2003 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

WHEN I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH THE SPECIFIED SIZE TIRE AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 23,000 MILES, I HAD THE PROBLEM WITH THE HUBCAPS SHIFTING AND SHEARING OFF THE VALVE STEM. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE TIRE DEALERSHIP (BF GOODRICH TIRES) AND THEY TRIED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD THEM IT WAS THE TIRES, BUT THAT WAS ILLOGICAL. THEY WOUND UP PUTTING METAL STEMS ON ALL FOUR TIRES AS IT WAS HAPPENING ON THE FRONT TIRES BUT ROTATION WOULD REQUIRE METAL STEMS IN ALL TIRES. THIS KEPT THE HUB CAPS FROM SHEARING THE STEM, BUT THE CAPS WOULD SLIDE UP OVER THE STEMS SO AS TO MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO CHECK THE AIR IN MY TIRES. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF OF HEADACHE, I FINALLY BOUGHT NEW WHEELS FOR THE CAR. THIS COMPLETELY SOLVED THE PROBLEM. HYUNDAI WOULD NEVER ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM AND TRIED TO TELL US THAT THE TIRES WERE WRONG. LIKE OTHERS HAVE STATED, THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT STATES THAT ONE HAS TO BUY MICHELIN TIRES. WHEN I FINALLY BOUGHT THE NEW WHEELS, THE TIRE DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTED TO MOUNT THE NEW TIRES ON THE OLD RIMS THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND THE TIRE COULD NOT BE MOUNTED ON THE RIM AND HOLD AIR. THERE VERY DEFINITELY IS A PROBLEM WITH THOSE WHEELS BUT HYUNDAI NEVER WOULD ADMIT IT AND ONLY OFFERED TO BUY A NEW SET OF HUB CAPS WHICH DID THE EXACT SAME THING. I LIKE THE WHEELS I BOUGHT BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO BUY THEM. HYUNDAI SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE WHEELS ON THE CAR. I EXPERIENCED FIVE FLATS ON THE FRONT END OF MY CAR BEFORE THE METAL STEMS WERE PUT IN. VERY POOR DESIGN ON THE WHEELS. *TR

I FORGET THE DATE, HOWEVER, IT WAS IN AUGUST OF 2008. IT WAS HEAVILY RAINING AND AS ME AND MY FRIENDS WERE ABOUT TO TAKE OFF FOR RANDOM SHENANIGANS, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. *TR

TWO OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE A SILVER METALLIC FOIL THAT HAS SPLIT AND COME LOOSE. MY SON CUT HIS FINGER OPENING THE DOOR. NOW THE DRIVER DOOR INSIDE HANDLE ALSO HAS THE SILVER FOIL COMING LOOSE. WE HAVE HAD TO PUT TAPE ON IT TO PREVENT GETTING ANOTHER CUT FINGER. *TR

I TOOK MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA IN FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS AND KNOW IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT WANTED TO LOG MY COMPLAINT AS WELL. *TR

WITHIN ONE YEAR OF BUYING MY HYUNDAI 2003 SONNTA, I CUT MY FINGER ON THE SILVER COATED INSIDE DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE SILVER COATING OF THE DOOR HANDLE SOMEHOW SPLINTERED AND CUT MY FINGER LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR BLADE. THE CUT WAS VERY DEEP AND MY FINGER BLED PROFUSELY FOR ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE HANDLE WAS REPLACED. A SHORT TIME AFTER, MY HUSBAND SLICED HIS FINGER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. AGAIN THE CUT WAS VERY DEEP; IT WAS LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR CUT. HIS FINGER BLED PROFUSELY FOR 10 - 15 MINUTES. AGAIN THE DEALER REPLACED THE HANDLE. BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2007, SOMEONE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT, AND THEN THIS PERSON CUT HER FINGER ON THE SILVER COATED INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THIS TIME I CONTACTED HYUNDAI HEADQUARTERS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM..THE REP. I SPOKE TO SAID SHE DID NOT HEAR OF ANY SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. THEY CONTACTED THE CAR DEALER AND THE HANDLE WAS REPLACED. NOW A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I CUT MY HAND ON THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE (THIS WAS A HANDLE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED). I CONTACTED HYUNDAI AGAIN AND AM AWAITING DISPOSITION ON THIS. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THESE DOOR HANDLES. THE CUT IT CAUSES IS LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR CUT. IT SLICES DEEP AND IT BLEEDS VERY BADLY. I TOLD HYUNDAI THAT I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO EXPERIENCE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN FACT, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THESE DOOR HANDLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT I THINK THE GOV. NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED WITH. THANK YOU MARIA FACCHIN THANK YOU MARIA FACCHIN *TR

