2012 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

AS A RESULT OF THE WANDERING STEERING ISSUE, I HAVE CONCLUDED MY 2012, HYUNDAI SONATA LIMITED 2.0T IS UNSAFE. UP UNTIL THIS REPORT, I HAVE TOLERATED THE STEERING. ON JUNE 14, 2013, I NEARLY CROSSED OVER THE CENTER OF A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY NEARLY HITTING AN 18-WHEEL SEMI TRUCK HEAD ON. THE STEERING IS NOT SAFE. DUE TO THE VERY LIGHT NATURE OF THE STEERING AND LACK OF PROGRESSION JUST OFF CENTER, THERE IS TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE CENTER OF THIS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS PLAY RESULTS IN A SLIGHT DELAY IN RESPONSE TO SMALL STEERING INPUTS. ALONG WITH A POOR FACTORY SUSPENSION SETUP THAT IS TOO STIFF, THE CAR EASILY BEGINS TO WANDER ON EVEN THE SMOOTHEST OF ROADS. AN EXAMPLE IS NOTED. CAR MOVES RIGHT. I RESPOND WITH LEFT INPUT. CAR MOVES LEFT. HOWEVER, DELAY IN STEERING RESPONSE TO CENTER CAR RESULTS IN OVERSHOOTING CENTER POSITION OF THE LANE. THEN HAVE TO PROVIDE RIGHT STEERING INPUT, AGAIN WITH DELAY IN RESPONSE TO INPUT. AS A RESULT, THE CAR BECOMES STUCK IN A LEFT TO RIGHT OSCILLATION. EVEN IF I LIGHTEN UP ON THE INPUTS, I CANNOT ELIMINATE THE OSCILLATION BECAUSE NO ROAD IS PERFECTLY FLAT. ADD IN CROSSWINDS, IT ONLY GETS WORSE. I AM AWARE OF NUMEROUS REPORTS CONCERNING THE WANDERING STEERING OF THE HYUNDAI SONATA. I AM ALSO AWARE OF SOME OWNERS HAVING THE STEERING MODE CHANGED TO SPORT, BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED THIS WILL HELP MUCH IF I CHOOSE TO HAVE THIS DONE. THE POOR SUSPENSION (TOO MUCH DAMPING) ALONG WITH THE LOW PROFILE TIRES WILL STILL BE THERE, AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY CAN GET THE STEERING TO WORK WELL WITH THE SUSPENSION. OVERALL, THE LIGHT, SLOW TO RESPOND STEERING AND A TOO STIFF SUSPENSION ARE NOT A GOOD MATCH FOR EACH OTHER UNDER DAILY DRIVING. THE STEERING IS PROGRESSIVE DURING MORE AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, EVEN THOUGH IT LACKS GOOD FEEDBACK. *TR

THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO ENGAGE EVERY TIME YOU PRESS IT. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH SAYING IT WAS BAD. PROBLEM PERSISTED SO I TOOK IT BACK IN. THEY CANNOT REPLICATE IT SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT THEREFORE I CANNOT GET THIS FIXED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND SLOWING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS FAILED. I LOST THE POWER STEERING, BRAKING AND GAS. ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE CONSOLE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO ALLOW THE CAR TO COME TO A STOP ON ITS OWN - IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, OR IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN CROSSING THE ROAD, THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH WORSE. ONCE THE CAR STOPPED, I PUT IT IN PARK AND THE LIGHTS STAYED ON. I TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND THEN BACK ON AND IT TURNED RIGHT BACK ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS IN SERVICE FOR 5 DAYS, AND THEY CLAIM TO BE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. SINCE THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE, AND LEMON LAW STATE THAT AN ISSUE MUST OCCUR 3 TIMES, I HAVE NO COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE BESIDES BUYING A NEW CAR AND TAKING ON ADDED EXPENSE, OR DRIVING THIS CAR, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE SAFE FROM DEFECT AND HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI AS WELL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SUNROOF OF MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA SHATTERED. I HEARD THE GLASS FALL ONTO THE THANKFULLY CLOSED SUNSHADE AS WELL AS RUN DOWN THE BACK OF MY CAR, SCRATCHING THE ROOF AND TRUNK. I PULLED OVER AT THE NEXT EXIT AND CALLED THE POLICE. A STATE TROOPER CAME AND STATED THAT HE DID NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS ANY EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE. I FEEL THAT THIS SIMPLY WAS A FAILURE OF THE SUNROOF DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL OF ANOTHER HYUNDAI MODEL OF THE SAME YEAR. I HAVE ALSO READ REPORTS IN AUTOMOBILE FORUMS OF OTHER SONATA EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. INCLUDING THIS ONE DOCUMENTED BY NBC NEWS. HTTP://WWW.WKYC.COM/NEWS/INVESTIGATIVE/ARTICLE/288566/230/INVESTIGATOR-EXPLODING-SUNROOF-SOUNDS-LIKE-GUN-SHOT TO DATE, HYUNDAI HAS REFUSED TO COVER THIS, STATING THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTIED PART. *TR

KUHMO TIRES CONSTANTLY LOW AIR PRESSURE REFILLED WITH NITROGEN GAS NUMEROUS TIMES WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IT WAS DUE TO CHANGE IN OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE ,NORMAL FOR KUHMO. EVENTUALLY AT 23000 MILES WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE WORN TIRES,NO CREDIT MY, EXPENSE KUHMO DOESN'T WARRANTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH KUMHO SOLUS KH25 TIRES, SIZE: P205-65-R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WERE EXHIBITING AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE TIRES BECAME WORN PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CV JOINT AND AXLE WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER EACH TIME, BUT WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,366 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

