Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)
Manufacturer Id: 1034
Model: Sonata
Model Year: 2009
Other Restraint System Info: Advanced air bag or Depowered airbag with suppression
Plant Company Name: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Alabama
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: NFA
TPMS: Direct
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2011
STRUCTURE:BODY
COMPLAINTANT WALKED OUT OF HOME TO VEHICLE. UPON APPROACHING VEHICLE, COMPLAINTANT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING (DRIVER'S SIDE) WAS DETACHED, AND STICKING OUT ABOUT 1 INCH FROM THE VEHICLE. COMPLAINTANT CAREFULLY SLID THE HOUSING BACK INTO ITS CAVITY, WHERE IT STAYED. COMPLAINTANT THEN DEPARTED. ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER, COMPLAINTANT NOTICED THAT THE HOUSING WAS AGAIN DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, AND AGAIN SLID IT BACK INTO PLACE. OVER TIME, THE COMPLAINTANT REPEATED RETURNING THE HOUSING INTO THE CAVITY THREE (3) ADDITIONAL TIMES. WHEN THE COMPLAINTANT WAS CONFRONTED WITH A 5TH EVENT OF THE HOUSING DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE, COMPLAINTANT SHINED A FLASHLIGHT DOWN INTO THE CAVITY, AND SAW THAT THE HOUSING MOUNTING SOCKETS WERE FRACTURED/SHATTERED, AND NONE OF THE SEVERAL MOUNTING STUDS/BOLTS WERE ATTACHED. BUT, THE STUDS/BOLTS WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE SHELL. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE HOUSING ASSEMBLY ONTO THE CAR, WERE THE WIRES TO THE BRAKE LIGHT, BACK-UP LIGHT, AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHT. NO SURFACE SCRATCHES, NOR BODY DAMAGE EXPERIENCED. AFTER INSPECTING THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING, COMPLAINTANT SURMISED THAT HYUNDAI TAIL LIGHT HOUSING IS MADE OF HARD, BRITTLE PLASTIC, WHICH SHATTERS WHEN OVERLY TIGHTENED AT FACTORY, OR DUE TO THE VIBRATION OF THIS OVERLY HARD RIDING VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, COMPLAINTANT NOTICED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT FLUSH WITH THE REAR TRUNK GATE, AND WAS EXTENDED OUTWARD ABOUT 1/4 INCH. THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THE RIGHT/PASSENGER SIDE WAS FLUSH WITH THE TRUNK GATE, AND HAS NOT PRODUCED A SIMILAR ISSUE, YET. COMPLAINTANT SECURED HOUSING TO THE VEHICLE CAVITY BY USING DUCT TAPE. COMPLAINTANT SCHEDULED VEHICLE REPAIR WITH HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR TOMORROW. UPDATE TO FOLLOW. *TR
2009
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT BELT ALSO DID NOT TIGHTEN DURING THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE NON-DEPLOYMENT AND THE SEAT BELT. APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTHS LATER, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER CRASH IN WHICH SHE WAS REAR ENDED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT AGAIN DID NOT TIGHTEN DURING THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. SHE WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO BE TREATED FOR SERIOUS INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000.