1999 Hyundai SONATA: complaints, problems and recalls

CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL AND HIT A SOLID BARRIER AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG MODULE. THE DEALER ALSO PERFORMED RECALL 02V105000 RELATED TO THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS ROUTING. THE REAR DEFOGGER BUTTON FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE A/C AND DEFOGGER WERE INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CONTROL HEAD. THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS WOULD …

Owner-reported narrative. 49,961 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006288 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL DOWN.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009016 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON I75 FROM NAPLES, FL TO FT. LAUDERDALE, FL, THE DRIVER SIDE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW AT 70 MPH. THE TREAD THAT MEETS THE PAVEMENT SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THIS TIRE IS A KUHMO 195/70 R14 90H MODEL 722 ORIGINAL FACTORY TIRE ON MY 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH ONLY 25,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. BEFORE ANY ROAD TRIP, I CHECK TIRE PRESSURE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. MY CAR BODY HIT THE PAVEMENT A FEW TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP RESULTING IN LEFT FRONT FENDER DAMAGE. THIS FENDER WILL COST AROUND $700 TO REPLACE. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE WITH TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 25,175 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014057 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION DID NOT ENGAGE THEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SNAPPED BACK. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015476 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 27,358 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015554 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMERS HOME. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017466 at NHTSA ↗

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR NINE TIMES FOR THE AIR BAG LIGHT. *NLM *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019950 at NHTSA ↗

RECALL# 00 V 259 001/ENGINE STALLING: THIS RECALL WAS DONE IN NOVEMBER 13,2000. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE 2 LITER V-6 ENGINE IS STALLING INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEED. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND BOTH STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE, AND ANY OTHER REPAIR WOULD BE AT THEIR COST. REQUESTING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER TO SEE IF THIS COULD BE A RECALL REPAIR FAILURE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033648 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-09-11 (September 11, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SOME SONATA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES AND ALL ELANTRA MODEL VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT LOW-SPEED ENGINE STALLING, WHICH COULD OCCUR IF THE MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) SENSOR ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IS INTERRUPTED AS A RESULT OF ENGINE VIBRATION TRANSMITTED TO THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.

Reported: 2001-11-06 (November 6, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COULD ILLUMINATE DUE TO MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG(S).

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT SEAT MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR. NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SRS SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS INTENDED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE FRONT SEAT SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL OCCUR IN SIX MAILINGS ON MAY 27, JUNE 3, JUNE 10, JUNE 17, JUNE 24, AND JULY 1, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2002-04-09 (April 9, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION THAT LEADS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION COULD RESULT FROM MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND COULD PREVENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR.

Consequence: NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SRS SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2009-04-16 (April 16, 2009)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT IN THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION IS FREQUENTLY VISIBLE AND OFTEN DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND OWNERS MAY ALSO HEAR NOISES OR NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. IF THESE SIGNALS ARE UNDETECTED OR UNHEEDED, THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY DETACH FROM THE SUB-FRAME.

Consequence: IF THAT HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE DRIVE POWER TO THE WHEELS, AND THE FRONT WHEEL MAY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FENDER OR WHEEL WELL, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME AND INSPECT THE FRONT SUB-FRAME FOR CORROSION DAMAGE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW SUB-FRAME THAT INCORPORATES ADDITIONAL HOLES IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PANELS. IF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME DOES NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER WILL ADD DRAINAGE HOLES TO THE SUB-FRAME AND WILL TREAT THE SUB-FRAME WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIAL TO STOP THE CORROSION PROCESS. THIS PROCEDURE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.