2007 Hyundai Sonata Brakes Problems

Brake lights on and traction control light on, engine light on

HAD TO HIT HE BRAKES HARD WHILE DOING ABOUT 25 TO 30 MPH AND THE ABS WORKED FOR A MILLISECOND THEN THE PETAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR NO BRAKES AT ALL CAUSING A CRASH

ALL 4 BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND LEAKING BREAK FLUID, WHICH PREVENTED THE CAR FROM STOPPING WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. MECHANIC THINKS THE PLASTIC COVER AROUND THE BREAK LINES MAY BE TRAPPING WATER AND CAUSING CORROSION. THIS IS HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE.

MY HYUNDAI SONATA HAS HAD ISSUES LATELY WITH ESC. WHEN I HAVE 2-4 PEOPLE IN MY CAR, ESC AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ITSELF OFF AFTER 5 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING IT AND I'M UNABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON UNLESS I TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN. AS A RESULT OF THIS, MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT UP AT TIMES, AS I HAVE NOTICED THIS BY PARKING MY CAR IN MY GARAGE AT NIGHT AND PUSHED ON MY BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN THE BREAKS ARE REPEATEDLY PRESSED, THERE IS A 3-5 SECOND LAG TIME FOR THE LIGHTS TO TURN ON. THAT IS ENOUGH TIME TO KEEP A VEHICLE BEHIND ME IN THE DARK AND END UP REAR ENDING ME.

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, AND LOST ALL BRAKES, SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND PARKED. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO FIND BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER AREA. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, AFTER REMOVING FACTORY PLASTIC BRAKE LINE SHIELD, I FOUND BOTH BRAKE LINES TOTALLY CORRODED SO BAD THAT ONE WAS LEAKING. I THEN HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES & BLEED. I DO BELIEVE THE PLASTIC SHIELD HOLDING THE ROAD GRIME & MOISTURE TO BE THE CULPRIT. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION!!!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

AT THE TIRE REPLACEMENT SERVICE AT ABOUT 61K MILES (VERY GENTLE, FIRST OWNER, STILL HAD MORE THAN 2/32 TREAD LEFT ON THE FACTORY TIRES AT 61K MILES) I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT THE REAR BREAK PADS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WITH IN 2 DAYS I TOOK THE CAR TO AAMCO SINCE THERE WAS A $35 BRAKE PAD SERVICE DEAL. I WAS TOLD AFTER INSPECTION THAT A CALIPER PISTON IS SEIZED AND SO THE CALIPERS, THE DAMAGED ROTORS AND OF COURSE THE BRAKE PADS HAVE TO BE REPLACED - PREFERABLY FOR BOOTH RARE WHEELS, IN ORDER TO HAVE SIMILAR BRAKING CHARACTERISTICS. WHILE IT IS COMMON SENSE THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WOULD WEAR FASTER, THE AAMCO FOLKS WERE SURPRISED TO FIND THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM IN SUCH A BAD CONDITION WHILE THE ORIGINAL FRONT BRAKES WERE STILL GOOD. PER THEIR OPINION IT IS MOSTLY DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I CALLED HYUNDAI WARRANTY IMMEDIATELY, THEY PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER, BUT I WAS TOLD I WAS OUT OF LUCK SINCE I AM JUST PAST 60K MILES AND ALSO THERE IS NO RECALL SPECIFIC TO REAR BRAKES THAT WILL ADDRESS MY CONCERN. WITH THIS I THOUGHT I LOST ALL MY BRAGGING RIGHTS ABOUT HYUNDAI - ON THEIR RELIABILITY AND VALUE FOR THE MONEY. MOREOVER, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE SINCE ON A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA WHICH I OWN, I STILL HAVE 25% LEFT ON THE REAR BRAKES AT 125K MILES. SHORTLY LATER I FOUND SCORES OF SONATA OWNERS WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN THE INTERNET FORUMS AS WELL AS NHTSA SITE. I ALSO FOUND COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUN VISORS NOT STAYING IN PLACE, HANGING LOOSELY, A HAZARD WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE THIS PROBLEM TOO BUT NEVER PAYED MUCH ATTENTION TO IT. CURRENTLY I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO SHELL OUT OVER $600 DOLLARS TO GET THE REAR BRAKE ISSUE FIXED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MYSELF AND MY FAMILY SAFELY IN THE CAR. I HOPE MY COMPLAINT BREACHES THE THRESHOLD AND NHTSA TAKES ACTION TO HAVE HYUNDAI FIX THE ISSUE AT HYUNDAI'S COST ASAP. THANKS FOR PROVIDING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LOG THE COMPLAINT.

