013SERVICE BRAKES
THE CAR NOW HAS 75K. I HAVE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE REAR PADS THREE TIMES AND REAR ROTORS TWICE. IN ADDITION, REAR BRAKES HAVE REQUIRED "FRICTION RELIGNING" AT LEAST ANNUALLY, OFTEN TWICE PER YEAR. NO MATTER HOW OFTEN THESE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ARE NEEDED THE EMERGENCY OR PARKING BRAKE, WHICH I USE EACH TIME I PARK THE CAR, OFTEN DOES NOT RELEASE EASILY OR FULLY. IF I REVERSE UP TO ABOUT 8-10 MPH AND SLAM THE BRAKES, WHEN THE DRAGGING SOUND AND SENSATION DO NOT QUICKLY ABATE, THIS SEEMED TO SEAT THE PADS AND OR CALIPERS. IN THE PAST WEEK, IN FACT, THE REAR DRIVER'S BRAKE ASSEMBLY, ALUMINUM WHEEL AND COMPONENTS BECOME VERY, VERY HOT... HAVE NOT NEEDED TO DRIVE MORE THAN A MILE OR TWO AT ANY TIME, BUT THE DEALER CAN NOT GET ME IN UNTIL NEXT WEEK... I AM UNABLE TO GET AROUND AT ALL IF NEED LEAVE THE CAR FOR EXTENDED TIME... IT WAS WHEN ONLINE SEEKING A TEMPORARY MEANS BY WHICH I MIGHT TRY TO ADJUST THE CALIPER FOR THE TIME BEING, THAT I FOUND MANY, MANY FORUMS AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE REAR BRAKES IN SONATAS... I DID CALL HYUNDAI, THEY ISSUED A CASE NUMBER AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT WHATEVER... *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545285September 25, 2013POWER TRAIN
I WAS COMING OFF OF AN ON RAMP TO GET ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND DUE TO TRAFFIC I HAD TO LET OFF THE GAS. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ANOTHER INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT A SCHOOL CROSSWALK AREA. I LIGHTLY PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF CAUSING MY HEAD TO WHIP BACK AND ME TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE. NEARLY HITTING KIDS AS THEY CROSSED IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545342September 25, 2013ENGINE
OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, HOWEVER NO OIL WAS IN VEHICLE, TOOK TO SOUTHERN AUTO MART IN GEORGETOWN, SC THEY SAID IT WAS OKAY, THEY CHANGED MY OIL. TWO WEEKS LATER NO OIL, ENGINE IS NO GOOD. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545354September 25, 2013VISIBILITY
BOTH SUN VISORS WILL NOT STAY ALL THE WAY UP OR DOWN AND BLOCK MY VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545362September 25, 2013ENGINE
MY SPOUSE WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 280 SOUTHBOUND IN THE BAY AREA DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE WHEN AN ENGINE ROD CAME LOOSE AND PUNCTURED A WHOLE IN THE ENGINE CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE FAILURE LED TO LOSS OF POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES AND THE CAR COASTED OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT RAMP AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP AFTER THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE CAR HAS CONSISTENTLY RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED HYUNDAI DEALER AND CAR SERVICE PROVIDER. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING BEFORE THE ENGINE FLEW APART. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE LED TO THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER, ANY PASSENGERS, AND OTHER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF NEARBY CARS. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544917September 23, 2013SUSPENSION, WHEELS
I WAS TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, AS I SWERVED THE CAR FISH TAILED. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HIT THE CURB, AT WHICH POINT THE TIRE ACTUALLY BUCKLED UNDER THE CAR. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE CAR AT FIRST WE BELIEVED WE ONLY NEEDED THE REAR TIRE ASSEMBLY. WE THEN DISCOVERED THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SUB FRAME ASSEMBLY. HE TOLD ME THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED AND HE BELIEVE THAT WAS WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH DAMAGE. THEN I WAS TOLD BY A FRIEND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA SUB FRAME. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE FRONT SUB FRAME. WHEN READING THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WAS OCCURRING IN THE RECALL OF THE FRONT SUB FRAME LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE SAME MAYBE OCCURRING TO THE REAR SUB FRAME.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544935September 23, 2013STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND ESC WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544964September 23, 2013ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
LAST NIGHT, I WAS TOLD, I HAD LEFT A DOME LIGHT ON. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TRYING TO GET IT OFF. THOUGHT I HAD IT OFF, LOCKED CAR ALL LIGHTS WERE OFF WHEN I LEFT IT. COME OUT THIS MORNING TO HEAD TO WORK AND IT WOULD NOT START. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST INCIDENT. IF I LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE CAR IT KILLS IT? I USE TO DO THIS WITH MY BMW AND NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. WHY DOES IT SUCK THE LIFE OUT OF MY BATTERY? THIS MORNING, THO I DONT UNDERSTAND. I HAD ALL THE LIGHTS OFF,,,I THOUGHT. DO NOT KNOW WHAT DRAINED IT. IS THE BATTERY A CHEAP BATTERY? DO I NEED TO CHANGE IT OUT? ITS JUST A 2011, THOUGHT SHOULD LAST LONGER. ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH DEAD BATTERY?
