I bought my 2010 Sonata in July 2010 as a used car from a non-Hyundai dealership. It now has about 89,000 miles. About one month ago (Feb 2017) I unlocked my driver's door with the fob and pulled on the handle. It broke off in my hand. I called the local dealership about repairing it. Cost: $40 for the handle, $60 to paint it silver and an hour's labor. Total $219!! Today, March 12, 2017, I went to put my young granddaughter in her car seat behind the driver and that door handle broke! As I was driving with her, I kept thinking if there was an emergency, how difficult it would be to get to her. After reading about all the Sonata door handles that have broken, it makes me reluctant to have a dealership fix it. When will the other two break? I have NEVER had a door handle break in my 40 plus years of driving and owning cars. I am going to call my regular mechanic and ask if he can replace the door handle if I buy the part on line. Maybe I won't get it painted this time. You can bet that I will be calling Hyundai corporate to complain about this. It sounds like they have turned a deaf ear to this problem. I will have to think long and hard about buying another Hyundai.

The first handle fell off in my hand when I went to open the passenger door for my wife. No snap or click, just fell off. A few weeks later, my sister opens up the rear driver side door, same thing. Then over Christmas my driver door handle fell off. It is a complete disaster, and needs to be recalled. I have one handle left on the rear passenger side. That's the one I have to use to get in my car. The car is still under Warranty. The dealer where I bought the car wants $300 for "parts, labor and paint" to replace the 3 external door handles... I can't afford that, I am already paying for the car with extended 10yr/ 100k mile warranty... This is my second and last Hyundai I'm buying unless they get their act together.

First the driver side, then came the passenger side. I predict the back door handles do the same too. This has never happened with any car I've ever owned nor any family member's car nor even a friend's car. This is a first I've even heard or known of door handles breaking off of a car. It should not be something that happens so commonly no matter how frequent the use or the mileage.

Repair is going to cost $300 for each door. SHAME ON YOU HYUNDAI for being so CHEAP by manufacturing cars with such low quality parts. The exterior door handle is an absolute necessity no matter what excuse you try to give. Plain and simple this is an issue of not just 1 door handle but any of the 4 handles and all of the 4 handles. So you have to be able to get into a car in order to operate it.

If the keyless remote that unlocks my door locks would also open my door for me....then I could see how it could be considered as optional to have a handle. But since that is not a function of the remotes, then it's clear the handle is necessary. It's senseless to have to get in and out of your car through any other means except the door intended to be used for that particular side or seat you plan to occupy. Or the door that leads to the specific area of he car you need to access. Nobody should have to use an alternate route just to get into their vehicle. Climbing from the back seat to the front seat just to swing open the driver door or roll the window down just to be able to open it from the outside by using the interior handle is a pain in the ass let alone embarrassing.

NOT EVERYONE has $1200 to spend on door handles and even if they do have it....WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? I didn't choose to be a cheapskate and select inferior parts to manufacture the car. If it were possible...I would have paid for the cost in difference to have better quality handles that it would have cost you at your price...which would have been most likely around $1.00 at most I'm sure. I understand you take $1.00 x 4 = $4.00 then multiply that by the # of cars made and that is a high dollar amount in total but that's an amount you should be willing to sacrifice to manufacture safe, reliable, quality vehicles. I'm sure it wouldn't have made you bankrupt, and I'm sure us Hyundai owners would have gladly fitted the bill for their purchase and covered the $4.00 for their own car if the only option was to deal with this broken handle issue and pay out of pocket $1200 VS pay $4 more for quality handles from the very start.

It's not one or two people making thses claims and it isn't from different car makers when you have cars with such a minor defect that is really a major problem. Why not correct the issue because a large number of your customers are going to become a different car makers customer at this rate. Acknowledge the fact we are all having this issue. It is almost like these handles were made in China but never labeled as such.So now everyone with a broken handle on their Hyundai Sonata has it displayed for the world to see.

You should recall this defect that is on your vehicles. Or at least make some offer that shows that Hyundai cares about their customers and wants to keep them as life customers or happy and satisfied customers. Do something that would help discount the bill to all Hyundai owners at the very least. It does not cost you $300 per handle = $1200 per car.

It is dangerous to not have the doors on a car just as equally it is dangerous to have no doors handles on the door. If I was in an auto accident and unconscious or not able to move and open my door then how else would it be opened? From the outside by whomever is helping to save me. But how can someone do that in a safe and fast action? Breaking the glass on a window or having to climb over the person on the inside is not safe and fast. Only if the situation calls for that method to be used. It should not be because the cheap door handle is already missing or breaks off at that time. And what about the safety of a person that has use the opposite door to try and open the intended door and a criminal decides to commit a crime due to the opportunity that existed just from having to take the additional steps to get inside the car? Could it have be prevented or avoided had that person been able to use the door quickly?

I really hope you will take this matter seriously and show your appreciation to the customers who made an investment in purchasing your cars and not another makers.

Eight months ago rear left door handle from my 2010 came off and recently another door handle front passenger side came off. I called my dealer and they gave me 1800-633-5151 and operator gave me case no. and transferred me to his supervisor Leo. I told him that I can understand if anything happened with the internal machinery but the door handles (not one, two) should not come off from the $23,000 car. Leo spoke with his supervisor who said I have to fix these handles on my own and then submit the invoice for the consideration to get partial reimbursement. For consideration !!! What kind of answer is this.

This is my third car. I had 2000 Hyundai Elantra which I kept for 13 year and not even one door handle came off. I cannot believe the quality of the cars are that bad. Instead of improving they are going down. Very disappointed with Hyundai's response. Hyundai should issue recall for the door handles and they should be fixed no charge to customers. We have paid enough money to purchase these cars. This car had been used by one person who only use driver's side door handle to get in and out of the car. Other handles are not even being touched every day then why they are coming off. I will not recommend Hyundai ever again or purchase another Hyundai just for their bad customer service.

Update from Apr 6, 2017: Went on to Hyundaiusa.com and filed my complaint. They send me an email saying that someone will contact me from Hyundai. After couple of week later someone from Hyundai Consumer Affair leave me a phone no. to contact him. I call the number several time but never heard back from him. Hyundai do not care.

It is ridiculous that this is the 3rd handle now that has come off this car. Shortly after I bought they car one came off and I replaced it. I do not remember what it cost. Then a year or so ago another came off and my daughter had the car away at college and it was a back door so I didn't want to spend the $300 plus dollars they quoted me to fix it. Now a 3rd handle which is the front passengers door broke off. Pretty soon we won't be able to get in the car because all the handles have came off. I am 56 years old and got my first car at 16. I have never had car loose 1 handle let alone 3. I am looking to get them replaced today but I would like some compensation from your company. Nor sure what they are going to cost but this is ridiculous and I'm sure you want me to talk positive about your vehicles not complain to people about handles falling off.

My driver door handle broke this time. Extremely frustrated. I was carrying several things and literally used my pinky finger to open the door, the door swung open but I heard that horrible snap. I now have three broken handles and have to either leave my window rolled down to open it from the inside or crawl in from the rear passenger side door, though there's apparently a pretty good chance that's going to break too. Its infuriating that Hyundai has declined to admit to this issue. I'm clearly not the only person experiencing this. I will definitely be selling this car in the near future and am definitely never going to buy a Hyundai again. Examining the handle that snapped off entirely revealed that its just weak, cheap plastic. Its a shame I can't even buy a metal replacement to avoid future issues. I've so far declined to fix the passenger doors because at this rate, they're just going to break again. Now that the driver door is broken I have no other choice.

This is the SECOND door handle to come off in the past year. Last year it was the rear driver's door. In September 2016 it is the rear passenger door. From reading the complaints on this website, I can now expect the other two door handles to come off. The first time I had it fixed at a cost of over $300.00 (that's what happens when you live in Northern VA - prices are higher than the rest of the country). Now I have to pay another $300.00 for the other handle? The ironic thing is that the back doors rarely get opened so why would they break before the front handles? They weren't yanked hard either. After so many complaints, why hasn't Hyundai done anything about this issue? It may make me think twice about buying another Hyundai if they can't take care of my current vehicle.

This was the first of all four handles that have fallen off under warrant. Today the fifth handle fell off this is the one that was replaced at 36667, I now have 61620 miles on the car so after putting less then 25000 miles on the car this handle needs replacing again. Each handle seems to fall off about every 5000 miles or less. I have filed a complaint with Hyundai and I am sure it will get me no where but what a shame that they don't own up to this obvious defect and change the handle type it is one of the oddest things I have ever encountered on a low mileage car.The local dealership is cutting me a break as they know I have replaced all of the handles already but still it is $194.74 I could spend elsewhere.