I WAS PARKING THE CAR (GOING ABOUT 5 MPH ) AT THE FOOD MARKET , HAD COASTED INTO THE SPACE AND WAS USING THE BRAKE READY TO TOTALLY STOP AT THE CEMENT STOP BLOCK..SUDDENLY THE MOTOR SOUNDED LIKE A RACECAR AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND UP OVER THE CEMENT STOP BLOCK INTO THE CONCRETE WALL /COLUMN WHERE IT STOPPED ! I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO BE IN THAT PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF THE WALL OR I WOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT INTO THE GLASS WALL OF THE MARKET !!SEVERAL PEOPLE RAN OUT OF THE MARKET TO HELP ME OUT OF THE CAR.THERE WAS STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND SOME LIQUID WAS DRAINING UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR..SOMEONE DECIDED TO CALL THE FIRE DEPT..BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GASOLINE.. SOMEONE ELSE SUGGESTED THAT I TURN OFF THE MOTOR BECAUSE IT WAS STILL RUNNING..I COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR SO I COULD NOT GET THE KEY OUT. THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT WORK . WE DECIDED TO LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED .I WAS REALLY RELUCTANT TO DO TOO MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS ON A SLIGHT SLANT AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT START MOVING AGAIN.NOONE ELSE WAS IN THE CAR. THE SKIN ON MY KNEE WAS SCRAPED AND MY KNEE FELT A LITTLE SORE...NO MAJOR INJURIES.JUST VERY SHAKEN!!.THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL SCHEDULE AN INSPECTOR FOR THE REPAIR ORDER. I AM IN NO HURRY TO GET IT BACK. I'M FEELING VERY NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING IT AGAIN....AFFECTED PARTS? ( ITEM ON THIS FORM) I CAN SEE THAT THE HOOD AND THE FRONT BUMPER ARE DAMAGED..FLUID AND STEAM CAME FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE HOOD SO MAYBE THE RADIATOR OR HOSES ARE ALSO DAMAGED.I AM NOT A MECHANIC AND I DON'T HAVE THE REPORT YET BUT SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON IF THE CAR MAKES A RACING CAR NOISE AND THEN MOVES FORWARD QUICKLY. THE MILEAGE IS ONLY 35,584..A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA..I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU NEED THEM. *TR

I GOT INTO MY CAR AND CAME TO STOP SIGN AND BRAKES WERE FAILING GOING TO THE FLOOR! MY MECHANIC SHOWED THE BRAKE HOSES TO ME AND SAID THE WAY THEY ARE INSTALLED THEY WILL JUST RUB A HOLE IN THEM. I HAD A HOLE IN ONE AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS CLOSE TO A HOLE RUB THRU. *TR

DURING A SNOW STORM, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A STOP. MY BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE (AS IF SOMETHING WAS KEEPING THE BRAKE SHOES FROM ENGAGING ONTO THE WHEEL). THERE ALSO WAS A LOUD CLATTER. I DISENGAGED MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND WAS ONLY THEN ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. TODAY I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STOP SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I SAW HYUNDAI HAD A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN #: 09V-122 WHICH WAS PUBLISHED APRIL 15, 2009. . ACCORDING TO MY VIN HISTORY, MY STOP LAMP SWITCH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED ON 4/4/09 BY MALONE HYUNDAI. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATION AND ASKED IF PERHAPS MY STOP SWITCH, SINCE BEING REPLACED BEFORE THE RECALL, MIGHT HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ALSO A DEFECTIVE STOP SWITCH. THE CASE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE 5 YEAR, 60,000 MILE WARRANTY ON PARTS WAS 5 YEARS, 60,000 MILES FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST DRIVEN NEW OFF THE LOT AND HYUNDAI WOULD NOT REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE STOP SWITCH UNLESS I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD CERTIFY THAT MY SWITCH WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. ON SAFERCAR.GOV, YOU HAVE SEVERAL DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED RELATED TO THIS RECALL. IN THE DOCUMENT ENTITLED "OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER", PAGE 2 WHICH IS A NOTIFICATION TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP & SERVICE MANAGERS DATED 6/24/2009, PARAGRAPH 5 SAYS: "ALL HYUNDAI DEALERS WILL BE SHIPPED A SUPPLY OF STOP LAMP SWITCHES..." WHICH IMPLIES ALL EXISTING STOCK OF THESE SWITCHES WERE POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE! YOUR ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED IN GETTING HYUNDAI TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT! *TR

I WAS NOTIFIED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY CAR WERE OUT. SPECIFICALLY THE LEFT AND CENTER LIGHTS. THE LEFT WAS EASY TO FIX BUT THE CENTER IS A NIGHTMARE. I WILL HAVE TO TAKE TO A DEALERSHIP. $50. AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE READING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL HYUNDAI CARS AND THEY AND NTSA HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. HYUNDAI IS CLAIMING THAT A BRAKE SWITCH RECALL THEY ISSUED IN 2009 SOLVES THE PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT. PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERSHIPS EVERYTHING FROM BAD GROUND TO DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES. THIS VIRTUALLY MAKES THE CAR ILLEGAL AND A DEATH TRAP. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CURSING ME IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, EVIDENTLY BECAUSE THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN IN PLACE. THANKS TO ONE GOOD SAMARITAN I NOW NOW WHY. A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN YESTERDAY!!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:09V122000(SERVICE BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:SWITCHES: BRAKE LIGHT) ON AUGUST 19, 2009 HOWEVER, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A BRAKE FAILURE 40,000 MILES LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,822 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

LEFT REAR BRAKE LINING FAILED CAUSING LOUD NOISE WHEN I BRAKED. ALSO BRAKES TOOK LONGER TO STOP. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER IT MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. HYUNDAI HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR CALIPERS SEIZING UP AND NOT RELEASING THEREBY WEARING THE BRAKE PADS OUT IN SEVERAL MILES AND CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO FAIL. I ALSO HAD THIS SAME FAILURE AT 12,000 MILES AND HYUNDAI REPLACED THE PADS AND THE SAID CALIPERS WERE OK. HYUNDAI SAID THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN AREAS WERE THEY USE A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CHEMICALS ON THE ROAD IN WINTERTIME. ALL OTHER MANUFACTURERS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, MY OPINION IS THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE CALIPERS HYUNDAI USES AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR INJURED DUE TO A REAR WHEEL BRAKE FAILURE.

