2003 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

I TRULY BELIEVE THE SAFETY OF MY ENTIRE FAMILY IS AT RISK AFTER FINDING OUT THAT THE DOOR LOCKS IN THE 2003 SONATA LX FAILED TO RESPOND TO SIGNALS FROM MY REMOTE. I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM ONE NIGHT AFTER LOCKING MY CAR AND THEN SENDING MY FRIEND TO RETRIEVE AN ITEM FROM THE VEHICLE. I FORGOT TO GIVE MY FRIEND THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE CAR AND AS A RESULT I WAS SURPRISED WHEN HE RETURNED WITH THE ITEM. I INQUIRED HOW HE DID THIS HIS RESPONSE WAS THE LEFT REAR DOOR WAS OPEN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIF=GATION AND ATTEMPTING TO LOCK THE CAR WITH THE REMOTE IT WAS REALIZED THAT THE LOCK WAS NOT RESPONDING. THIS SITUATION WAS SCARY TO KNOW BECAUSE MY FAMILY DRIVES THE CAR AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND THIS CAN ENDANGER THEM IF SOMEONE COMES INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE THEY ARE AWAY FROM THE CAR. LIVING IN NY AND ENVIRONS MOST OF THE TIMES OUR CARS ARE PARKED ON THE STREET AND A PROSPECTIVE THIEF CAN ACCESS THE CAR EASILY. THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE LEFT REAR DOOR ACTUATOR AFTER MANY CALLS TO THE MANUFACTURER. I HAD TO PAY A REDUCED COST OF $50 TO GET IT FOXED AFTER HYUNDAI AGREED TO SUPPLY THE NECESSARY PART SINCE THE CAR HAD JUST CROSSED 60000 MILES/ 5 YEARS . THEY SAID THE REASON THE ACTUATOR BECOMES FAULTY IS THEIR INABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE CURRENT EVENLY TO THE SYSTEM. NOW THE RIGHT REAR DOOR ACTUATOR HAS BECOME FAULTY AT 70000 PLUS MILES AND BOTH PARTIES, THE DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI, REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGE TO BE A KNOWN AND POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THESE VEHICLES. THE DOOR NOW STAYS IN THE LOCK POSITION BUT AGAIN IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF I'M TRYING TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY....PLEASE ADVISE HYUNDAI TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT....AND REPLACE ALL DEFECTIVE ACTUATORS IN THEIR LINE OF VEHICLES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I REALIZED THE STEERING WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN UPON PULLING ASIDE I NOTICED A FLUID LEAKING NEAR THE RIGHT AXEL UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I REALIZED THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I REFILLED IT AND TURNED THE STEERING AND THE FLUID JUST GUSHED OUT. IF I CONTINUED DRIVING THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL IF I DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STEER THE VEHICLE CORRECTLY AS THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFFER AND STIFFER, THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING LINE FAILED IN NEW YORK DUE TO RUSTING. THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS $120 AND LABOR AN ADDITIONAL $200. THE MECHANIC SAID HE REPAIRED MANY FAILURES LIKE THIS IN NY. EVEN THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY MADE ALOT OF SALES OF THIS LINE BECAUSE IN NY THE SALT FROM THE ROADS IN WINTER CAUSE RAPID CORROSION OF THE PARTS, I THINK THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SUBFRAME ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT TO SAVE EVEN ONE LIFE. *TR

I OWN A 2003 SONATA THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I HAVE AN EMISSION LEAK THE MACHINE SAYS. I NEED HELP HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANY ONE ELSE. ALSO MY GAS PROBLEMS, WHEN PUTTING GAS IN MY CAR THE GAS CAP CLICKS AS IF THE TANK WAS FULL WHEN TALKING TO LOCAL DEALER ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS QUOTE PRICES!!!!!!!!! NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THESE THING ARE HAPPENING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. HE RECEIVED RECALL 09V171000 PERTAINING TO RUST ON THE FRAME. HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE METHOD USED TO CORRECT THE RECALL REPAIR. HE STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER PLACED STICKERS ON THE DOOR HANDLE AND THAT THEY WERE UNFOLDING DUE TO THE TEMPERATURE IN HIS STATE. HE ALSO STATED THAT SINCE THE STICKERS WERE METALLIC, THEY COULD POSSIBLY CUT YOU IF HANDLED INCORRECTLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE WILLING TO ASSIST ANY FURTHER AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SIMPLY REMOVE THE STICKERS. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR RESPONSE. THERE WERE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,782.

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON, MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 70K MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE SEATS HAVE NOT BEEN DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. THE DEALERSHIP USED THEIR SCAN TOOL AND THE CODE IS B1382, THE SIDE AIR BAG RESISTANCE IS TOO HIGH. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG HARNESS (PART #917003D010) AND THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY STANDARD WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE MECHANIC SAID IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT WIRING BEING USED IN THE DESIGN OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE THIS HARNESS IS $1,349 PLUS THE $98 DIAGNOSTIC FEE I HAD TO PAY. *TR

MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA'S AIRBAG LIGHT REPEATEDLY COMES ON AND OFF FOR NO REASON. WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHT WILL SPONTANEOUSLY COME ON AND WILL GO BACK OFF EITHER DURING THE SAME DRIVING EVENT OR IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS NOR HAS THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY OR SEAT BEEN DAMAGED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDIA SONATA. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE INTERIOR FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER CHROME DOOR HANDLE EXHIBITED A CRACK AND BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THERE WAS ALSO A SHARP EDGE ON THE CHROME PLATE SURFACE. A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO A FINGER ON THE DEFECTIVE DOOR HANDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V171000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH). THE RECALL REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT AND DID NOT ADDRESS THE RECALL DEFECT. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

CAR LOOSE POWER MOMENTARILY WHILE DRIVING, DOES NOT SHUT OFF. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED 2 SETS OF NEW TIRES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS AND HAVE HAD ROUGHLY 15 FLAT TIRES. I ALSO MOST RECENTLY ALMOST KILLED MYSELF AND MY 3 KIDS W/ HAVING THE TIRE ROD ALMOST CRACK. I HAD A BILL OF $385 TO HAVE JUST THAT ONE PART TO BE FIXED. I HAVE BEEN ON HOLD FOR OVER AN HOUR NOW FOR THE RECALL NUMBER I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL. I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MY TROUBLES AS THIS WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL LETTER I JUST RECEIVED. PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE THE DEALER REPAIRED RECALL #09V171000, COMPONENT: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH HYUNDAI RECALL# 093. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF PLACING A PLASTIC COVER ON THE DOOR HANDLE. THE MILEAGE WAS 42,193.