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2011 Sonata Engine Stalls When Sitting at Traffic Light
I posted this problem before. But this happened again. Here’s the story.
My Sonata was purchased in March 2010. Within one month, the engine stalled when braking to a full stop at traffic light. I took my car to the dealership. They couldn't reproduce the problem and just refreshed the computer software. A little over one month later, my car cut off again while sitting at traffic light. Maybe another one or two months later, it happened the third time. I had my car towed to the dealer that time. They kept it for two weeks but still had no clue. Weeks later I did the first oil change which seemed to help a bit. No stalling occurred after the first oil change and another oil change. Until recently the problem came back again. One day, when it sat at traffic light, the car shook a little like someone hit me. I looked around and no car was close to mine. The other day, this hit-like shake happened again while at traffic light. This time, the car even shook several times during driving after leaving that traffic light, with the check engine light blinking in accordance with the shake. Yesterday, my car finally stalled again at a traffic light.
Except the first one, all other occurrences happened while the car sat at traffic light and I stepped on the brake pedal. After I restarted the car, it could run smoothly for at least one month. I even bought a cam to record the dash while driving. Since the problem seemed gone away after oil change, I stopped recording long time ago.
Given the occurrence frequency, the chance to reproduce the problem at dealership is close to zero. And they refused to lend me their computer that could hook up in car to record driving data. I had also contacted Hyundai Customer Affairs before. All they can do was just send me to the dealer and close the ticket. Any suggestions, folks? This is really disappointing and embarrassing when cars behind me watch me restart a Sonata new model.
My Sonata was purchased in March 2010. Within one month, the engine stalled when braking to a full stop at traffic light. I took my car to the dealership. They couldn't reproduce the problem and just refreshed the computer software. A little over one month later, my car cut off again while sitting at traffic light. Maybe another one or two months later, it happened the third time. I had my car towed to the dealer that time. They kept it for two weeks but still had no clue. Weeks later I did the first oil change which seemed to help a bit. No stalling occurred after the first oil change and another oil change. Until recently the problem came back again. One day, when it sat at traffic light, the car shook a little like someone hit me. I looked around and no car was close to mine. The other day, this hit-like shake happened again while at traffic light. This time, the car even shook several times during driving after leaving that traffic light, with the check engine light blinking in accordance with the shake. Yesterday, my car finally stalled again at a traffic light.
Except the first one, all other occurrences happened while the car sat at traffic light and I stepped on the brake pedal. After I restarted the car, it could run smoothly for at least one month. I even bought a cam to record the dash while driving. Since the problem seemed gone away after oil change, I stopped recording long time ago.
Given the occurrence frequency, the chance to reproduce the problem at dealership is close to zero. And they refused to lend me their computer that could hook up in car to record driving data. I had also contacted Hyundai Customer Affairs before. All they can do was just send me to the dealer and close the ticket. Any suggestions, folks? This is really disappointing and embarrassing when cars behind me watch me restart a Sonata new model.
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My problem is that several times a month, when I hit the gas quickly to enter traffic the car almost dies...it never does die...it drops to 0 mph and then in 1-3 seconds it accelerates. I am really concerned about getting braod-sided some day.
I mentioned this to the service department but of course they could not replicate.
Does anyone else have this issue? Any ideas?
Yesterday while making a left hand turn the same thing happend to me.
I almost got broadsided by oncoming traffic. The same thing happend to me this morning.
I haven't brought the car into the dealer yet and I hesitate to give it to them if they keep it for a week and then tell me than can find nothing wrong with the car.
I also have a 2009 Hyundai Sonata with 30000 miles and have not had any problems.
I am about to get rid of the car and buy a different make and model.
Any info will be appreciated.
So I focused on that and sure enough the problem went away.
Maybe this will help you.
I read the same item about pressing the brake while pressing the the accelerator. The article I read states that Hyundai put in a switch on the break pedal to cut off gas supply to the engine if you press the break while accelerating. Has to do with the problem Toyota had with run away cars.
I read that the feds will be making this manditory on all cars.
Hyundai just beat them to it.
I don't understand why Hyundai doesn't make this info available to there dealerships so they can pass it on to their customers.
It could save someones life.
By the way, I started driving with one foot and the problem went away.
Thanks again for your reply.
Normandy2/Elkhorn,NE
I had the same problem with my 2013 Tucson Limited.
I resolved the problem, no thanks to Hyundai and its dealers.
It seems that Hyundai, in response to the problem Toyata had with its accelerator sticking, installed a "switch" or some other device to cut off the fuel supply to the engine if the brake is being applied while the accelerator is pressed.
Thanks to a previous message from a member he told me the cure.
I was driving, as he was, with my right foot on the accelerator and my left foot on the brake. DON'T DO THIS.
After adjusting my driving habits the problem is resolved. No more stalling.
The Hyundai service department is clueless to this.
Try it. It fixed my problem and I hope it fixes yours.
Norm - Elkhorn,Nebraska