Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Hyundai Sonata submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ALWAYS ILLUMINATED, WHICH DRAINED THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO SHUT OFF. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HUB CAP AND SWITCHED THE WIRES IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. HUB HYUNDAI OF KATY (877- 773-4656, LOCATED AT 17007 KATY FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77094) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING RECALL AND TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO GET IT TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPPEDS OR SWITCHING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLEN TURNER HYUNDAI (6000 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505 (850) 479-9667) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) ONLINE, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCULED IN THE RECALL AND NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,050.
BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING A BAD ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHOLE FRONT END SMASHED IN HOOD ALMOST IN THE WINDSHEILD.
ELECTRICAL ISSUES BEGAN A MONTH AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FRONT AND REAR LIGHT BULBS CONTINUE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, THE DASH LIGHT ALSO WILL FLASH WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED. THE TRUNK LEAKED THE FIRST CHRISTMAS, DEALER CLAIMED TO REPAIR IT, BUT FAILED, STILL LEAKS. AIR BAG INDICATOR CAME ON, WENT OFF EVENTUALLY, AND IS BACK ON AGAIN. FINALLY, CAR BEGAN LOSING POWER LAST YEAR AND CUTTING OFF SPORADICALLY IN TRAFFIC, AND NOW THE REAR AND WINDOW BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NOT WHEN TURNED OFF. RECALL INFO POINTS TO DEFECTIVE STOP BRAKE SWITCH THAT FAILED EVEN AFTER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER, MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE RECALL LIST AND THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE. CURIOUS, SINCE MY CAR IS OF THE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR REPORTED! GREEDY AND IRRESPONSIBLE ! *TR
I WAS DRIVING IN MY OWN LANE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THIS BUS WITH OUT LIGHTS CAME AND WAS SPEEDING HE CUT IN FRONT OF ME SO CLOSE IT SCRATCHED MY SIDE DOOR AND I HIT THE BRAKES AND I STILL HIT HIM GOING 55 SPEED LIMIT WAS 70 THE CAR ALL MOST EXPLODED THERE IS THINGS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND PARKED, ALL OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE LIGHTS DID NOT DIM UNTIL THE CONTACT REMOVED THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
I HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, AS I PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR, I FELT IT GO DOWN UNDER MY FOOT, THUS HITING THE RIGHT REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME. THE SECOND TIME HAPPENED IN JANUARY. 2012. I WAS TURNING INTO MY PARKING SPOT, AND I HAD SOFTLY BRAKED. AND AS I PRESSED ON THE ACCELEATOR, AND LIKE THE FIRST TIME, I FELT THE ACCELERATOR GO DOWN BENEATH MY FOOT, WITHOUT PRESSING TOO HARD. I RAN INTO MY APARTMENT, AND CAUSED A GOOD DEAL OF DAMAGE TO IT.AS WELL AS MY CAR. I HAVE NOT HAD AN INCIDENT SINCE, BUT I REMAIN SCARED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I TOOK VEHICLE TO OXMOOR HYUNDAI, IN LOUISVILLE, AND COULD NOT FIND FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AND I HAD TO PAY JUST UNDER $100.00 TO TELL ME THIS. AND MY AUTO INSURANCE WENT UP DRASTICALLY. *JS
WITH FAMILY IN CAR A TRAFFIC SITUATION OCCURRED THAT REQUIRED AGGRESSIVE BRAKING. WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR NOSE-DIVED, & SWUNG STRONGLY TO THE LEFT. THE SITUATION WAS VERY SCARY & I REGAINED CONTROL. FORTUNATELY NO CAR WAS IN THE NEARBY LANE. TOOK THE CAR INTO FIRESTONE WHERE AMONG OTHER THINGS THEIR CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC DID A FULL BRAKE INSPECTION, CHECKED THE TIRES FOR SIZE AND PRESSURE & DID A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH. THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ABS PROBLEM & I SHOULD IMMEDIATELY TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM! I TOOK THE CAR TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER IN DENTON, TX WHO RAN EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC'S AND SAID THE ABS CONTROL MODULE (589203C500) SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED, WAS DEFECTIVE FINDING ONLY FLUID FLOW TO THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE CA. THE DEALER QUOTED APPROX. $2500 FOR MATERIALS, TAX AND LABOR SAYING THERE WAS NO WARRANT COVERAGE. WE WERE SHOCKED BY BOTH THE COST TO FIX AND THAT AN APPARENT MANUFACTURING DEFECT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. AT THE DEALER 10/01/2012, I CALLED HYUNDAI MOTORS USA & FILED CASE #5034644. AFTER QUITE SOME TIME ON THE PHONE THE CASE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE, THEY FELT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT AND ESSENTIALLY THAT IT WAS ALL ON ME TO FIX IT. EVEN AFTER ADDITIONALLY SHARING MY LACK OF EMPLOYMENT & TOUGH FAMILY FINANCIAL SITUATION IT WAS, "SORRY WE CAN DO NOTHING AS YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WE NOW HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET AS THE CAR IS CRUCIAL TO OUR NEEDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT APPYING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V122000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: SWITCHES: BRAKE LIGHT). THE VIN WAS INELIGIBLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
