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Hyundai Sonata Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • ctc1ctc1 Member Posts: 66
    Just had my 06 GLS in last week for the air bag light. My dealer changed the seat belt receiver without hesitation. They offered no explanation just that it was the fix. So far so good. I also bought mine in 05 and it's been a great car so far.
  • cumptrnrdcumptrnrd Member Posts: 53
    Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I don't think changing just two tires would necessarily be bad for my car or the tires as long as I keep them all balanced, aligned, and rotated, but the only reason I'm thinking of changing all four is because wouldn't the car be totally different whenever I got a rotation (i.e. car would handle, accelerate, and brake one way with the Kumho Soluses on the front and handle, accelerate, and brake completely differently with the Michelin MXM4s on the front)? From what I have read, the Kumho Soluses are WAY better than the MXM4s... I would want the car to suck for 7500 miles then be great for 7500 miles then suck again, etc. etc.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    If you actually notice a handling difference, I'll be shocked. :shades:
  • august44august44 Member Posts: 1
    I own the 07 Sonata v6 with 18000km on it.
    I had a tipping noise after 20 min driving so the dealer changed the timming chain tensioner.

    After then, the car was totally different car then before, as if more then 5 years old car.

    Following are the problem I have.

    1. Abnormal vibration under accelerator like something is grinding and noise when I start and driving the car in the morning.

    2. Snapping the accelerator with noise when it starts and driving just one time. After stop and 20 min. after driving it snap again but during the driving it is O.K.

    3. Tipping noise all the time especially severe in the morning.

    4. If I speed up gaggling noise seems to be caused by tipping noise mentioned above.

    5. On the highway, gaggling noise 80mile/hr~90mile/hr.

    All those noise is hard to listen if you are not driving everyday.
    Even in the dealer’ service shop, the technician does not catch the sound with 5 min. driving, but I do.

    I complained several time to the dealer and they keep saying it is o.k.

    So I recorded the noise with my mp3 player placing it under the hood. Finally the service manager knows the sound, but still saying other v6 engine would have same noise.
    So I will record the other car with same engine.

    Anyway

    Is anyone knows how this problem caused? Related with any job they done for the tensioner reolacement.
  • markstir33markstir33 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 Hyundai Sonata that has the same problem. There's a high-pitched whine on acceleration thru the first three gears especially. Hyundai is researching what it could be. They initially thought that it was a bad alternator so they replace it. But it still hasn't fixed the problem.
  • tenpin288tenpin288 Member Posts: 804
    Actually, it can make a difference. I had a PT Cruiser that ate up its front tires (Goodyear Eagle LS tires) and I replaced just those two with something else (Sorry, I don't remember the brand, the brain is a little foggy). The best I can say about the handling while the two different brands were on is that it was "squirrely". Once I broke down and put the same on all four wheels, the car's handling improvement was significant. Just my .02. ;)
  • jim1299jim1299 Member Posts: 16
    Just did an oil change on my V6 2009 Sonata Limited, at 1300 miles. (Only took 10 days of ownership to hit this figure-- it's been a busy fortnight!) I tend to be conservative re-changing fluids during the break in period, and figured the end of the nominal break in (1200 miles) was a reasonable milestone. The location of the oil filter on the top of the engine in the V6 makes changing it a breeze, and the slip in cartridge style filter practically invites detailed inspection of the used filter. I spread the pleats of the old filter after I removed it, and noticed several dozen pieces of metal-- ranging from dots to a few slivers and even chunks (~3mm square) that looked like flashing. These were all securely trapped in the filter and no longer circulating in my engine, but finding them made me doubly glad I didn't wait until 7500 miles for the initial change. Will probably do my second oil change somewhere between 3750 and 5000 miles, when the engine should be fully broken in and I can switch to synthetic oil.

    Break in was pretty close to textbook, and I even used the Shifttronic paddle much of the time to vary the rpm's between the 2000-4000 range the manual suggests as well as doing light load/cylinder vacuum deceleration, so I don't think abnormally hard driving could account for the presence of these shavings. Am inclined to think this is 'normal' but something you wouldn't be able to see with a typical cannister filter unless you cut it apart.

    Has anyone else looked at their used cartridge style oil filter and found 'interesting' things? :confuse:

    Jim
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    My 2007 Sonata Limited V6 only has about 5000 miles now since purchasing it new in June 2007. Like you, I did the first oil change at about 1300 miles/@ 4 months, but I was not curious to look into the filter element for metal fragments like you did. I am sure there could/would be due to the early break-in period - it was really interesting to read about the metal pieces you found.

