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Driver Selectable Steering ModeEverybody has a different take on steering feel. It’s one of the most personal driver preferences out there. Some want more steering effort, others less. Well, with the Driver Selectable Steering Mode (DSSM) standard on every Sonata, now you get to choose. Select from three modes: Normal, Comfort or Sport by simply touching a button on the steering wheel.
Thank you VERY much for posting on this board. I'm an engineer who wants to truly know what does what. Your post is the ONLY one that helps. I noticed that my wife's new Hyundai Sonata basically lacks the center slop that we're all used to. So, when going from my truck or 2003 camry to the Sonata, I feel like I always have to be correcting the steering. My daughter, who drives the Sonata all the time, says the opposite when she gets into my truck; she complains of the 'dead zone' in the center. But, getting to your point; are you saying that the Sport setting simulates more of the 'center slop' or 'dead zone' (as my daughter would call it). I'd be grateful to discuss this with you via email as I would like to give the 2011 to my daughter and considered buying a new Sonata but was hesitant as my wife prefers the old school 'slop'. Some habits die hard I guess.
Turning the wheel left or right from center is a non-issue. But when the wheel is turned one way and then the other, I experience a delay from when the wheel is turned to when the car responds. The delay is tenths of a second. However to put things in perspective:
Traveling at 70 mph is equivalent to 102.67 feet per second. A ¼ second delay at this speed lapses over 25.67 feet. A ½ second delay lapses over 51.34 feet.
Furthermore, the delay in response instinctually causes the driver to over correct and the car is uncontrollable as it responds late to every correction of the wheel. My personal belief is that that the issue resides in their electrical box. The 2014 Sonatas have the same problem.
My case has been forwarded to Regional and Legal divisions. I will update with conclusion.
I'm going to write a scathing letter right now regarding the initial service center and the safety defect. However/
Before I did, I just wanted to thank this forum for helping me at least get the EPS changed at another dealership.
Furthermore, the simple fact that Hyundai has put the EPS button on the steering wheel for the 2014 Sonatas is a clear indicator that they are aware of the safety issue. I believe that they would have scrapped the GLS steering all together were they not padding themselves for potential future litigation. Care to chime in on that theory?
I see it more as adding a feature for the 2014 mid-generation refresh, at relatively low cost, that was already present on a lesser model in their lineup--the Elantra GT.
Yeah, legal research is a real pain. Could that be why the task is delegated to paralegals? Hmmmmmm
And by the way, Platinumtech, your input is not very useful here since you're just puking up what the morons at Hyundai tell you. If those techs at Hyundai are Platinum certified, then I must be Rhodium certified since I'm the one that has had to diagnose and instruct the techs on what the problems with my piece have been.
I don't have a problem with how my 2013 Sonata GLS steers. Maybe because I "learned" how to drive EPS with an even worse steering feel than the Sonata's on the 2010 Sentra I leased for 3 years. It's not the same kind of feel as a hydraulic system, but it tracks straight and I've learned it's a real good idea to keep both hands on the wheel... which is what drivers should be doing anyway.
I haven't heard anyone discuss their cost for having their Sonata's converted to "sport mode" steering...? I called the dealership closest to me with the same complaint everyone else has about sloppy steering, and was told they would change it to sport mode for me but it was not a warranty issue and it would cost $500. Seems to me like a car wandering down the road as well as significant reduction in tire tread life should be covered under warranty....
I am so glad I found this forum! I have been having this wandering steering problem on my 2013 Sonata 2.0T. I have just got it back from the dealer for the 3rd time and the problem is not fixed! I now know to ask about the "sport mode" because I am not sure what mode they have it set on or what they tried. They just tell me that they had to reprogram the software and that the issue has been fixed on the 2014 model. They were nice enough to give me a 2014 Azera loaner car for 5 weeks the 2nd time I brought it in. The Azera had NO steering problems! I commute to work 60 miles one way and its mostly on the freeway with a 70 mph speed limit. This problem exists after going 40mph. It started out going left or right, then after alignment it went to the right, but it will not stay straight. Very exhausting as my wrists hurt after I finally get to my destination. I will try ONE more time taking it to the service dept. I will keep posting.......
I've been driving for 35 years - I can tell when a car wanders on the road, and the Sonata definitely wanders. I suppose the poster who had to replace his tires at 12000 miles - it was all in his head, too?
I have owned my 2011 Sonata GLS now for almost 4 years. I purchased it new and now have 51,000 miles on it. The car has never exhibited any of the steering issues mentioned here. The OEM tires wore evenly and needed replacing at 31,000 miles. I replaced the OEM Kumho tires with Michelin Primacy MXV4s. I am 20,000 miles into the Michelins and they are wearing perfectly. My 2011 was subjected to the steering recall. The dealer tightened the affected bolts, updated the steering software, and sent me on my way. Car tracks straight and true on the highway. This is my first car with EPS, but it never felt any different than previous cars I owned with hydraulic power steering.
The car is not without faults, but steering has never been an issue.
In my new to me Sonata, I find the steering not sensitive to the tiny corrections we make at higher speeds. It doesn't react to slight pressures, and needs a stronger pulling of the wheel to track back to the center of the road. But before I do a programming change I want to check the toe in.
I prefer the least toe in possible. Does anyone know the range of acceptable toe in? P.S.. Too much toe in and the tires wear out much faster.
I have just read through this entire post and I now have the ammunition needed to go back to the dealer to try and resolve the steering issue with our 2013 Sonata. I had no idea this problem was so widespread. I too have been told that I need to put both hands on the wheel and just get used to it.