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544754September 23, 2013EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AC COMPRESSOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *SMD ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR INVOICE, THE AC COMPRESSOR HAD AN ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN. THE AC CLUTCH CAME APART AND THE CLUTCH MELTED ONTO THE COMPRESSOR.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545014September 23, 2013STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD MAKE A LOUD CLUCKING NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME ROUGH TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,142.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10545034September 23, 2013SERVICE BRAKES
AFTER EXITING A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT I ATTAINED A SPEED OF ABOUT 35MPH WHEN A TRAFFIC LITE ABOUT 100YDS AHEAD TURNED TO RED. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND AFTER A FEW YARDS APPLIED THE BRAKES ONLY TO FIND THE PEDAL GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR WITH LITTLE OR NO BRAKING ACTION. I GRABBED AND THE PULLED THE HAND BRAKE AS HARD AS REASONABLE WITHOUT BREAKING THE HANDLE OR DOING OTHER DAMAGE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH I STOPPED ABOUT 2-3 CAR LENGTHS SHORT OF AN ACCIDENT I'M SURE THAT USE OF THE HAND BRAKE PREVENTED A REAR END COLLISION. ONLY AFTER I HAD DRIVEN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS TO GET OFF THE ROADWAY DID THE RED BRAKE FAILURE LITE COME ON CONFIRMING THAT I HAD SURVIVED A SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE AS OPPOSED TO A SLOW LEAK FAILURE. WITH A RATHER SHAKY HAND, I GRABBED A FLASH LIGHT AND WHILE MY PASSENGER PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM A LOCATION ABOUT 16 INCHES IN FRONT OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE. THE CAR IS IN THE YARD NOW BUT W/O A LIFT THE LOCATION OF THE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN. HUNDAI DID NOT SEEMED TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEAR ACCIDENT STATING THERE ARE NO KNOWN BRAKE ISSUES BUT DID GIVE ME A CASE NUMBER FOR REFERENCE, THAT NUMBER IS 6046357. SINCE HUNDAI DID NOT SEEM TOO CONCERNED ABOUT NEAR ACCIDENT SO I WILL BE TAKING THE SONATA TO A LOCAL DEALER.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544821September 22, 2013UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS IN MY PARKING SPACE AND HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE SPACE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR IN REVERSE, IT TOOK OFF AT AN INCREDIBLE SPEED, DID A SEMI-CIRCLE, AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER WHO WAS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE EVENT OR CHECK OUT THE CAR. I PLAN ON CONTACTING HYUNDAI CORPORATE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THIS INFORMATION.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544724September 21, 2013SERVICE BRAKES
HAVE HAD AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH BRAKE LIGHTS GOING OUT... STOP LAMP SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. NOW I DON'T HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS .... SOMETHING IS VERY VERY WRONG WITH HYUNDAI'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF COURSE HYUNDAI SAYS MY CAR IS NOT AFFECTED BY ANY RECALL... AND I HAVE TO PAY THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONGS WITH THE CAR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10544575September 20, 2013EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLAMP WAS LOWER THAN THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS NOT TO PROVIDE ILLUMINATION AT A GREATER DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADJUSTED THE HEADLAMPS HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000. ..UPDATED 12-26-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHTS WERE ADJUSTED AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE, WHICH HELPED THE LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0