2007 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

A CHIRPING NOISE AND BURNING SMELL IN MY 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA SENT ME TO MY HYUNDAI DEALER. $400 LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE BRAKES WERE RUSTY AND SEIZING UP. INVOICE SAID, "20442 LR PADS SEPARATING LOCKED IN SLIDES RESURFACED REAR ROTORS, REPLACED PADS, ADJUSTED PARK BRAKE, AND SERVICED FRONT BRAKES." MANAGER SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE WINTER SALT ON OUR NH ROADS AND THAT HE'D BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THESE BRAKE ISSUES AND HAD BEEN COMPLAINING TO HYUNDAI WITH NO RESULTS. MANAGER SAID I NEED TO HAVE THE RUST REMOVED FROM THE BRAKES EVERY 15,000 MILES. CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT OTHER FOLKS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND I SEE THE SAME COMPLAINT HERE IN YOUR DATABASE. SEE HTTP://HYUNDAIFORUM.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=6314. *TR

2007 HYUNDAI SONATA SUN VISOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. A PLASTIC PIECE BROKE AND THERE IS NO TENSION IN THE VISOR RESULTING IN THE VISOR BEING COMPLETELY VERTICAL AND ALWAYS IT THE LINE OF SIGHT. I HAVE TO HOLD IT IN PLACE WITH MY HAND WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN ONLY ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL AND IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI'S AND FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX THESE SAFETY PROBLEMS. *TR

2007 SONATA W/ 34000 HIGHWAY MILES. CAR WAS MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SOUND FROM THE BACK LEFT, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK WHEEL WAS BECOMING VERY HOT WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER, NAPLETON HYUNDAI BASICALLY SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE, I JUST NEED TO PAY FOR A WHOLE NEW SET OF BACK BRAKES. KNOWING THE HEAT WAS FROM THE PADS NOT RELEASING, I REFUSED THE WORK AND INVESTIGATED MYSELF. LIKE OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE, I FOUND THAT THE PADS ARE TOO TIGHT IN THE CALIPERS, AND ALSO ARE CORRODED. THE HEAT ISSUE ONLY MAKES THEM FIT TIGHTER. THE PAD GUIDES NEEDED TO BE LIGHTLY FILED AND COATED WITH ANTI-SEIZE TO FIT AND SLIDE PROPERLY. I GOOGLED THIS AND SCANNED THE HYUNDAI FORUMS, AND THE INTERNET IS LITTERED WITH SONATAS AND OTHER HYUNDAIS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. HYUNDAI WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE, PREFERRING TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS FOR NEW BRAKES AND REGULAR BRAKE "LUBE" SERVICE. HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS ALSO DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DESIGN FLAW. SOONER OR LATER THIS PROBLEM WILL CAUSE AN OVERHEATED WHEEL/TIRE TO FAIL, OR A WHEEL TO LOCK UP UNDER SLIPPERY ROADS, AND SOMEONE WILL BE OUT MORE THAN JUST REPAIR MONEY. *TR

ON 4/17/09 AT ABOUT 2PM, I WAS TRAVELING IN A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA SOUTHBOUND AT 70MPH ON I-75 IN FLORIDA BETWEEN SR64 AND SR70. SMOOTH TRAFFIC FLOW, NO ROAD HAZARDS, BUMPS, POTHOLES OR DEBRIS. WEATHER 80 DEGREES, OVERCAST. I HAD MY AC ON, WINDOWS CLOSED AND SUNROOF/SUNSHADE CLOSED WHEN "BOOM" I HEARD AN EXPLOSION ABOVE MY HEAD FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF WIND. STARTLED, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, GOT OUT AND SAW THAT MY SUNROOF HAD LITERALLY EXPLODED UPWARD, WITH THE SHATTERED RIM EDGES INTACT. THANK GOD I HAD MY SUNSHADE CLOSED OR I MIGHT HAVE HAD GLASS FLY INTO MY EYES, BLINDING ME AND CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. I DROVE HOME AND PUT A TARP ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS OVERCAST AND I WAS AFRAID OF RAIN DAMAGE. I HAVE USED THE SUNROOF ON ALMOST EVERY DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT, GRINDING NOISE, LEAK OR CONCERNS OF ANY KIND. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THIS SUNROOF EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY A STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO A SERIOUS, POSSIBLY FATAL, ACCIDENT. I AM TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AND WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION. *TR

NOTICED LOWER BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BUT THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW WORKS PROPERLY. CHECKED ALL FUSES AND THEY ARE FINE. REPLACED FUSES ANYWAYS AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. REPLACED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH UNDER DASH BY BRAKE PEDAL AND STILL DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. I THINK THERE IS A RELAY THAT MAY BE BAD, BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO EXPLANATION FROM SEVERAL AUTOMOTIVE EXPERTS. ALL OF THE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS (4 OF THEM) ARE FINE AND IT WOULD BE SURPRISING IF ALL 4 WENT BAD AT THE SAME TIME. ALL OTHER LIGHTS OPERATE PROPERLY INCLUDING TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND REVERSE LIGHTS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM AS FAR AS VISIBILITY IS CONCERNED. THE LOW BEAMS DO NOT LIGHT UP DISTANCE BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS MADE. THERE IS BAR THAT CUTS THE LIGHT BEAM OFF AT THE TOP. WHEN TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER THEY SIMPLY ADJUSTED THE HEADLIGHTS WHICH WAS WORSE BECAUSE IN THE FOG THE LIGHTS WERE NOW AIMED STRAIGHT OUT DECREASING VISIBILITY AND MAKING IT DANGEROUS. *TR

22,000 MILES ON MY HYUNDAI SONATA AND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE CALIPER STUCK. THE STUCK CALIPER LEFT THE PAD AGAINST THE ROTOR. BOTH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ROTOR AND BOTH REAR BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY ALMOST $400 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH ONLY 22,000 MILES HAVE A BRAKE PROBLEM LIKE THIS. *TR

I HAVE 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 21,000 MILES. BRAKE PADS WERE STICKING CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING AND BRAKING. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED 3 TIMES WITHIN 46,000 MILES ON MY PREVIOUS 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. I BELIEVE THE BRAKES ARE IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED WITH METALS WHICH CORRODE PREMATURELY IN SALT/SNOW. *TR

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ACTIVATION DEFECT ON MY HYUNDAI SONATA 2007. I WAS ADVISED THAT IF I HAVE THIS DEFECT I SHOULD CONTACT LOCAL DEALER AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED. I CALLED LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER IN BURLINGTON VERMONT AND THEY GAVE MY AN APPOINTMENT FOR DEC. 31, 2008 AT 8:00 AM. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO DEALER SHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY NEED THE PROOF OF I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM OF NOT ACTIVATING THE AIR BAGS. THEY NEED THE PERSON WITH ME TO SHOW THEM THAT IT DOES NOT WORK WHILE PERSON IS IN THE CAR SEAT. I TOLD THEM HOW COME YOU DID NOT TELL ME WHEN I MADE THE APPOINTMENT ALSO THERE IS NOTHING MENTIONED ABOUT ME PROVING IT IN THE NOTICE FOR RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT PERSON WITH WHOM I MADE THE APPOINTMENT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE POLICY. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL TAKE TWO WEEKS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR BACK ON MONDAY JAN. 5, 2009 AND THEY WILL WORK ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP REP. THAT I CAN NOT KEEP TAKING TIME OFF FROM MY WORK TO GET THIS SAFETY PROBLEM FIXED. THE DEALER REP. AGREED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT TO GET THE CAR TO DEALER SHIP FROM MY HOME ON MONDAY JAN. 5, 2009. MY CONCERN IS MANY PEOPLE WILL JUST LIVE WITH DEFECT INSTEAD OF GETTING IT FIXED BECAUSE OF ROAD BLOCK FROM THE DEALER SHIP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINS ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR THREE DAYS. THEY REMOVED THE SEAT AND SENT IT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONTACT AND THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED DIM FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE DEALER WOULD NOT RETURN HIS CALL FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.