Today I almost completed the trade/purchase of my Sonata for a 2014 Optima, but I thought I noticed the same issue during a second test drive of the Optima on the highway. It was not as bad as my Sonata, but still noticeable. I decided to investigate more which led me to this discussion forum. I even discovered a law firm in CA who is starting a class action lawsuit against Kia Motors due to the drifting issue, as well as many examples of 2013 vehicles being "Lemon Law'ed".
This is definitely a real problem. Just read the industry discussion on EPS and you'll find that there are good systems, and bad systems. It all depends on the amount of $$ and time put into it. And it's not just limited to Hyundai.
I'm now going to try and get my dealer to take a look at the EPS setting on my Sonata. We have the Limited model and I didn't see a setting for that from platinumtech13 .
I have a 2013 Sonata Turbo Limited and it is a beautiful car .......with that being said I would never buy another Hyundai if they can't fix the steering issue. I had a 2005 Hyundai XG350L and that car was a pleasure to drive. I've been told by the dealer there is settings they can adjust in the computer to make it less responsive, I hope it works. I just want to enjoy driving my car again and have it go down the road straight without constantly fighting the steering wheel. There was nothing wrong with our XG350L, I just thought cars would get better not worse. You can put a dress on a pig but it's still a pig. Hyundai "fess up" and fix the steering before someone gets hurt.
Dang it, I just bought a 2013 limited 2.0 and I have the same issue. To me the steering feels like
it sticks a little in a spot and then as you move the wheel it frees up, tracking is an issue because
it feels numb and stuck in a track until a slight adjustment then it tracks the other way, so back
and forth, but loose is not what I feel. If any thing I would want a tiny bit of slop in the steering
but only if that was positively connected to the wheels turning, not just tracking off left and right
without responding to the minor adjustments. I will take it up with the dealer and with my state agency and the federal agencies as well and let you all know. I think that a more sophisticated module is in order, one that can better simulate the older steering and not force so many adjustments. I find the feel better if I grip the steering lightly and toward both sides of the bottom. Sadly I bought this car for my wife and now I am afraid to let her drive it, this is my
5th Hyundai, 2000 elentra, 2004 sonata, 2007 sonata, 2009 sonata, and now 2013 sonata, I am
horrified to discover this issue......
To t for tiger, where is that technician located, id like to change my eps setting as well. No one in NYC wants to do it.
To t for tiger. Where is your hyun dai tech located. Id like to change my eps setting as well. No one in new york city wants to do it.
Hi, focused9. The dealership that resolved the steering issue for my 2013 Sonata GLS is Dublin Hyundai in CA. Sorry, not close to where you are. I wish you good luck and be safe on the road until you can get this dangerous steering issue fixed. Hyundai needs to do a recall or free software update on all of their cars with EPS. Someone is going to kill or get killed in them.....!
My problem was with the Elantra 2013 I bought this car on May 30th of 2014 "NEW" 54 miles on the car. I bought the car to take a trip as I did not trust my 2004 Sebring to do the trip. On July 7th I was outside of Paducah, KY and going the posted speed limit with the cruise on and a Semi behind me. All of a sudden the car went across 3 lanes of freeway then back across 3 lanes and then one more time before I regained control of the car. The Semi behind me had his brakes locked up and smoking his tires to avoid hitting me. At the time this happened I had just over 4000 miles on the car. I went to the dealer in Paducah and they "found no issue with the car" but said my routers needed cutting. 4000 miles and my routers need cutting, now I know I have a lemon. They did this and I drove it home at much less than highway speed as now I was afraid of the car. I took it to 3 more dealers all of which said"we have never heard of this problem". I took it back to the dealer I bought it from and ended up having to trade it in on a 2014 Elantra and having to pay $4500 to boot to get rid of the car, as now by the time I get it to the dealer it has 5400 miles on it. After reading all these postings about the Hyundai I am going to start making noise about the danger of the Hyundai steering issues, the steering issue is not only with the Sonata. Now I question my trusting the dealer telling me it was a road condition or if it is a problem with the car it is only that car as they never have problems with the Hyundai. And I QUOTE "The Hyundai has the highest safety rating, they would not have that if the cars ran off the road all by themselves" . I have been driving for 55 years and as for road conditions you name it I have drove on it, I have NEVER lost control of a car until this Hyundai nightmare.
BTW my NEW Hyundai also is starting to Float, not as bad as the other one did but it also does not stay true on the road.
They refuse to change the car and deny the error I made many complains so they try to fix it for 3 months Without any result tell the head office send some one then they ordered parts with deferent sizes and alignments
With changing the angel of the rear wheel .
It was OK then after 10 months the drifting return back the same as it was
Tell now they refuse to fix it and denying that the software has presets for soft and sport and high .
But I found this I hope it will help
http://www.myhyundaiforums.com/showthread.php?t=510
Check the tracking recall . that Hyundai never send us
Any recall about it .
I think we should get a lawyer .
I asked if they could set the steering to a firmer setting to which they responded with "can't do that on your vehicle model". I mentioned that there was a technical service bulletin to do this to my specific vehicle. They said the TSB was a wrong.
Dealers do have the ability to perform the technical service bulletin TSB-14-ST-001 to adjust the steering tightness/feeling, but good luck getting a dealer to do it (especially for free or warranty). I've attached the TSB for your enjoyment ( frustration).
I love my Sonata (except for the new problem with the steering), but would never buy another Hyundai just due to the poor service I have received on 5 occasions so far. A lot of it mirrors the attitude from platinumtech13 - "Pesky dumb @$$ customers. What do they know. We're the experts"
perhaps you need an alignment?
new tires should not cause the wander issue