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Hyundai Sonata Steering Safety Report | June 14, 2013



Reported on June 14, 2013


AS A RESULT OF THE WANDERING STEERING ISSUE, I HAVE CONCLUDED MY 2012, HYUNDAI SONATA LIMITED 2.0T IS UNSAFE. UP UNTIL THIS REPORT, I HAVE TOLERATED THE STEERING. ON JUNE 14, 2013, I NEARLY CROSSED OVER THE CENTER OF A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY NEARLY HITTING AN 18-WHEEL SEMI TRUCK HEAD ON. THE STEERING IS NOT SAFE. DUE TO THE VERY LIGHT NATURE OF THE STEERING AND LACK OF PROGRESSION JUST OFF CENTER, THERE IS TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE CENTER OF THIS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS PLAY RESULTS IN A SLIGHT DELAY IN RESPONSE TO SMALL STEERING INPUTS. ALONG WITH A POOR FACTORY SUSPENSION SETUP THAT IS TOO STIFF, THE CAR EASILY BEGINS TO WANDER ON EVEN THE SMOOTHEST OF ROADS. AN EXAMPLE IS NOTED. CAR MOVES RIGHT. I RESPOND WITH LEFT INPUT. CAR MOVES LEFT. HOWEVER, DELAY IN STEERING RESPONSE TO CENTER CAR RESULTS IN OVERSHOOTING CENTER POSITION OF THE LANE. THEN HAVE TO PROVIDE RIGHT STEERING INPUT, AGAIN WITH DELAY IN RESPONSE TO INPUT. AS A RESULT, THE CAR BECOMES STUCK IN A LEFT TO RIGHT OSCILLATION. EVEN IF I LIGHTEN UP ON THE INPUTS, I CANNOT ELIMINATE THE OSCILLATION BECAUSE NO ROAD IS PERFECTLY FLAT. ADD IN CROSSWINDS, IT ONLY GETS WORSE. I AM AWARE OF NUMEROUS REPORTS CONCERNING THE WANDERING STEERING OF THE HYUNDAI SONATA. I AM ALSO AWARE OF SOME OWNERS HAVING THE STEERING MODE CHANGED TO SPORT, BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED THIS WILL HELP MUCH IF I CHOOSE TO HAVE THIS DONE. THE POOR SUSPENSION (TOO MUCH DAMPING) ALONG WITH THE LOW PROFILE TIRES WILL STILL BE THERE, AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY CAN GET THE STEERING TO WORK WELL WITH THE SUSPENSION. OVERALL, THE LIGHT, SLOW TO RESPOND STEERING AND A TOO STIFF SUSPENSION ARE NOT A GOOD MATCH FOR EACH OTHER UNDER DAILY DRIVING. THE STEERING IS PROGRESSIVE DURING MORE AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, EVEN THOUGH IT LACKS GOOD FEEDBACK. *TR
Make: Hyundai
Model: Sonata
Manufactured by: Hyundai Motor Company
Year: 2012
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: AUGUSTA GA
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):
Mileage: 18210 miles.
Speed: 60 MPH
Number of cylinders:
Vehicle type:
Vehicle fuel:
Was a police report filed? N
Tire size:
Dealer name and location:
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