Hyundai Sonata Front Suspension "Thunk"

dncb

Have you been to a regular mechanic yet? Result?

I am going to mine tomorrow armed with a Sawzall (Bosch reciprocating saw actually with 1 inch stroke) to which I welded up a piece of 3/4" steel rod with a lap joint in it to mount to the saw's reciprocating shaft where the blade used to mount. I was careful to make a good lap joint so that the stress is transferred squarely to the shaft, not the screw holding the two together. Then I welded a flat plate about two inches square to the end of the shaft.I then made tool rest out of a 2x4 so that I could hold the saw upright and support the handle squarely on the floor. The mechanic is going to put the car on a lift for me and let it down until the right front tire just touches the flat plate. This, in theory, should jiggle the tire up and down with any frequency I desire since the tool is variable speed. The mechanic will then put on his mechanic's stethoscope and "go-a-thunk-listening."

dncb

Have you been back to the dealer yet? Results?

lmaxick

HAS ANYBODY AND I MEAN ANYBODY !!!!!! HAD ANY DEALER ACKNOWLEDGE THE "THUNK" PROBLEM"? IF SO PLEASE SHARE THAT INFO WITH THE REST OF US SO WE HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON. THIS IS RIDICULOUS TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH PROBLEM AND LET HYUNDAI GET AWAY WITH TURNING THEIR HEADS, REMEMBER PEOPLE THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. PLEASE, PLEASE.

dncb

Perhaps read the other posts. Just a short recap here: I have documented receipts of the clunk/thunk from a service manager at Tempe Hyundai in Tempe AZ and also from an area rep from the Phoenix area. I am also starting binding arbitration with the BBB Auto Line based on Hyundai's failure to fix it with strut replacement which will include documentation from dealers as well as independent diagnosis findings. I also am diagnosing the problem independently at a local shop. Again please read past posts for more details on my home-made suspension actuating device for shop diagnosis. More after shop visit - hopefully tomorrow armed with video and audio recording equipment: April 10. My goal is to localize the noise with a stethoscope, perhaps substitute a non Hyundai part to fix it if it is found that nothing appears loose (like another manufacturer's shock/strut), then force Hyundai to issue recall - or find the problem and force Hyundai to re-engineer something based on video/audio recordings of the existence of the noise, then issue the recall.
I'll keep everyone updated.

dncb

Just wanted to let everyone know that I had to reschedule my appointment with an independent shop until Monday April 14th. Sorry. I will post an update then.

I am curious if the two other posters, "kegjeg" and "shadow26" who mentioned that you were also going to local shops have anything to report?

lmaxick

Thank you, I must have missed your post on this issue, however, I appreciate what you're doing and it will certainly be interesting to see the outcome, I look forward to it.

dncb

No problem. In case you are unfamiliar with this (Edmunds) and most forums like it, you may just look to the bottom of the page of posts(if you are reading and not writing) and select the "previous" link to go back as far as you like in the thread of posts.

dncb

I took my car to a local shop yesterday to attempt to find the problem with the front suspension clunking/thunking. We used a reciprocating saw with a solid shaft welded to the existing shaft, Then welded a flat metal plate to its end and bent up the edges to form a shape that would ride against the tire and hold in place. We made a hogged-out 2 X 6 platform to hold the handle from skating out and hold the unit vertically and lowered the car lift to allow the tire to contact the device. We turned it on and jiggled the suspension up and down. We found two things: a heck of a lot of movement in the upper strut mount (the shock absorber part) inside the rubber mount and also a heck of a lot of movement of the engine on the passenger side of the engine. When stethoscoped we found most of the noise coming from the strut tower. The mechanic said he would ask Hyundai to replace the strut upper mount and see if it will do anything before probing further.
Hyundai called as a result of my opening the first step of binding arbitration with the BBB and we talked about the situation. Their stance is still denial based on the lack of numbers of complaining people. To them the lack of great numbers of complaining people allows them to call it "a normal characteristic of the suspension design.
So to all of you with this same problem START FINDING OTHERS WHO HAVE THE PROBLEM AND GET THEM TO CALL HYUNDAI CORPORATE - NOT JUST A LOCAL DEALER - AND OPEN YOUR OWN BINDING ARBITRATION CASE. Read the material that came with your car or go online and get the contact information for the BBB (Better Business Bureau) Auto Line. I'll post that info later in case you can't find it.
Hyundai IS willing to replace the upper mount. I'll update you after that.

