2000 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 278 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2000 reports, 20 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 15 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
SuspensionApr 16, 2009
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT IN THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION IS FREQUENTLY VISIBLE AND OFTEN DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND OWNERS MAY ALSO HEAR NOISES OR NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. IF THESE SIGNALS ARE UNDETECTED OR UNHEEDED, THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY DETACH FROM THE SUB-FRAME.
IF THAT HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE DRIVE POWER TO THE WHEELS, AND THE FRONT WHEEL MAY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FENDER OR WHEEL WELL, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME AND INSPECT THE FRONT SUB-FRAME FOR CORROSION DAMAGE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW SUB-FRAME THAT INCORPORATES ADDITIONAL HOLES IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PANELS. IF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME DOES NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER WILL ADD DRAINAGE HOLES TO THE SUB-FRAME AND WILL TREAT THE SUB-FRAME WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIAL TO STOP THE CORROSION PROCESS. THIS PROCEDURE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 09V124000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowApr 9, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION THAT LEADS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION COULD RESULT FROM MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND COULD PREVENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR.
NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SRS SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.
DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 02V105000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsNov 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COULD ILLUMINATE DUE TO MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG(S).
THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT SEAT MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR. NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SRS SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS INTENDED.
DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE FRONT SEAT SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL OCCUR IN SIX MAILINGS ON MAY 27, JUNE 3, JUNE 10, JUNE 17, JUNE 24, AND JULY 1, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 01V347000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiringSep 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SOME SONATA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES AND ALL ELANTRA MODEL VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT LOW-SPEED ENGINE STALLING, WHICH COULD OCCUR IF THE MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) SENSOR ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IS INTERRUPTED AS A RESULT OF ENGINE VIBRATION TRANSMITTED TO THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE MAF SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRING HARNESS.
Campaign 00V259001 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: air bags
43 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Oct 16, 2002
CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS AFTER RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. RECALL#01V34700 AIR BAG LIGHT SRS. CITY MOTORS 700 EAST HWY20 MICHIGAN CITY, IN 46360. MR
Air bags, Oct 2, 2002
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIR BAG COULD BE INOPERATIVE IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM CONSUMER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS SERVICED THREE TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH
Air bags, Jul 16, 2002
WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT BEING IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK
Air bags, Jul 10, 2002
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY SINCE MARCH 2002. DEALERSHIP WORKED ON VEHICLE 3 TIMES ,AND THEN INFORMED OWNER THAT RECALL 02V105002 REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED IN JUNE 2002. ON JULY 6TH, AIR BAG LIGHT AGAIN BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE. DEALERSHIP WAS TAKING TIME TO DETERMINE CAUSE AND REMEDY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK
Air bags, Jul 3, 2002, crash
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. TWO DAYS LATER CONSUMER RECIEVED A RECALL LETTER ON THE SIDE AIRBAGS. *JB THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *YH
Air bags, Jun 19, 2002, crash
DURING A VEHICLE CRASH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
Air bags, Jun 14, 2002
AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON ALL DAY. CONTACTED DEALER. FOUND NOTHING WRONG.*AKI
Air bags, Jun 3, 2002
CONSUMER STATES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON FOR THE FIFTH TIME. DEALER REPLACED ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. *TT
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Air bags, May 29, 2002
VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS - MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO TAKE STEPS IN ENSURING MY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD. *AK
Air bags, Feb 8, 2002, crash
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING 40MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Other or unspecified, Sep 25, 2001
VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND THEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT/ AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Air bags, May 21, 2001, crash
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED 25-30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH FONTAL DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Power train, Air bags, Jan 28, 2001
THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. THE DISTRICT MANGER, JEFF WESTLAND OUT OF N.J., (609) 395-7308 STATED THAT HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF A DEFECT IN THE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT (LATE 1999'S & EARLY 2000'S THAT ROLLED OFF THE ASSEMBLY) WHICH MAKES THE LIGHT COME ON IF A PERSON MOVES AROUND IN THE SEAT, EXCESSIVE WEIGHT OF A PASSENGER, OR PUTTING ANY OBJECT UNDER THE SEAT. WHAT I FIND OUTRAGEOUS ABOUT THIS, IS THE LAST TWO TIMES I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON. WHEN I SPOKE WITH MR. WESTLAND, HE WANTED ME TO LEAVE THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT THE DEALSHIP, FIRST TEAM, SO THEY COULD GO OVER IT BUMPER TO BUMPER. ON JANUARY 8, 2001 I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WHICH WAS ON AGAIN. ON THAT EVENING, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:00, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALSHIP, ASKING IF I COULD COME INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING TO DRIVE WITH ONE OF THEIR MECHANICS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS UNABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF WORK. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON . I PICKED UP THE CAR THAT EVENING SINCE, "NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT" AND WOULD BE UNABLE TO TEST DRIVE IT WITH A MECHANIC. . I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALERSHIP IS SAYING THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS NOT BEEN ON THE LAST SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IT HAS BEEN. THE TRANSMISSION SPORATICALLY DOWNSHIFTS WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL SURFACE AT A CONSTANT SPEED. IT ALSO HESITATES SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY OF THE INVOICES STATING THE REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO THESE TWO PROBLEMS, PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *AK
Air bags, Oct 10, 2000
AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACK-ORDER. AIR BAGS ARE INOPERABLE, AND (AS A RESULT) POSE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS.ARD
Electrical system, Air bags, Sep 28, 2000
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AND NOTICED THAT AIRBAG MODULE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, VEHICLE SHUTOFF. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THERE WAS A WIRE CROSSED. VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES. *AK
Air bags, Aug 8, 2000
I BOUGHT A HYUNDAI SONATA IN DECEMBER. I JUST GOT MY CAR OUT OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE THIRD TIME. AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS ACTIVATING ON OUR CAR AND THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. WE CHECKED INTO THE LEMON LAW AND UNDERSTOOD THAT WE FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY. THE DEALERSHIP AGREES, BUT NOW WILL NOT REFUND OUR MONEY. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THAT CAR. THERE ARE DUEL FRONT AIR BAGS, ALONG WITH SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS. ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WE HAD IT SERVICED, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT, SINCE THE DEALER WILL NOT COOPERATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON THIS MATTER.*AK
Air bags, Jun 29, 2000
DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS SLAMMED SHUT.DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Air bags, Mar 14, 2000, crash
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILITY, AND RESULTING IN A CRASH. ALSO, AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT THE HEAD RESTRAINT WHICH FLEW INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK