2008 Hyundai Sonata Electrical System Problems

Car has a B1448 (ACTIVE) Passenger Occupant Detecting System (PODS) Circuit Fault Related to the passenger detecting pad in the front passenger seat problems started at 120,000 miles

Just about 2 months ago i exit my vehicle after parking up. As i exit i smelled a burning smell and heard sparks so i stepped away from vehicle asap and then the horn start honking and lights flashing on own. Then the car started up by itself and started to run without me in car and keys in my hand. Police came from noise distubing and took the battery off to stop. After that i couldnt start car so had towed in shop for 5 weeks. Hot out of shop and can start now but now my a.c. and windows doesnt work because mechanic said that something keep blowing those fuses out and if he puts yhem back in then the car will go back to not starting. I am guessing this is part of the recall.

The car was parked and turned off, not being driven and ignited on its own. The entire front end of the vehicle was on fire, according to the fire department it was some type of electrical short that started the fire. Vehicle was totaled out as it was a complete loss.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CROWN HYUNDAI (5301 34TH ST N, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33714, (888) 727-9161) REGARDING THE REAR BACK-UP SENSORS AND AN UNKNOWN NHTSA RECALL RELATED TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) CLUSTER. WHEN THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO UPDATE THE ECM CLUSTER, THEY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR TWELVE DAYS, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

OIL LEAKS FROM FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET DRIPS ONTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC WHILE IN MOTION

NOTICED OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO MY ALTERNATOR, CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF. ISSUE WITH THE VALVE COVER GASKET.

CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S NOT BATTERY RELATED. I'VE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM SONATA OWNERS OF MODEL YEARS 2006-08. PEOPLE HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT IT'S IGNITION SWITCH RELATED. MY CAR WAS PARKED, IT HAS A BRAND NEW BATTERY IN IT.

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.

I HAVE THE 3.3L V6 ENGINE THAT IS ALSO IN TWO OTHER VEHICLES MADE BY HYNDAI. BOTH OF THOSE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE LEAKS OIL FROM A FAULTY GASKET AND DRIPS ONTO THE ALTENATOR. THIS CAUSES THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL PREMATURELY AND OFTEN WITHOUT WARNING. I AM ON MY THIRD ONE NOW AND IT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE. THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THIS SCENARIO HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE NOW. NO HEADLIGHTS, NO DASHBOARD INDICATORS, NO BRAKE LIGHTS, NO TURN SIGNALS. AT 70MPH THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SCENARIO.

ON THE 3.3L ENGINE THERE IS A FAULT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT CAUSES OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING PREMATURE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. IF THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING THIS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE SUCH AS THE VERACRUZ AND A RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED. FOR SOME REASON THE RECALL DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE SONATA AS IT SHOULD. THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE VERACRUZ RECALL INVOLVING THE SAME ENGINE. "HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY (HYUNDAI) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2012 VERACRUZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 26, 2006, THROUGH JULY 24, 2012. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AN OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK VALVE COVER GASKET. IF THERE IS A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF OIL DROPPED ONTO THE ALTERNATOR, THE ALTERNATOR WILL BE DAMAGED CAUSING THE CHARGING SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE." MY ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED TWICE NOW, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT IT EASILY COULD HAVE GONE BAD ON ME AS I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC. ONCE MY ALTERNATOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY MY BATTERY DIED I WAS LEFT WITHOUT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WITHOUT LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS OF MY SITUATIONS.

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.

ENGINE CONTROL MODULE(ECM) FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, REQUIRING EXTENSIVE REPAIRS. MAY HAVE ALSO CAUSED BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, BRAKE SWITCH, CONDENSER FAN, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL.

I FIRST NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA ON FRIDAY 08-05-16 WHEN I EXITED A HIGHWAY AND MY SEAT BELT AND BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHTS BEGAN TO ALTERNATE FLASHING. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY MECHANIC A FEW DAYS LATER (THEY ARE CLOSED ON WEEKENDS). WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVER THAT WEEKEND THOSE SAME TWO INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD CONTINUE TO ALTERNATE FLASHING WHEN DRIVEN BELOW 40 MPH. ON 08-09-16, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE MECHANIC, NUMEROUS OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASH BEGAN TO TURN ON ONE BY ONE. AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING AND ULTIMATELY LOST POWER. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. HE STEAM CLEANED THE ENGINE AND THEN FOUND AN OIL LEAK FROM THE "FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET" WAS THE CAUSE. HE REPLACED IT. I'M AWARE OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. WE ALSO OWN A 2007 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ AND WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM TO THAT VEHICLE ONE YEAR AGO, WHEN THE VERACRUZ WAS 8 YEARS OLD. THIS HAPPENED TO MY SONATA AT THE SAME "AGE", 8 YEARS OLD. THE VERACRUZ DAMAGE WAS COVERED BY A HYUNDAI RECALL. I BELIEVE THE 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN HYUNDAI'S RECALL.

AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF, DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RECEIVER, WHICH I REPLACED WITH A NEW PART, AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON AND NOW I AM TOLD IT IS THE PASSENGER SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR. I SAW THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS BUT WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. I AM UNABLE TO INSPECT THE CAR IN THE STATE OF MAINE NOW.

WHILE DRIVING THE SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER THE RADIO SHUT OFF. NEXT MOST OF THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON , THE ENGINE WOULD NOT MAKE POWER/ACCELERATE, AND THE BRAKING SEEMED WEAK/JERKY. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AS SOON AS I COULD. NOW ALL DASH LIGHTS WERE ON/BLINKING AND THE RADIO, SUNROOF, WINDOWS ETC WOULD NOT WORK. THINKING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE I LEFT IT RUNNING TO INVESTIGATE. NEXT THING I KNOW THE CAR IS OVERHEATING EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE ISN'T SHOWING IT. STEAM EVERYWHERE AND THE OVERFLOW POPPED THE CAP OFF. SHUT THE CAR OFF. ONCE THE CAR COOLED I WAS ABLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. OIL HAS BEEN DRIPPING ON TO THE ALTERNATOR FROM A LEAK IN THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THIS KILLED THE ALTERNATOR WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE CONTROL/BRAKING/ACCELERATION ISSUES ONE IT WAS ON BATTERY ONLY. I'M ASSUMING THE FAN WAS NOT COOLING EITHER WHICH RESULTED IN THE OVERHEATING.

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH WILL NOT GO OUT. PASSENGER SEATBELT AIR BAG LIGHT ALSO WILL NOT GO OUT WITH OR WITHOUT SOMEONE IN THE SEAT. BOTH LIGHTS ARE STILL ON AFTER A WARRANTY VISIT AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CLEARED THE CODES AND DID THE TENSIONER REPAIR, BUT LIGHTS ARE STILL ON. SEVERAL BLOGS WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS HAVE COME UP WITH AN INTERNET SEARCH BUT EVEN THOSE PEOPLE HAVE SPENT THE $ TO FIX THE ISSUE AND THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON FOR THEM TOO. PLEASE FIX!!!!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING. THE CAUSE WAS ALTERNATOR FAILURE DUE TO OIL LEAK FROM FRONT VALVE COVER. THIS IS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA 2008 WITH 3.3 LITERS V6. *TR *JS

APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO I TRIED STARTING MY CAR (WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN) AND IT WOULD NOT START, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER, THERE WAS NO SOUND (ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE POWER THROUGH THE BATTERY AS I HAD LIGHTS, THE LIGHTS WORKED, RADIO ETC) -- I CALLED MY FATHER AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TRY STARTING IT WHICH IT STARTED RIGHT AWAY AT THAT TIME. NOW THREE MONTHS LATER I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, TURNED THE KEY AND NOTHING -- NO SOUND (EXCEPT RADIO, LIGHTS ETC -- NEW BATTERY NOT THAT) -- I TRIED REPEATING PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL AND DIDN'T WORK -- I TRIED MOVING BACK AND FORTH FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL AND TRIED STARTING THE CAR EACH TIME TO NO AVAIL. I STOPPED FOR A SHORT TIME AND CALLED MY FATHER AGAIN FOR ANY ADDITIONAL ADVICE WHICH HE HAD NONE AT THAT TIME. WHEN I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN IT FINALLY STARTED. I DROVE RIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE STARTER GOING BAD AND WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $350 -- I LATER SPOKE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO MENTIONED THAT IF THE STARTER WERE GOING BAD THAT THERE WOULD BE A "CLICKING" NOISE WHEN I TRIED STARTING THE CAR WITH NO START. THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING. IT APPEARS BY BLOGS IN THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2008 SONATA YET ALL THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO DO IS CHARGE ME A LOT OF MONEY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN ON BY ITSELF WHEN THE IGNITION WAS PLACED IN THE ON POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,600. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,700.