targettuning

While not casting doubt on your conclusions using the suspension actuating machine do you know for sure that the movement seen was specific to the Hyundai Sonata? I mean for instance if you placed a Honda Accord or Camry on the machine would similar movement be seen in the same places? If you have pinpointed a cause that would be great but if all you have done is found a place where almost any brand car would have movement under the exact same circumstances then nothing was gained. I guess you need a sample of another brand car and try it as well.....

dncb

Perhaps that is true. However, the movement was only a matter of interest potentially pointing to problems that could be caused by excessive movement (does something actually make contact?) while the place of noise emanation (the strut tower) was the main point of interest. Sorry if my post indicated otherwise.

lmaxick

Larry
Thank you for your interest in HMAService.com service information website. The Feedback page and the HMAService.com Staff are available to assist with issues related to operation and access of this website. All available service information is contained within the website. Staff do not have any additional information available and can not assist with diagnosis or repair of your vehicle.

For concerns related to servicing your Hyundai vehicle, please consult your local Hyundai dealership service department. You can find your local Hyundai dealer with the Dealer Locator link at the hyundaiusa.com website.

If you need further assistance, contact Consumer Affairs at Hyundai Motor America's Consumer Affairs toll-free hotline at 1-800-633-5151 during operating hours from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm MST (Mountain Standard Time) Monday through Friday. Please have your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and any other relevant information available for the representative.

If you encounter any issues with operation of the HMAService.com website, please contact us with details of your concern.

I hope this helps solve your issue.


Thomas
HMAService.com Staff
Hyundai Motor America
WWW.HMAService.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lmaxick@aol.com [mailto:lmaxick@aol.com]
Sent: Tue 4/15/2008 9:28 PM
To: HMAService [HMA]
Subject: Feedback from Larry Maxick

username: Larry Maxick
sUserIP: 207.200.116.132
sOrgname:
sPhoneno: 805-861-0003
sEmail: lmaxick@aol.com
sStreet: 907 Greensbgoro Rd
sCity: Ventura
sState: California
sZip: 93004
sComments: I have sent you e-mails on the "THUNKING" problem which you continue to ignore. How about stepping up to the plate and face the fact that you have a serious suspension problem that exists, I sernt you articles from the Edmonds forum. NOw do something about your problem.

dncb

I got my 07 Sonata back from the dealer today after replacing the right front strut mount under warranty authorized by hyundai corporate. I did not do both sides as I wanted to do only the worse offender first (change only one thing at a time). The results: the clunking noise was at least cut in half (on the right front) maybe more - to the point that I probably would not have complained about it if it had ever been at this level in its history. I would have just thought it was a poor suspension design that transmits too much noise into the uniframe. However, because the left front was not done that side now is evident when going over the same bumps.
Two notes of possible interest:
1) The 2008 Sonata LTD loaner car they gave me to drive home(a carbon copy of my car but a year newer) with 6500 miles on it (mine is 13,000) DOES exhibit the problem just as loudly as my car did before getting the strut mount replaced; and
2) I drove a 2006 Sonata LTD that a friend of mine has and it makes less noise than mine ever did and less than mine does now with only one side "fixed." If mine only did as much as his does I would never have started this forum. So that gives us hope that this could be a poor/inconsistent parts issue, or an assembly problem leading to a parts failure coupled with the rather poorly designed suspension by Hyundai engineers.

What the dealer (Hyundai of Tempe, AZ 480-961-4800) did which is printed on the service invoice:
"Replace the right front strut mount, bump stopper, dust cover, mount rubber as per DSPM, service manager and parts manager."
Parts replaced:
54626-3K000, BUMPER-URETHANE
54628-38000, COVER-FR SUSPENSI
54629-3K000, CUP ASSY-RR SHOCK
54630-3K000, INSULATOR ASSY-ST
54641-3K000, pad-FR- SPRING UPR

Mechanics diagnosis: "Found the right front strut noise reducers distorted/clearance too loose."

I am to be scheduled to take it back in to have the left front done next week. I will update everyone after that visit.

dncb

I've just returned from having the left front strut upper mount replaced under warranty. I am happy to report that about 80% of the clunking/thunking is now gone from the replacement now of both front upper strut mounts - the right last visit and the left this visit. So the official fix is replacement of both front dampers (shocks) and both upper strut mounts. As reported in the last post from the when the right front was done the mechanic reported distorted rubber and too much clearance in the "noise reducers." The parts replaced for the left side are the same as what I posted last post for the right side.
Hyundai, however, is still in denial. Although they were willing to replace the parts under warranty they wrote on the service ticket this time (as opposed to last time) that they were replacing the parts "at customer request as a good will gesture" and no specific mechanic diagnosis was noted. Lame, huh?
On the way home I immediately noticed a change for the better in something unrelated to this forum: that the car was rock solid on the freeway. From the dealer lot as a new car it had what I interpreted as "high susceptibility to wind currents" from other vehicles and the elements -- something normally reserved for older cars as steering parts begin to age. It must, however, have been strut related (unless there is now a ton of toe-in from lack of aligning the car after strut work), because now it goes dead straight and is not influenced nearly as much by the wind deflections of other vehicles. I now just hold the steering wheel still for the most part instead of constantly moving back and forth to stay in the same place in the lane.

I intend to withdraw the binding arbitration case against Hyundai as I no longer feel that the reduced noise of the same nature as previously mentioned is bad enough to win a judgment against them. I do, however, think that Hyundai has some suspension work to do to alleviate this issue as I imagine I would be revisiting this problem in another 14K miles as it again becomes louder and something that will negatively affect its resale value. My advice: buy another brand until they redesign the suspension unless you are the type of person who says, "What noise?" - and I won't hold by breath for them to redesign anything. I probably will sell the car next year before it again gets too bad. It just goes to show that the best warranty in the business is only as good as the original engineering. I'm guessing I'll be back to being a Toyota guy after this experience and will be reporting my findings to Consumers Union.
Good luck to everyone in getting your parts replaced. I'll stay on the forum to find out how you all are treated and how your car acts after getting it fixed. Don't forget you have specific legal rights. Contact the Better Business Bureau's Auto Line to open a case if your local Hyundai dealer will not replace your struts and upper mounts from this evidence.

lmaxick

I have read yor previous posts regarding this problem. The thing that astounded me was here on the west coast of CA that Hyundai Corporate had not been aprised of this problem. Now they do only because I called and have started them on an investigation into this problem. I have, now, a case number any somebody to talk to who now knows the problem and have turned them onto this web site to check and see just how many of their vehicles are having the same problem. Ido so hope somethihg comes of this as it is so annoying to hear that thunking. I have written e-mails to the dealership in my home town, and I can truly say that the service dept. and in particular the "Service Manager" does not know squat about the vehicle, I know you'll tell me everything is in the owners manual, that does not excuse the dealership personnel from not knowing the car at all, Three case in point, #1 I was told that my car did not have a manual release cable for the gas door, #2 they told me the the little lights over the visor were air vents #3 the couldn't tell me how the the door light came on, whicjh is my fault because I didn't look at it to see where it said "door" #4 while sitting in the drivers seat I noticed my right rear was riding on something hard, where upond I took it to the same dealer and there was a piece of foam that covers the seat heater missing, the service manager sends it out to an auto wsseat cover place, now mind you I have leather seats, the guy calls hime (service manager and asks him if it's ok to jsut put a piece of faom in the spot where it was missing he OK's it. When I go to pick up the car it is plainly visable a big crease and you can see that aa piece of foam was stuffed in there, guess what he said (SM) that's asw good as it gets, I went to the general manager of the agency and he tells me he drives an Azera and his seat is no better, I am dumbfounded. So I take to my upholster and tell him to fix it, he charged me $110.00 put a new seat panel on it for me and not a single wrinkle. I took t back and showed it ti the GM and all he could say yeah that looks really nice! NOw maybe some of you have better dealing with your local dealerships, but this one refuses to do business with me, which I told corporate about that also. SOrry for such a long post but I though some of you might be interested in the story.

