2006 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN A PASSENGER WAS SEATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT AND THE SENSOR/MODULE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL EXISTED. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR INVOICES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 21,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER'D SIDE SEAT BELT HARNESS FAILED TO SECURE THE PASSENGER DURING THE CRASH. THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 40,000.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDICATOR ONLY ILLUMINATED WHEN A PASSENGER ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETECT ANY FAILURE, AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED DUE TO THE PASSENGER SITTING INCORRECTLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 27,000.*AK

I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY ON MY 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA LX. THERE ARE COUNTLESS TIMES THAT A PASSENGER IS SITTING NEXT TO WHILE I AM DRIVING AND THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR IS LIT SPECIFYING THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS. I ASKED HYUNDAI ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THE "ECU HAS DETERMINED THAT YOUR PASSENGER IS SITTING IN A POSITION THAT WILL BE BETTER NOT TO HAVE THE AIRBAG DEPLOY. TRY ADJUSTING THE SEAT AND HAVE THE PASSENGER MOVE AROUND ETC". OR THEY TELL ME THAT MY PASSENGER DOES NOT WEIGHT ENOUGH (115 LBS IS PLENTY). THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN RECTIFYING THIS SITUATION. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA LX, HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH AND TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A RACING ROARING NOISE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO 10 MPH, BUT HE COULDN'T STOP IT. HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. THE CONTACT SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES, TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE LET IT SIT. HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT DID TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 2 OCCASIONS AND THE DEALERSHIP DID CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE TIGHTENED, AND TO CHECK AND CLEAN ALL TERMINALS. THIS WAS DONE IN JANUARY 10, 2007. THE CONTACT HASN'T HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS SINCE. THE CONTACT WANTED NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HE HAS SENT THE MANUFACTURER A LETTER REGARDING THIS PROBLEM ON 01/20/07 AND HADN'T GOTTEN ANY RESPONSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7050.*AK

TL* - WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO ROAR LOUDLY. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE CONTACT TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE PEDAL WOULD ONLY GO DOWN APPROXIMATELY AN INCH. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO APPLY BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, BUT WITH NO RESULTS. AT THIS POINT CONTACT WENT TO THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE ROAD CHANGING THE VEHICLE FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO MANUAL MODE. THE CONTACT DOWN SHIFTED FROM 5 TO 4 GEAR WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING . AT THIS POINT CONTACT TURN THE IGNITION OFF, BUT THE ENGINE DIDN'T GO OFF CAUSING THE CONTACT TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH. TWICE BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCE THE BATTERY LOSING POWER TO THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED 24 HOURS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THE SECOND WAS IN DECEMBER 06. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THEY STATED THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF INVOICE REPAIR AND POLICE REPORT. *JB UPDATED 02/21/07. *JB

AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY WHEN PASSENGER (130+ LBS) IS SEATED PROPERLY IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, INDICATING THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT GO OFF. HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM REPEATEDLY AND RANDOMLY SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE 9/05, AND HAVE REQUESTED ACTION AT EACH WARRANTY SERVICING. (22,500 MI CURRENTLY) EACH TIME THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS THE DIAGNOSTICS DO NOT FIND A PROBLEM AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR IS WORKING PROPERLY. THEY SAY THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS FROM HYUNDAI ON THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER THERE ARE AT LEAST 15 COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS OF 12/06. I AM VERY UPSET BY THIS APPARENT LACK OF CARING ON HYUNDAI'S PART ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR PASSENGERS. JUST BECAUSE THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM CAN'T BE REPRODUCED AT THE DEALER'S DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PASSENGERS ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A WAY TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM EVEN IF IT CAN'T BE OBSERVED IN THE MOMENT, EVEN IF IT MEANS REPLACING THE PARTS IN THE SEQUENCE TILL THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT AIR BAG LIGHT DIDN'T ALWAYS TURN ON WHEN SOMEONE SAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MOST COMMON PASSENGER WEIGHED 120 LBS, AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME. IF THIS LIGHT WAS ON AT THE BEGINNING OF A TRIP IT USUALLY STAYED ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP. THE CONTACT SAID THAT HE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON 11/1/2006 ,AND HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON DECEMBER 1, 2006. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED HIM THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A SEAT SENSOR FOR VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE HIM A LOANER VEHICLE, 2006 OR 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, AND HE NOTICED THAT THE SENSOR LIGHT HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS HIS SONATA. THE CONTACT DID TAKE THE SANTA FE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO GAVE HIM ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SECOND LOANER VEHICLE WAS A 2007 SONATA, AND HE NOTICED THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIPHAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED HIM ON 12/26/06 TO INFORM HIM THAT ORDERED PART WAS IN, AND THE VEHICLE COULD BE BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR. *AK

THIS COMPLAINT APPLIES TO A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA LIMITED (NO OPTION FOR 2007 WAS AVAILABLE IN DROP DOWN MENU) (ISSUE 1) AT OR AROUND THE INITIAL FEW DAYS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO NOTICE ABRUPT VIBRATION AND SHAKING COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL; SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO FEEL IN THE SEAT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BUT THEY REPORTED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED THE VEHICLE TO BE IN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATION. NONETHELESS, DEALER ATTEMPTED WHEEL BALANCE AND RADIAL FORCE BALANCE AS A "GOOD WILL GESTURE." PROBLEM IS NOW MORE ARTICULATED AND THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED. (ISSUE 2) ENGINE EMITS A RATTLE NOISE SIMILAR TO LIFTER CLATTER UPON START AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT OPERATION; PARTICULARLY IN COLDER WEATHER. TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WAS REPLACED AND ONE NOISE WAS RESOLVED BUT THE CONTINUAL NATURE OF THE LIFTER CLATTER REMAINS. DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI REPRESENTATIVE REPORTED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED. (ISSUE 3) FUEL SLOSHING COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER CLAIMS THIS TO BE NORMAL AND NOT A SAFETY RISK. SOUND IS MORE PRONOUNCED AT OR AROUND 3/4 TANK. BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY AND REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT, IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP TWICE (MEDILD HYUNDAI), AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT SEAT COVER WAS THE REASON WHY THE LIGHT STILL ON. THE CONTACT SAID THAT SHE TOOK THE SEAT COVER OFF AND THE LIGHT STILL DID NOT GO OFF. CONTACT SAID THAT THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT A PERSON WOULD HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 110 POUNDS FOR THE AIR BAG TO WORK. THE CONTACT DOSE NOT HAVE RECORD OF SERVICE, BECAUSE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY.