2008 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AFTER ADJUSTING DRIVER'S SEAT. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS DEFECTIVE EVEN THOUGH NO PROBLEMS WITH OPERATING SEATBELT - REPAIR COST $380. READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ABOUT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG RECALL - HAD CHECKED OUT - NO PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER SIDE. READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT SONATAS FROM VARIOUS YEARS HAVING AIR BAG PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES. REPAIRS WERE MADE ON MANY BUT LIGHT CAME BACK ON. SEEMS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE BECAUSE OF SO MANY COMPLAINTS. *TR

REFUSAL OF HYUNDAI TO REVIEW LEVELS OF REAR CROSSMEMBER CORROSION ON VEHICLES OPERATED IN THE SALT BELT STATES BECAUSE OWNER REGISTERED IT IN CITY/STATE ADJOINING THIS RECALL. AFTER FURTHER REVIEWING THE SURVEY RESULTS, HYUNDAI HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL IN AFFECTED SALT BELT STATES ON 2006-2010 SONATA VEHICLES. I HAVE NOTIFIED MY LOCAL HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER ABOUT THIS RECALL. THEIR REPLY WAS SINCE I LIVE IN THE SAME CITY BUT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STATE LINE (KANSAS CITY, KS NOT KANSAS CITY, MO) MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED AND THEY WILL NOT REVIEW MY VEHICLE FOR FREE NOR WILL THEY REPLACE THE CORRODED CROSSMEMBER FOR FREE SINCE MY STATE DOES NOT BELONG TO THIS RECALL ALTHOUGH MY DRIVING PRIMARILY TAKES PLACE IN THIS AFFECTED AND INCLUDED STATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR RELEASED DOWNWARD, BLOCKING THE CONTACT'S VISION OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A SERVICE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE ALSO RECENTLY OCCURRED WITH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SUN VISOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR FAILED TO REMAIN SECURE IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHICH DISTORTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

GRINDING NOISE ON REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKES--DISCOVERED MISSING BOLT ON CALIPER FRAME, BRAKE PADS BADLY WORN. ALL OTHER BRAKE PADS IN GREAT SHAPE, SHOWING LITTLE WEAR. CAR IS DRIVEN IN RURAL AREA, WITH VERY LITTLE CITY DRIVING. WHEN I WENT TO HYUNDAI TO BUY A NEW BOLT THE PARTS GUY SAID "THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME" I THINK THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG HERE. ALSO CHECKED ON LINE FINDING I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS ON THE REAR WHEELS. *JS

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS (BOTH ALONG BUMPER AND IN THE BACK WINDOW) FAILED TO COME ON ALTHOUGH ALL FUSES AND BULBS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINCE. *JS

DRIVERS SEAT LUMBAR ADJUSTING CAM BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS BROKEN AND THE LOWER BACK OF THE SEAT PUSHED IN ABRUPTLY. THIS WAS VERY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGH SPEED TOLL ROAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE METAL CAM WHICH WAS BROKEN OFF, WAS FOUND BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT. THIS IS SUCH A SMALL PIECE OF METAL AND DOES NOT SEEM TO BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR WHAT IS REQUIRED. MY DEFINITION OF THE CAM IS THE MECHANICAL PART THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE ADJUSTMENT INSIDE OF THE SEAT AND ALSO SUPPORTS THE WEIGHT OF THE DRIVERS LOWER BACK. SIMILAR TO A S CAM OF A BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE, THE DRIVER'S SUNVISOR DROPPED DOWN FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED MY FORWARD VISION. SUBSEQUENTLY THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO REFUSED TO STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. WHEN I CONSULTED WITH THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS 4 MONTHS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I THEN CONTACTED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER AND WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT APPLY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I COULD HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED AND APPLY TO THEM FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT THAT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT I WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PARTS OR THE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE SINCE SEEN A HYUNDAI TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR 2008MY HYUNDAI SONATA SUNVISOR REPLACEMENT (SERVICE CAMPAIGN T97) DATED NOVEMBER 2009 WHICH STATES THAT IT APPLIES TO THE WESTERN,SC, AND SOUTHERN REGIONS ONLY. SINCE IT'S DESCRIPTION STATES "ON SOME 2008 SONATA VEHICLES, THE SUN VISOR MAY NOT STAY IN THE STORED (UP) POSITION. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES THE SERVICE PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THE SUN VISOR ASSEMBLIES." APPLICABLE PRODUCTION DATE RANGE, MARCH 6, 2007 TO JANUARY 10, 2008. SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS BUILT JANUARY 02, 2008 THIS WOULD APPLY IF I LIVED IN ANY OF THOSE STATES (WHICH I DO NOT). SINCE THIS A NOT ONLY A DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY BUT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I FAIL TO SEE WHY THIS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE REGIONS AND NOT TO ALL AREAS. AT THE VERY LEAST IT SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ISSUE EVEN PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP AND AFFECTS VISIBILITY. ALSO A HAZARD THAT MAY CAUSE INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT AS IT LIES PARALLEL TO THE GROUND, STICKING OUT TOWARDS DRIVER'S FOREHEAD. *TR