Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

brian27

I have a 2006 Sonata with 2200 miles. Yesterday a rattle in the dash could be heard coming from the same location as the one you described. I have not had a chance to take it by the dealer but I am also interested to know if anyone else has had the same problem. I love the car but this rattle is very annoying.

The only time I can't hear it is when I am driving relatively slowly. It does not appear to be connected to use of the air conditioner, fan, etc.

krika

did anyone have a chance to drive on I-80 in winter especially around the last week of december?? I am planning on a drive from Salt lake city to Detroit and back. last december i went to san francisco despite the snowstorm warning and got stuck in a traffic jam at Reno, took a detour via Lake Tahoe, the worst decision ever made (provided this Detroit tour remains uneventful) my car skidded and hit the railing. no tire chains and had to drive in first gear for the next 50 miles or else the tires lost grip. yeah, crazy adventure i had. don't want to relive that this time, but do want to have that looooooong road trip in my new LX. any suggestions/comments/warnings welcome. thanks

targettuning

Yes..if you can determine that then it is operating as designed. Easy to turn at low speed, for parking etc stiffer at high speed..

silverfox1

Have listed this complaint on "problem & solution" web site but no response. Chasing rear suspension/chassis thumping when driving over steps in road. Reset spare and tighten holding screw. Also adjusted trunk lid stops. Spare made the most improvement but still have some thumping. Does the trunk area require more padding? Anyone have this problem and a possible solution?

stockmanjoe

I get a knock or bang type of sound from the undercarriage.

edmund2001

I have a 2006 Sonata LX with 500 miles. It too has a squeak which seems to be coming from the top of the dash near the windshield on the passenger side. EXTREMELY ANNOYING. Also somewhat embarrassing when taking friends for a ride in my new car and they all say the same thing. Where is that squeak comimg from? It's alright on smooth roads but any rough surface and it's bad. The 17 inch low profile tires don't help either. Called my salesman and he said have the service department check it out at the first oil change. I don't think I can wait that long.

averigejoe

Don't talk to "your" salesman about service. Take it in now and complain. To the service dept, not sales.

edmund2001

Just to clarify. I was returning the salesmans call & he asked me how I liked the new car & that's when I mentioned the squeak. It will be going into service shortly.

nivek911

Far corner of the passenger side, check the passenger seat belt. I heard a rattle this morning when hitting bumps but traced it to the shoulder belt seat belt clip was flipped up and banging on the side of the door.

brian27

I agree. It is embarrassing. I first noticed it when I was taking a friend for a ride. I plan to talk to the service department within the next two weeks.

It was not the passenger seatbelt. I have that issue as well but I think I can live with that one. Thanks for the suggestion.

snowvroom

Have to agree with this one. I thought that the 06 Sonata was the most uncomfortable seat I'd ever tried, but then I test drove the 06 Accord...and it is EVEN WORSE.

mc229

I had a rattle similar to the one you're describing (I think?) - difficult to locate, more at low speeds, and a low frequency. It actually turned out to be in the headliner, between the overhead console and the sunroof. I took it in to the service department and they fixed it for me within a couple hours that same day - no problems since. Might be worth looking into for yours?
I have noticed a mild crunch sound (not so much of a squeak, per se) coming from the dashboard when I hit really hard bumps, but that to me doesn't warrant another stop into service - maybe I'd driven GM cars too long before my Hyundais, but I thought that's just what cars did.

mc229

I've never had a problem with being comfortable with the seat, and I'm 6'5". Having said that, though, I've had to squeeze into things my entire life so maybe I'm just not as picky as others might be...

kwonc71

A friend of mine just got a Brand new Lexus RX330. He went to a Hyundai dealership to look at Santa fe, end up buying the Lexus. Two weeks ago We had little karaoke party at my house and I had a chance to seat on passenger side of his new 4x4. I heard rattle from the dashboard and I said " Wow! even the brand new Lexus rattles too. $39,000 car that is twice more than a Santa fe"..... He did not like what I said. My wife's Acura MDX sometimes rattles too on a cold day. I think no one can make rattle-free car.

johnap2

I have the EXACT same rattle coming from the passenger side windshield area. It does not do it all the time, but it seems to be aggravated when it is very cold outside or any movement which moves the car from one level surface to another, i.e. parking lot to street over a curb.

