2006 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I OWN A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA, [XXX] , THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY BURNS OUT THE HEADLAMPS. SINCE PURCHASE IN 2006, THE CAR HAS GONE THROUGH 4 SETS OF HEADLAMPS. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD AT NIGHT WHEN BOTH HEADLAMPS BURNED AT ONCE. THIS INCIDENT CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHERE SHE WAS MOMENTARILY TOTALLY UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD. THIS FAILURE MODE SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND THEIR RESPONSE IS JUST TO RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF BULBS AS THEY BURN OUT. *TR

2006 HYUNDAI SONATA 3RD BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING HAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE BULB TO BE REPLACED BY THE OWNER. OF COURSE SHORT LIFE BULBS ARE USED SO THE LIGHT BURNS OUT QUICKLY. HYUNDAI'S SOLUTION IS TO BRING THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP AND PAY AROUND $75 FOR THEM TO TAKE OUT THE TRAY BETWEEN THE SEAT AND WINDOW TO GET TO THE BULB TO REPLACE. CONSEQUENTLY, WITH THE STRAINS OF THE ECONOMY MOST PEOPLE HAVE TO CHOOSE TO NOT REPLACE THE BULB. A PROPER DESIGN WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE CAR OWNER TO REPLACE THE BULB. THIS PROBLEM STARTED BACK IN 2008. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR HANGS DOWN AND WON'T STAY UP. THE FAILURE OCCURS ALL OF THE TIME. IT WILL EITHER HANG STRAIGHT DOWN BLOCKING MY VIEW OR I TURN IT TOWARDS THE WINDOW BUT THAT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT WITHOUT HITTING MY HEAD. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE NOT REPLACED IT YET AS I THINK THE VISOR ASSEMBLY SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 60K MILES (NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY) AND DON'T THINK IT IS RIGHT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA WHICH HOUSES PIRELLI CINTURATO P3000 TIRES, LINE SIZE P215/60/R16. WHILE DRIVING, HE WOULD HEAR AN ECHOING HOWL FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SPECIALIST WHERE ROTATION AND BALANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. HE CONTINUED TO HEAR THE NOISE FROM THE TIRE AFTER IT WAS ROTATED AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE TIRE SPECIALIST. THE TIRE SPECIALIST ADVISED HIM THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE SHOCK ABSORBER ON HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIRE MAY HAVE BEEN OUT-OF-ROUND AND/OR FAILING FROM THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRES, WHICH STOPPED THE NOISE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 26,000 AND THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 4/26/10 *CN UPDATED 05/06/10

MAY 08,2008, MILEAGE 29302 AIR BAG LIGHT ON, DEALER FOUND CODE B1706 AND REPLACED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE AUGUST 26,2008 MILEAGE 33292 AIR BAG LIGHT ON, DEALER FOUND CODE B1701 AND REPLACED THE PASSENGER BUCKLE. MAY 04, 2009 MILEAGE 39610 AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND DEALER FOUND RECALL TO CALIBRATE THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION. *TR

HYUNDAI SUN VISORS SWINGS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. MY PASSENGER VISOR BROKE WHILE DRIVING, ABOUT SIX MONTH LATER THE DRIVERS SUN VISOR BROKE. I CONTACTED OTHER HYUNDAI OWNERS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH. WITH THE VISOR N THE DOWN POSSESSION YOU CANT SEE THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

WHILE MERGING ON TO HIGHWAY CAR WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING, HAD TO CUT OFF ENGINE TO STOP THE CAR. THIS IS 2ND INCIDENT WITH THE SAME CAR, FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED IN FEB 2007. GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, PARTS WERE LUBRICATED. AFTER TALKING TO REGIONAL HYUNDAI REPRESENTATIVE , SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE FEW SIMILAR INCIDENTS (2007) THAT'S WHY THEY REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY. *TR

THE PUMP FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WENT OUT RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 60K MILES. IT WAS EITHER DEFECTIVE OR THIS IS A PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE LIKE BRAKES, WHEN YOU ARE ON THE FREEWAY AND GET SPLASHED WITH MUD FROM A PASSING TRUCK, AND YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE THROUGH YOUR WINDSHIELD SINCE THE WIPERS JUST SMEAR THE MUD OVER THE GLASS, THE ABSENCE OF A WORKING FLUID PUMP COULD BE LIFE THREATENING. MY HUSBAND HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND USE WATER FROM A BOTTLE OF DRINKING WATER HE HAD IN THE CAR TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD SO HE CONTINUE DRIVING SAFELY. IN THIS ECONOMY MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THE $120 + TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH DECREASED VISIBILITY. *TR

1. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. 2. PERMANENT FAILURE 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. *TR

HYUNDAI SONATA PASSENGER AND MAIN AIR BAG FAILURE 2006 VEHICLE. BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR PASSENGER AIR BAG FAILURE/ RECALL. HYUNDAI STATE ALL WORKING OK, AIR BAG STILL NOT WORKING. HYUNDAI DID NOTHING TO CORRECT PROBLEM. ADULT SITS IN FRONT PASSENGER AND AIR BAG LIGHT STILL DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. I AM DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE WERE I DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY WHEN IT HAS TOO. WHAT IS HYUNDAI WAITING FOR, A DEATH DUE TO THE ARROGANCE? NOVEMBER 2009 MAIN AIR BAG INDICATORS COME ON.HYUNDAI DOES DIAGNOSTIC AND TELLS ME SEAT BELT TENSIONER FAILURE. THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR IT, THEY REPLACE SEAT BELT BUCKLES AND TENSIONERS. MAIN AIR BAG PROBLEM CORRECTED BUT PASSENGER AIR BAG STILL INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD WITH 74,353 MILES . IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE OR A WARRANTY ISSUE? I PAID FOR THE REPAIRS BUT I NEVER KNOW IF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL WORK PROPERLY. WHAT RIGHTS DO I HAVE IN THIS MATTER SINCE HYUNDAI IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY? ALSO THERE IS A RECALL ON THE HYUNDAI AZER 2006-2009 FOR FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT TENSION SENSORS. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED IN MY 2006 SONATA. WHO IS TO SAY THAT THEY USED THE SAME PART IN MY VEHICLE? I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW HOW I GET REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS AND GET MY CAR SAVE AGAIN. *TR