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Hyundai Sonata Steering Safety Report | Sept 01, 2012
Reported on Sept 01, 2012
| I PURCHASED MY 2013 SONATA LTD WITH STANDARD ENGINE 08/17/12. AFTER THE FIRST 300 MI OR SO I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE DRIFTS , WHICH REQUIRES CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTION TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE FASTER THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING THE MORE PROMINENT THE DRIFTING, SO AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS CAN BECOME TIRING, WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL MOMENTARILY, WITH SEVERE CONSEQUENCES. THIS VEHICLE IS DESIGNED WITH ELECTRIC STEERING THAT FUNCTIONS NORMALLY FOR TURNING BUT THERE IS AN INHERENT DESIGN ERROR IN THE STEERING CONTROL THAT ALLOWS THERE TO BE PHYSICAL ?PLAY? IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS ?PLAY? IS SIMILAR TO AUTOS THAT HAVE MANY MILES ON THEM. THEY WOULD HAVE RACK TO PINION WEAR OR BAD STEERING BUSHINGS CAUSING A GAP IN THE STEERING MOVEMENT LEFT AND RIGHT FROM CENTER. THE SONATA'S ?GAP? ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE STEERING IS OFF CENTER DURING VEHICLE TURNING AND HAS TO BE PASSED THROUGH TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON TRACK. THE GAP ON THE SONATA IS ABOUT 1/3?. THIS CAUSES THE DRIFT . BY CONTRAST, I ALSO OWN A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH CONVENTIONAL POWER STEERING AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PLAY IN THE WHEEL, THUS THE VEHICLE GOES EXACTLY WHERE POINTED WITHOUT DRIFT. IN VA. WHERE I LIVE, GIVEN A SCENARIO WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS OLDER AND GOING THROUGH A STANDARD ANNUAL INSPECTION, THIS STEERING ?PLAY? WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE REJECTED AS HAVING A SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE REPAIRED. THE NHTSA SHOULD WITHOUT DELAY REQUIRE HYUNDAI TO RECALL AND REPAIR THIS ISSUE BY REMOVING THE STEERING ?PLAY?. HOW MANY OWNERS DOES IT TAKE WHO ACTUALLY COMPLAIN BEFORE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN? I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS THAT THIS ISSUE AFFECTS EVERY SONATA OF THIS DESIGN. I NOTED THIS SAME PROBLEM BEING REPORTED IN PREVIOUS YEARS OF THIS DESIGN AFTER THE RECALL WITH SOME REPORTS DESCRIBING POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. THAT'S A LOT OF CARS! *TR | |
| Make: | Hyundai |
| Model: | Sonata |
| Manufactured by: | Hyundai Motor Company |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | MIDLOTHIAN VA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 5NPEC4AC7DH |
| Mileage: | 300 miles. |
| Speed: | 25 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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