2008 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WAS PULLED DOWN, THE VISOR COULD NOT BE RETURNED TO THE UP POSITION. THE VISOR IS IN LINE OF SIGHT OF THE DRIVER. I REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR AND NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR IS DOING THE SAME THING. A WEEK AGO THE ESC OFF LIGHT TURNED ON AND NOW IT TURNS ON RANDOMLY BUT RESETS IT SELF WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF.

I OWN A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN I WAS GETTING IN TO MY CAR, THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE POPPED AND BROKE ABOUT A YEAR AGO. NOT ONLY DOES IT OBSTRUCT MY VIEW IN THE WINDSHIELD BUT IT ALSO BLOCKS A PORTION OF MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. I HAVE HAD IT REPLACED ONCE BEFORE AND IT BROKE AGAIN ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. THE PART IS EXPENSIVE, DIFFICULT TO FIND, AND EVEN THE DEALERS HAVE TO PLACE A BACK ORDER ON THE PART. NO MATTER WHAT OTHER OPTIONS I TRY TO USE, THEY ALL FAIL SO I AM RELUCTANT TO TRY ANYTHING ELSE AT THE RISK OF IT FALLING, HITTING ME IN THE HEAD, AND CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENGAGING THE BRAKES IT PRODUCED A GRINDING NOISE. A LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

2008 HYUNDAI SONATA RED AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. PROBLEM BEGAN ON 11/28/10 AT APPROX. 61000 RECORDED MILES. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD TO BE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL FOLLOWING THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR (NEW). LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON AT 68,000 MILES AND WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED. VEHICLE IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. DEALER WANTS $124.00 TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKES WERE GRINDING ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKES WERE WORN AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH REAR BRAKES AND PADS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,279 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 04/05/11

TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR ANNUAL STATE VEHICLE INSPECTION AND TO HAVE "CHIRPING" NOISE FROM BRAKES CHECKED. REAR BRAKE PADS WERE AT 3/32"; MIN ALLOWED IS 2/32". FRONT PADS OK AT +7/32". REPLACED REAR PADS, MACHINED ROTORS. MILEAGE WAS 23,226; CAR PURCHASED FEB2008 AND WAS REGULARLY SERVICED AT DEALER. DEALER SA ADVISED THAT PAD WEAR WAS NORMAL AND THAT 'ON THIS MODEL THE REAR BRAKES ALWAYS WEAR FASTER'. WHEN THIS WAS DISPUTED THE SA SAID THAT CORROSION ON CALIPER DID NOT ALLOW PADS TO WITHDRAW AND THAT CONSTANT CONTACT WORE OUT THE PADS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WARRANTY COVERAGE SA SAID THAT BRAKES ARE ONLY COVERED FOR 12 MONTHS. SUBSEQUENTLY NOTED THAT ON SIDE OF CAR WITH STICKING CALIPER THAT THE PAINT ON BOTH STEEL WHEELS HAS PEELED AND WHEELS HAVE RUSTED. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED, FRONT-TO-BACK, SEVERAL TIMES SINCE NEW. POSSIBLE THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM DRAGGING PADS OVERHEATED WHEELS AND DAMAGED PAINT. ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE HEAT TO WHEEL BEARINGS. WILL HAVE THIS CHECKED AT NEXT SERVICE, OR SOONER. THIS PREMATURE REAR PAD WEAR IS NOT NORMAL FOR HYUNDAI. ALSO, PRESENTLY DRIVING A 2001 ELANTRA THAT WENT 60K+ BEFORE NEEDING BRAKES. NEVER OWNED ANY CAR THAT HAD REAR BRAKES WEAR BEFORE FRONT. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGISTERED INDICATES THAT THIS IS A DESIGN/MATERIAL ISSUE THAT NEEDS CORRECTING BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN HINDERING VISIBILITY. THE VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP EVEN AFTER TRYING TO FORCE IT. LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHERE REGULAR USE OF VISOR WEARS OUT THE SPRING/ASSEMBLY. *TR

2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. AT 20,000 MILES THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR STARTED TO SAG, AND NOT RETURN TO ITS FULL UPRIGHT FOLDED POSITION. AT 40,000 MILES IT FULLY FAILED, IN THE FULLY DOWN POSITION IT BLOCKS A TALL PERSONS FIELD OF VISION. I RESORTED TO SEWING VELCRO TO TO THE VISOR AND CEILING TO HOLD THE VISOR IN PLACE. NOW AT 60,000 MILES THE PASSENGER VISOR IS STARTING TO DROOP, AND NOT RETURN TO THE FULL UPRIGHT POSITION. THE PASSENGER VISOR IS USED A FRACTION OF THE AMOUNT OF THE DRIVER VISOR; THEREFORE IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM LATER. IT APPEARS THAT INFERIOR SPRINGS HAVE BEEN USED. ONLINE FORMUMS INDICATE THIS PROBLEM GOING BACK TO 2006 MODELS. *LN

NO FAILURE OCCURRED. THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BEFORE FAILURE. I HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED AT JUST UNDER 45,600 MILES EXPECTING TO HAVE THE BRAKE PADS REPLACE. INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS WERE MADE OF DEFECTIVE METAL WHICH CORRODED AND PITTED BADLY. IT DESTROYED THE OUTER PART OF THE BRAKE PADS SO THEY DID NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR. LESS THAN ONE HALF OF THE BRAKE PAD WAS PROVIDING BRAKING ABILITY. THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE REAR WHEELS AS WELL AS ALL BRAKE PADS ON ALL 4 WHEELS. THE BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT IS EXPECTED MAINTENANCE. THE REAR WHEEL ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAINS OFF EVEN WHEN OCCUPIED BY MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER (115LBS) AND WIFE (125LBS). HYUNDAI INITIALLY CLAIMED THE SEAT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. I THEN RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE SEAT HAS SINCE BEEN RE-CALIBRATED AT LEAST TWICE AND THE ENTIRE SEAT REPLACED ONCE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS STILL EXISTS.