Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

duke16

my Sonata '07 ltd.,rear shocks have started to feel like they aren't working proper when on rough pavement,they don't absorb the way they should.Is there a fix for this problem?

presonatabuyer

I have a 2006 Sonata GLS (V6).
I went to near dealer to install auto door lock system which I read from Sonata forum. But the service worker told me that my car does not have the module to install the system. Is that true?
I read the manual. But it said that it had auto door lock system if installed. Do I have installed auto door lock system? any comment is appreciated.

vabear

There is a TSB out on rear shocks, do not now if it applies to the 07, but did to the 06. Check with your dealership service people.

vabear

TSB is 05-90-006 for auto locks, 06 and later Sonata's.

chief15

I have a 2006 Sonata 4 cyl and it DOES have auto lock feature, When I bought the car in July 2005, I had to show the service department manager where in the the owners manual it was. They thought that they was doing me a favor by not charging me for the service. He said that it would normally cost $60.00 for this service.

I love the car, however the service stinks. - Oahu, Hawaii

craigbrooks

The rear "Kthunk" TSB applies mostly to the 07 V6. With an argument and pleading it can be applied to the 06. Lot's of 06 V6 owners out there STILL living with it. My 06 I4, thank someone, does not have it.

How many miles on the car? Mine has been on the road for two years and 20,000 miles. I notice a difference but not enough to go to my dealer.

tamu2002

To the poster who's looking to buy,

Check out the 07 Accord 4cy too. The Sonata is a decent car, don't get me wrong. But I bought my 06 Accord Value Package manual for $16.3 before TTL. To me the Accord was a better value at that price. I get consistently >32 mpg on my commute too. Again the Sonata is a great car too. You'll be happy with either one.

mamamia2

For $16.3 you get a LOT more car when choosing the Sonata... A LOT more. I paid less, and got an auto, with safety features (Electronic Stability Control and more) which are not even optional on that Accord.

And I'm not bashing the Accord, since my wife drives one...

tamu2002

Yes one does get mroe features with the Sonata, athlought I'm very satisfied with the safety features on my Accord (side and curtain airbags and ABS). I testdrove a V6 Sonata, and really liked it. The car felt solid, and was quiet and fast. I didn't care for the exterior styling, although the Accord didn't exactly have earth-shattering style either. Don't know if the same money could've got me a V6 Somata or not? But the mileage would suffer. Enjoy your Sonata.

bobad

Don't know if the same money could've got me a V6 Somata or not? But the mileage would suffer. Enjoy your Sonata.

Don't know about 07 and 08, but I got a well equipped V6 with the full safety package for $16.6K +TTL.

Yes, the V6 mileage (87 octane) is about 2-3mpg less than the 4cyl. We get 27mpg in ~70% hwy-30% city driving. Not bad, but certainly not great by Accord standards. Our favorite feature is passing power. We have drive a lot on 2 lane roads, and passing an 18 wheeler is effortless.

When I bought my Sonata, I would gladly have bought the Accord, Camry, or Mazda6, but jeeze, the sales people wanted sticker price.

tamu2002

That's a lot of car for the money. Enjoy the features and passing power. I on the other hand have made it a game to squeeze out as much mileage as possible and find that more fun than spirited driving It'd be a waste for me to have a V6.

mamamia2

My I-4 Sonata is getting 35 mpg driven steady at 60-65mph. At 75-80 I got about 30 mpg.

Someone (on another board) owning the V6 was getting 36.5 mpg when driving a steady 55 mph (with no A/C on)...

...So the numbers for the Sonata are quite on par with its rivals, I'd say...

tamu2002

These 4-cys are very efficient these days. My first tank with my accord was 34 mpg at about 55-60 mph. The Chevy Malibu V6 is also amazingly thrifty.

geffen

I'm actually debating on a 4 cyl. I've test driven the 6 cyl. and it has quite a bit of pep i'm going to test drive the 4 cyl. this weekend, has anyone made comparisons between the two? I want to save on fuel costs.

tamu2002

In light of today's high gas prices, the 4-cy makes more sense. I doubt the 4-cy power would be inadequate under ANY real world circumstances.

mamamia2

Only you can decide for yourself.... Test drive both and make your own decision.

Of course, the I-4 has less pep than the V6. I drove both, we also own a V6 Accord -- and to ME the I-4 is plenty OK. But I can't tell you to make the choice. Nobody can.

All I can tell you, is that I've read MANY professional reviews of the Sonata, and NONE has ever stated that the I-4 is under-powered...

bhmr59

I agree. It is up to each buyer to determine what best fills his needs.

My Sonata is an '05 with the 2.7 L and my brother has an '07 with the 3.3L. I drive 2.7 miles to work, he drives about 8 miles to the same work location. I've averaged probably "about" 19 mpg (would have to check my receipts for the last several months) and he has averaged "about" 21 mpg. He has more open road, speed limit 45 with no stops for about half the way and does more highway than I do, which isn't saying much. When it's cold here in CT (4-5 months) my car is justing warming up to operating temp when I'm at my destination. At this time of the year the auto climate control pumps the A/C right away although the outside temp may be 72 and I have it set at 78. Sun thru the glass affect. I could turn off the climate control and open windows but I prefer the quiet ride.

But the point is, I've driven about 15,200 miles in 27 months. If I got an extra 3 mpg, it wouldn't mean too much even with gas here at $3.20 (just dropped $.04 today since I filled up yesterday, lol).

For those who drive over 15K miles per year, a 3 mpg difference would be more meaningful.

tamu2002

Yep, I agree. I'm perfectly happy with my accord 4-cy power ~164 hp, and the great mileage to boot (>32 mpg). My previous Geo with 70 hp only got 35 mpg on my commute!

rick2456

I agree no one has complained about a lack of power on the I4 Sonata, but several have bought the I4 and taken it back for the V6 (on this forum). I have yet to see the opposite happen.

azeradave

I too have a 2007 Sonata SE (V6). The difference also is a timing "chain" in the 6 cyl, compared to a timing "belt" in the 4. The "belt" should be replaced at 60k miles, where as the "chain" does not need replacing.. I chose the "6" also because I normally keep a car 8-10 years.

craigbrooks

FYI all, the 06+ I4 has a timing chain.

geffen

Oh ok, so all 07 I4's have the timing chain instead of the belt? Seems more people prefer the V6 over the I4 from what i've read in the forums.

craigbrooks

That's true. It just depends on what you want and how you are going to use it.

eagle2a

It is true that the V-6 is a great engine. No doubt!

However I own the I-4 in my 06 Sonata, and so far have not needed any more power. I love the gas millage. I am getting a min. of 20 mpg in the city and can average 23 mpg in town. I average over 33 mpg on the road driving 60-65 mph and have gotten as much as 38 mpg on one tank driving about 62 mph without air conditioning running.

So Hyundai has it covered with just two engines. I-4 for economy with fair power and the V-6 for great power and decent gas millage. Goodey!

craigbrooks

Eagle,
This is ditto for me. I know I couldn't get this MPG in town (my avg is 24) with the V6 and 99% of my driving is around town. I LOVE my 06 I4 and would recommend it to anyone.

mamamia2

Just as you can't tell a man which woman to choose, or that your wife is more beautiful than his, or.... You got the idea...

Some like heavy-set blonds, others like them thin, with dark hair. One likes big boobs, another likes them small.

Got it, right?

The I-4 is great. Anybody chosing the V6 is a fool.

craigbrooks

Got your back mamma...........again

geffen

Why would they be a fool for choosing the V6 ?

ctc1

I have a 06 GLS I4 and chose the I4 for several reasons. Better fuel economy,easier long term maintinence and since most of our driving is short trips the I4 is better suited for us. As far as usable power this is a good motor with good mid level power for passing on a two laner. Our previous Accord was much slower in this situation. In my experience with our driving habits all the I4 cars have held up better 7-10 years down the road than V6 and when repairs were needed they were less costly. The timing chain is a nice plus,use to hate changing belt and water pump every couple of years.

craigbrooks

Music to my ears. That's why I chose my Sonata.

Unfortunatley I have fewer "carbon" credits to sell. Well, there goes my retirement.

As we've all heard before "it's how you want to use it."

pekelopd

I'm another I4 owner, bought new in '06. I chose the I4 over the V6 mainly because of long term maintenance costs. Everyone knows the repairs on the V6 is going to cost you much more over the I4. If you tend to drive by yourself or with 1 passenger, the 4 cylinder is fine. If you intend to be hauling a large load often (towing, 4-5 passengers, etc..) or if you live in an area where it's hilly, you should consider the 6 cylinder. I'm in NYC, so it's mostly flat level streets and LOTS of traffic (signs/signals). MPG are not that significant of a difference between the 4 or the 6.

macakava

I have the V6 in the 2007 Limited because I have a lead foot and enjoy spirited driving. The I4 would not cut it for me.

craigbrooks

Hey Pete,
I read this but didn't notice it was you. How are things going? Hope all is well.
Have you done any mods to the Sonata?
Craig

wfnaegele

Fact is, dealers make very little on new-car inventory: it's the used cars and service business that brings in the $$$...

bobad

Fact is, dealers make very little on new-car inventory: it's the used cars and service business that brings in the $$$...

I think that depends on the badge. I suspect that Camry and Accord cost about the same to manufacture as a Sonata, yet they sell for thousands more. Someone is making a buck on inventory.

williewiskers

I bought a V6 mainly for the air condition. I have always heard that the AC is a drag on the motor. So I figured that with the larger engine the AC would coses less problems. Beside there are times when I need the zip.

tomw6

I'd like to know what kind of mileage (accurate - not just guesses, please) people are getting, highway driving, with their 2006 or 2007 Sonata V-6's. I'm getting 24 mpg on a regular basis, but don't know if that's good, normal or poor.

jal012773

I'm getting between 23 and 24 in my '06, doing 50/50 city and rural driving with the AC. When I first got it a little over a year ago, it was getting 21 to 22 mpg. I'm up to almost 14,000 miles and the mpg seems to be getting a little better.

macakava

MPG usually gets better after the earlier break-in period of at least 20K miles as the engine becomes a bit "looser" with less friction.

I am getting about 20mpg now at less than 500 miles with mostly city driving on my 2007 V6 Limited. When I do highway, I expect to exceed 30mpg easily

tkumpf

21 around town and to work, and up to 27 (but typically 25) on the highway.

craigbrooks

FYI I have the I4 and I do not feel the AC compressor come on. I don't feel a loss of power with it on unlike other cars I have owned. That makes me and :shades: .

slamtaz

We got the 2007 Sonata V6 SE over two weeks ago and used daily on about 60/40 city/hiway driving and used only Shell 87 octane during fill-ups.

During the 1st two fill-ups, we got 21.6 & 22.1 mpg respectively. We're now on our 3rd fill-up and over 800 miles, registering between 22.4 & 22.6 mpg.

duke16

The'08 Sonata is idential to the '07,only they will be availble with the i4 or V6 on all three trim lines.The SE will come with a spoiler standard and also a telescopic steering wheel.

chief15

I own a 2006 Sonata GLS and I have checked my milage with both the A/C on and OFF, and haven't seen any drop in MPG when using the A/C.
I use the A/C 90% of the time in the summer.

tomw6

Thank you, slamtaz. If you ever go on a bit of a trip highway only, please let me know how the car does. Interesting to compare.

bonrea

I need to know if there is a way to change the sensitivity of the Auto Head Lamp Control. It turns on the head lamps when I go under a bridge and sometimes turns them off when on a two lane road when on coming traffic at night.

mamamia2

"It turns on the head lamps when I go under a bridge" -- that normal.

"sometimes turns them off when on a two lane road when on coming traffic at night." -- That's NOT normal... Never heard of THAT before...

You have a photo-cell element on the right side of the dash, which is a light meter, so naturally you should never leave anything covering it. And no, there is no way to adjust the sensitivity of it. You can put some electric tape over it to make it less senstive, but then it will get your light on way too early in the afternoon

bobad

If you ever go on a bit of a trip highway only, please let me know how the car does. Interesting to compare.

I've checked mine on a straight run at 60-65mph. It gets ~32mpg. It gets 27mpg running 80% highway, 20% city driving.

backy

That's consistent with what I've gotten on several highway runs on rental Sonata V6s, all with low miles on them--low 30s. My speeds were around 65 average, 55 to low 70s for a range.

macakava

Right in my ballpark estimate. As I stated earlier(#7316), I expect to get over 30mph in the hwy with my V6 limited. However as I frequently do 75-80+ with favorable "smokie" conditions, I could get a little less at about 30mpg