MY 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS HAS DEFECTIVE REAR BRAKES. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MARCH 2008 AND AT 15,000 MILES THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2009 AND WAS TOLD THE REAR PADS WERE FROZEN WHICH WAS CAUSING THE SQUEALING. THE DEALER CLEANED AND ADJUSTED THE REAR BREAKS. IN JUNE 2011, WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, THE REAR BRAKES SUDDENLY STARTED TO STICK AND MAKE NOISE AS IF METAL WAS RUBBING ON METAL. THIS REALLY CONCERNED ME SINCE I HAD MY FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE CAR HAVING 36,000 MILES ON IT. I WENT ON-LINE AND GOOGLED TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE. I NOTED HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. CAR EXPERTS MENTIONED THIS IS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN FAULT, WHICH HYUNDAI HAS FAILED TO RESPONSIBILITY FOR. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION AND ASKED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE IF THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR ISSUES WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS. HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS BRAKE ISSUE. I HAD A HARD TIME BELIEVING HIM SINCE THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH MANY HYUNDAI SONATA GLS OWNERS. COULD THIS BE A HYUNDAI MONEY EARNING SCAM? HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS DUE TO THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES DUE TO THE FAULTY REAR BRAKE DESIGN! SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY! I HOPE SOMETHING GETS DONE! *TR

PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKE CALIPER FROZEN CAUSING METAL ON METAL CONTACT AND PREMATURE FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT OF REAR PADS AND RIGHT REAR ROTOR. FRONT PADS WERE HARDLY WORN. CAR MILEAGE AT 17,000 MILES WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY DEPLETED AND THE ROTORS WERE IN POOR CONDITION. THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,990.

RIGHT REAR OUTER BRAKE PAD SEIZED IN THE PAD HOLDER, GRINDING THE ROTOR. DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKES AND CHARGED ME $ 400.00 EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE FRONT PADS WERE ONLY 50% WORN AND THEY DO MOST OF THE STOPPING. NOW HYUNDAI DEALER SAYS THAT THE HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE REAR BRAKES CLEANED AND LUBRICATED EVERY 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES AT MY EXPENSE, TO PREVENT "LOCK UP". HYUNDAI DOES NOT MENTION THIS TYPE OF MAINTENANCE ANYWHERE IN IT'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. AFTER CHECKING ON THE WEB, I FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM AMONG HYUNDAI OWNERS WHO ARE BEING RIPPED OFF BY HYUNDAI WHO REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL THE FAULTY BRAKE CALIPERS. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND MILEAGE IS 90% HIGHWAY, SO THERE IS MINIMAL USAGE OF THE BRAKE COMPARED TO CITY DWELLERS, YET THE BRAKES FAILED PREMATURELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

WHILE OPERATING MY 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA, I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA) WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT OF MODERATE PROPERTY DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. I HAD PULLED TO A CURBSIDE TO PARK, AND HAD STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 8 FEET BEHIND A LARGE SUV. AS I BEGAN TO RAISE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH INITIALLY BEGAN TO HOLD THE CAR WHICH WAS STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT AS THE ACCELERATION INCREASED, THE BRAKES BECAME UNABLE TO HOLD THE CAR, AND IT LURCHED FORWARD AND STRUCK THE UNOCCUPIED SUV. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR ONLY ACCELERATED AND TRAVELED 8 FEET, THE IMPACT WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE $6000 WORTH OF DAMAGE (ACTUAL ALLOWANCE BY INSURANCE COMPANY). I'VE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THE HYDRAULIC BREAKING SYSTEM AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLING SYSTEM ARE INVERSELY CONNECTED TO THE VACUUM GENERATED BY THE CAR'S ENGINE WHICH MEANS THAT BRAKING POWER DECREASES AS THROTTLE INCREASES. CAUSE OF THE SUA HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. AFTER I GOT THE CAR REPAIRED, I TOOK IT TO HYUNDAI AND THEY WERE VERY CONCILIATORY BUT AFTER CHECKING IT FOR AN HOUR, STATE THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE CONDITION AND THAT THEY DID A COMPLETE SAFETY CHECK AND SCANNED ALL THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS TO NO AVAIL. I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS CONDITION IN THE PAST IN THIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER, I HAD EXPERIENCED IT 3 TIMES IN MY WIFE'S 2003 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. IN THOSE SITUATIONS, THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, AND I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR