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Hyundai Sonata Owner Experiences

2

Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Write your Congress-person--not really on-topic.
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    Made me laugh first thing this morning...thanks nik8.

    Did you have your wife immediately come out and sit in the seat to see if it really is her and not the seat?

    My goddaughter sometimes gets to ride with the goddfather and if she's lucky she weighs 80 pounds sopping weight with a pocket full of change. I do believe she activates the sensor. You might want to take your wife out for a nice drive and go to Freeman's and test a couple other cars to see if she activates the sensor. Let her ride in the back seat or better yet let her drive then you can complain about her driving. :P
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    )) "Wouldn't the airbag caused injury be better than the injury without an airbag(which could quite possibly be fatal - right?)" ((

    In the case of a smaller child seated in the front passenger seat (who's too light to activate the weight sensor in current production cars), deployment of the air bag can also cause d-e-a-t-h - it's happened in several instances - thus the reason the NHTSA mandated the extra hardware which Hyundai's still having trouble properly implementing three years after the requirement went into effect. Get it, now? ;)
  • tmorrow411tmorrow411 Member Posts: 11
    Just to let you know that I have the same issue with my less than 2 months old 2007 Sonata SE

    They told me that it takes 135 lbs to activate the sensor. Sounds ridiculous to me. I know that my wife and teenagers don't weight that much.

    Luckily, the dealer WAS able to reproduce with a 200 lbs technician. They are replacing the sensors in the seat, but I feel that it will come back. Because the 2006 Sonata loaner they gave me is doing the exact same thing.
  • pekelopdpekelopd Member Posts: 139
    I also have read reports in the news paper about this also. I vividly recall a accident that involved a Ford Contour where the passenger was a young child (preteen) and was practically DECAPITATED because of the airbag cover. But it has been stated that young children or small women should deactivate the airbag when seated in the front. The impact from the airbag can be deadly. Google it!
  • nik8nik8 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for your response. I do "get it" but am quite curious to know(statistically) the fatality/injury rate of children sitting in the front seat with an active air bag as opposed to sitting with a deactivated airbag. If this is a fed mandated feature(as long as this was not imposed by the baboons on Capitol Hill), I would expect a sound reason behind this mandate but it just does not make sense intuitively.

    Oh well :confuse: Hopefully Hyundai eventually gets the weight sensor thingy right, I see quite a few posts complaining about it.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    Actually, automakers and the gub'mnt strongly encourage children, teens, and smaller adults ride buckled up in the back seat where they're at much less risk. All too often I still see 'em bouncing around in the front seat, unrestrained, like there's no tomorrow. For some, that'll tragically be the case as it nearly was for me. I'm currently driving a second choice '03 Hyundai because my '96 Accord gave its all saving my sorry butt in an avoidable accident. (I thought I had a green light. I was wrong - nearly dead wrong. Fortunately, I was wearing my seat belt and shoulder harness, the air bag worked, and I walked away from a 20 mph head-on collision. So did the lady whose car mine hit. I still have nightmares about that afternoon on November 19, 2002. Fortunately. And I have little sympathy for improperly secured kids, teens, and even less sympathy for their moronic parents.)
  • tkumpftkumpf Member Posts: 27
    I have the same issue with my 2007 Sonata, but it is so sporadic that I haven't brought it (yet) to the dealer. I can attest, however, that weight is not the issue :) - at least in my case.
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    The same problem exists with the previous generation Elantra - not sure of the 2007 Elantra. Hyundai mailed out brochures "instructing owner's how to sit in the passenger's seat." For those who are having the problem, tell the person sitting in the passenger's seat to pull their legs up, instead of the "stretched out" position which is more normal.

    I know this is sounds rather ridiculous, but this is Hyundai's corporate response. With the legs pulled up, or with the person's lower legs more perpendicular to the seat bottom, it evidently places the concentration of weight more specifically in one area of the seat bottom where the sensor is located.

    But, in defense of Hyundai, it's not the only manufacturer having the problem with seat sensors. The best thing to do is have the seat and/or the seat bottom replaced. I believe this may be addressed in a TSB, or silent recall.
  • matt44matt44 Member Posts: 9
    I posted this in the mileage section as well. Yes I drive fast and accelerate fast but my previous V6 Accord would average about 24 to 26 miles per gallon.

    My Sonata averages between 16 and 18 miles per gallon. The highest I ever averaged was about 19.5 mpg once.

    Also, I use both the 'computer' on the dash, as well as fill up the car completely and check the mileage as I know that both together provide the best average.

    Also have made 3 trips to the dealer. One for a leak (steering), one for windshield wiper not working and side window problem. And once for a recall on a seat part.

    Based on my experience I would NOT buy another Hyundai again.
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    In addition to my reply in the mpg section: If you're just used to flooring the gas pedal in your previous Honda, maybe you're just giving it way too much unnecessary juice.

    Years ago I went from a 4 cyl to a 6 cyl. Habit would tell me to "nail it" in order to get from 20 to 40 in X seconds. I soon learned this wasn't necessary in the 6 cyl. The 6 got from 20 to 40 in less time without hitting the gas pedal as hard. However, the 4 cyl still got better mpg. Assuming your Sonata has more juice than your old Honda, even tough both are V6, your Sonata undoubtedly has more power and a larger engine resulting in greater fuel consumption if you mash the gas as you did in the lower powered car.

    Out of curiosity what are the 0 to 60 ties for both cars?
  • flc2006flc2006 Member Posts: 81
    I do not like cars that everyone and their moms and dads have, even though i like Hondas and Toyotas they are just too common and get stolen often, one thing i like about my 2006 sonata is all the standard equipment you get for the money, but i know korean cars have their downsides which is resale value in the first few years but safety and value to me is more important than resale, i have observed the the Camry is priced about a 2 thousand more when it is about 5 to six years old.

    I had to choose between three cars the honda fit, hyundai sonata, and the camry, i did all the research and the monthly payments on the loan were not that much of a difference so i went with the sonata instead because value and standard skid control
    I do not regret getting my Sonata it gets the same mileage as the other cars when you are city driving which averages about 15-20 miles per gallon even in a small car.

    What makes turned me off about the Toyota is that it does not come with roadside assistance which hyundai had standard, i wouldn't want to be in a toyota stranded.

    other members posting tell me about your experiences with the Hyundai Sonata

    Thank you
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    Love mine. I have one of about six I've seen in a town of 53,000 population.

    Drove an 05 Accord I4 with 23K for miles the other day and it did not even come close to my 06 I4 GLS Sonata. I'll have to find an 06 Camry I4 on our lot and drive it to compare.
  • tb88tb88 Member Posts: 242
    >>> What makes turned me off about the Toyota is that it does not come with roadside assistance which hyundai had standard, i wouldn't want to be in a toyota stranded.<<<

    .
    Roadside assistance cost about $10 a year and can be bought with most insurance... I wouldn't buy a car on a saving of $10 alone!!!

    I have a 2006 Sonata and I like it... but I would not buy a 2007; because :
    .

    1- the rebate and price I paid was far less than the 2007 today.
    .

    2- the Honda still beats Sonata when Trade in time comes... which means one gets more $$$ back for a Honda ( $4,000- $6000 for a 2004 Honda Accord compared to a 2004 Sonata as an example)
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Your post is questionable.

    Where caN roadside assistance (other than "towing at $25 per tow be obained for $10 per year?)

    1--when did you buy and have you compared buying an '07 today in the real world?

    2--compare the street price new for a "comparable" Sonata to a Honda and weigh that into you calculations of what "one gets back for a Honda."
  • flc2006flc2006 Member Posts: 81
    In my opinion a new car should come with roadside assistance it is not about the yearly cost, everything that was stated was about value for your dollar, i just wanna feel more secure driving my sonata so free roadside assistance is great.

    It is best to make comments on things that you read thoroughly it seems that the both of you didn't ,i wanted to know about your Sonata not your complaints.
  • peterpnusplpeterpnuspl Member Posts: 4
    Just to continue my saga with the 2007 Sonata headlights ...
    We had them aimed correctly by a state inspector; we judge that the VA DMV requirements are now met. But the light-to-dark pattern is still a problem. We have written to Hyundai Motor America and await replies.
    We will appreciate hearing from other Sonata owners.
  • chesapeake07chesapeake07 Member Posts: 2
    I met with the Hyundai Representative and this issue was resolved to my satisfaction. I would definitely buy another Hyundai, but would look it over very carefully first. They build most of them right and it is a smooth ride.
  • craigbrookscraigbrooks Member Posts: 420
    chesapeake,
    What did they do or offer to make it right for you?
    Thanks,
    Craig
  • dncbdncb Member Posts: 70
    I bought this 2007 Limited (leather seats) after postive reviews on both construction and build quality. Immediately I experienced suspension clunking (which the dealer says he cannot hear) :mad: and seat creaking every time I sart-up or slow-down (stop-and-go traffic= constant creaking) :cry: . I felt like suggesting he get a hearing aid, but decided I would just scout out the type of bump that elicited the problem and take a mechanic for a ride rather than dropping the car off. Not all types of bumps produce the sound (which resembles that produced by a vehicle with worn out ball joints). Hyundai has denied having similar complaints, yet I see them in this forum (but for 2006 models before a shock change). According to the dealer my car has the updated shocks already. The car will produce the sound every day on the same roads on the same bumps (and everywhere else on the same type of bump). Anyone else having similar problems with 2007's? I got a ride back to the dealer in a 2002 Sonata which had an extreme case of the same thing. It was scary to think that my car might sound like that in 5 years! :surprise:
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Why not take a mechanic or salesman on a ride over the same raod that you drive everyday so they can "hear" exactly what you are concerned about?
  • spinozaspinoza Member Posts: 2
    I have 1,500 miles on my V-6 LE. I took it into the shop and they claimed that the fixed the noise coming from the front right. They said the window was not welded into place. A noise still persists when I drive over 45 miles an hour. The noise is located again on the right side. There is also a clicking noise coming from the right side of the dashboard. The suspension is so tight that the car practically shimmies when taken over any road that is even slightly rough. There is another structural defect in the fact that there is a reflection in the front glass caused by the way the dashboard is constructed. Does it bother anybody?What can I do about it? I am going back to pick up the car again tomorrow and check out the car by riding with the technician. I believe that many of the complaints relate to structural defects in the design of the car.
  • hotrod54hotrod54 Member Posts: 82
    unless you are from another country where they have different trim level designations, there is and never has been an "LE" on the Sonata. ;)
  • spinozaspinoza Member Posts: 2
    hot rod, I am unsure as to the designation letters of the car. It is the model with all the "bells and whistles" (leather,sun roof,etc.) Could you please respond to the substance of the message!
  • hotrod54hotrod54 Member Posts: 82
    I have not experienced any of these problems; I think it is only on cars w/sunroof...I had a loaner with sunroof for a day and and it definitly had noises that my car has never had.
  • jackreedjackreed Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 2007 Sonata. The low beam headlights seem to be pointed too low, especially when you are driving downhill. Can they be adjusted? I was told by a mechanic that only the high beams can be adjusted.
  • peterpnusplpeterpnuspl Member Posts: 4
    Hello Jack:
    We had the same problem, but Hyundai was NOT helpful. We finally had a VA state inspector adjust them to be correct. Both high and low beams are adjustable up or down, but NOT left or right. Peter
  • gandb777gandb777 Member Posts: 10
    Have a 2007 GLS with about 1500 miles on it. Have noticed when I drive between 40 and 50 mph I get a vibration as what might be caused when the engine is lugging. This is when it is in the automatic shift mode. If I drive at 40 to 50 mph with the shift set in the self shifting gear 4, I do not get any vibration. Have not talked to the dealer about this but am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and what it might be? Thanks gandb777
  • booferboofer Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 GLS 4cyl with the same problem. They kept it in the shop for 21 days right after I bought it and told me it was equal to the other 4 cyls. they had on their lot. An honest service manager finally told me what was causing the jerkiness at 40-50mph on an incline. He said the computer could not decide if the trans needed to shift up or not so it hesitates, causing the jerkiness. He said Hyundai does not consider this a problem,rather a characteristic of this vehicle, so they will not do anything about it. He said it only happened with the 4 cyls. The V6s do not do it. It would be interesting to see how many owners with 4 cyls. have this "characteristic" with their vehicles.
  • vabearvabear Member Posts: 18
    I am the owner of a 2007 Sonata Limited with just over 1200 miles on the ODO. The dealer I purchased from had to locate the car (I live in Hampton Roads, VA). The first car located was in MD and when the driver went to pick up the car it had been sold out from under my local dealer. The next car was located in NC and brought to VA. The car had 600 miles on the ODO (I was compensated)and all was well until I drove it home and discovered what I believed to be warped rotors. The selling dealers service dept confirmed my suspicions and I have new rotors ( I do not blame the selling dealer or Hyundai as I believe either JR or Smoke were brake testing these cars for the NC dealer). Aside from that the car is great and all systems work as advertised, but I believe Hyundai must make running changes as the model year progresses as some have XM and others do not(mine does not) and some have low tire warning systems(mine does not)and the sales brochures cannot keep up. Note of Interest here, the first dealer I visited sales associate when told we wanted a Black Sonata said "well black is the color of Royalty in Korea and they keep most of them for themselves", and I responded that I did not realize that Montgomery, AL was now in South Korea, and then I took a hike.
  • cabbycabby Member Posts: 8
    Got an 07 Platinum for about 3 weeks now. I do hear a rattling/draft noise coming from the left rear window when I drive faster than 55mph. If driving any slower, completely silent in the cabin. There is no actual wind draft, just the noise. Also very rarely the dash board makes a slight rattling noise going over bumps. I will take it in as soon as I get a chance for service. Other than that, truly love this car.
  • whisper1whisper1 Member Posts: 50
    Shame on hyundai for using steel oil pan on the 3.3L engine :surprise: . Specially the 3.3L is used on high end models. Steel oil pan easy to get dents and hence rust.

    Just back from the 1st oil change, did an inspection to make sure dealer didn't mess things up. Noticed the oil pan is sort of not flat, putted the Sonata on homemade ramp, noticed a small dent on the bottom, like a typical dent on the side body, difficult to see. No sure who/what/when did it. Can't find any fresh marks. :mad:
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    You mean like virtually every other automobile manufacturer does?? I don't know if Mercedes or BMW uses titanium on their oil pans (I doubt it however)...maybe a $300,000 Mayback does?? Every car I ever owned had a stamped steel oil pan and rust was never an issue, problem, something I had repaired/replaced or even thought about. Some of these cars went nearly 300,000 miles and I live in the "rust-belt". I suggest you find something more worthy to obsess about.
  • whisper1whisper1 Member Posts: 50
    My 93 protege and 01 MPV don't have steel pan, and they are not top models. Hyundai cutting cost at the wrong place.
  • wanna_azzywanna_azzy Member Posts: 41
    What do you expect the pan to be made of? Steel is probably on 98% of cars, with no problems. Maybe if you hit a large rock or railroad tracks, but then ANY material will dent, break, shatter, etc. As a previous post said, find something truly significant if you want to complain.
  • hotrod54hotrod54 Member Posts: 82
    Honest to God, I used to be in the auto service business...I have seen every oil pan known to man and they were all STEEL. I never ever ever saw a rusted oil pan. ;)
  • bobadbobad Member Posts: 1,587
    My 93 protege and 01 MPV don't have steel pan, and they are not top models. Hyundai cutting cost at the wrong place.

    If you felt it was very important, you could have upgraded them to steel. ;)

    The Sonata doesn't need upgrading... it already has a steel oil pan.
  • sonatadrivingjsonatadrivingj Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I realize the above post was older, but I have had the same thing happen. I work at a Chrysler dealership partnered with Hyundai. I spoke with the Hyundai tech and he said the sensor work between 110 Lbs to 120 Lbs. So sit with a weight or eat larger meals is what I was told would be the solution!
  • sonatadrivingjsonatadrivingj Member Posts: 2
    I have had my Sonata GLS Premium (Limited in the U.S) for a month and have about 3100km driven and i love it! XM radio had problem which to time to resolve. Signal wouldn't work so the changed the Set Top Box and all is well!

    Reccomend this car to everyone that wants a great car at a fantastic price.
  • sonlxsonlx Member Posts: 21
    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. The Car is awesome in every way but 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.
  • gap8gap8 Member Posts: 1
    2005 LX Hyundai Sonata.V6 I have had a transmission leak near the main seal, which dealer corrected under warranty. Then had a fluid leak under front of car..Dealer said we had power steering leak, and tightened the clamp. We still saw a small amount of oily substance coming from front of car. Took car again to same dealer, and they replaced a hose on power steering, Took car home, same fluid continued to appear under car, so not fixed. Right after this, the a/c stopped cooling. We took car to another Hyundai dealer. He said we had no power steering leak. He claimed it was air conditioning fluid leaking on driveway. He replaced one of the a/c lines. Two days later no air conditioning and spots of fluid occurring under the front of the car. We took car to an independent auto shop for just evaluation (nothing repaired). They told us we had a power steering leak and where it was. With still no a/c, we returned to the very first dealer and told them the independent evaluation. They told us flatly that we had no power steering problem, but that they would work on the a/c. They did something to one of the a/c lines (I'm no mechanic, so don't understand these things). We brought it home with the oily substance continuing to leak under the car front. The a/c worked for 2 hours then went out. We took car back to independent garage. They are replacing the condenser and fixing the power steering leak. We are paying them $1200 to fix what should be under warranty by Hyundai. We don't know if the Hyundai dealer doesn't have the will or doesn't have the skill (or both) to fix the car. Needless to say, we are very discouraged by our worthless warranty, and all the inconvenience it has caused. We live 80 miles round trip from the dealer we first took the car to. We made a total of five trips there. The other dealer we tried only once was 100 miles round trip from us. Has anyone else had such a frustrating, expensive experience? We will never buy another Hyundai, and wish we hadn't paid $1000 to purchase their extended warranty, which I am sure is pretty worthless also.
  • bobadbobad Member Posts: 1,587
    Sorry to hear your dealer isn't working out. Believe me, that's typical of the entire industry, not just Hyundai. If you don't believe it, check around on forums for the other makes.

