2006 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

MY HUSBAND AND I RENTED A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA V6 FROM AVIS CAR RENTAL IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI WHILE ON VACATION. WHILE RETURNING TO KANSAS CITY ON I-70, THE CAR IN THE LANE NEXT TO US BLEW A TIRE, LOST CONTROL, SPUN IN THE ROAD AND HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF OUR CAR WITH THE FRONT OF THEIR CAR, FORCING US OFF THE ROADWAY AND INTO THE MEDIAN OF THE INTERSTATE. I WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE PASSENGER DOOR STRUCK THE SIDE OF MY TORSO AS IT WAS CAVING IN, INJURING MY RIGHT SHOULDER AND NECK. ALTHOUGH HYUNDAI ADVERTISES BOTH SIDE IMPACT AND SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THIS HIGH-SPEED SIDE-IMPACT CRASH, RESULTING IN INJURY TO MY SHOULDER. WE DO NOT KNOW THE REPAIR STATUS OF THE RENTAL CAR, BUT HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY AVIS THAT THEY HAVE HIRED ENGINEERS TO REVIEW THE CAR AND DETERMINE WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

I HAVE HAD MY 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2005. FROM THE BEGINNING I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT. THE SENSOR WILL NOT DETECT MY WIFE OVER HALF OF THE TIME. I AM ON A HYUNDAI FORUM AND THIS PROBLEM IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY MANY MANY OTHER SONATA OWNERS. WE HAVE ALL COMPLAINED TO OUR DEALERS AND ARE BEING TOLD THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE OCCUPANT'S POSITION IN THE SEAT. MOVING AROUND DOESN'T HELP AT ALL. HYUNDAI IS WELL AWARE OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL OR TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB

1) FRONT AIR BAG PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR RANDOMLY WORKS WHEN MY WIFE IS SITTING IN SEAT (SHE WEIGHS APPROX. 130LBS). IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE IN 06/2006. 2) I HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AND RESTART TO CLEAR OFF LIGHT (AND HOPE IT ACTUALLY IS ON WHEN THE LIGHT IS OUT). CONSEQUENCES IS THAT IF IT DOESN'T DEPLOY IF I EVER HAVE AN ACCIDENT, MY WIFE COULD GET KILLED (OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT). 3) I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE 3-4 TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED. THEY REPLACED THE SEAT CUSHION ONCE AND IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. HYUNDAI WANTS THE SEAT SENT TO THEM (SO THEY CAN "RE-PROGRAM" IT. I WANT A NEW SEAT SENT TO ME AND REPLACED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO TO "RE-PROGRAM" IT, BUT IF I EVER TRADE THE VEHICLE, IT MIGHT NOT WORK FOR THE NEW CAR OWNERS (NOT A VERY GOOD SOLUTION). IF THE LIGHT STAYS ON (MEANING THE AIR BAG IS OFF) AND MY WIFE DOESN'T MOVE, I TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT, THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF 1/2 THE TIME. THEY BLAME IT ON THE WAY SHE SITS IN THE SEAT. BUT IF IT GOES OUT AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR AND SHE DOESN'T MOVE, THEN THIS DOESN'T HOLD TRUE. INCIDENT DATE IS APPROX FOR FIRST OCCURRENCE. IT HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO LIST ALL DAYS (PROBABLY OVER 100 TIMES SO FAR). VIN CAN BE PROVIDED IF NECESSARY. *JB

THUMPING NOISE AND VIBRATION FROM REAR SUSPENSION ON BUMPY ROADS. FEELS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE IF THE GAS TANK WERE LOOSE, OR EXHAUST HIT UNDERCARRIAGE OF CAR, OR IF SPARE TIRE WERE LOOSE IN THE TRUNK. BECAME MORE NOTICEABLE IN WARMER WEATHER, AND AFTER 5000 MILES. SEEMS TO HAVE NO EFFECT ON HANDLING OR STABILITY. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, BUT INSISTED THAT IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF SUSPENSION DESIGN AND NOTHING WAS WRONG NOR COULD ANYTHING BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, THE COOLING FAN SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE HOOD AND FENDERS TO BECOME EXTREMELY HOT. THE DEALER HAS NOT CALLED HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED.

AFTER OWNING THE CAR AND DRIVING IT FOR LESS THAN 100 MILES, THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION ON THE AROUND 60-75 MPH. THE TIRES WERE RE-BALANCED AND THE CONDITION REMAINS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER AND RE-BALANCED AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. WHEN I RETURNED AGAIN TO THE PURCHASING DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR A THIRD TIME, I WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE (GLS V-6) AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT MORE EVIDENT. WHEN I RECEIVED MY VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. *JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS WITH MICHELIN TIRES. THE TIRES ARE WEATHER CRACKING ALREADY AFTER ONLY HALF A YEAR AND WITH 4350 MILES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE USING THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IT CUTS INTO HER NECK. THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST THE SEAT BELT. THE DEALER STATED THE SEAT BELT WAS MANUFACTURED THAT WAY. UPDATED 7/3/2006 - *NM

THE BRAKES ON MY "NEW" HYUNDAI SONATA IS THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WILL STOP BUT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL--THE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE AGENCY 5/31/06 AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS "NORMAL" FOR THIS CAR !!! DUH !!! BOUGHT THE CAR 5/02/06 HAVE LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON IT NOW. *NM

RE NEW HYUNDAI SONATA 2006 WITH INTERMITTENT WARNING LIGHT WARNING THAT RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IS INOPERATIVE. COMPLAINED TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT 2 DAYS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY. THEY AT FIRST BLAMED HOW MY WIFE WAS SITTING, THEN SUGGESTED THAT SHE DID NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE SEAT SENSOR. SHE WEIGHS 135 LB. & IT IS SUPPOSED TO ACTIVATE @ 80 LBS. NOW THEY SAY THEY CANNOT REPLACE OR REPAIR ANYTHING IN THE SYSTEM WITHOUT SEEING THE MALFUNCTION. I CANNOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE ON COMMAND! IT IS TOTALLY RANDOM & INTERMITTENT. THEY HAVE MADE NO TROUBLE SHOOTING ATTEMPTS. *JB