Hyundai Sonata Care and Maintenance

stanwbaker

I recently noticed that my inside air button/light must be turned on manually. Previously the inside air circulation would be on if it was on when I turned off the ignition. What is the cause of this. My vehicle is aa 2006 Hyundai Sonatata GLS 4 cylinder w/20,000 miles.

craigbrooks

I have the same car as you and mine does this. I have never known it to be any different. ???

sonlx

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to get some feedback and see if anyone has had this issue. I currently own a 2003 Sonata lx with beige interior, leather seats. I was wondering if anyone has noticed that the vehicle interior gets extremely hot in the summer. I have owned several other different cars but none got as hot inside as this one. Please let me know.

whisper1

Not on my 07 LX with beige leather :shades:

bhmr59

Are you talking about the interior air temp or the seat temp?

sonlx

I am talking about everything that consists of the interior. The Car Seat,, the interior surface of the door. Esp the Dash and Steering wheel. Even the back seat (including arm handles which is usually not in the sunlight get very hot. The reason I am asking is because my dealership has told me this is typical of the 2003 sonata. A design flaw as they've told me. However, this is the hottest I've ever experienced the inside of a vehicle getting. Hotter then other cars with black interiors. If anyone and especially any 2003 Sonata owners have this experience or any info, please let me know.

tenpin288

We own a 2004 Sonata LX that is pearl white exterior and black leather interior. It's my wife's daily driver for the last 4 years and she has never complained about it being too hot in the summer. She was a little concerned about that when we bought it, but now says any new car she gets will have a leather interior and be a dark color (her preference). :shades:

sonlx

Thank you tenpin,
If anyone else has anymore imput that would be great,
Especially if you have a 2003 Sonata with beige interior,
leather seats.
Thank you

bhmr59

My Sonata is an '05 with cloth interior and I don't find it unusually hot. I do leave the front windows cracked about an inch (each).

macakava

For those like me who dislike unscrewing/removing the gas cap at each fill-up, just use the Install Fill cap by Stant. PN is 41004 for my 2007 Sonata Ltd and it should fit 2006 and up year models. This cap replaces the original cap and fillups are simply done by pushing the pump handle hose tip through the spring mounted door.

I bought mine from the local Advance Auto auto parts store. Other stores should carry or order it.

I have done the same for my wife's Ody 4 yrs ago..

It's the lazy man's way to gas up!

jbmont60

hey george,

this is the exact problem I am having on my 2006 sonata. did you ever find out what the problem was? I have had the gas pedal assembly replaced and now looking into the throttle position sensor.

thanks in advance,

james jbmont60@gmail.com

thedgs

Hi James,

Yes, it appears that they finally were able to fix it. They ended up replacing a sensor in the accelerator pedal linkage. I'm surprised that replacing your gas pedal assembly didn't do it, but the problem may be between those parts and the engine. I can dig up more info from my service receipts if needed. Before they succesfully repaired mine, they tried relacing the throttle position sensor and adjusting some electronic settings in a control located under the fuse box (twice). None of those things did it, just the last fix several months ago with the accelerator sensor. Let me know how it goes!

I enjoy our Sonata, but it has had a laundry list of things that needed repair under warranty, more than even any used car I have ever owned.

George

lxlover

Well, after months of hounding Hyundai Canada they have given in, sort of, and are honouring us with a 5 year warranty for our US-to-Canada cars. Not quite the 10 year we paid for but I guess it's better than nothing. We really like the cars, and they are both paid off, but our next vehicle, when the time comes, will hopefully be some form of alternate energy vehicle, probably electric. Also, we are not overly enthused with the Hyundai dealer in Victoria, BC. They are more expensive than the US service and at the moment nowhere near as nice as Arrow Hyundai in WI. We loved that dealer and now really miss them, they took very good care of us. Oh well.

bxbill

I have a 2004 sonata gls V6 2.7engine
how much shuld a tune up cost

fotboat

My driver side visor is broken on my 2006 Sonata (40K miles). It will not stay up. Looked at posts on other forums and they state they have seen the problem before. The dealer saiys that it is not covered under warrenty. I Think it should be as I had also bought the bumber to beumber for 100K. I consider this a safty issue.

As anyone els had this problem and how did you get in resolved?

Thanks,

backy

If the part is not functioning as it is supposed to, which appears to be the case here, then it should be covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty. The only way it would not be covered is if the dealer can prove the problem is due to abuse--I am not sure how they would be able to do that. What you might do is call Hyundai Customer Service, explain the situation, emphasize that not only does this seem to be a failure to honor the warranty by Hyundai but a safety issue, and see what they say. You might also try a different dealer. Any dealer that treated me like that would not get any more business from me unless they were the only dealer in a large radius.

tb88

I had the same idea before I saw your post.
Last week they wanted $55 to replace the cabin filter. I said no. After reading in the manual how to access the filter (pg:6-22)... I removed it and thoroughly vacuumed between criss; and in less than 30mn (removing and cleaning it)... except for the discoloration on the intake side...it looks as good as new.
(the replacement the Dealer carries is $22+Tx and doesn't appear to be as sturdy as the original filter which came with the car!... The 3M filters look pretty strong!)
Then while I was at Lowes it occurred to me to look at the A/C filters they carry... I found one (3M- Filtrete) size 20x30x1 which will make 6 Sonata filters.
The size for the 2006 Sonata is: 9" 7/8 x 8" 5/8 : Cost $3.30 per filter if none is wasted.

When I got home I googled the forum to see if there are other ideas... and I found your post #297.
Reading you post will save me about $4 because Lowes sells them for $20. I will check out HD to see if they are still $16.

PS:
I just looked on the Internet at HD filters and they carry the same brand but they are $0.51 more than Lowes.

.

tb88

I had the same idea before I saw your post.
Last week they wanted $55 to replace the cabin filter. I said no. After reading in the manual how to access the filter (pg:6-22)... I removed it and thoroughly vacuumed between criss; and in less than 30mn (removing and cleaning it)... except for the discoloration on the intake side...it looks as good as new.
(the replacement the Dealer carries is $22+Tx and doesn't appear to be as sturdy as the original filter which came with the car!... The 3M filters look pretty strong!)
Then while I was at Lowes it occurred to me to look at the A/C filters they carry... I found one (3M- Filtrete) size 20x30x1 which will make 6 Sonata filters.
The size for the 2006 Sonata is: 9" 7/8 x 8" 5/8 : Cost $3.30 per filter if none is wasted.

When I got home I googled the forum to see if there are other ideas... and I found your post #297.
Reading you post will save me about $4 because Lowes sells them for $20. I will check out HD to see if they are still $16.

I went to HD this afternoon, and found an even better set up/deal: They have an A/C line of air filters called TrueBlue where I found size10"x24"x1" which makes 2 Filters... The size 10" fits perfectly in the Sonata air filter holder... all one has to do is to cut to size the other side to make a perfect fit! Just one cut and that's it... and the cost is even sweeter:$1.50 with tax which comes to $0.75 per filter!

I left the glove compartment hydraulic attachment/Arm detached to make it easier to replace the filter every few months!

craigbrooks

Thanks tb!
I've read where others have done this but I was unsure about what filter size to buy to maximize cutting vs size vs cost. You've helped out a lot. Good job brother.

newowner10

Did you try going to an auto parts store? It will not cost $4 but you may get it for $15. I always thought I was cheap but $20 a year I would buy the Hyundai filter.

whisper1

I replaced with DIY version on the weekend. Very easy. No need to waste money.

wsc2

I had the same problem on my 2006 Sonata last year. My dealer, LongsPeak Hyundai in Longmont CO checked it, confirmed it was a Hyundai problem, and fixed it on warranty with no hassel or pack of lies. The only problem for me was that they had to send to Los Angeles for a new visor, and it took about a week before it finally came in and got fixed.

canoba25

I recently purchased a 2009 Hyunda Sonata GLS PSEV. The price with the $2000 rebate was $17,500. I thought I was getting a good deal but when I looked at the warranty line on the bill of sale, there was an additional charge of $2000 for the warranty. All in all, it appears that I paid an additional $2,500 to get the extended warranty for 10 years/$100,000 bumper to bumper. Was I riped off? I thought that the Hyndai came with that warranty for no charge. Anyone have any thoughts? I love the car an ddon't want this to sour that. Thanks!

newowner10

Maybe you purchased a maintanece agreement. I would be at the dealer finding out what you purchased.

backy

Did they explain that you were buying an extended warranty? You would have had to sign a contract for that in order to buy it. Hyundai's factory warranty is five years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, and ten years/100,000 miles powertrain. It appears you did buy an extended warranty that adds another 5 years and 40,000 miles to the bumper-to-bumper warranty. If in fact you paid $2500 for that extension, I'd say you paid way too much. There may be a cancellation provision on the warranty, since you haven't used it yet. Check the papers you signed and talk with the dealership. You might be able to get out of it.

craigbrooks

Folks.....please read the paperwork you sign when buying something. It amazes me what people sign without reading. Even after I tell them to read first then sign. 99% just sign and go on. No questions asked.

cstewart27

We're looking at purchasing a 2009 Sonata GLS largely because Hyundai has the 5 yr/60K bumper-to-bumper and the 100,000 powertrain.

Last week though I was told that those warranties only apply IF all maintenance is performed at the Hyundai dealership or by a ASTM certified technician at a minimum.

My husband has always handled the oil changes, brakes, air filters, tie-rods, struts, etc type of maintenance. We typically buy our cars new and they last us 10-12 yrs with him doing the majority of the maintenance. We figured he's probably saved us the cost of at least one car over the past 25 years.

Is it true that he can't do the maintenance without voiding the warranty?? If it's under warranty, I'll be happy to let them fix it at ZERO cost to me. But if it's a $500 brake job that he can do for $100 or so, etc. then it starts costing me!

backy

Last week though I was told that those warranties only apply IF all maintenance is performed at the Hyundai dealership or by a ASTM certified technician at a minimum.

No. I sure hope the Hyundai dealer didn't tell you that! If so, you might want to steer clear of that dealer, or at least that salesperson.

Just be sure the parts used including filters are OEM-spec, and keep receipts for everything. Wouldn't hurt to have a written maintenance log also, especially if your hubby does the work himself.

cstewart27

Yes - It was the dealership that told me that, specifically the internet salesman. They also give me one of the highest quotes that I've gotten. They are a volume sales dealership, but I can't figure out why. Even their BEST price on a untitled demo with 4,000 is about $1500 over my best quote.

I've heard so many things that I was trying to decide if favoring Hyundai due to the better warranty was of any value.

[Deleted User]

It's actually illegal for a company to deny a warranty claim by saying that the dealership did not perform the maintenance services. Go into any off-market repair shop and they would be happy to show you the code section that says they can perform maintenance without voiding the manufacturer's warranty.

The one area where the dealership can require their own maintenace work to be done is when they offer their own type of warranty or perks. For instance, my dealership gives you free tires for life as long as you perform all the maintenance services with them. Now the question there is if possibly $1,000 worth of tires over the life of the car is worth me getting all of my services performed there.

- Merg

LASHAWN

You are correct on that aspect of it. Be for warned though, if the off market shop performs the service, say oil and filter change, it's best they used correct aftermarket filter designated by Hyundai or OEM filter because if not and something happens as a result of it Hyundai will not cover it. I know this for a fact. When I worked at a Hyundai dealer as a Service Consultant this guy towed in a 2006 Tiburon that had its first oil change and the filter they used did not seal properly and all the oil leaked out causing is engine to fail. Since it was not the correct oil filter, Hyundai did not cover the repairs. Luckily the guy's insurance covered the repairs.

newowner10

I believe that using the "Wrong" filter is different then using the correct Fram filter. Even if you used the wrong Hundai filter it would not be covered if the oil leaked out.

jeff_ohio

I have had a problem with my 04 Sonata AC running fine in the morning then as temps. rose during the day it would run cold then hot randomly. I was also having problems with the engine performance at the same time the AC was acting up, felt like I was dragging a trailer with flat tires. The dealer check the AC and said there was no problem and no leaks, and the forums only said that the problem was either the compressor or clutch going bad. Not having the $600 plus to replace the compressor, I went to AutoZone and bought a AC recharge kit for $40.00 and drained my system completely and recharged it with "new" coolant. The car's AC now runs excellent at any temps. even above 96 degrees with NO engine performance drain. I now believe that the lubricant in the system was either low or bad, the dealer now says that the system may have been over charged. I have talked to some other Hyundai owners who believe that the earlier Sonatas were using a poor coolant replacement when they had to switch over to the newer coolant, the dealer also said that there were some questionable problems with coolants when the switch from R12 was done. Hope this helps you out some, I know I spent months trying to find a fix for mine.

jodig

A deer ran into my car last night. The passenger side front panel will need to be replaced. The hood is out of line and the front passenger door won't open. The seatbelt light for the front passenger stays on unless the seat belt is connected, even with no passenger. I will talk to the insurance company tomorrow and must decide if I will allow them to use 'Aftermarket' body parts to replace the damage or should I pay extra to use OEM body parts? Please help quickly!
Many thanks!

LASHAWN

If your car is fairly new (06 or better) I would stick with OEM parts. Besides, the body shop should use OEM parts unless your insurance company tells them not to. That would be a shady insurance company though.

jodig

Turns out that the insurance company (USAA) will pay for OEM parts because the car is less than 2 years old. It does say in the policy that they can use aftermarket parts and if I want OEM, I would have to pay the difference myself. So that is good to know for the future, when the car is more than two years old. I appreciate your quick reply. Thanks very much!

moroccogoat

For a brand new 2010 Sonata, 87 or 89?

valuedcustomer

ray_h71, Thanks for the detailed, well written post.
I recently used it to change the Blower Motor on my 2003 Sonata. I followed your instructions for changing the cabin air filters and was able to complete the job in no time. After reaching the cabin filters, I found accessing the heater motor was basically just a matter of unsnapping the bottom plastic tray under the cabin filter housing, and removing three screws. You're right, this job was definitely *not* intuitive! Without your instructions, there would have been a *lot* of trial and error!

robert807

Thanks for the detailed instructions on this filter replacement. I have been looking for over an hour on sites that described how to do it on all other models except the 2003 sonata. took me a long time to complete the job but, i did it. now, I know how to do it. thanks again

robert

nch119

nch119

I have a sonata 06 v6, bought used with around 60k so no original manufacture warranty. It now has 67000. I do not know if the regular servicing of the tranny fluid was ever done at 30k. Although in good condition when bought and clean carfax regular maintenance seemed minimal (orig. battery at 60k and hoses needed replaced at 67k). If I had to guess I'd say tranny fluid never changed.

I am trying to decide what I should do with my tranny service. I have already decided not to do a flush, as it seems this is a lot of risk for little reward. Hyundai rec's fluid change every 30k. There are only minor issues with shifting that seem consistent with what other sonata owners report (small lag in 1st to 2nd, barely noticeable, and minor rough transition from R to D). These seem like what you would expect when due for a fluid change, but it could definitely be better. Mechanic said fluid was not burnt, but dark which doesn't say one way or another

Here are my main concerns after doing some significant research:

1) First of all I have no idea if the fluid has ever been changed or not. I am getting advice that once you get to a certain point mileagewise, and it hasn't been changed, it is better not to change the fluid at all. This seems absurd at first glance but the details of the reasons don't seem so far fetched, and the mechanic backed this up and said it was a definite risk.

2) If I do change the fluid should I change to a full synthetic (the place I use stocks 'Wolf's Head full synth ATF'), or stick to the stock Hyundai SP-3 which is clearly of a lesser quality as it is only part-synth and Hyundai after all. The mechanic will order whatever I choose to go with. Mixing fluid never seems like a good idea to me, and without the flush the fluid inside the tranny would be the sp-3 while the replacement would be the 'generic' synthetic. I'm not a mechanic but this seems iffy and I definitely don't want the flush that would get to everything.

I have done pretty significant resarch on this and it seems split straight down the middle so I figured I would put my exact situation out there and see what input I could get. I am holding off for now while I continue to research, as the tranny issues are minor.

thanks all

Mr_Shiftright

I don't think you need full synthetic, unless you're planning to do some towing this summer---besides, a couple gallons of synthetic won't be cheap (probably over $100).

But I'd do an oil change for sure. The enemy of automatic transmissions is heat, and heat breaks down the fluid eventually.

Apparently a filter replacement is a big deal on your car so I'd probably save that one for higher mileages---your owner's manual may even suggest never replacing the filter, I'm not sure.

LASHAWN

I had a 06 Sonata V6 and changed my tranny fluid at 60k miles, never had a problem. I don't see you having any issues with changing the fluid now as long as your're not having any shifting problems.

kyrpto

Yeah - 60K should be good.