2008 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT DIMMED. THE PASSENGER WEIGHED 105 LBS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG REMAINS OFF BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND MADE A NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A TORQUE CONVERTER SHUTTER THAT WAS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A FUEL ECONOMY FEATURE AND THE REPAIR WAS NOT ALLOWED. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOT OF WIND NOISE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,900.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF WHEN A LIGHTER WEIGHT PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHICH WE FIND VERY UNSAFE FOR OUR PASSENGERS. THE WEIGHT IT SHOULD REGISTER TO GO OFF AS WE UNDERSTOOD IS A BODY BEING OVER 85 LBS., BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO RHYME OR REASON AS TO WHEN IT STAYS ON OR GOES OFF TO MAKE THE PASSENGER SAFER. MANY DRIVERS ARE LIGHT WEIGHT AS ARE MANY PASSENGERS AND THIS SHOULD BE FIXED FOR SAFETY. OCCASIONALLY WHEN RESTARTING THE CAR, THE LIGHT SUDDENLY GOES OFF AND SETS THE AIRBAG READY FOR USE IF NEEDED, BUT IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO RESTART YOUR CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND A WASTE OF GAS. AFTER SEVERAL RESTARTS AND HOPING, THE LIGHT SOMETIMES NEVER GOES OUT. THIS IS WITH THE SAME LIGHT WEIGHT PASSENGER SO IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. ALSO THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS COME ON MUCH LATER THAN DUSK AND THEREFORE MAKE UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS IF THE DRIVER THINKS THEY HAVE COME ON AND YET THEY ARE DELAYED MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL. PAYING FOR THIS FEATURE JUST TO NOT HAVE THEM COME ON IN TIME FOR DUSK MAKES FOR BUYER DISSATISFACTION AMONG THE FEELING OF BEING UNSAFELY DRIVING WITH OUT LIGHTS AT DUSK. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE CONDITION CAN BE CLEARED BY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE BUT OTHER TIMES THE CONDITION REMAINS THE SAME. ADJUSTING THE SEATING POSITION AND SEAT LOCATION DO NOT SEEM TO AFFECT THE PROBLEM AT ALL. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN A PASSENGER WHO WEIGHS OVER 115 LBS IS SEATED IN THE SEAT. THE LIGHT STATES THE AIRBAG IS OFF. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF THE AIRBAG IS OFF IT WILL NOT DEPLORE IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. THEREFORE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SEATBELT, THERE IS NO OTHER SAFETY FEATURE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THERE WERE FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS WHICH APPARENTLY WILL NOT BE THE CASE BECAUSE OF SOME SORT OF DEFECT IN THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS INTERMITTENT BUT NONETHELESS IS NOT A CHANCE I SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE WITH MY PASSENGERS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED IMMEDIATELY OR MY MONEY SHOULD BE REFUNDED SO I CAN PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH RELIABLE SAFETY FEATURES. THE FACT THAT THIS VEHICLE IS RATED 5 STARS IN SAFETY FEATURES NEEDS TO BE REEVALUATED. *TR

MY 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM REMAINS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. I HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND HYUNDAI STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ASKED FOR INFORMATION SHOWING WEIGHT RESTRAINTS OR LIMITS OF SYSTEM WITH NO ANSWERS. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *TR