    I have been changing the engine oil every 3000 miles or 4 months(whichever comes first) in all my cars for the past 4 decades. This is cheap insurance as I have never had any engine problems (smoking, piston/valves knocks, etc) due to poor engine lubication PM. This has definitely helped me to keep my cars 10 -15 years.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Really, how many engine problems are really due to "poor lubrication" on a car that had the oil changed on the manufacturer's schedule and not, normal wear and tear, or a flaw in assembly or manufacture that no amount of oil changes would prevent?
    I change my oil according to owners manual and I too have not have any problems due to poor lubrication and I saved the time, hassle and money of extra trips to the dealer for unneeded extra oil changes.
    Is changing the oil more often than the manufacturer recommends going to have anything to with common high mileage wear items like having to replace a head gasket?
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    No trips to the dealer for me! Just step into my home garage and do whatever is needed for the PM and any other repairs. Have never taken my cars back to the dealer for repairs, unless it is warranty covered. It is also fun as well to learn the different engines, construction, etc of the various different car brands. Being mechanical minded (probably influenced by my PhD in Engineering), it has been a piece of cake to perform PM & repairs on my vehicles for the past 4 decades. I have taught my 3 adult sons in these car maintenance/repairs - they too are doing their own PM & repairs.

    But please, please DO NOT follow us because the dealers need to make money from others. The economy also needs a boost, especially today. :-0) The economy is propped by the 75+% of the population who spend without any restraint, especially with credit, which has resulted in this credit & mortgage fiasco today. Foreclosures and bankruptcies are very high today and will get worse in the next 12 - 19 months. Just watch...

    With reference to the owner's manual, one can easily see that almost everyone's daily driving falls into severe driving category as defined in the manual - which would necessitate more frequent oil changes than than the common 7500 mile period. I (including my sons) choose to change oil at 3000 miles/4 months to give that extra margin of safety that has worked for the past 40 years for me. But then to each, his/her own. As we are mechanically capable (do it yourselfers), it costs me under $12 for brand name oil and filter on sale - for the Sonata V6 with the element filter. It is even cheaper at about $7 when a cannister fliter is used like in our Infinity G35, Maxima, Ridgeline, CRV, and Ody.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    The dealers did not make any more money because none of my cars ever had any problems that would have been prevented with extra oil changes.
    My driving doesn't fall into the severe category. It's normal suburban driving.
    The Sonata already has a pretty frequent oil change schedule compared to other cars. There are many new cars today that even the severe schedule is 5000-7500 miles and the normal schedule is over 10,000 miles.
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    It would be very unusual for the suburbs to not have stop lights that cause stop and go driving. It would be very unusual for a suburban car to not make frequent short stops on errands to many shopping places. It is very likely unusual that a suburban car would not drive short distances (while shop hopping) without the engine oil getting to normal hot temp. It would be very unusual for a suburban driver to not ever get caught in any traffic jam with long idling, stop & go driving in the local roads or freeways. It would be very unusual to not leave the car idling at times during summers with the AC on and someone waiting in it while one does a "quick" rush into a business/home for something. Besides these, there would be other instances that would easily qualify one's driving to be close to severe mode. Normal driving is hard to experience unless one can drive at a constant 55mph in the highway for the 7500 or 10000 miles.

    Moisture forms easily in the oil pan during startups and certain weather/temperature conditions. We can only protect against that and other destructive contaminants with frequent oil changes. One can choose do so at either 3000 miles or 7500, 10000 miles. It is obvious that since oil starts to deteriorate as soon as it is used, that the risk of engine failure would be less at 3000 miles vs at 7500 and 10000 miles.

    For a do-it-yourself person like I am, the cost of materials is cheap at about 1/4 to 1/3 of dealer oil change cost. It takes me less than 30 mins in my home garage and with no waiting at the dealer. A cold 6-pak of beer, while doing it, puts a smile into my face. It is hard to beat that! :-0)
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    You do not have to do 100% highway driving and never touch your brakes for stop signs and red lights to use the normal schedule.
    In that case, they would need to word it differently and have a normal and "highway driver" schedule with extended schedule rather than a normal and "severe" schedule with shorter intervals.
    Getting caught in a traffic jam doesn't negate the other 95% of normal driving I do.
    Using the A/C on hot days is normal.
    If I had a daily commute in bumper to bumper gridlock and 100+ degree temps all summer long in Phoenix or parked outside in sub zero temps in the Midwest all winter, and/or worked or lived around a very dusty construction site with the car covered in dust on a regular basis, I'd use the severe schedule because that is more severe than the typical expected driving the car would be designed for.
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    My normal suburban driving includes short drives/stops for shopping and other errands, driving the 3 short miles to work with about 12 stop lights (yes this suburbia), some idling with AC on with passenger(s) in the car while I do some pick-ups, and driving spiritly (up to 80+) in the highway with my lead foot. Apart from the spirited driving, many folks may do the same which I believe approaches severe conditions.

    If I were doing long stretches of highway driving as a daily routine, I would be more inclined to relax the oil change interval to maybe 5000. I believe that my oil change routine/schedule has helped me keep all my cars for 10 - 15 years with no engine issues for the past 4 decades.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Your short 3 mile commute is not the NORM. If you look at the average commute distances that are published for major metropolitan areas, the average distance is usually something like 15-25 miles with a combo of suburban stop and go and highway miles. In Chicago area the average commute time is about 30-35 minutes. Engine gets pretty warm and blows out the exhaust pretty good. I would argue that your definition of severe is very broad. If that is how you wish to interpret the schedules-obviously that is your perogative. Howver, I believe you to be in the minority.
    My dad worked for an oil company for 35 years and we always changed our oil 3000/3 months until about ten years ago. Now with a combination of better engines, longer manufacturer guidelines and the realization that our natural resources are getting scarce, we now go 5,000/5 months between changes. If we happen to go for an extended stretch in which we feel the need we'll change it sooner but overall we stay pretty much on that schedule.
  • cmw829cmw829 Member Posts: 19
    This has happened twice when I have cut the wheel hard. My car has the radio controls on the steering wheel. In both case, it could have been possible that my fingers touched the buttons, but I don't believe that this the case.

    In the first instance, I turned hard left and then hard right. The radio swithced bands. The second time, I turned hard right and the channel changes, but on the same band. This morning, I turned hard right coming out of my driveway and the seat belt buzzer started again - it had buzzed when the car started, stopped and then started again. (I did not use the seat belt as I was moving the car into the street.)

    Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. Thanks.
  • southhavenjensouthhavenjen Member Posts: 22
    The seat belt thing will keep going off intermittently until you put your belt on. I have no idea about the steering wheel, that has not happened to me.
  • hitesh_nayyarhitesh_nayyar Member Posts: 2
    Please reply if your problem been fixed yet or not.
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    What year is your car?
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    There is a part called a "ClockSpring", and it is responsible for maintaining electrical continuity between the devices on the steering wheel and the wiring harness as you turn the wheel from one extent to the other.

    More than likely, the wiring to the clockspring, or the clockspring itself needs replacing.
  • cmw829cmw829 Member Posts: 19
    Thanks for the reply on the seat belt reminder.

    It's a 2008 - new with 1100 miles.

    Thanks.
  • mervay2mervay2 Member Posts: 20
    Do you know where the oil filter is located on the 4 cylinder 2009 Sonata? Seems I read that its supposed to be on top of the engine.
  • tlhuxtlhux Member Posts: 1
    I have a rattle in the dashboard on the passenger side. It seems to get worse if someone is sitting in the passenger's seat. I took it to the dealer and they kept it for 4 days and told me they found a loose bracket and put some cushioning in it. Well, of course it still rattles. Anyone else have this problem?
  • egonzo50egonzo50 Member Posts: 2
    Left dome light on and the battery died. Jump started the vehicle and it turned on fine but at one point prior to the vehicle starting the battery cables were accidentally/briefly crossed (oops!). Shortly after, as the vehicle remained on, the audible alarm system activated. Couldn't disarm the alarm while the vehicle remained on so the vehicle was then turned off. Attempted to restart the vehicle but it wouldn't turn on and there now was a clicking noise as if the starter went out. Tried to jump start it again and nothing but the clicking sound. All the lights work (Headlamp, dome light etc.) but I did notice that the radio would not come on while the key remained in the on position although it had done so in the past. Tried using the remote to the alarm system but nothing at all happens although the light on the remote comes on when I press the unlock/lock button so I know the battery in the remote is fine. I removed the starter, had it checked and it is fine so of course I put the starter back on. Now my question(s) is...Is it that the alarm system needs to be reset, if so, how do I go about doing it. Or, was a main fuse possibly blown out, if so, which fuse could it be? Thank You for your help!
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    4 cyl bottom near the front.
  • wanna_azzywanna_azzy Member Posts: 41
    Reversing polarity, even for a short time, is hazardous to the health of the computer. Since the computer interacts with or controls so many things on modern cars, it is possible it go fried. I hope for your sake, and wallet, this is not the problem, but a possibility maybe worth investigating. Good luck.
  • egonzo50egonzo50 Member Posts: 2
    Yeah I hope the computer isn't the problem here. I got the radio and clock problem solved as it was the fuse. My guest is that the problem is with the alarm system. I cannot activate/deactivate the alarm with the remote. I'm getting nothing from it. I'm tiring to find out how to reset the alarm system :confuse: . I simply get the clicking sound as if the starter were out but I know it's not that because I had it checked.
    Thanks for the advise.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Yeah, anytime you short out the car, you can blow every microprocessor in the car. The alarm you may do without, if the rest of the car is working, count yourself fortunate. The fuses may have stopped some elements from getting fried, also, if you're lucky...... Hope the best for ya. :blush:
  • mervay2mervay2 Member Posts: 20
    Thanks! Appreciate it.
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    My car is the 2007 Sonata V6 with the paper element filter inside a metal housing at the top of the engine.