I will see what the dealer says one of these days; probably when I take the car to get a remote start installed.

brj

Regarding the thought that no one can make a rattle-free car... try some of the older European cars. I haven't been home in a few years, but last I checked my parents' '83 Benz had no rattles (freakin' tightest car I've ever been in). And while this one doesn't perfectly meet the criteria, the Volvo I drive is 17 years old and until recently had no rattles to mention, and still doesn't normally, especially after it gets warmed up. There was an occasional mystery rattle I only heard rarely which I could never find, much less fix, and never went on more than a few seconds, which has, as I said, only recently started showing up more often. But the car is still remarkably tight and squeak-and-rattle free. And you would think tolerances and materials would better nowadays. I'm not convinced of it. I can tell you I would not by a Benz today! Benz made their reputation on cars from the 80's, not the ones from the 90's, which only took destructive advantage of it. Coincidence or not that the same also arguably occurred during the same decades with Honda, Volvo... and others? (Bueller...? Bueller...?)

But I think we can safely say that Hyundai bucked this trend and is genuinely producing better cars now than before... lol. Still concerned about this rattle thing, though. Those types of things drive me nuts. Thank goodness I have a tight car. And to the lurkers, I'm sure that the posters in no way mean that the Sonata is not in general tight... I sat in several and was very impressed with the thoughtfulness of design and how well everything went together (except for the SEATS--especially the manual ones--ugh!!! Yes! the horse is not yet dead! Not by a long shot!). More on all this later. :P

Do we have any drivers whose '06 Sonatas have always been and still are totally squeak/rattle free? I personally look at these things and think, "First-year redesign" (sore topic for me due to my girlfriend's '92 Civic :mad:). That said, it's amazing there are only these bones to pick upon in terms of quirks of the new Sonata. But it's because of these types of things I wouldn't buy an *'06* Sonata unless I felt compelled to buy a new car. Lease, maybe. More likely: wait a year or two as my car is going strong. But if I ever would buy a new first-year redesign, it would be this one (actually, current seats would probably be a dealbreaker).

lx_06

Just bought a sonata lx . This is my first new car and ofcourse i love it.

Is it just me who thinks that the suspension is quite hard. I dont like the sound when it goes over bumps and pot holes. Probably i am being too sensitive here.

Read a lot about uncomfortable front seats but after trying the power seat adjustments i am sure i found the g-spot.

goodegg

Sounds like a firm possibility of a definite maybe you'll buy a Sonata.

haefr

"...any movement which moves the car from one level surface to another..."

Excessive body structure flex? Probably not. But...

brian27

The V6 GLS without a sunroof has this rattle as speed increases, say 30mph and above, which is pretty much all the time.

I agree that it is better not to buy a first year model but I really needed a new car and the '06 Sonata had stability control at a reasonable price. My previous volvo wouldn't pass the state inspection among several other things.

If there is anybody who has had this same rattle in the mid to passenger side dash area (possibly the window but I can't tell) and had it fixed then I would love to know about your experience.

delta4

Some earlier built Sonata's may have 'sample' defects. Though this is not uncommon on mass produced vehicles in general. I have to agree with several who've said they find this annoying.

