2000 Hyundai Sonata

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT HYUNDAIIS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 20, 2003 THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN THE FOLLOWING SALT BELT STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN.HYUNDAI IS RECALLING THE VEHICLES TO REMEDY A CONDITION WHERE INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME MAY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AT THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE AXLE FROM THE TRANSAXLE.THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR VEHICLE DISABLEMENT. THE SUBFRAMES WILL BE INSPECTED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES USING A PROCEDURE DEVELOPED BY HYUNDAI TO MEASURE METAL THICKNESS.PARTS WITH PERFORATIONS FROM CORROSION OR WITH METAL BELOW THE SPECIFIED THICKNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED SUBFRAMES.IF THE MINIMUM METAL THICKNESS IS MET, DRAINAGE HOLES AND RUST PROOFING MATERIAL WILL BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING SUBFRAME. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA REVEALED THAT 98% OF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS WERE FROM VEHICLES EITHER ORIGINALLY SOLD OR OPERATED IN SALTBELT STATES. SIMILARLY 99.7% OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS WERE FROM VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR OPERATED IN SALTBELT STATES.ODI IDENTIFIED 105 REPORTS OF LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHMENT AND/OR AXLE SEPARATION FROM THE TRANSAXLE THROUGH ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT INFORMATION AND CONSUMER INTERVIEWS.ONE HUNDRED THREE (103) OF THE 105 INCIDENTS INVOLVED VEHICLES IN STATES COVERED BY THE RECALL.IN ADDITION TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, HYUNDAI ALSO NOTED IN THE APRIL 14, 2009 LETTER THAT MY 2001 THROUGH 2004 XG300 AND XG350 WERE ALSO BEING RECALLED AS THEY WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SUBFRAMES SIMILAR IN DESIGN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.BASED ON HYUNDAI'S DECISION TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, PE08-029, ON APRIL 22, 2008, BASED ON 40 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLES.COMPLAINTS DESCRIBE SEVERE CORROSION OF THE VEHICLE SUB-FRAME IN THE AREA WHERE THE RIGHT-FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM IS ATTACHED.IN SOME VEHICLES, SUB-FRAME CORROSION HAS CAUSED COMPLETE OR PARTIAL DETACHMENT OF THE CONTROL ARM, RESULTING IN WHEEL COLLAPSE OR SEPARATION. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE08-029, HYUNDAI PROVIDED OWNER COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS, AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA FOR APPROXIMATELY 197,906 MY 1999 THROUGH 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES SOLD OR LEASED IN THE UNITED STATES.THE BASE WARRANTY FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS 60 MONTHS OR 60,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO THE ROAD SALTS MAY RESULT IN CORROSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SUBFRAME.HYUNDAI REDESIGNED THE SUB-FRAME EARLY IN THE MY 2004 PRODUCTION (NOVEMBER 2003) TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE CORROSION OF THE CROSSMEMBER NEAR THE RIGHT-FRONT SUSPENSION ATTACHMENT. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF BOTH COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA FOR THE MY 1999 THROUGH 2002 SONATA VEHICLES SHOWS THAT THE FAILURE RATES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN SALT BELT STATES, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 PERCENT OF VEHICLE SALES AND OVER 90 PERCENT OFCOMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT (NOTE:FOR PURPOSES OF THIS INVESTIGATION THE SALT BELT INCLUDES CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN).ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTS IN A PROGRESSIVE LOSS OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME AND THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE DETECTED (BY INSPECTION, STEERING FEEL OR TIRE WEAR ANOMALIES) AND REPAIRED BEFORE IT REACHES A STATE WHERE A SAFETY RELATED INCIDENT MAY OCCUR.HYUNDAI IDENTIFIED 4 ALLEGATIONS OF VEHICLE DISABLEMENT AND 1 ALLEGATION OF A CRASH; WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND DROVE INTO A YARD.THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES.ODI RECEIVED A SEPARATE ALLEGATION OF A CRASH, WHERE THE COMPLAINANT ALLEGED THAT WHILE DRIVING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE AT 65 MPH ON A FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SUB-FRAME FRACTURED AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WENT OFF THE ROAD.AGAIN, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGE THAT THE SUB-FRAME CORROSION RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE DISABLEMENT DUE TO WHEEL COLLAPSE OR SEPARATION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-016) COVERING MY 1999 THROUGH EARLY-2004 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLES IN SALT-BELT STATES AND EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT SUB-FRAME DESIGN TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.