    Your 4cyl would have the metal cannister filter at the bottom of the engine.

    Quite frankly I prefer the metal cannister filters. They are cheaper and simpler to replace than the element filter. For example, when Advance Auto has their BOGO specials, their metal cannister filters made by Purolator can be had for about $1.44 each. We use them in our Ody, CRV, & Maxima. At BOGO prices, we have about 20+ in our garage. We do similar for oil on sale.

    The V6 element filter sells for much more at about $7 - $8 and I have not seen any on special yet. But 4 months ago, I did purchase about 8 at about $6.30 each from a webstore with free shipping over $50 and no out of state tax.
  • geejoegeejoe Member Posts: 1
    Well..I am third person here joining. Had same problem this evening when I stopped for red light. My 2007 Sonata (16000 miles) turned off by itself. I thought of checking the web if anyone experienced this problem. I will take take the car to dealer and probably they won't find anything.. :confuse:
  • osobienosobien Member Posts: 2
    This is a current NHTSA investigation. NHTSA Number PE08029. Check the NHTSA web site and complain. It will force the issue.
  • osobienosobien Member Posts: 2
    Tom, check the NHSTA web site, PE08029. This is an open investigation. People should be referred to NHTSA and complain. That will get Hyundai to do the right thing. Someone is going to get hurt with this situation unless the issue is forced.
  • bozybozy Member Posts: 8
    Excellent! Glad to hear that the NHTSA is looking into this. Maybe this will get Hyuandai to do the right thing for these owners.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Depends upon the dealer a lot - I've seen dealers OFFER to do the right thing some times, and REFUSE to do the right thing at other dealers. Shop around.
  • tntbakertntbaker Member Posts: 22
    Thanks for the heads up. I know of at least 25 people I have talked to. It is about time that NHSTA is looking into this. The number of people contacting me has grown weekly. I check this an other blogs on a regular basis to try to help anyone I can reach. When my car failed I found a similar investigation going on in Canada. Here is hoping Hyundai will acknoledge this safety issue. tntnknb@juno.com
  • tntbakertntbaker Member Posts: 22
    What I have found is that most dealers try to avoid the repair. Most of the time the Hyundai consumer afffairs has over wtitten the decision of their field rep and or dealer. I have been tracking this information since my car broke in November of 2006.
  • gnomadgnomad Member Posts: 17
    My new 08 Sonata I4/5M is losing coolant, I can't find a leak anywhere, and the shop did a pressure test on it when I first noticed the problem. They didn't find anything but I clearly have a problem. It's going back to the shop as soon as I can squeeze it in. Just curious, if anyone else has had an issue like this, what was the resolution?

    Overall I'm damn delighted with the car, it's getting 28-29 MPG in mixed driving, and the comfort and ease of driving is great, but it is losing coolant at a rate comparable to my old cage, the Aztek with the 3.4L V6 with a bad intake manifold gasket.
  • macakavamacakava Member Posts: 775
    If the leak is not visible external, it would/could be internal - maybe a slow one in the cylinder head gasket that is hard to detect. If and when head gasket becomes worse, you would see frequent white cloud/vapor out the exhaust pipe.

