2007 Hyundai SONATA: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPROACHING A HILL WHILE DRIVING THE 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE FURTHER THAN 2 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD. WHEN DRIVING IN COUNTRY SETTINGS USING THE LOW BEAMS WHERE THERE WERE NO STREET LIGHTS HE HAD THE MOST DIFFICULTY. WHEN DRIVING ON A LEVEL STREET WITH LIGHTS ON EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. THE ROAD CONDITIONS VARIED, AND CONTACT HAD THE PROBLEM NO MATTER WHAT THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED AT 670 MILES, AND THEY WERE…

Owner-reported narrative. 678 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183330 at NHTSA ↗

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THE DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT ROCKED BACKWARDS, AND WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKES THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKED FORWARD. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SEAT. HOWEVER , THE FAILURE OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS AN ENGINEERING ERROR. HYUNDAI WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST THE CONTACT WITH REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINEERS WERE WORKING ON THE SEAT FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 7400 MILES. *AK UPDATED 03/30/07. *…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184407 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT END NOISE. AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186452 at NHTSA ↗

2007 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS CONCERNS ABOUT THE AIR BAGS NOT BEING ACTIVATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED.**CC *JB UPDATED 04/04/07 *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10186877 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN A PERSON SMALL IN STATURE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 23,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193045 at NHTSA ↗

THE "PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG" LIGHT DOES NOT TURN OFF WHEN MY WIFE, WHO WEIGHS 123LBS, RIDES IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THIS MEANS THAT THE FRONT AIR BAGS ARE NOT ACTIVATED. WENT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE & WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS WITHIN FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. SPOKE TO HYUNDAI HQ & WAS INFORMED THAT SPECIFICATIONS SHOULD BE 80LBS. WE HAVE AN INITIAL APPOINTMENT FOR 9/18 TO MEET WITH A COMPANY SERVICE REP, WHICH WE CAN NOT MEET (WE WILL BE UP NORTH VISITING G'KIDS) ADVISED TO MAKE APPOINTMENT AFTER OUR RETURN LATE SEPTEMBER, WHICH APPOINTMENT …

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200964 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HIS 120 LB WIFE SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THIS MEANS THAT THE AIR BAG IS OFF AND SHE IS NOT PROTECTED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE REGIONAL MANAGER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,600 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21.

Owner-reported narrative. 21 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200984 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ONLY SHINE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING DOWNHILL, THE CONTACT'S VISION IS RESTRICTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY. UPDATED 09/18/07. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201236 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-04-10 (April 10, 2008)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 393,308 MY 2006-2008 SONATA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH FEATURES AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE PURPOSE OF THE OCS IS TO DISABLE THE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT FRONT AIR BAG WHEN IT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM OR SMALL CHILD IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG IS DISABLED TO PREVENT INJURIES TO A CHILD THAT MAY RESULT FROM A RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG INFLATION DURING A CRASH.

Consequence: MISCLASSIFICATION OF A SMALL STATURE ADULT AS A CHILD IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAY CAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT INFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT THAT MERITS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND MAY RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL VERIFY THAT THE OCS DOES NOT PROPERLY RECOGNIZE A PROPERLY SEATED ADULT OCCUPANT. AFTER VERIFICATION, DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY AND SHIP IT TO AN EVALUATION AND REPAIR FACILITY. THIS FACILITY WILL EVALUATE AND REPAIR OR REPROGRAM THE SEAT CUSHION AND OCS AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 26, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2009-04-15 (April 15, 2009)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 532,633 MY 2006-2007 ACCENT, ENTOURAGE, SONATA, MY 2007 AZERA, ELANTRA AND SANTA FE, MY 2005-2007 TUCSON AND MY 2007-2008 VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 29, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2009-07-21 (July 21, 2009)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

Reported: 2013-08-12 (August 12, 2013)

Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, 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 and water can enter portions of the rear crossmember, leading to corrosion of the crossmember steel. This may lead to detachment of one of the rear control arms.

Consequence: Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 113.