Rt passenger side wheel clunks when turning, loud noise when moving took to dealer they found nothing wrong. I returned to dealer again a couple weeks later to confirm my a arm needs repairs, safety issues airbag’s light remaining lit told repairs not available for year and make iwas told to deal with it by dealer even if it was a safety issue, driving car doesn’t matter what speed my back end sounds like it is falling apart and my car will slam out or into gear I have reviewed recalls and safety issues and I have been told that they have been closed even if my car is currently having issues with the vehicle recalls ie..slamming in and out of gear, arm issues and clunky noises on turns and driving,rear end clunk sounds like no shocks or struts

NHTSA ID

11458173

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

STEERING AND STABILITY UNSTABLE. MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME IS RUSTY AND CRACKED. THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS REPLACED AROUND 2010 BECAUSE OF A RECALL. WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP LOSE TRACTION AND BECOMES UNSTABLE. WANT TO KNOW IF THE REPLACEMENT FRAME HAS A WARRANTY. WANT TO KEEP THE CAR STILL RUNS GREAT. 170,000 MILES

NHTSA ID

11185436

Incident

Feb 19, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN AIRBAG RECALL ON SOME MODEL CARS, I DRIVE A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS THAT HAS AN AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATED ON THE DASHBOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE, I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT, OR WHAT TO DO, PLEASE ADVISE. THIS AIRBAG LITE ON THE DASHBOARD GOES ON AS SOON AS I START THE ENGINE, AND STAYS ON ALL THE TIME THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THIS AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL I TURN THE ENGINE OFF.

NHTSA ID

11100758

Incident

May 3, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO SHOP WHERE THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A CONTROL ARM FAILURE AND RUSTED SUBFRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10960047

Incident

Feb 20, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

"TAKADA RECALL " TRANSMISSION DON'T SHIFT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON IT IS SUCK IN 3RD GEAR NEXT TIME START CAR NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAR SHIFTS BUT BANGS HARD IN AND OUT OF NEXT GEAR THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR IS STUCK IN THIRD GEAR.ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ALL TIME.

NHTSA ID

10957154

Incident

Feb 12, 2017

Mileage

212,234 mi

WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN ON SIDE ROAD, THE LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM PULLED COMPLETELY OUT OF THE FRAME. INSPECTION AFTER FOUND LARGE HOLE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FRAME RAIL. INSPECTED RIGHT SIDE AND FRAME HAS SAME TYPE OF RUSTED AND MISSING FRAME SEGMENTS. THANKFULLY THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED AND NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHERE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEGINNING WITH 1999 MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702994

Incident

Mar 31, 2015

Mileage

173,000 mi

2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RUSTED REAR CROSS MEMBER. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN DECEMBER 2008, THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER BECAME RUSTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER AS IT WAS UNDER RECALL DUE TO RUST. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR CROSS MEMBER FRAME RUSTED AND ABOUT TO BREAK APART. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. AND THE COST TO REPLACE IT, WAS $3,000. *JB

NHTSA ID

10694558

Incident

Dec 1, 2008

THE FUEL TANK ON 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA IS CRACKED AND LEAKING GASOLINE. THERE IS A STRONG GAS ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN AN EXPLOSION IF THE GAS VAPORS IGNITED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PREVIOUS MODEL YEAR HYUNDAI SONATA. THE FUEL TANK CAN CRACK AND LEAK GASOLINE. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY 2000 SONATA. THE CAR IS NOW AT A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE REPLACING THE SUBRAME BECAUSE IT HAS A RECALL FOR SEVER RUST. THEY DO NOT WANT TO RECALL THE ISSUE WITH THE RUSTED, CRACKED FUEL TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10662459

Incident

Dec 4, 2014

Mileage

110,000 mi

This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades.

This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped between the PPF and the paint.

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.

Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.

Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale. This limit is the lesser of 1.5% of GVWR or 100 pounds. If the total added weight exceeds the lesser of the limit, a label must be added to the driver-side B-pillar within 25mm (1 inch) of the original tire placard.