Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Hyundai Sonata submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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
I find replacing the light bulbs for head lights and brake lights and flood lights more often than any other cars I have owned. The steering wheel makes a noise when turning left. And a noise is getting louder not sure what it’s related to.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY CAR ARE ANGLED TOO LOW WHILE USING LOW-BEAMS AND THE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT IS BAD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE HAD THIS CAR AND I AM NOW AWARE THAT I CAN FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST IT. HIGH-BEAMS SEEM TO FUNCTION OK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. IN ADDITION, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BECAME MISALIGNED TO THE LEFT AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE THE FULL VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD. DOWNEY HYUNDAI (7550 FIRESTONE BLVD, DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA 90241, (562) 314-4331) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FAILURE AND DISCONNECTED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. KEYES MISSION HILLS HYUNDAI (10240 SEPULVEDA BLVD, MISSION HILLS, CALIFORNIA 91345) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE HEADLAMP LIGHTING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT PARTS AND LABOR WOULD NOT BE COVERED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E021000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) IN REGARDS TO THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 08V161000 (AIR BAGS) AND 08E021000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AS POTENTIAL CAUSES OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,605.
WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN PARK TURN OFF THE CAR MY PARKING LIGHTS COME ON CANT TURN THEM OFF AT SWITCH HAVE TO DISCONNECT MY BATTERY FOR FEAR MY CAR WONT START, ALSO AT DARK WHILE IM DRIVING I SWITCH MY LIGHTS TO JUST THE RUNNING LIGHTS MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON. NO MATTER IF MY SWITCH IS ON AUTO OR OFF MY LIGHTS STILL STAY ON. WHEN I TURN OFF THE CAR AND AT TIMES I CANT GET MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SHIFTIER, AND IF THAT DOSE NOT WORK THEN I PUT MY SEAT BELT BACK ON AND PUSH THE LOCK AND UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY FOB. SO WITH ALL OF THIS I CANT USE THE ALARM NOR THE ABILITY TO UNLOCK MY DOOR AND TO HAVE MY INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AT NIGHT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BECAUSE OF THE NIGHT TIME SECURITY FEATURES.
MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT IS NOT DETECTING ANYONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT'S AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH MY AIRBAGS AND MAY BE DUE TO A FAULTY WIRING ISSUE UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. ADDITIONALLY, THE LOW BEAM ON MY DRIVER SIDE LIGHTING FIXTURE IS NOT WORKING, ALTHOUGH I'VE HAD THE BULB REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. FURTHER, THE HEADLIGHTS, ALTHOUGH ALSO REPLACED, DON'T WORK AT ALL.
THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF! A LIGHT SAYS ESC OFF, WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF , LATER THE LIGHT IS OUT BUT I STILL DO NOT HAVE FUNCTIONING BRAKE LIGHTS THEY JUST STAY ON WHILE IN MOTION.
IM JUST WRITING BECAUSE IM GETTING ALOT OF ALERTS FROM YOU GUYS AND I DONT LIVE AT THE SAME ADDRESS WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR. SO IM NOT GETTING MY RECALL LETTERS OR NOTICES. SO WHAT IM WOUNDERING IS WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE MY CAR IS NOT BEING EFFECTIVE BY THESES RECALLS. THANK YOU AND HAVE A NICE DAY.
ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT TURNING ON WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. ON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT IT MIGHT BE DUE TO THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH ISSUE MENTIONED ON HYUNDAI'S WEBSITE AND THEY RECALLED A LOT OF VEHICLES IN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WHEN I CHECKED ABOUT THE CAR'S ELIGIBILITY ON HYUNDAI'S WEBSITE, I FOUND MY CAR AS ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIR FREE OF COST. AFTER TALKING TO THE DEALER FOR FIXING OF THE ISSUE, THEY SAID THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THEN I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE HELPDESK WITH THE DETAILS. ALSO, I CONTACTED THEM ON THE HELPLINE NUMBER. AS PER THEM, MY VEHICLE WAS ALREADY RECALLED A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK AND THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED WITH A HIGH QUALITY PART WHICH SHOULD NOT CREATE ANY MORE PROBLEMS AND I'LL HAVE TO BEAR THE INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT COST. I WOULD LIKE THE COMPANY/DEALER TO GET THIS FIXED ASAP SINCE THE PART HAS AGAIN STARTED CREATING PROBLEMS IN JUST 2 YEARS AND I AM WORRIED WITH THE FURTHER PROBLEM IT MAY CAUSE TO MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE TODAY MORNING WHILE COMMUTING TO OFFICE.
