2013 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID Complaints

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WITH STEER ASSIST OPTION ON THIS VEHICLE MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE DRIVING. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO CORRECT THE STEERING TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN CONTROL ON A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT IT TO THREE DIFFERENT HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS , FINALLY THE LAST DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY TRIED TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM TWICE ADJUSTING THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING CONTROL SWITCH. THIS SWITCH HAS FOUR DRIVING MODES FROM COMFORT TO SPORT. THE LAST VISIT THE TECHNICIAN PLACED IT IN THE SPORT MODE FOR BETTER STEERING RESPONSE WITH LESS PLAY IN THE STEERING, THIS DID HELP SOMEWHAT BUT THE CAR STILL DRIFTS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING. TWO FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS WERE PERFORMED BUT STILL COULD NOT SOLVE THE DRIFTING PROBLEM. THIS DRIFTING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO ANOTHER LANE IF I DO NOT CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING. IN OVER 30 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH MULTIPLE VEHICLES I NEVER HAD SUCH A PROBLEM. I SENT HYUNDAI AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS AND IT LED TO NOWHERE BUT CALL A THIRD PARTY MODERATOR. THAT IS AN EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE AND I'M TOTALLY DISGUSTED ABOUT THIS. I SEARCHED ONLINE IF OTHER OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'LL TELL YOU THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IT'S A SHAME HYUNDAI IS IGNORING SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT WILL LEAD TO A RESOLUTION BEFORE A SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR FATALITY OCCURS. PLEASE EXAMINE THIS ISSUE.

AS I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN FROM 75MPH THE CAR STARTED TO BEEP AND THE READY LIGHT WAS FLASHING. MANY INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON TO INCLUDE THE BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT, AND THE AMBER BOX WITH A WRENCH IN IT. IT SAID "CHECK HYBRID CHARGING SYSTEM" AND "SAFELY PULL OVER" AS THE CAR SLOWED DOWN THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER GO FORWARD, THE LIGHTS DIMMED AND WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE.

TWO WEEKS AGO THE REAR LEFT SEAT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. I BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE SEAT WARMERS BUT THE CASE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. HYUNDAI CORPORATE AMERICA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNRESPONSIVE TO THIS ISSUE.

I HAVE A PUSH BUTTON VEHICLE. I WAS AT HOME AND I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE (PUSH THE BUTTON AND PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKES), THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO "READY" BUTTON. MULTIPLE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS. THE CAR APPEARED TO BE IN STANDBY MODE. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL "SIGNAL CODE" OR ALARM BUTTON THAT APPEARED ON THE STANDARD DASH BOARD. AFTER 1 HOUR, THE CAR DID NOT START AND WAS TAKEN TO SERVICE AT THORNTON ROAD HYUNDAI. INITIALLY, THE CAR DID NOT START UPON ARRIVAL TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER AFTER 10 MINUTES (WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION), THE CAR DID NOT START. THE VEHICLE STAYED AT THE DEALER UNTIL 5/7/15, WHERE THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE COMPLAINT/PROBLEM.

I HAVE A PUSH BUTTON VEHICLE. I WAS AT HOME AND I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE (PUSH THE BUTTON AND PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKES), THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO "READY" BUTTON. MULTIPLE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS OVER 30 MINUTES. THE CAR APPEARED TO BE IN STANDBY MODE. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL "SIGNAL CODE" OR ALARM BUTTON THAT APPEARED ON THE STANDARD DASH BOARD. AFTER 45 MINUTES, THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION.

I HAVE A PUSH BUTTON VEHICLE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE (PUSH THE BUTTON AND PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKES), THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO "READY" BUTTON. THE CAR APPEARED TO BE IN STANDBY MODE. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL "SIGNAL CODE" OR ALARM BUTTON THAT APPEARED ON THE STANDARD DASH BOARD. HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. INITIAL WAIT TIME FOR THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING WAS OVER 1 HOUR.

ON 19 JUL 2013, AN INSURED DRIVER ON MY AUTO POLICY WAS DRIVING IN NORTH DAKOTA AND HIT A DEER. THE RIGHT FENDER, RIGHT HEADLIGHT, HOOD AND BUMPER WERE DAMAGED. SHE CALLED ME & I TOLD HER IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, TO CONTINUE DRIVING. SHE KEPT DRIVING AND THEN THE OVERHEATING LIGHT CAME ON. SHE PULLED THE CAR OVER IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. SHE CALLED ME AGAIN & I TOLD HER TO CALL HYUNDAI ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ABRA IN BISMARCK, ND. THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE COST WAS $9760.00. THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING IT FROM THE REPAIR SHOP TO THE PAINT SHOP, WHICH WAS RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THEY TURNED ON THE ENGINE & AS IT WAS SITTING THERE, IT STARTED SPEWING RADIATOR FLUID. THEY TURNED IT OFF AND TOOK THE CAR TO HYUNDAI OF BISMARCK. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE HEADS WERE WARPED AND THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. AFTER THE COST OF THE NEW ENGINE WAS ADDED TO THE COST OF REPAIRS, THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I DON'T THINK THAT IF A PERSON PULLS OVER WITHIN A MINUTE OF THE OVERHEATING LIGHT COMING ON. THAT IT WILL WARP THE HEADS. THE WHOLE REASON FOR THE LIGHT IS TO WARN THE DRIVER.. I BELIEVE THAT EITHER THE MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE OR THE COMPUTER WITHIN THE VEHICLE WAS DEFECTIVE & DIDN'T COME ON EARLY ENOUGH BEFORE THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HEADS & WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE PERSON DIRIVING. THIS INSURANCE CLAIM WENT TOO FAST AND USAA SIGNED OFF AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE JUST ON NUMBERS, NOT ON ANY INVERSTIGATION OF THE REASON WHY THE HEADS WERE WARPED AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THE 414 NUMBER IS THE DRIVER. THE 262 NUMBER IS MY NUMBER IN REHAB AND I CAN BE REACHED AT ANY TIME. VERY RESPECTFULLY, TONY

I BOUGHT THIS 2013 HYBRID NEW ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THERE ARE 2 MAIN ISSUES I HAVE HAD WITH THE CAR. FIRST: THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR SOMETIMES GOES ABOUT 3 MPH FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET BEFORE LURCHING WITH GREAT ACCELERATION. I DROVE WITH THE 'ENERGY FLOW' MODE ON THE DISPLAY TO SEE WHAT WAS SHOWING WHEN THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL THE DISPLAY WAS SHOWING THE "ENGINE GENERATION/MOTOR DRIVE" (TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE, ENGINE BRAKING IS USED WHILE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING IS APPLIED AND ALSO CHARGES THE HYBRID BATTERY. [ENGINE>BATTERY>WHEEL]). THIS SOUNDS LIKE A DECELERATION MODE, BUT SHOULD THIS BE HAPPENING WHEN MY FOOT IS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL? IT HAS OCCURRED WHEN I HAVE SLOWED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND ALSO WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP. IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM APPLYING STEADY PRESSURE OR PUMPING THE PEDAL. THIS CAN BE A HUGE POTENTIAL PROBLEM/ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN IF I AM ATTEMPTING TO TURN OR CROSS A ROAD WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO CROSS BEFORE THE TRAFFIC GETS TO ME. EVEN IF THEY WERE OVER A HUNDRED FEET AWAY WHEN I STARTED THE TURN/TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION. SECOND: AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED BY OTHERS, THERE IS A 'THUMP' FELT AT TIMES WHILE BRAKING. IT IS FELT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ALSO FELT BY THE PASSENGER'S THROUGH THEIR SEATS. THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT WOULD BE THE FEELING OF BEING REAR-ENDED AND PUSHED FORWARD SEVERAL INCHES. AS DRIVER, MY HEAD IS USUALLY AN INCH OR TWO AWAY FROM THE HEAD REST AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS MY HEAD HITS THE HEADREST OR THE HEADREST HITS MY HEAD. THE BRAKE PEDAL ITSELF IS NOT AFFECTED, AS THERE IS NO FEELING OF LOSING THE BRAKE/NOT SLOWING DOWN. IT'S JUST A 'THUMP' FELT.

DAY AFTER PURCHASE, BEEPS AND NOTIFICATION TO PULL OVER AND CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM. HAD CAR TOWED ONE WEEK LATER CAR WAS RETURNED TO US. DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. RUNNING FINE EXCEPT BRAKES MAKE A NOISE WHEN DEPRESSED QUICKLY. MARCH 28TH, 11 MONTHS LATER COMING HOME FROM FLORIDA, DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 LATE AT NIGHT IN STOP & GO TRAFFIC, BEEPS AND NOTIFICATION TO PULL OVER AND CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM. PULLED CAR OVER SHUT OFF. RESTARTED CAR AND CONTINUED DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR 24 HRS. RETURNED TO DEALER THAT WEEK COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH CHARGING SYSTEM. AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE BRAKING SOUND AT DEALERSHIP, BUT STILL MAKING NOISE SPORATICALLY. MAY 15TH, LATE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, STOPPED TO MAKE LEFT HAND TURN, I STARTED TO ACCELERATE, HALF WAY INTO THE TURN, CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, BELLS AND NOTIFICATION TO CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM. WITH TRAFFIC COMING TOWARDS ME, I HAD TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND RESTART AGAIN. IF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS SLIGHTLY FASTER I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON OVERNIGHT BUT WENT OFF THE NEXT DAY. RETURNING TO DEALER THIS WEEK. DON'T EXPECT ANY POSITIVE RESULTS AS LAST TIME THEY SAID THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I LOVED MY CAR, HOWEVER DRIVING IT NOW MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS!

REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLIES X 4 {LEFT AND RIGHT TRUNK HOOD ASSEMBLIES AND THE OUTER TURN SIGNAL/BRAKELIGHT ASSEMBLIES) HAVE POOLING OF WATER AND CONDENSATION/DEBRIS BUILDUP INSIDE THE LENS COVERS. ALSO NOTICED CONDENSATION AND LIQUID BUILDUP WITHIN THE LICENSE PLATE ILLUMINATION LENSES. VERY CONCERNING AS THESE ARE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE CONTAINED NEAR THE HIGH-VOLTAGE LITHIUM BATTERY CONTAINED WITHIN THE TRUNK SPACE. *TR