dncb

You say "on the west coast of CA that Hyundai Corporate had not been apprised of this problem." Yet that is the rhetoric I encountered on EVERY call about my problem - and there were three of them to corporate as well as having to deal with three new service managers in 7 months -- the last of which is one like you are dealing with -- dumb as a post: His comment while listening to the thunking? "Maybe the suspension wasn't designed for bumps like this." Good Lord! Can something like that be worthy of the air needed to produce vocal sound?
Everything at corporate is documented. So there is more at work than simple "never heard this before." The consumer is up against the "deny everything until proven undeniable" policy increasingly being adopted by all American businesses. It has been shown to be cheaper than to try to actually fix problems - even ones known to exist. I laugh when I hear and read Hyundai's advertising. The sad thing is that it will work on the majority of the public because the public is getting dumber and dumber. I'm no brain child, but I didn't stay at the 8th grade level that advertising has been shown to be aimed at.
Also, you point out lack of basic understanding of the product by the service personnel. Isn't it interesting that there are so many people in jobs nowadays who do not know nearly as much about their own job as one would expect. Even doctors are not an exception. If I told you what I've been through in the last 7 months due to motorcycle accident injuries and the failure of the hospital, orthopedic surgeon and radiologist to find broken bones that were indeed broken, you would again "be astounded." Get this... I had to tell them about them after looking at my own xrays on the computer comparing them to "stock" photos available on the internet .I am just now taking off the last cast after surgery to screw together bones due to their inability to read xrays. Lawsuit? You bet.
The moral of the story is that nowadays the consumer MUST be educated (more than the "expert"), diplomatic and respectfully persistent.
Take the previously posted parts list with you to the dealer and tell them you want the struts replaced including the upper mounts.

lmaxick

I for a while thought I was alone in this fight against incompetency, and that is exactly what we are dealing with. I can sympathize with you ont the medical problem, as after 7 back surgeries I had to spend 7 months in a body brace and in a hospital not being able to move, due to the fact that on the fourth surgery I got osteomyolitis (sp) due to someone breaking sterilility in the OR. So I know what you mean in that respect. I'm sorry but I grew up when there was a caring workforce and people took pride in what they did, those days are gone forever I fear. SO I try to do what I can ,and believe me it is not easy in this world of today. I only hope that I have corporate's attention, however, I will not give up I will bug them until I get some answers to these problems we are having with their vehicles, for what it's worth anyway. Thanks for the post.

dncb

You're welcome. And, likewise. Good luck to all of you trying to get your cars fixed.

mdiaz15

I want to support you case , my 2006 sonata,3.3 with 16,000 miles that I been driving for last 3 month have the same noise you report "clunking/thunking", and was affraid it was just me noticing , I also drove a lonner from the dealer 2007,and it made the same noise,we have to let Hyundai know about the issue, I will start the procces to replace of both front upper strut mounts and the front shock,because the reducing the clearance on the noise reducer wont correct the problem, will keep you posted,

dncb

Thanks for your post. Good luck.

bksss

Thanks for all the work that you have done on the Thunk problem. I have purchased a 2008 Sonata about a month ago and have returned my car to the dealership with concerns about the front thunk noise. They said it was normal suspension noise. I will print your post and go back to them. Thanks again for your work on resolving this problem.
bksss
Manitoba, Canada

dncb

You might want to check the laws in your area about your rights to return the car for a full refund since the best we have been able to achieve from our efforts is a REDUCTION of the noise - not an elimination of it. I expect it will again get worse with age. If I were in a brand new car and had a legal right to abort the transaction that would be my choice until Hyundai redesigns the suspension.

bksss

I have just returned from my Winnipeg Hyundai dealer. I had mentioned the thunk listed by a number of individuals on the internet. He would here non of it. He said that he had no time for internet complaints. He said that he would check it out. I received a ride to work and returned after work to have him tell me that nothing was wrong. They could not find any thunking problem. He refused to look at any internet documentation. On a previous visit he ended up yelling at me in the parking lot over my concern about the thunking problem. He also stated that he has had no such problems and Hyundai had no record of such problems. My next step will be to contact Hyundai Canada……….. whish me luck.

dncb

I suggest doing all communications in writing if possible. You can open a customer service issue case online with Hyundai corporate in writing by email (including informing them of the uninterested/uncooperative attitude of the service rep). They will respond by email with a case number and ask you to call a representative assigned to your case at the customer service line (they will give you the toll free number) to discuss the issue.
If you have another dealer in the area to go to instead of the one you just went to who obviously has a "can't do attitude" rather than a "can do attitude" it might prove more useful as a dealer to use after Hyundai corporate contacts you and then contacts the dealer of your choice to get the matter resolved. Look them up before responding to Hyundai's answer to your initial email complaint. If you do not have another one in your area you might want to indicate your lack of confidence to Hyundai corporate in the dealer you just used because of the negative response you received. That should generate a little corporate pressure on the dealer.
Also, scout out a piece of road surface reasonably near the dealer you plan to pursue the matter with so you can reliably replicate the thunking (or the dealer can on their own).
Last, read all the posts on this matter, not just the last few posts, as it details the evolution of this issue and will provide you with valuable information, diagnostic work and mechanical work already authorized by Hyundai as well as dealer references that can be contacted by your dealer to confirm Hyundai's authorization of the parts replacement.
At the risk of repetitiveness, be courteous, business-like, diplomatic but unrelenting.

bksss

Thanks dncb for the information. I have read all the posts in this thread but will go over them one more time. I have been very to the point and factual never loosing my temper. Can't say that about the service rep. There are three Hyundai dealers in Winnipeg Manitoba. I have found the Hyundai Canadian site and will be sending them a detailed email.
Thanks again for your help.

rotary

You seem awfully defensive.

I'm no fan of Toyota at all, especially given how they mishandled their terrible engine sludge problem where properly maintained motors were literally seizing up and suffering catastrophic failure, requiring total replacement. It took a lawsuit by the California Attorney General to finally get them to own up to it and fix it.

Having said that, the Sonata suspension noise is so outside the realm of normal for a modern day midsized sedan, let alone any car, that it is totally unacceptable. I wouldn't even expect this kind of noise from the most basic car sold today, such as an Aveo or Sephia, and you know what? Neither of those cars suffers anywhere near this level of suspension noise.

The issue mars the whole driving experience. It gives a very insecure feeling that there is something mechanically wrong with the car.

That Hyundai can't seem to fix the problem, and has dealerships that refuse to acknowledge that it's an unacceptable and abnormal problem, is a black eye for Hyundai.

Drive a new Malibu, Accord, Altima or Accord, and you will hear NO SUSPENSION noise at all, over any kind of road surface.

I plan on extensively testing an '09 Sonata, to see if they resolved the issue with their revised suspension. If so, I may purchase a new Sonata, despite the bad taste I have over how Hyundai failed to fix the current generation's issue.

If they haven't resolved it completely, I will immediately go and buy the new Mazda 6 that is due to be released. The car is getting rave reviews in all trim levels.

lmaxick

I have done everything I can think of to get Hyundai to resolve this "Thunking" problem to no avail. I have written e-mails to Corporate, Ihave documented all these hits on the forum, I have spoken to corporate and dealers as well. The only response I've received from the two dealers in my area is: Out all the millions of Sonatas sold there are only 74 hits on the forum that complain about this problem, therefore they are not willing to address this issue. So.... I can not think of anything else to do to get Corporate to address this problem, and I have all but given up trying to get them to accept that they have a problem with "some" of their vehicles. So good luck to anyone who has gotten an ear from Hyundai on this issue, but as far as I'm concerned it's going to be something we either live with or get rid of our cars and go to something else. It's really a shame since the rest of the vehicle represents a great value. My two cents worth.

dncb

You don't have to buy in to Hyundai's mode of operation. Just open a binding arbitration case against them with the BBB's auto line. It's super easy and free initially. Cheap even if it goes to the board. Read the material that came with your car on resolving disputes. Hyundai will do nothing until it HAS TO. If you just lay down and quit then you've shown them that their dishonest tactics actually DO work. Read the posts of my interaction with attorneys on this issue. You almost certainly will win the case if it comes down to going to the arbitration board - and Hyundai knows this. It's going to be a lot cheaper to fix your car now rather than being required to issue recall or class wide service bulletin. They ain't stupid, just dishonest. Stick with it through proper channels.
Consider joining PrePaid Legal after opening a case with the BBB. It's cheap and gives access to attorneys for advice.

sonata4life

I bought a 2008 V6 Limited couple of months back and have over 2500 miles now. I haven't noticed any *thunking* noise yet... the engine is so quiet that I sometimes have to press the gas to see whether it's running when I am stopped at a signal!

So, does one notice this issue within a few days or have to drive for a year or so and the problem surfaces? Thanks.

bksss

Just drive over a speed strip (one of those strips in a mall that slows people down).
My 2008 with 12,000 kilometers on it has a distinctive thump up by the right wheel. My 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora, and my 1993 GMC 1/2 ton truck made no sound driving over a strip at work that causes a fair thump in my Sonota.

dncb

At the risk of mild rudeness, if someone could not hear the difference between the engine running or not running in a Sonata they are the kind of buyers Hyundai is counting on -- less than discerning. My wife could not "hear" the thunk of the suspension for about 6 months until I pointed out each instance of it to train her ear so that she could tell the difference between road/tire noise and defective suspension design noise. Of course, she also could not hear the noise of the sunroof open by accident above the closed inside cover. I could, and closed it. She'd hit the button reaching for her sunglasses in the holder in front of the switch neither of us had seen. Hence the reason Hyundai responds with, "If there is a problem why are we not hearing from thousands of owners?" I'm guessing those in charge of Customer service also cannot hear the engine running.

bhmr59

Oh boy!

You had to train your wife to hear a thunk? How noisy could it have been if you had to train her to hear it?

starryknight

There are alot of cars that now have the "sport tuned" suspension that produce a "thunk" over various bumps and pot holes. Last September, I traded in a 2000 Taurus that had a relatively soft suspension and I didn't get that "clunky" feel when I went over bumps. I ended up buying a 2007 Accord SE, which is like driving a go-cart by comparison. I get the same thunking sound/feel whenever I go over certain potholes, speed bumps, etc. I think the problem is, the newer family cars are being produced with performance in mind rather than a cushy ride. The strut systems simply don't have as long a travel as they used to and bottom out more easily. I really wish they would reserve that type of suspension for the Miatas, BMWs, Mustang GTs, etc and keep the family sedans like they used to be......a nice soft, comfortable ride. And, by the way, since I bought my Accord, I have test driven the 08 Altima, Malibu, Sonata and Accord and didn't find a significant difference between their suspensions and my 07 Accords. The Malibu, Sonata and Accord was a tad softer and the Altima was about the same but, overall, all four were stiff and at some point during the test drives, "thunked" going over certian types of large bumps. Sorry to disagree but that was my experience.

lmaxick

OK, I would agree with you on certain points you make. BUT..... when you back into or out of a driveway and hear the "THUNK" then I say there is something radically wrong with this cars suspension, and I don't care who differs with me on that. It is wrong and that's all there is to it. Normal suspension is one thing, but when a car is moving slow enough to just back into or out of drive way that's something totally different in my opinion.

starryknight

Imaxick, I wasn't disagreeing with you. My comments were actually in disagreement with Rotary's comment saying:

"Drive a new Malibu, Accord, Altima or Accord, and you will hear NO SUSPENSION noise at all, over any kind of road surface".

I agree you have a legitimate beef with Hyundai and hope you have luck getting it resolved.

lmaxick

OK, I am expecting a call within 24 hours from senior customer consumer affairs, I have written to the HTSA and the BBB and what I need to know ASAP is h
with what year did this problem start and if anyone has an '09 have they had this problem. I have gone on Hyundai's web and brought up the TSB'b and lo and behold ther is a TSB on the ENTOURGE and one other of their vehicles with the identical problem we are haveing. I WILL NOT GIMVE UP ON THIS PROBLEM , I THOUGHT I WOULD BUT THE MORE I HEAR IT THE MADDER I GET. So I will continue to bug even if I have to go as far as the CEO. Th's it for any answers to my enquirey will be appreciated so I can have additional info for the people who call.

dncb

Good work on scouting the TSB's and getting started with the BBB the NHTSA (Nat Highway Traffic Safety Admin - at least that's what it is in the states). The only ones I knew of were on 06 rear ends and a "kit" was put out for them and supposedly the suspension was changed for '07.
Everything I know is contained in the previous posts of this thread:
Others complaining of 06,07,08;
Me: noticed it real bad in 2002 Sonata service pick-up/drop-off Hyundai vehicle;
Me: noticed it in 6 out of 7 varying mileage Sonata's driven (07's and 08's) and the 7th one (an 06) had it just a little - like mine does now that the struts and upper mounts have been replaced.
I know nothing of 09's but you can go test drive one any time you want. Just make sure you have a road surface scouted out near the dealer that will faithfully reproduce the problem before you go "test driving a new Sonata you're thinking of buying for your wife." Hopefully the sales dept doesn't know you as well as the service dept does at your local dealer. Good luck.
Advice: don't get mad. It doesn't last. Get persistent as a climber climbing Everest.

sonata4life

I drive thru' them every day, at least twice, as the place I live have speed bumps all over the complex. No thunking or clanking or whatever noise you guys refer to are there... Maybe, it'll surface in the future?

bobisnext

I have been following these threads for a few months now and assume i have the same problem. i have a 2006 Hyundai Sonata V6 with 33K on it. I would call my noise a "hollow thump" when going over bumps about 35-40 mph on city streets. (It is not as noticable on an interstate at highway speeds. I rent other cars on occasion (such as Nissan Sentra, Ford Fusion, Ford Focus, and Chevy Cobalt) and do not seem to experience the "hollow thump" that I experience on my Sonata (It is a great car otherwise)

Is this the same problem/sound that others are experiencing?

dncb

It sounds like we are all talking about the same thing. It's a little hard to spell a sound like that isn't it? Not sharp enough to be a distinct "clank." Maybe not even a "clunk." A little duller and slower in onset. Hence I settled on the word, "thunk." Regardless, it appears to be a noise generated in the front strut system in combination with the upper mount which is generated by a sudden extension of the suspension, and is not sensitive to the amount of travel. One half inch or 6. It makes no difference, because the sound is generated during the first half inch of extension, making the rest of the fall irrelevant. Most speed bumps will not cause the sound unless you go over them faster than I go over them to make it a suddeen extension. I've only heard it twice on speed bumps and then only because I was testing it.
The noise is , however, sensitive to the speed at which the vehicle encounters the pavement depression as it is only generated by a sudden extension, and seems to do nothing during the compression phase of the suspension of the bump.
Like all of us so far, expect the denial from Hyundai - like this is brand new to them, or "it is a normal part of the suspension in a Hyundai". Then start binding arbitration through the Better Business Bureau's Auto Line. That is the only way I got the strut assemblies and upper mounts replaced. Expect a drastic improvement, but not a 100% improvement. Steering wander will be improved too. Good luck. Keep us posted.

backy

Maybe it IS a normal characteristic of the Sonata? Many 3rd party reviews e.g. CR mention suspension noise on the Sonata, pre-2009 at least. Hyundai also admits it changed the suspension on the 2009 Sonata to make it quieter and provide better handling.

So it could be that there is a level of suspension noise on the Sonata that is normal, for the car. Some folks may not be sensitive to it and don't notice it. Others do. I've driven about a dozen 2006-8 Sonatas, some for a week at a time, and have not noticed any exceptional suspension noise. I have noticed a tire "thump" over expansion joints etc., but not suspension noise. Then there may be, on some Sonatas, more-than-normal noise that is addressed by the TSB that has already been discussed here.