Hyundai pays attention to their customers concerns. Case in point? The '06 Tucson's rear cargo cover was redesigned, the center console height adjustment has been increased. These were two of the most common negatives about the Tucson which has been addressed.

gbm4

can i disable the blinking red light on top of the dash in front of the driver. it's a security alarm of some sort that is on 24/7

backy

Is this light on while driving? I can see how that would be distracting. I didn't notice it on my test drives, however. But both were in daylight.

fiesta

it's anti-theft system. mine doesn't blink. you may check with ur dealer.

fiesta

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/PopUpVideoPlayer/videoID=20025965/

edmund2001

I also feel the ride on the 2006 Sonata LX is a little too hard over rough surfaces. The low profile tires do not help but it's always a compromise in this matter, handling vs. comfort. Which do you value more? Check your tire pressure. Mine had 44 lbs. in each tire when I first got the car. The manual says use 30.

michael_d

Brian - thanks for the info. I'd appreciate hearing back from you on whether the service department can find the source of that noise in the dash. If they do, please share with us exactly what it is that they did so that I can tell my service guy what to do. Thanks again.

Mike

gbm4

light is not on when driving. its on full time after that.
sometimes the car will set 3-4 days and although the drain is small i'd like it off.

w9cw

brj wrote: "Regarding the thought that no one can make a rattle-free car... try some of the older European cars. I haven't been home in a few years, but last I checked my parents' '83 Benz had no rattles (freakin' tightest car I've ever been in). And while this one doesn't perfectly meet the criteria, the Volvo I drive is 17 years old and until recently had no rattles to mention, and still doesn't normally, especially after it gets warmed up."

I still have a '85 SAAB 900 bought new in April '85, and a '70 Volvo 144S bought in '71, and believe it or not, both are still rattle-free. The Volvo is like a rock, and the SAAB not far behind. But, that being said, I spent most of this summer looking at and test driving Accords, Camrys, and the new Sonata. My next new car will be a Sonata.

day9

How long hove you had it? Could be worn sway bar bushings.

ultcar

After reading all the comments about this rattle, I'm wondering if they're all pointing to the same noise. I also hear a minor rattle noise when I pull my car into the garage slowly, or when the car is slowly going over not-so-smooth roads. I had mentioned this before, but when I took my LX to the service department, a guy said the noise was coming from the leather surface rubbing against each other. Well, on some occasions, it sounds like that's what's happening; but on other occasions it does sound like it's coming from the dashboard. I never had thought that the noise I'm hearing would be coming from the sunroof, but who knows... If it were possible to record that noise and post it here... maybe it'll get some attention. (It is a minor noise ...for me at least..., but a minor noise in an otherwise quiet car will probably get more attention than it deserves. But, hey, I'd like to get rid of it, too! )

bhmr59

I don't dispute your noise problem or that of others. But maybe the quietness of the car makes these noises more noticable than in other cars.

joeg1

Does anyone know the sales figures for the 2006 Sonata? Automotive News estimated that almost 20,000 were manufactured in November.

zen2

Why would you want to disable it? It's only on
when you have the key out of the igntion.
Unless yours is defective.

zen2

The drain for that light is probably less than
the clock. My CRV has one also, and it's sat
for 2,3 weeks and I've never had a problem
with starting car.

Are you serious?

desertguy

Plus it is supposed to deter would be thieves from tampering with your car. They can see it is armed BEFORE they try to pop the lock and ruin the door.

zen2

I have 2400 miles now, and except for a little
tick in the dash when going over a large bump, I have no
rattles or squeaks. The little tick may even be ice in
the air intake. Very minimal. It would have to increase
at least 10 times in loudness to bother me. On
even moderately bumpy highways, the only sound I
can hear is a little wind noise at the driver window,
but only at fairly high speed.

BTW, I drove in some pretty bad snow conditions 70
miles, and 70 miles back, and the Sonata handled
great. Almost as good as my all wheel drive CRV.
The traction contol, with ESC and front drive, with
the heavy V6 engine makes for a very stable car in
snow. I even gunned it out of my parking lot,
6 inches of snow covered ice, and lit up the
ESC several times, but the car went straight,
and I never felt the car was going to skid.
I'm pleasantly surprised and happy about this, since I'll
be giving up the CRV next month.

zen2

I strongly disagree with this. My last 3 Hondas were
all rattle free, Civic, Accord, CRV. As is my Sonata.
And I have a V6, made in USA. Of course I
make sure I take a very thorough test drive,
over irregular surfaces, with radio off, and fan off,
and listen for any problems. I have didmissed cars
that had any rattles, squeaks, or vibrations.

