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Power Train
03/12/2006
WHEN DRIVING OUT OF MY PARKING LOT, TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FELL OFF OF MY VEHICLE. ONE LOOKED LIKE A BELT AND THE OTHER A SMALL DRUM. MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION AND I WAS FORCED TO COAST INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE LOT. *JB
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Seats
01/01/1901
CONSUMER LETTER REQUESTING ALL INFORMATION, INVESTIGATIONS AND RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE 1998 SONATA OR THE Y3 SEAT. *TS *NM
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Visibility, latches/locks/linkages
01/08/2005
DT: THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE. CALLER HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO GET THE DOOR OPENED. FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS THE HANDLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK IN IT, AND NOW THE HANDLE HAD 4 CRACKS. IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN THE LATCH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURERR HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. ALSO CALLER HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 OF THE WINDOW ROLLWERS. *AK
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Power Train
04/07/2000
1998 HYUNDAI SONATA 4 CYLINDER WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. REPEATEDLY WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS LIKE FREEWAY MERGE. ONLY WAY TO ENGAGE DRIVE AGAIN WAS TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RE-SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION HAD TO FIND WAY OFF ROAD AND SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTART IN ORDER TO GET INTO GEAR. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX AND STATED ALL WERE LIKE THIS. COULD HAVE KILLED ME. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE EVEN WHEN REPORTED UNDER THE FULL WARRANTY. UNPREDICTABLE. INCIDENT COUND APPROXIMATE. DATE APPROXIMATE
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Steering
06/01/2005
MY 1998 HYUNDAI SONATA HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO MAINTAIN. TWICE THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR SPRING HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE FAILED. THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT WAS A FORTUNATE STOP IN THE CAR SHOP TO CHECK SOMETHING ELSE. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE RACK AND PINION UNIT WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. I HAD BEEN COMPLAINING TO THE MECHANIC THAT THE CAR "CLUNKED" IN THE FRONT END GOING OVER A BUMP. THIS DESPITE REPLACING THE BALL JOINTS, STRUTS AND ONE TIE ROD. IT SEEMS THAT THE CLUNKING NOISE MUST HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THE RACK AND PINION. THEY ALSO DISCOVERED AT THE SAME TIME THAT TWO OUT OF FOUR ENGINE MOUNTS WERE CRACKED AND THE OTHER TWO WERE SAGGING. I'LL BE REPLACING THOSE AS WELL AND HOPING THAT THE CAR DOESN'T CAUSE ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS FOR A WHILE. I BELIEVE IN MAINTAINING MY CARS, BUT THIS CAR SEEMS TO HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN MOST I HAVE OWNED. THE CAR HAS ALSO OVERHEATED TWICE, ONCE DUE TO A BURST HOSE AND THE SECOND TIME DUE TO A LEAK IN ONE OF TH...