I OWN A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. IT SEEMS THAT THE BRAKES ACT FUNNY (DON'T WORK RIGHT/LONGER STOP TIME) WHENEVER IT IS WET OR COLD OUT. I HAVE HAD WORK DONE ON IT BY THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE FROZE UP AND ONLY HALF WORKING. THEY WANTED $45 TO CLEAN THEM FOR ME. INSTEAD I HAD MY NORMAL MECHANIC DO THE CLEANING WHEN HE REPLACED MY REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. HE DID THE CLEANING FOR FREE. ABOUT A MONTH LATER ON MY WAY HOME, DRIVING THROUGH THE RAIN I CAME UP TO A STOP LIGHT WITH 3 OR 4 VEHICLES STOPPED AT IT, I PRESSED THE BRAKE WITH ABOUT FIFTY FEET BETWEEN MY VEHICLE AND THEIRS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH AND THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN AT ALL. I USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN BUT STILL HIT A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. NO ONE WAS HURT. I CAN'T SAY THE SAME FOR MY CAR... IT HIT AN SUV. THE SUV HAD MINOR DAMAGE BUT MY CAR'S FRONT END WAS DESTROYED, AND THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO MY MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS AND TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED AND THE BRAKES WERE STICKING A LITTLE BUT ALL HE COULD FIGURE OUT IS THAT THE CALIPERS NEED MORE CLEARANCE. THE BRAKES WORKED FOR HIM WITH NO FIXING BUT HE ALSO DROVE IT IN FAIR/SUNNY WEATHER. TO SUM UP THE INFORMATION I DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES HARDLY, IF AT ALL WORK IN COLD AND WET WEATHER. AND NOTHING IS REALLY BEING DONE EVEN AFTER I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE ISSUE. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP HE SAID IT WAS COMMON FOR THIS CAR TO HAVE BRAKES FREEZE UP DUE TO RUST BUILDUP AND OFFERED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM CLEANED (ONCE AGAIN FOR $45) THERE IS ALSO A PART AVAILABLE FOR EXTRA MONEY OF COARSE THAT IS A NEW CALIPER SLIDE ASSEMBLY WITH ADDITIONAL CLEARANCE. THIS TELLS ME THAT HYUNDAI KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
2005 HYUNDAI SONATA - 20,700 MILES FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO SEVERE BRAKE RUST. *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES, THE REAR BRAKE DISINTEGRATED DUE TO DRAGGING AND I WAS INFORMED IT WAS MY DRIVING. ONLY ONE REAR BRAKE MALFUNCTIONED IN THIS WAY, HOWEVER ALL ROTORS HAD TO BE "TURNED DOWN" AND NEW BRAKES WERE INSTALLED ALL AROUND EVEN THOUGH ALL OTHER 3 PADS WERE LIKE NEW. AT 72,000 THE FRONT BRAKE DID THE EXACT SAME THING AND THE REAR BRAKE WAS CLOSE TO BEING DETRIMENTAL TO THE ROTOR. THE FRONT ROTORS COULD NOT BE "TURNED-DOWN" AGAIN, SO NEW ROTORS WERE APPLIED. THIS PARTICULAR MECHANIC, AT A WELL KNOW FACILITY INFORMED ME THAT HYUNDAI'S ARE NOTORIOUS FOR WEARING OUT BRAKES AND THEY SEE THIS CONTINUED PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE HYUNDAI DEALER IS QUITE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM NOW ON A "WATCH" AT THIS MECHANIC'S SHOP TO KEEP FROM HAVING YET ANOTHER BRAKE ISSUE. SOMETHING CAUSES THE BRAKES TO DRAG AND WEAR QUICKLY AND NOT ALWAYS THE SAME BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDDLE, AFTER THE FIRST HYUNDAI SERVICE, WENT TO FLOOR AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SONATA IS DESIGNED FOR THE "OLDER" CUSTOMER WHOSE REACTION TIME IS SLOWER AND MORE UNSTEADY, THEREFORE THE BRAKING IS LONGER AND SOFTER. AFTER THE NEW MECHANIC ADJUSTED EVERYTHING, MY BRAKES ARE NORMAL. *TR
HUSBAND DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, CAR IN FRONT OF HIM STOPPED; BRAKES ON SONATA FAILED-HIT BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, BUT SONATA STILL DID NOT STOP; CAR WAS AT THE DEALER (SAVAGE HYUNDAI) THE WEEK BEFORE FOR INSPECTION AND ALL WAS FINE; HUSBAND HIT CAR IN FRONT OF HIM AND THAT PERSON HIT ANOTHER CAR. IN ADDITION, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS $6700 WORTH OF FRONT END DAMAGE; TOLD DEALER-SAID HIGH HIT; CALLED HYUNDAI-IMPLIED DAMAGE WAS HIGH AND PERHAPS AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, BUT MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT; SAID WE NEEDED PICTURES, ETC.; CAR WAS AT THE HYUNDAI DEALER BEING FIXED; BOTH HYUNDAI DEALER AND HYUNDAI CORPORATE NOT MAKING THINGS EASY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING TWO ACCIDENTS. THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR BODY REPAIRS HOWEVER, THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE BRAKES. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND POLICE REPORTS WERE FILED. UPDATED 03/22/06*JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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