2007 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON MY 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA (V6 - LIMITED - AUTO TRANSMISSION) HAS FAILED TWICE IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. BOTH TIMES, FAILURE BEGAN WITH AUTOMATIC DEACTIVATION OF THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM (AS INDICATED BY A LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL), FOLLOWED SEVERAL DAYS LATER BY FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT THE CAR TO/FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE (OR PARK). WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2008, I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT BUT SUDDENLY NEEDED TO REVERSE MY DIRECTION TO AVOID BEING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DID NOT YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY. WITH NO WARNING, I SUDDENLY FOUND THAT THE SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE INTO REVERSE BECAUSE THE SHIFT INTERLOCK (CONTROLLED BY THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE SWITCH) WOULD NOT ALLOW THE LEVER TO MOVE. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY A TRUCK BECAUSE I COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE! LUCKILY, I REMEMBERED HOW TO REMOVE THE SMALL COVER OVER THE MANUAL DISENGAGEMENT POINT AND WAS ABLE TO USE A LEATHERMAN TOOL TO DEACTIVATE THE SHIFT LOCK SYSTEM AND PLACE THE CAR IN REVERSE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC SITUATION IF I HAD BEEN HIT BY THE TRUCK OR IF THIS HAD HAPPENED NEAR A RAILROAD CROSSING OR AS I WAS BOARDING A FERRY BOAT ON PUGET SOUND. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI AUTOMOBILES AS I FOUND BY RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ON THE WEB. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL! THE DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS WILL DO LITTLE GOOD IF I AM KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED THE NEXT TIME FAILURE OCCURS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN SOMEONE WHO 125 POUNDS WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD NOT REGISTER THAT THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 22,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. UPDATED 05/13/08. *LJ AN EXHAUST SHIELD HAD TO BE ORDERED DUE TO A RATTLE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRUCK DID NOT OPEN FROM THE SWITCH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS. UPDATED 05/13/08. *JB

2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE MY WIFE IS SITTING IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS MEANS THAT THE AIRBAG IS NOT ACTIVATED & IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. WE HAVE HAD THE FRONT CUSHION REPLACED IN NOV 2007 BUT THE PROBLEM HAVE RETURNED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WE HAVE PHOTO'S OF THE LIGHT ON & PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED. COMPANY SO FAR IS SENDING ME TO THE DEALER BUT UNLESS THE LIGHT IS ON WHILE WE ARE THERE THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING. *TR

BRAKES BURNED INTO ROTOR ON DRIVERSIDE REAR ONLY,HYUNDAI REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT AS A DEFAULT,HAD BRAKES FIXED AT ANOTHER SHOP AND TAKING HYUNDAI TO COURT. *TR

OWN 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA SE WITH ONLY 5000 MILES. HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1. REAR SUSPENSION HAD TO REPLACED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE 2. PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. ONE SEAT RUNNER WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

ON 3/3/08 I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL. I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO JONES CHAPEL ROAD AND WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE THE CAR FULL THROTTLED ON IT'S OWN. I TRIED MASHING THE BRAKES AND IT ONLY SLOWED MY CAR BY 10 MILES AN HOUR OR SO. I FINALLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL(THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV VERY HIGH) AND SHUT MY CAR OFF. I HAD ROADSIDE TOW IT AND IT IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE FLOOR BOARD AND MY CAR FLOOR MAT IS SECURED BY A PEG. WHEN THE CAR TOOK OFF IT LITERALLY JERKED MINE AND MY DAUGHTER'S HEADS BACK. *TR

2007 HYUNDAI SONATA FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT FAILS TO SHUT OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS SITTING THERE. PROBLEM RELUCTANTLY RESOLVED AND THE SEAT WAS REPORTEDLY REPLACED. THE CONDITION HAS RETURNED WITH THE NEW SEAT. WIFE WEIGHS 125 POUNDS. I HAVE PHOTO'S OF LIGHT ON FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT MOVES WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING AT LOWER SPEEDS. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND STARTING OUT. SEAT FAILURE CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HYUNDAI DEALER AND HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE STATE THAT IS A ENGINEERING DEFECT ON 2007 AND 2008 MODELS, AND THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY. FAULT BECAME REALLY NOTICEABLE AT AROUND 5,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS OFF WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,514.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. THE NORMAL WEIGHT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS 117 LBS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 01-23-08. *KB UPDATED 01/23/08 *TR