2003 Hyundai Sonata Body & Structure Problems

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 09V124000 NHTSA Action Number: EA08016 Recall calls for repair or replacement of front sub-frame, due to corrosion. Local dealer responded, “ . . . we will not be able to perform recall”. I was told the corrosion was too far gone to repair. They refuse to replace the defective part.

The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while self-inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the subframe was extremely rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,425. The contact stated that no assistance has been offered from the dealership from which the vehicle was purchased from.

2003 HYUNDAI SONATA AFFECTED BY PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE RIGHT FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTING IN THINNING, RUSTING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION/RUST IS VISIBLE AND DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION & ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND ALSO HEAR NOISES & NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL.THESE SIGNALS ARE DETECTING THE CORROSION PROGRESSING AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHING FROM THE SUB-FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW IN NEBRASKA, AND HAS REMAINED IN NEBRASKA ITS ENTIRE LIFE. NEBRASKA USES SALT ON ITS ROADS IN THE SAME CAPACITY AS IOWA AND OTHER "SALT STATES". SUCH CARS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN CONSIDERING THE LACK OF SAFETY AND DANGERS INVOLVED WHEN THE SUBFRAME DETERIATES DUE TO DEFECTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAID CAR. HYUNDAI SHOULD HONOR AND EXTEND THE RECALL OF SAID CAR IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA BECAUSE THE DEFECT IN THE SUBFRAME HAS BEEN AFFECTED IDENTICALLY AS IN OTHER "SALT STATES".

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED, THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

IN 2005, I PURCHASED A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR, I FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD A RECALL ON THE FUEL VALVE THAT THE COMPANY HAD TO RE-INSTALL. THIS RECALL INFORMATION WAS NOT ON MY CARFAX REPORT. LATER, THE MANUFACTURER HAD A RECALL ON INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES THAT PEELED AND CUT HANDS. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO WRAP MY HANDLES WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE; AFTER MY OBJECTION, THEY INSTALLED THE SAME RECALLED HANDLES. I'VE HAD MY INTERIOR HANDLES REPLACED THREE TIMES BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER DIDN'T MAKE THE HANDLES OUT OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL AND CHOOSES TO REINSTALL THE SAME RECALLED HANDLE. ON NOVEMBER 22ND, I WENT TO CAPITOL HYUNDAI TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE RECALLED FUEL VALVE, AND INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. A SERVICE REP INFORMED ME THAT ONCE THE COMPANY REPLACES ANY RECALLED ITEMS THE FIRST TIME, IT IS THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THEM IF THEY FAIL AGAIN. SURELY, THIS CANNOT BE CORRECT! RECALLS DO NOT EXPIRE AND AS LONG AS THE OWNER HAS THE VEHICLE, THE MANUFACTURER/DEALERSHIP SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IF THEIR MATERIALS ARE CONTINUOUSLY FAILING TO MEET SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. WHAT ARE FOLKS MAKING PAYMENTS OR CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE NOW SUPPOSED TO DO? DRIVE AROUND IN A DANGEROUS VEHICLE? BE IT 1 TIME OR 1 MILLION TIMES, I WANT CAPITOL HYUNDAI TO INDEFINITELY HONOR THEIR RECALLS--AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHROME COVERING ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE WAS CORRODED AND CRACKED, WHICH CREATED SHARP EDGES ON THE HANDLE. WHEN USING THE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SCRATCHES AND SMALL LACERATIONS DUE TO THE SHARP EDGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V317000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

PASSENGER SIDE CRADLE RUSTED THROUGH. DRIVER SIDE IS FINE. RECALL # 089. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT WHEELS APPEARED TO BE ANGLED INWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES OF MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA WENT UNDER A RECALL IN JULY 2009 BECAUSE THE CHROME PLATING WAS SPLITTING OPEN AND CUTTING PEOPLE. THREE DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED AND ONE WAS REWRAPPED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN SEPTEMBER 2013 THE SAME ISSUE AROSE WHEN MY WIFE AND BROTHER-IN-LAW CUT THEIR HANDS ON THE DOOR HANDLES, WHOSE CHROME PLATING HAS AGAIN BEGUN TO SPLIT. HYUNDAI HAS SAID THAT NO REPAIRS WILL BE MADE, SINCE THE HANDLES WERE TREATED AND THE 2009 RECALL HAS FINISHED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR INTERIOR DOOR CHROME HANDLES EXHIBITED EXTREMELY SHARP EDGES. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM A TWO INCH LACERATION TO BOTH FINGERS ON THE LEFT HAND. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER UPPER DOOR HANDLES CAUSED THE INJURIES. THE CONTACT APPLIED TAPE TO THE FOUR DOOR HANDLES TO AVOID ADDITIONAL INJURIES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V171000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

THE CHROME ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE OF DRIVER SIDE EXHIBITED A CRACK AND SEPARATED. MY WIFE CUT HER FINGER ON THE CRACKED CHROME PLATING. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151 AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DOOR HANDLE RECALL (I.E., NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V171000). I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ONE VEHICLE CAN BE RECALLED WHILE OTHERS OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL ARE NOT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED AND ALSO ADVISED THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 2009 (PE08071) DUE TO DEFECTIVE CHROME ON DOOR HANDLES. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, CHROME WAS REPAIRED AS IT HAD CAUSED A SMALL LACERATION. CHROME IS AGAIN DEFECTIVE, CAUSED LACERATION ON HAND AGAIN TODAY WHEN ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DOOR. THIS OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WHICH IS VERY RARELY USED. CHROME IS ALSO PEELING OFF OF EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE, RISKING FURTHER LACERATION. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP (GO HYUNDAI - 104TH & FEDERAL, WESTMINSTER, CO), DEALERSHIP SAID THIS IS NO LONGER COVERED AS THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE WORK DONE AS PART OF A RECALL. IN ADDITION, CAR IS TOO OLD FOR IT TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR DOES CONTINUE TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR POWERTRAIN ONLY. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM ON ANY MODEL OF CAR REGARDLESS OF AGE. THIS APPEARS TO BE UNIQUE TO HYUNDAI. *JS

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE A FAULTY DOOR HANDLE REPLACED WHICH I CUT MY HAND ON. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE DURING A RECALL. OBVIOUSLY THE SAME FAULTY PART WAS PUT ON AGAIN. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $125.00 FOR A NEW HANDLE BECAUSE THEY ONLY PERFORM A RECALL ONCE. I THOUGHT THAT RECALL PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT PARTS THAT ARE NOT FAULTY AND THE PARTS WERE GUARANTEED. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SERVICE DUE TO ANOTHER FAULTY HANDLE THAT THEY REPLACED. I NEVER EXPECT TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR AND CUT MY HAND NOR SHOULD I HAVE TO WRAP MY DOOR HANDLE AS THEY SUGGESTED. I AM SO UPSET OVER THIS AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER HYUNDAI AND EVEN HAVE MY CAR SERVICED THERE AGAIN. ALL I AM ASKING IS FOR HYUNDAI TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPLACE THIS HANDLE WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT CHIP. *JS

REPEATED USE OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY CAUSE WEAR OF THE CHROME PLATE. IF THE TOP EDGE OF THE HANDLE HAS VERY THIN CHROME PLATING, THAT PORTION OF THE PLATING MAY WEAR AWAY MORE EASILY THAN MORE THICKLY PLATED AREAS AS THE DOOR HANDLE IS USED. THE WORN CHROME PLATING ON THE UPPER EDGE OF THE HANDLE MAY RESULT IN A CRACK OR SEPARATION BETWEEN THE CHROME PLATING ON THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD SURFACES OF THE HANDLE, WHICH MAY FORM A SHARP EDGE. CONSEQUENCE: THIS MAY INFLICT LACERATION INJURIES TO ANYONE USING THE DOOR HANDLE. BASICALLY WHEN YOU GO TO USE THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES THE PEELING CHROME IS SHARP AND CUTS YOUR FINGERS. HYUNDAI RECALL #93 ENDED IN MARCH 2003, MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 2003. THE PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THE MODELS IN RECALL #93.

NHTSA ACTION # EA08016 MY 2003 SONATA WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN NY OPERATED THERE UNTIL 06/2008 WAS NOT RECALLED UNDER THE ABOVE ACTION #. I FEEL THIS IS A MISTAKE AS THIS CAR IS SHOWING SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL # 09V124000. I CALLED HYUNDAI AMERICA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. *KB

CHROME ON INTERIOR - DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS ERUPTED IN ONE SPOT PRODUCING A PIERCING SHARP NEEDLE-POINT WHICH CAN PIERCE THE FINGER OR HAND WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. CARE IS REQUIRED TO AVOID SKIN PIERCING INJURY. *KB

BOUGHT CAR USED FROM LOT...CHROME PLATING ON HANDLES PEELING AND CUT YOU IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL. JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO? *TR

I HAVE A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CHROME PLATES ON INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EXHIBITED A CRACK AND BEGAN TO SEPARATE. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BOTH CUT OUR FINGERS ON THE CRACKED CHROME PLATE. WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DOOR HANDLE RECALL. HYUNDAI RECALL ONLY VEHICLE PRODUCE IN 2002- 2003 MARCH, BUT MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCE IN 2003 APRIL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ONE VEHICLE WITH A PROBLEM CAN BE RECALLED, AND THE OTHER IN SAME YEAR AND MODEL WITH SAME PROBLEM IS NOT INCLUDED. *TR