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Hyundai Sonata Exterior Lighting Safety Report | July 16, 2011
Reported on July 16, 2011
| HAVE OWNED THIS 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW. FOR THE FIRST TIME, I OPERATED THE CAR AT NIGHT. I WAS NOT AWARE OF AN OBVIOUS AND CONSEQUENTIAL DEFECT WITH THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM AIMING ON THIS AUTOMOBILE. WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AFTER DARK, THERE IS A SHARP BOUNDARY BETWEEN HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION ON THE LOWER AREA AND DARKNESS ABOVE. ON ALL BUT LEVEL ROADWAY, THIS HAZARDOUS DEFECT IS APPARENT. MANY ROADS WHERE I LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA ARE TWISTING AND HILLY. TRAVERSING THOSE ROADS WITH THIS SONATA USING THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS IS UNNERVING AND DANGEROUS. WHEN THE FRONT OF THE CAR DIPS INTO EVEN A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE, ROAD AHEAD IS ILLUMINATED TO ABOUT 40 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR. LINE OF SIGHT THROUGH WINDSHIELD HAS AT LEAST HALF THE VIEW ABOVE UNLIT. SEEMS THAT THE VIEW ZONE BRIGHTLY ILLUMINATED BELOW, THE EYES TRY TO COMPENSATE FOR CONTRAST. CONSEQUENTLY, THE TOP HALF SEEN THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO BE IN COMPLETE BLACKNESS. ASIDE FROM THE IMPAIRED ROAD ILLUMINATION, WHILE DRIVING ON CURVING ROADS, THERE IS AN ANNOYING HYPNOTIC EFFECT CAUSED. DUE TO THE HARSH LIGHT AND DARK CONTRAST, I FIND IT CONFUSING TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN THE PAINTED LINES DUE TO THE LOW BEAM PROBLEM. LAST NIGHT WHILE ON THE WAY HOME OVER ONE OF THE WINDING ROADS, I NEARLY HIT A DEER. THE ANIMAL WAS STANDING IN THE ROAD BUT I COULD NOT SEE IT. BECAUSE OF THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON MY SONATA, I NEARLY CRASHED. FORTUNATELY, THE DEER JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY IN THE LAST SECONDS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CAR. TO ME, THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHT PROBLEM IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION. UNTIL THERE IS A SOLUTION, FOR MY OWN PROTECTION, I NOW DRIVE ON THOSE ROADS WITH THE HIGH BEAMS, AT NIGHT, ALL THE TIME. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A SERIOUS AND VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO LIFE AND SAFETY. *KB | |
| Make: | Hyundai |
| Model: | Sonata |
| Manufactured by: | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | TANNERSVILLE PA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 5NPEB4AC6BH |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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