tbear503

I am considering installing a set of side window deflectors. Does anyone have any experience with the type that install in the window channel rather than being glued on? I have concern that the ones that go in the window channel may create wind noise due to a possible gap from the glass not being able to close tightly. Any response would be appreciated. Thanks!

greuper

For what it's worth, after 4500 miles my Sonata GLS6 developed an intermittent rattle that occured most often when hitting expansion joints or on rough roads. I got my recall notice for the seat adjustment problem (how you could position the seat belt to release the seat back is beyond my comprehension), so called my dealer, arranged for a them to check the rattle at the same time. They found a couple of headliner clips had popped out on the passenger side. No problems since. If you're having a rattle problem, you might have them check your headliner. Someone mentioned their car handled great in the snow... I agree. We've had a lot of snow, slush, freezing rain, the works -- and the Sonata has handled all of it very well.
Greuper

brian27

I will have them check the headliner with regard to the dash area rattle. Thanks for the tip. I am also glad to hear about the car's handling in snowy conditions. I drive 70 miles a day on a variety of roads and that will be important this winter.

kwonc71

Do you want to test drive my Acura Integra(Which made by honda)? I don't have to turn my stereo on. It always sounds like rock concert because of rattles from everywhere. LOL. Especially on a cold day. I also Had 1994 Honda Accord rattles from driver side door panel when weather gets cold. I have MDX, Integra, and had Accord all three rattles. You must be lucky one.

zen2

Maybe that's why I never had an Acura. I had a 96
Civic, 2000 Accord, 2005 CRV. Quietest ride was the
Accord. Civic and CRV have pretty stiff suspension.
None of them developed any squeaks or rattles, and I had
the Accord for 5 years, 70K miles. You have to buy
those cars assembled on Tuesday and Wednesday.

kwonc71

No matter what you say, My friend's Brand new Lexus ( supposed to be most reliable car on the earth) rattles and so do my 2 Acuras ( Once again, made by Honda). Should I record rattle sound and put that on this forum to prove or what?

cjlars

My Sonata had a rattle from day two, seemingly coming from "inside" the dash. It even bothered my wife (who usually thinks the car noises I hear are between my ears). The dealership had twice tried to find the rattle (leaving some tool marks in the process) finally concluding that the "condition may be normal" as though rattles were an option on the LX or something. I had made arrangements for the Hyundai rep to look at the car when, after my wife had taken the car on a trip, the rattle stopped, She said that she had been going over some rough road and the rattle became worse, intolerable even, then was silent. It has not returned for about 1500 miles now.

iluvmysephia1

complimentary words about the new 2006 Hyundai Sonata if all people can find wrong is some dash rattling and a crappy front seat for driver's comfort.

Also, I think that the bad ergonomics of the front seat are limited to certain body sizes/types. It's actually a good heads up to look for when you go to test drive.

gbm4

i had two neighbors call to tell me the red light is on in my car. i said it was supposed to be on. i thought it was a simple thing to turn off, guess not. i'll let it on.

ps: when they are sitting at the dealers they are not on.

burry

After a 4 month wait I was able to replace the stock stereo system in my 2006 Sonata with a XM ready Tuner/CD Player.
METRA supplies the new face plate that is a 100% perfect fit. I also upgraded the speakers and the sound is simply amazing. METRA will not sell directly to public so I had Circuit City order and install. I bought the Stereo and speakers and XM unit online and Circuit City installed everything.

backy

Ah, that is a good point about the red lights not being on a dealers. So did you try asking the service manager at the dealership about it? Or maybe put a call into the Hyundai Customer Service line?

snakeweasel

ps: when they are sitting at the dealers they are not on.

If you mean sitting on the showroom floor the reason they are not on is that dealerships disconnect the battery after they put a car on the showroom floor. This keeps people from blowing the horn inside the building and also keeps the battery from draining due to the doors always being opened.