STOPPED TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND GOT STUCK IN REVERSE THIS THE SECOND TIME THE HAS HAPPENED IN A 10 DAY PERIOD. THE FIRST TIME HAPPENED THEY SAID THE SHIFTER CABLE CAME LOOSE. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THIS HAPPENED TO SOMEONE WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL REQUIRED FULL FORCE APPLIED TO THE WHEEL IN ORDER TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STEERING WHICH FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

THERE ARE ACTUALLY 2 ISSUES GOING ON. FIRST OFF, I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEPTEMBER 2011 (TO REPLACE A GM LEMON) AND EVER SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE, IT HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT. SECOND ISSUE, I LEFT WORK PULLING ONTO THE ROAD, DROVE A COUPLE OF BLOCKS WHEN TRAFFIC HAD STOPPED AT THE UPCOMING LIGHT; THEREFORE I HAD NOT COMPLETELY BUILT UP SPEED TO THE SPEED LIMIT (40) WHEN I HAD TO STOP. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND DID NOT COMPLETELY STOP BEFORE HITTING THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER IN FRONT OF ME, I FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING ON ICE. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTED TO STOP BUT THE BRAKES KEPT GOING FURTHER DOWN TO THE FLOOR, WITH NO FEELING OF STOPPING. THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY( GM) SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES SO I TOOK IT TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER, WHO DID FIND THAT MY BRAKE LINES HAD AIR IN THEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW SINCE I HAD NEVER HAD THEM WORKED ON AND IT'S A SEALED SYSTEM. AFTER THE TECHNICIAN CALLED HYUNDAI, THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER. WHILE MY CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED, I MENTIONED THAT THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT SO THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT ON IT, SINCE IT WAS A FRONT END CRASH. THEY DID NOTICE THE PULLING BUT THE ALIGNMENT DID NOT HELP AND THOUGHT I MAY HAVE A BAD TIRE, BUT WITH 21,000 MILES, WOULD NOT REPLACE IT. I GET MY TIRES ROTATED FAITHFULLY AND HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THEY ARE WEARING OUT. THIS IS THE FIRST FOREIGN CAR I'VE OWNED AND (AS PREV. NOTED) GOT IT TO REPLACE A GM LEMON, NOW I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND I HAVE TO USE IT TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE STATE. BETWEEN THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. DID I GET ANOTHER LEMON? SINCE I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANY SATISFACTION,I'M CONTACTING YOU, I'M TIRED OF CALLING THE HYUNDAI DEALER SINCE THEY SAY CAN'T DO ANYTHING. I DON'T WANT TO GET SATISFACTION, ONLY AFTER MY FAMILY IS WRITING MY OBITUARY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE MOST RECENT, 2/4/13, I REQUIRED QUICK ACCELERATION TO AVOID A COLLISION. A SUDDEN THRUST OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SHOULD RESULT IN RAPID ACCELERATION, INSTEAD THE CAR HESITATES, DE-ACCELERATES, PRESUMABLY WHILE IT TRIES TO FIND A SOLUTION (BATTERY VS GAS), STALLS, THEN SLOWLY ACCELERATES. THIS DELAY IS DANGEROUS AND WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. SPECIFICALLY, I APPROACHED A BUSY INTERSECTION WHERE THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL WAS NOT WORKING. DRIVERS TREATED THE INTERSECTION AS A FOUR WAY STOP, AS THEY SHOULD, WHEN IT WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO TURN LEFT, I EXECUTED MY TURN NORMALLY, BUT THEN NOTICED A TRUCK CREST THE HILL TO MY LEFT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ABOUT BLOCK AWAY, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY TO FINISH MY TURN AND GET OUT OF THE WAY. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT POWERED DOWN, SAT THERE FOR A SECOND, THEN ACCELERATED SLOWLY. THE TRUCK SWERVED AND SLAMMED ON ITS BREAKS TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH ME. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 30+ YEARS, I AM A SAFE, DEFENSIVE DRIVER. I HAVE ALSO OWNED ANOTHER HYBRID CAR (2007 TOYOTA CAMRY) WHERE THIS PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICE. ADDITIONALLY, TWO OTHER ISSUES I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE; I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR 1,883 AND RECORDED MY MILEAGE AND GAS PURCHASES USING THE TOOLS FROM FUELECONOMY.GOV AND HAVE REALIZED AN OVERALL MPG OF 23.73. FOR A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ACHIEVE BETWEEN 34 AND 39 MPG, IT MISSES THE MARK. THE HYBRID BATTERY WILL NOT CHARGE ABOVE 50%. OCCASIONALLY, DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE HYBRID BATTERY WILL CHARGE ABOVE 50%, BUT QUICKLY DEPLETES THE BATTERY TO BELOW 50% WITHIN A FEW MILES. I WONDER IF THIS AFFECTS THE CARS LACK OF ELECTRIC RESERVES WHEN EVASIVE DRIVING MEASURES ARE REQUIRED. HYUNDAI SERVICE INDICATED THE BATTERY CHARGE LEVELS ARE NORMAL. *TR