    My dealer's service Dept. has been great. Took care of 3 TSB's very competently and quickly.

    Good luck with your independent garage. Let us know if they took care of the problem. If so, I would send the bill to Hyundai USA. They may pay all of it, some of it, or none of it, but it's worth a try. At least they will learn that your dealer's service department incompetent.
  • ray78ray78 Member Posts: 27
    What is the color of your car? the darker the color the hotter it will get.
  • ray78ray78 Member Posts: 27
    I have a 2009 Sonata Limited with V6 engine and I am very happy with it! My wife and I just returned from A trip to Lake Jackson TX from Nevada MO. 1645 miles round trip and we used 49.1 gallons of fuel for an almost unbelievable average of 33.09 MPG. Outside temp up to 104 F. Love this car!
  • ray78ray78 Member Posts: 27
    Fuel consumption should have been listed as 49.7 gallon instead of 49.1
  • eandebeandeb Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2006 Sonata GLS 4. Not many miles yet, but rather hard miles as we live in northern MN with it's long winters. The car performs well (with 5W-20 Mobile 1) in cold weather (-20 to -30). One thing that bothers me is the need for constant little corrections to the steering. We normally travel without back seat passengers and an almost empty trunk. I noticed that the Sonata steered better with a full gas tank, indicating that more + caster in the suspension helps. I don't believe that there
    is an adjustment for caster (correct me if I am wrong). So yesterday we made a 60-mile trip over less than perfect roads. A passenger in the back and some load in the trunk resulted in very good steering. I also lowered the rear tire pressure to 28#, which besides lowering the rear a trifle helped ease the shock noise of hitting tar strips.

    Thoughts?
  • badhyundaibadhyundai Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Sonata, the brakes are gone after less than 18K miles of very light driving; the dealer said that they are not part of the so much advertised hyundai warranty; too bad they said. Hey, brakes that do not even last 18K, is this hyundai's quality? It seems so; I wonder what else will be braking soon. I will never, ever buy a hyundai again, and I advise against buying one. Yes, they are a little cheaper than the Japanese cars, but so much worse! My wife has a Japanese car for over 6 years, over 60K, not a single problem with it! Keep away from hyundai. And, yes, their service, at least here in Henrietta, NY is very, very bad; they are the worst I have ever seen service wise, and believe me, I have seen bad ones.
  • newowner10newowner10 Member Posts: 227
    Did just 1 wheel wear out that could be a warranty issue. Did you take it to an independent service place to see if you realy needed brakes?

    Did they give you a reason why the brakes wore down so quickly?
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Regarding your complaints about brakes...
    1. no manufacturer, including the Japaneese warrants consumable items, i.e. brake pads or shoes, windshield wiper blades, clutch parts, and possibly bulbs. These items are designed to be used up (consumed) with each use. You may find individual dealers that MAY replace these items once as a good-will gesture (especially if they seem to wear out sooner than expected) but as a rule...nope. What constitutes "light driving"? To you it might be light but????? driving habits play an important part in how long brakes last and I know for a fact Henrietta is very, very close to Rochester which is a typical U.S.city (read rush hour traffic) so you probably have stop-go driving if you go there frequently. and..
    2. Since asbestos has been eliminated from brake friction material it seems brakes do not last as long in general. I have a friend who owns and operates a small general service automobile garage and he sees his share of brake repairs. It is his opinion that the new material used in pads does not last long. That is, he replaces the same customers brakes on a frequent basis.
    If you are advising others not to buy Hyundai based on how long your brakes lasted you have a flawed argument. And yeah, we have owned both Hyundai products and currently a 2006 Honda Civic. The Honda has had multiple small irritating problems at very low mileage. For example, both rear shocks leaked out at less than 4,000 miles and were replaced under warranty, the front driver seat bottom cushion fabric wore thin at less than 9,000 miles (no greasy jeans or screwdrivers sticking out of my pocket to damage it) and was replaced under warranty. The tires are 2/3rds worn at around 21K miles and at last oil change I was told the battery should be replaced (at my expense) and the car has 21,400 miles. Is Honda better? I wonder.
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