1. The government says they can’t find evidence of a safety defect with the electronic parking brake in the 2016 Sonata. They’ve closed their investigation.

    Safety regulators knew that Hyundai had issued a technical service bulletin to dealers in May 2016 about problems with the electronic parking brake systems and NHTSA wanted to know if the proposed repairs did indeed fix the cars.

    The optional electronic parking brake uses an electric motor to push the rear brake pads against the rotors. The brake is supposed to disengage when the transmission is shifted into gear with the ignition on.

    Owners report that the brakes aren’t getting enough clearance after disengaging, causing premature wear and – in at least one case – a fire.

    keep reading article "Feds Don’t Think Sonata’s Electronic Parking Brake Needs a Recall"
  2. An internal investigation into the 2017 Sonata’s power brakes was opened by Hyundai following four complaints from owners.

    Hyundai was notified in December 2016 that a supplier was receiving an increase of orders for replacement brake boosters for 2017 Elantras … The supplier determined the diaphragm in the brake booster may come loose and cause a vacuum leak.

    Without the power assist, it becomes much harder for owners to press the brake pedal prompting the recall of 33,800 Sonatas. The affected cars were built in Alabama from September 12, 2016, through January 18, 2017.

    keep reading article "Sudden Loss of Power Braking Forces a Recall in the 2017 Sonata"
  3. The feds are investigating why front passenger seat belts are detaching from their pretensioner during crashes involving the 2013 Sonata.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into possible problems with the front passenger seat belts in 2013 Hyundai Sonata cars after two reports were filed concerning seat belts that failed.

    Multiple people have been injured in crashes, as you might imagine.

    keep reading article "NHTSA Thinks There Might Be Problems with the 2013 Sonata’s Passenger Seat Belts"
  4. A Theta II engine settlement for Mendoza v. Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd., et al. has been approved by the court.

    A Hyundai Sonata class-action lawsuit will receive final approval after U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman said she sees no problem with the settlement terms and believes the agreement is excellent for Sonata owners.

    Hyundai was accused of concealing defects with their Theta II GDI engines, and the settlement helps owners of the 2011-2014 Sonata with either the 2L or 2.4L variant.…

    keep reading article "Sonata Theta-II Lawsuit Settlement Gets the Green Light"
  5. Hyundai motion to dismiss a panoramic sunroof lawsuit has been denied.

    The 2015 lawsuit says the sunroof glass can explode without warning. The judge previously threw out some claims concerning unfair profit but allowed fraud claims to continue. Hyundai then asked the judge to whittle down the lawsuit even more by throwing out claims based on unjust enrichment, a request denied by the court.

    Hyundai also argued claims of an owner who said the vehicle was unmerchantable within the warranty period should be tossed, but the judge denied the request.

    Hyundai has had problems with sunroofs dating back to a 2012 investigation for the Veloster.

    keep reading article "Hyundai's Defective Panoramic Sunroof Lawsuit Will Continue in Court"
  6. This 2015 lawsuit accusation that Hyundai concealed defects about their Theta II engine has some teeth

    , according to a former Hyundai engineer. South Korean engineer, Kim Kwang-ho, says Hyundai knew the Theta II engines have problems that cause knocking, noise and a loss of power. Kwang-ho blew the whistle by contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an act that caused Hyundai to petition a court to close the mouth of the engineer.

    My Kwang-ho worked for the automaker for 25 years and now faces accusations of leaking company secrets by Hyundai’s disciplinary committee.

    keep reading article "Former Hyundai Engineer Spills the Theta II Beans"
  7. Hyundai says an error in the transmission clutch application logic can cause a delayed engagement when accelerating the 2016 Tucson.

    The problem has led to a recall for 41,000 SUVs.

    The SUVs are equipped with 7-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmissions that use transmission control modules to constantly monitor data to help with gear shifting. The problem enters the picture when higher ambient temperatures are combined with certain driving conditions.

    To make matters worse, Hyundai developed a software update to fix this problem a while back. However, instead of issuing a recall they sent it out as a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to dealerships. It wasn’t until a meeting with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the automaker did the right thing.

    keep reading article "Dual-Clutch Transmissions Recalled in the 2016 Tucson"
  8. Hyundai’s motion to dismiss panoramic sunroof lawsuit was denied, at least partially.

    Hyundai filed to dismiss the shattering sunroof lawsuit and the judge agreed to dismiss almost all the lawsuit except claims based on fraud…

    The judge said the plaintiffs can move forward based on claims of fraud and can amend the complaint if they want the judge to reconsider violations of consumer protection laws and unjust enrichment.

    The lawsuit Billy Glenn v. Hyundai Motor America et al. still has life, but it’s up to the plaintiffs now if they want class-action certification.

    keep reading article "Panoramic Sunroof Class-Action Squeaks Past Hyundai’s Motion to Dismiss"
  9. A class-action lawsuit accuses Hyundai of failing to meet industry standards with their paint in the 2006-2016 Santa Fe, Sonata, and Elantra.

    The plaintiffs say the self-healing process won't work if the scratch is deeper than a surface scratch, such as a chip in the paint caused by a rock flying off the road and hitting the car. Further, there is a concern that if the self-healing process does not occur, the scratch or chip may cause further breakdown of the paint’s molecular structure, in essence triggering the technology to operate in reverse.

    Hyundai’s “self-healing” paint is advertised to heal minor scratches. A chemical compound called scratch recovery clear contains a polymer which, when exposed to ultraviolet light, becomes molten and fills gaps in paint.

    That sounds great, but the plaintiffs claim that long-term exposure to ultraviolet light eventually breaks the polymers down, turning the paint into an ever-molten state that allows it to peel off in sheets.

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Says Self-Healing Paint Does More Harm Than Good"
  10. Hyundai is recalling 470k 2011-2012 Sonatas with 2.0L or 2.4L Theta II engines for knocking, stalling, and potential engine fires.

    The “gasoline direct” engines are the first batch to come from Hyundai’s new engine factory in Alabama. If they keep this up, it might be their last too.

    Hyundai says manufacturing problems could have left metallic debris around the engine crankshaft and cause problems with oil flow. The pieces of metal could interfere with the oil flow through the connecting rod bearings and damage the connecting rod.”…

    keep reading article "Left Over Metal Shavings Force Recall of 470,000 Theta II Engines"

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