2000 Hyundai SONATA: complaints, problems and recalls

BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPPED AND CAUSING A LOW BRAKE PEDEL AND A DANGEROUS SHIMMY IN THE WHEEL WHEN EVER I TRY TO STOP. THEY RESURFACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS ON 4/11/01 WITH 12,400 MILES. AT 29,000 MILES THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.FIRST THEY STATED IT WAS CAUSED BY MY DRIVING, THEN I WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY GOING THRU PUDDLES. THEN I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY HEAT AND THEY DO NOT COVER HEAT RELATED PROBLEMS. THE ROTORS ARE COVERED FOR 5 YEARS, 60,000 MILES, BUT NOT FOR THE ABOVE REASONS.

Owner-reported narrative. 12,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003347 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN CONSUMER SHUT VEHICLE OFF, THERE EMITTED A LONG GRUNTING NOISE. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE HAD BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *JG

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003741 at NHTSA ↗

THE AUTOMOBILE COMPANY MISREPRESENTED AND MISLEAD THE CONSUMER ON THE PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS.*DT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008867 at NHTSA ↗

STEERING WHEEL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER *CB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009900 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH NO WARNING AND NO IMPACT.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011503 at NHTSA ↗

THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING THE REAR WHEEL BEARING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015234 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015392 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A NEW 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS FROM SCHAUMBURG HYUNDAI (IL) IN NOVEMBER 2000, AND HAD EXISTING DAMAGE OR TRAFFIC CRASHES WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL ON 10/07/2002, WHEN I WAS FORCED OFF THE ROADWAY BY A TRUCK AND STRUCK THE SIDE OF A ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAD-ON. THE FORCE WAS ENOUGH TO BEND THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR'S FRAME AND TOTAL THE CAR. I WAS THRUST VIOLENTLY FORWARD AT IMPACT, AND SUFFERED MINOR NECK AND BACK INJURIES, AND HAD BEEN PROPERLY USING THE SEATBELT. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE CAR'S FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEFLATED AT TIME OF IMPACT. THI…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017076 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.