I WAS UNAWARE WHEN I HAVE TURNED ON MY PARKING LIGHTS - NOT MY HEADLIGHTS. DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE THE SAME FOR EITHER CHOICE. TOO OFTEN I AM UNAWARE WHEN I HAVE NOT TURNED MY HEADLIGHTS ON.. DEALER RESPONSE WAS - NO CARS GIVE YOU VISUAL INDICATION OF THE SELECTED LEVEL OF OUTSIDE LIGHTING. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS CAUSE NEAR MISSES OFTEN AT DUSK. *TR
I CANT KEEP HEADLIGHTS WORKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE WIRES ARE MELTED SO ITS HARD TO EVEN CHANGE THE BULBS. ANYWAYS I HAVE BEEN THROUGH 4-6 BULBS SINCE FEB. BUT MOST OF THE TIME I GO WITHOUT LIGHTS ON THAT SIDE EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. *TR
SEVERAL TIMES THE ESC LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I NOTICED A LOT OF DRIVERS HAVE THEIR BRAKE LIGHTS GOING OFF. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HAPPENING BUT I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND THE LIGHT WILL NOT STAY ON SO I CANCELLED. IT DID STAY ON ONCE FOR 3 DAYS ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT I GOT MY TIRES CHANGED AND BOTH LIGHTS WENT OFF. SINCE THEN THE ESC LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON BUT AFTER IT SETS OR YOU PARK IT AND RESTART, THE LIGHT RESETS AND GOES OFF. *TR
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS (BOTH ALONG BUMPER AND IN THE BACK WINDOW) FAILED TO COME ON ALTHOUGH ALL FUSES AND BULBS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINCE. *JS
ESC LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT. NOTICED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS YEARS BUT NOT THE 2008. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT NONE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V122000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:SWITCHES:BRAKE LIGHT). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,925.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED AND THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STOP LAMP SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 61,000.
BOTH THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE REAR DASH LIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING (11-12-2011). I ALSO HAVE THE ESC INDICATOR LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF (PAST 6 MONTHS) THERE WAS A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT ON THE STOP LAMP SWITCH DONE ON 10-23-2009. SERVICE DEPARTMENT INVOICE STATES ESC OFF LIGHT ON CAUSED BY: RECOVERED C1513 DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LAMP SWITCH. WORK PERFORMED: INSTALLED 93810-3K000-QQH STOP LAMP ASSEMBLY SWITCH. PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING!!!! *TR
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA IN NOVEMBER OF 2007. I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL BACK IN EARLY 2008 ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE AIRBAG SENSOR. I TOOK THE CAR IN A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NO ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR IN ANOTHER TIME AND THE DEALERSHIP SAW THE DEFECT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL COME ON SAYING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF, EVEN IF THERE IS AN ADULT OVER 150LBS SITTING IN THE SEAT IN THE UP-RIGHT POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP SENT THE SEAT TO SOME PLACE IN CALIFORNIA TO BE FIXED AND THEN WAS RETURNED AFTER THREE DAYS. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND I WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN A NUMBER OF TIMES TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED. I SHOWED THEM PICTURES AND VIDEOS BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG. MY SALES-WOMAN SUGGESTED THAT I FILE THE LEMON LAW ON THE CAR. SHE SAID THAT AS LONG AS I WAS STILL UNDER THE WARRANTY THAT I WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE LEMON LAW. I CALLED THE HOTLINE NUMBER SHE GAVE ME AND THEY SAID I JUST MISSED THE DEADLINE BY ONE MONTH. THE REP FOR THE LEMON LAW SAID I HAD TWO YEARS PLUS 60 DAYS TO FILE. MY DEADLINE WOULD OF BEEN JANUARY OF 2009. I CALLED THE HOTLINE IN FEBRUARY OF 2009. THEY REFERRED ME TO THE BBB AUTO LINE. THE ONLY THING BBB DID FOR ME WAS CONTACT HYUNDAI TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME FOR THE DISTRICT PARTS MANAGER TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THE FIRST APPOINTMENT WAS GIVEN TO ME WITH TWO DAYS NOTICE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE. I AM A MANAGER OF A STORE AND I WORK 9AM-6PM EVERYDAY EXCEPT SUNDAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT HYUNDAI WOULD SCHEDULE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH ME BUT I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE DISTRICT PARTS MANAGER WOULD NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 9:30AM AND THE DEALERSHIP CLOSES BEFORE I WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THERE IN THE EVENINGS AND THEY ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. I ALSO RECENTLY FOUND TWO MORE RECALLS ISSUED FOR MY CAR FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. *TR
2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER STATES DISCONTENT WITH DENIAL OF A ONLINE COUPON, UNRESOLVED THUMPING, VIBRATION THAT OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. IN ADDITION THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHER/CLICKER IS TOO QUIET. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE THUMPING AND VIBRATION OCCURRED WHEN HE WOULD DRIVE AWAY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT OR IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 4-6 HOURS. AFTER DRIVING 3-5 MILES, THE THUMPING WOULD GO AWAY, BUT NOT ENTIRELY. THE THUMPING AND VIBRATION WAS FELT IN THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TIRES THAT CAME AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT PERFORMED BADLY DURING SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS. THE TIRES DID NOT GRIP PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEMS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIRES, BECAUSE AFTER THE TIRES WARM UP, THE THUMPING DIMINISHED QUITE A BIT. THE TIRES ALSO HAD FLAT SPOTS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FLASHER, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS STILL TOO QUIET. *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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