    It would be interesting to see if any coolant is in the crankcase engine oil - a positive sign of gasket problem. The engine oil level being too high due to coolant seeping in could be another indicator.

    Seems too new for this problem - but there could always be one that occurs early due to manufacture/assembly problem.
  • tntbakertntbaker Member Posts: 22
    Since November 2006 I have been contacted by 25 different people who have all experienced a failure with the right front subframe rusting apart and actually breaking. Approximately 18 people have been settled with, either Hyundai repairing the car or reimbursing for the repair. Most people have been on the eastern have of the United States. I have been working with an attorney building a case for a class action Lawsuit. We are currently looking for anyone who has had this problem and not contacted me. The NHTSA Number PE08029 is an active investigation that report 40 known failures. I am especial interested in anyone from California.

    If you own a 1999-2001 Hyundai Sonata I suggest inspecting your subframe for rust. If you are not sure where to look, you should turn your steering wheel all the way to the right. Look where the A-Arm bolts to the frame. You will probably find severe rust. If you do, I would like to hear from you at tntnknb@juno.com Even if it has not failed yet, I suggest taking it to a Hyundai dealer and filing a claim with Hyundai Consumer affairs.

    My hope is that Hyundai, who has admitted to a problem by paying for repairs will soon address this obvious safety issue.

    Tom Baker, Kansas City, MO
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    This should be addressed in the "K-thunk" thread, don't believe it applies in the 4G forum..older vehicle problem. I personally don't think we need to read about this AGAIN in the M&R thread. This is a problem with the older Sonata's and should be dealt with there. Thanks!

    No let me rephrase this....it should be directed to the "subframe rust" thread. K-thunk has nothing to do with this.
  • tntbakertntbaker Member Posts: 22
    For the record, It started here and this has been where everyone has found out about this problem. As long as I keep hearing from folks I will keep hanging out.
  • franmartfranmart Member Posts: 16
    Has any one had to replace the brake light on the trunk in the center of the window and is it a big job is it expesive at the dealer :
  • homerjwhomerjw Member Posts: 13
    Hi,
    What model of Sonata do you have? I have an '06, and the center mounted brake light went. It is a job that required a really long screw driver and some circus level contortions to change. I was actually happy to let the dealer replace the bulb. I think it cost me about 30$ Cdn to have it replaced.

    Cheers,
    Jon
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Try checking the coolant elbow at the lower intake manifold gasket. If it's a slow seep it may be burning off and leaving little evidence. Get down low and look at it from all angles.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Hey macakava... thought you were dead or something. :sick:

    Haven't seen you on the "Smart Shoppers" board in a couple years. You ever coming back... or do you already know it all ? ;)
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • neworder8neworder8 Member Posts: 3
    Get it done! I just got the car back from my dealer, and they were astounded at the 17 teeth missing from my timing belt at 61000 miles. It was making a racket, and I knew that it was supposed to be changed at 60000 so I got really nervous Monday AM when it was acting verry erratically and lurched on me etc. I took it directly there, and they said if I hadn't the engine would have eaten itself basically. It was around $350, and I expected $500 so that was a nice surprise. My dealer is top of the line - Cochran Hyundai of the South Hills (Pittsburgh). They've got my loyalty - especially because of the way they handled the subframe rust issue, no questions asked, fixed, no charge. Just thought I should post my experience after my first post with the timing belt question. Don't risk it. I thought I could hold off for a while.
  • aneeshaneesh Member Posts: 43
    I have a 2006 Sonata GLS, it was relatively low milegae(17600 to be exact)..but I here a squealing sounds when I brake...do they need replacement already? I thought factory brakes should last longer.....also does air bag recall every 2006-2008 Sonatas?
  • tomk17tomk17 Member Posts: 135
    I've got an 06 LX with a high pitch squeal often. It's not an indication of worn pads, that's more of a grinding sound and you'll hear the wear indication chirp when pads are toast. Should get at least 50K from the fronts and maybe more from back pads. Just have to live with the slight squeal.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    You may not necessarily have to live with it. I'd take it in (or look at it yourself) to see if someone just forgot to put the brake grease BEHIND the pads to stop them from their normal squealing chatter when they are pressed against the rotors. Not enough or not any at all sometimes leads to an unwelcome and unnecessary symphony.

    good luck
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