CAR HAS JUST OVER 62,000 MILES AND HAS HAD ALL MAINTENANCE COMPLETED ON TIME. LEAVING THE GYM I UNLOCKED MY DOORS USING THE REMOTE AND GOT IN. I STARTED THE CAR AND FIDDLED WITH THE RADIO FOR A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE PULLING OUT. WHEN I GOT ON THE ROAD THE LOCKS ALL LOCKED (AS IF I HAD PRESSED THE REMOTE LOCKING BUTTON!). I PRESSED THE "UNLOCK" BUTTON ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL, ONLY TO HAVE THE ALARM GO OFF AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS COME ON AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER AND USED THE REMOTE TO LOCK THE CAR BACK AND UNLOCK IT AGAIN, AND THE ALARM STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT WILL NOT START. THE ENGINE WILL NOT EVEN TURN OVER OR TRY TO TURN WHEN I TRY TO START. THE DOME LIGHTS STAY ON SO I KNOW IT'S NOT THE BATTERY (WHICH IS BRAND NEW). I TRIED LEAVING IT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND STARTING AGAIN, BUT STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. I WILL HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

ONE MORNING THE CAR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEYLESS REMOTE, I UNLOCKED IT WITH THE KEY, THEN WENT TO THE STORE AND LOCKED IT. CAME OUT OF THE STORE THEN I UNLOCKED IT WITH THE KEY AGAIN AND STARTED DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. ABOUT 5 MIN INTO THE DRIVE, MY DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. AT THIS POINT I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED BECAUSE MY DOORS NEVER LOCK. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ALARM STARTED TO SOUND. I WAS VERY AFRAID THAT THE CAR WOULD LOCK UP. I FINALLY KEPT PRESSING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE KEY RING AND IT SHUT OFF. NO PROBLEMS TILL AFTER WORK. THE CAR DOOR UNLOCKED WITH THE ELECTRIC UNLOCKER, AS SOON AS I GOT IN THE ALARM WENT OFF AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I STARTED PRESSING THE BUTTON AGAIN, THE ALARM WENT OFF. NO PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A WEEK, TOOK IT TO THE SHOP, NOTHING COULD BE FOUND ONCE AGAIN. I HAD TOLD THEM THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN THAT THE DOORS SOMETIMES DO NOT UNLOCK RIGHT AWAY. AFTER PICKING IT UP FROM THE SHOP I DROVE ABOUT 10 MILES TO A STORE AND WHEN I CAME OUT, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED. THE CAR WORKED AGAIN, IT IS AN ON AND OFF ISSUE THAT I HAVE HAD FOR A I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ON MORE THEN ONE OCCASION I HAVE ALSO LET HYUNDAI OF EL PASO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY CAR BECAUSE IT IS MAKING TICKING NOISES, AND THE CENTRAL LOCKING/UNLOCKING SYSTEM. I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS ON THE PREVIOUS OCCASION. EACH TIME THE SERVICE REP TOOK MY CAR IN, HE TOLD ME NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. MY CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT UNLOCK. RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENED. I TOLD THE SERVICE CLERK THE STORY AND ONCE AGAIN, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AGAIN THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I AM SINCE MY CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 60,000 MILES THIS IS IN FOUR PARTS SORRY THAT I HAD TO BREAK THIS UP INTO PARTS THERE ARE 4 COMPLAINTS FILED

TWO WEEKS AGO I DROVE DOWN THE STREET TO THE STORE, WAS IN THERE FOR ABOUT 15 MIN AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAVE LEARNED AND NOW OWN MY OWN JUMPER CABLES. I ASKED SOMEONE TO JUMP IT FOR ME. THEN I DROVE TO THE LIGHT AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN THE STEREO WENT OFF, THEN THE CLOCK WENT OFF, THEN THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WENT OUT, THEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WHEN OUT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING THOUGH. AS SOON AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I STARTED TO DRIVE EVERYTHING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I GOT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND TURNED IT OFF. WAITED A FEW MINUTES TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT STARTED.

THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DOING OK FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THEN.... I TOOK THE CAR TO GET THE YEARLY INSPECTION DONE AND IT FAILED. THE BACK PASSENGERS BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON NON- STOP. I AM GOING TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN. THE BACK BRAKE LIGHT IS ON WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING BUT WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES THE SECONDARY LIGHT IS SUPPOSE TO COME ON AND MAKE IT BRIGHTER. THE LIGHT BULB IN THE BRAKE AREA HAD BOTH LOW AND HIGH LIGHT ON. I CHANGED OUT THE BULB TWICE THAT DAY THINKING MAYBE THE BULB IS BAD. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PART THAT HOLDS THE BULB IT LOOKED BLACK LIKE IT WAS BURNING. STILL THE TWO LIGHTS STAYED ON. I TALKED TO MY FRIEND IN MICHIGAN WHO IS A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME IT SOUNDS AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM. THEN THE CAR ALSO STARTED TO DIE AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE. I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WHEN I HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED IT WAS FINE. I TOOK IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THAT THE CAR WAS HAVING ELECTRIC ISSUES. I TOLD HIM I CHANGED THE BULB TWICE AND THAT THE PART THAT WAS HOLDING THE BULB WAS BLACK AND LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BURNING. GUESS WHAT... THEY KEPT IT FOR TWO DAYS. I CALLED THAT SAME DAY AND THE NEXT AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET TO IT BECAUSE THEY WERE TO BUSY. WHEN THEY FINALLY DID GET TO IT THE GUY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS JUST THE BULB. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE BURNING PART AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS FINE. (CAR HAD ABOUT 59000 MILES ON IT) NOW PLEASE TELL ME HOW IT WAS JUST THE BULB WHEN I PUT TWO NOT JUST ONE BUT TWO IN AND IT DID NOT CHANGE. I ASKED IF HE HAD CHECKED THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD ALL WAS FINE. HE ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOUND AS TO WHY IT WOULD NOT START.

I BOUGHT MY HYUNDAI USED BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT RATINGS IT GOT. IT HAD ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT. NOT OLD AT ALL FOR ME. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK MY CAR TO DEALER IT WAS BECAUSE OF BACK WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT STAYING ON, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR TWO DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS FIXED BUT ON MY WAY HOME THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL DID NOT WORK. TWO DAYS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR, THE CRUISE CONTROL MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND MY CAR STARTED TO ACT UP AND WAS HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. I HAD IT TOWED TO HYUNDAI AND IT WAS KEPT FOR TWO DAYS AGAIN. I ALSO LET THE DEALER KNOW AT THAT TIME THAT THE CAR HAD ISSUES AND WAS ACTING UP, TOLD HIM ABOUT THE LIGHT ISSUE AGAIN AND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED ON AND OFF. THE DEALER SAID HE CHANGED THE SWITCH OUT, TUNED UP THE CAR, HAD THE INSIDE GAS FILTER CHANGED BECAUSE I ASKED FOR IT, AND WANTED TO SELL ME A $600 BELT. I ASKED HIM IF THE BELT WAS BROKEN HE TOLD HE THAT MANUFACTURE SUGGESTS CHANGING IT OUT AT 60000 MILES. I TOLD HIM THAT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE THAT MANY MILES YET AND AGAIN ASKED IF THE BELT WAS BAD. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT BUT AGAIN SAID THAT THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTS IT BE CHANGED. WELL I PERSONALLY DON'T SEE PAYING $600 FOR A BELT THAT WAS NOT BROKEN. IF ITS NOT BROKEN IT SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE FIXED.