2008 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY, HIS CHILD WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD, STRUCK A UTILITY BOX, AND DROVE OVER A BICYCLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE UTILITY BOX, THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS ALMOST TORN OFF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER SENT A PACKET WITH PAPERWORK ASKING FOR THE VEHICLE DESCRIPTION, INSURANCE REPORTS, AND PICTURES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE COLLISION CENTER BEING REPAIRED. THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE WAS DAMAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 19,000. UPDATED 06/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 06/23/09.*JB

THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT RELEASE LATCH DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. IN COMPARISON TO PASSENGER SEAT BELT LATCH THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN SMOOTH OPERATION TO RELEASE THE LATCH. ANY TENSION PLACED UPON THE STRAP CAUSES THE PROBLEM TO AMPLIFY DRASTICALLY. IN CASE OF A VEHICLE ROLLOVER AND A DRIVER BEING STOPPED WHILE THE VEHICLE COMES TO REST WITH THE VEHICLE ON IT'S ROOF, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DRIVERS WEIGHT PRESSURE ON THE RELEASE LATCH. *TR

THE AIR BAG SYSTEM STAYS OFF WHEN MY WIFE (120 POUNDS) IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME. WHEN FIRST TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP WITH MY WIFE, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE WARNING LIGHT DID NOT GO ON. THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. ANOTHER DEALER SENT THE SEAT TO CALIFORNIA TO BE REPAIRED IN MARCH 2009. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. NOW, HYUNDAIUSA WANTS ME TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN WITH MY WIFE OR SOMEONE OF SIMILAR STATURE. THIS TIME, A HYUNDAI REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE PRESENT. HYUNDAI USA CONSUMER AFFAIRS WOULD NOT GIVE ANY MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT THE PROCESS IS IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS THEREAFTER NOR WOULD THEY GIVE ME THE NAME AND/OR CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE ANYONE TO SPEAK TO. THEY SAID THEY WOULD FORWARD ON MY CASE AND I MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONTACTED BY SOMEONE AT HYUNDAI USA WITH ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE, I JUST HAVE TO WAIT TO HEAR WHAT THE HYUNDAI REP HAS TO SAY WHEN MY APPOINTMENT IS FINALLY SCHEDULED. CURRENTLY, WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS). AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, THE SENSOR WAS TURNING THE AIR BAG OFF WHENEVER AN OCCUPANT WOULD SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT LOCATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN HIS CHILDREN ARE SEATED IN THE VEHICLE, THE SENSOR SHUTS OFF THE AIR BAG. THIS COULD BE FATAL IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

PROBLEM: VISOR, WINDSHIELD, DRIVER. PLASTIC SHEATH AROUND METAL BAR, WHICH IS PART OF THE VISOR POSITION CONTROL MECHANISM, BROKE DURING NORMAL USE. THIS RESULTED IN VISOR NOT STAYING IN POSITION SET BY DRIVER. VISOR WILL DROP DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND PARTIALLY OBSTRUCT DRIVER'S VISUAL FIELD AND DISTRACT DRIVER'S ATTENTION. *TR

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAIN DEACTIVATED (SIGN SHOWS THAT), SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN MY WIFE (120LBS, 5'3) SITS ON IT. HAVE BEEN TO DEALERSHIP ONCE AND THEY SENT THE SEAT TO HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER FOR RECTIFICATION, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS SITUATION IN CASE OF CRASH, AS HAVING PROPERLY WORKING AIRBAG IS ESSENTIAL FOR PASSENGER SAFETY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. EACH TIME A 260 LBS. OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THIS INDICATES THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY SEVEN TIMES TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THIS ISSUE, BUT THE FAILURE HAS STILL NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,351 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. EVERYTIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES AND WILL NOT DIM. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,600. UPDATED 12/1/08 *CN THE WOULD ALWAYS REPLACE A SENSOR, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. UPDATED 12/05/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HIS 115 LBS. SPOUSE SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES AND EVENTUALLY DIMS. THE VIN IS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE RECALL AND THE SEAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SHIPPED AWAY WITH HIS SPOUSE'S WEIGHT SPECIFICATIONS; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CURRENTLY NO LONGER DIMS WHEN SHE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,800.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL DEFECT; HOWEVER, THE REMEDY DID NOT PROPERLY CORRECT THE SAFETY DEFECT. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,655. UPDATED 11/28/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE WIFE SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON. UPDATED 12/02/08. *JB