Just a thought.

bksss

I get a definite thunk from my right front wheel when I go over the two speed bumps at work at about 10 mph. I drove over to the dealership where I purchased my 2008 Sonata. I searched around their location for speed bumps that would produce the same thunk. After trying to reproduce the annoying thunk at about 6 different bumps, I finally gave up. It appears that the car responds to a specifically shaped speed bump or just the right sized pot hole. The speed bumps at work are about average sized. I have gone to work with my old 1993 GMC half ton and my 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora. I tried and tried to get them to tunk but no luck. My thunk seems to occur when the shock is fully depressed. The weird thing about all this is when I did the speed bump test run around the dealership I fully depressed both front shocks at some rather large bumps with no thunk. It is kind of hard to get the dealership to do something about a problem that I can not reproduce when taking the service rep for a test ride. I plan on doing another search in the dealerships area. My work location is a half hour drive from the dealership. I am not giving up on this because it will only get worse with an increase in mileage.

backy

If it's just the right front, it appears there's a problem on that side of the car. If it were the normal suspension noise, it would happen on both wheels, right?

dgs4

Is that a technical term or something? What the heck is a "thunk?" Can someone please describe the sound they are hearing with some detail, as "thunk" tells me absolutely nothing about the suspension noise you're hearing.

I bought an 09 Limited V6 and the car is a little stiff over bumps. That is to be expected, as I understand with the 09 Hyundai tuned the suspension on the sporty side. It's a fair trade off for the wonderful handling of the car. However there is no abnormal noise from my suspension at all over any bumps. Granted I don't drive quickly over bumps either. Maybe whatever issue existed has been fixed for the 09 model?

2002slt

Maybe whatever issue existed has been fixed for the 09 model?

That seems to be the consensus.

dncb

The consensus of who? I have not seen anyone who has experienced hearing the thunking issue in earlier model years testify that 09's are exempt. Have you? The testimony of those who say they never heard it in the first place holds little value since it is far too easy for one who has a financial interest in Hyundai to post disinformation on this or any forum.

backy

I've never heard the "thunk" on about a dozen 2006-8 Sonatas I've driven--test drives and rentals. I have no financial interest in Hyundai.

dgs4

The only financial interest I have in Hyundai is getting my car paid off in five years.

Still waiting for someone to describe this "thunk" sound. If no one can do that I'll assume it's in their head rather than a real sound. Cars make noises going over bumps, that's just the way they work. I suppose unless you're driving a Rolls Royce, which I understand makes no noise going over bumps, for the rest of use working class stiffs, our cars will not be silent driving over rough patches of road.

Well this thread seems like a whole lot to do about nothing. I think people are way too paranoid and just need to drive the car instead of worrying about every little noise they hear. These are $25,000 cars and under, thus any noise I hear will be viewed from that perspective. You want perfection. spend $350,000 on a hand built Rolls. If there is some serious suspension design flaw with the Sonata that could affect it's safety, I'm sure we would have heard about it by now.

lmaxick

The best description I can think of to describe the "THUNK"s a kin to the old ball joint crunch when the ball joints were worn and you made a turn or something like that. More than that I cannot describe the sound to you, maybe someone else on this forum has a better description than that.

rotary

dgs4, your new '09 has an even stiffer suspension than the '06 to '08 gen?

If so, that is really depressing me.

In an era where the roads seem to be getting worse and worse, I was looking to get into a vehicle that has a smoother, less firm, less noisy ride. Although I can not stand the Toyota Camry, and think it's far more boring than the Hyundai on the inside and outside, I do have to give Toyota credit for giving the Camry a true luxury car ride with luxury car quietness.

Maybe I'm just getting old, or maybe the roads really are getting worse, or both. But I'm wanting more insulation from the crumbling and cratered roads in the U.S. lately, not less.

backy

Some complained the 2006-8 Sonata was too "floaty", so the suspension was tweaked for 2009 to be more responsive. But from reviews I've read, it still seems to offer a smooth, quiet ride. I am looking forward to driving it. Maybe you could take one for a test drive and see if it offers enough insulation from the road for you?