Here is the order that the handles fell off passenger side front door came off at 36667 miles 1/28/14, drivers door handle came off at 41068 7/07/14, left rear door handle fell off at 45032 12/03/15 and rear door handle fell off at 46154 1/06/15. Warranty ran out 4/15/15, warranty is five years or 60000 miles. I guess I have gone the longest this time over 15000 miles without a handle falling off!

This is an excerpt from a letter I just wrote to Hyundai America, the local car dealership where I bought the car, and the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. Perhaps an actual written (hardcopy) letter will bear fruit. Nothing else seems to be working.

TO: Hyundai Motor America P.O. Box 83835 Phoenix, AZ 85071-3835

CC: South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) PO Box 5757 Columbia, SC 29250

CC: Florence Hyundai 1721 W. Lucas St. PO Box 4027 Florence, SC 29501 Attn. General Manager

RE: Design Defect of 2010 Hyundai Sonata Outside Door Handles

Dear Sir / Madame:

I am writing this letter to document my multiple attempts to have Hyundai assist in correcting an obvious design flaw regarding the outside door handles of your 2010 Sonata model year. Identical instances of what I have experienced can be found here: http://www.carcomplaints.com/Hyundai/Sonata/2010/accessories-exterior/door_handles_fall_off.shtml

The problem is bad enough that a YouTube video has been created that shows exactly how to install a new door handle (same make, model, year, and color of my Sonata)! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uX0LAE40P4

I am the original owner of the 2010 Sonata GLS, purchased locally at Florence Hyundai in SC, VIN (deleted), that has exhibited the problem.

Unfortunately, I have had two separate instances in which the exterior door handle has fallen off under minimal use/force. The first time it was repaired by Prime Hyundai of Saco, Maine at a cost of about 150 USD +/-, approximately two years ago. That occurrence was the driver’s side rear. Last month the passenger side front came off in my hand, again, under minimal force. The steps I have taken to remedy this include the following:

1) Contact Hyundai America via their online contact form and advise them of the problem, which was met with no response. This is quite unprofessional. 2) Bring my vehicle to the original dealer where it was purchased (Florence, SC) and request a quote since there is no recall for this issue. This was met with a quote for $456.48 USD for labor, material, and tax. The service manager was contacted and confirmed the amount. While I appreciate her attentiveness and follow-up, the quote of over 450 USD for the replacement of a door handle is absurd. Quote is attached. The average repair bill for this is 168 USD (see Appendix).

Given the unsatisfactory responses I have received, the second instance of this design defect observed, and the multiple complaints by other owners of the 2010 Sonata for the exact same issue, it is my hope that Hyundai Motors will take this flaw more seriously now that I am involving the SC Department of Consumer Affairs.

Note that while I was a satisfied Hyundai owner at one time, this feeling has soured. Based upon Hyundai’s lack of responsiveness/accountability of defects, and what equates to price gouging over seemingly minor repair at the local dealership, it is unlikely that I will purchase another Hyundai in the future or seriously consider a vehicle from Florence Hyundai/Efird.

I am requesting that this repair be made for me at no cost.

Hyundai, please honor your public pledge below: Our goal is to give you one-on-one, personalized service and provide you with the best possible solution in the shortest amount of time. That’s our commitment to you. - Hyundai Website, 4 September 2016 - https://www.hyundaiusa.com/complaints-lemon-law-concerns/

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,

Update to my last complaint. About 3 weeks ago I go to open my passenger side rear door. Guess what goes flying Yep the door handle. So now I have 2 rear doors that can not be opened normally.I have them both duct taped. I cannot believe after searching again on the internet that there are no recalls on this problem. I agree with many other people's comments that I have read , if hyundai does not care about it's customers by owning up to the problem then they are not getting my business again. This was my 3rd hyundai car but it will in all likely hood be my last.

Leaving work I went to open the back door, behind the drivers side to put my back pack in and the handle just comes flying off the door. I was really dumbfounded. I was 60 y/o at the time and have had cars since I was 17 and had never ever had a door handle come off. Never period, and when my wife took the car to the dealer for another recall they told her that it was not covered and would cost with the paint job around $200. I knew that was without tax . It amazed me that after I contacted the dealer again that he insisted it was not covered. I calmly told him that my back door was not used enough times ,or even used roughly for this to have happened. Once again no help. At that point I refused to spend money to fix a door that I hardly ever use. It was not about the money but the principal of the matter.

If you are reading this you can continue to my second problem same as the first in my next posting.

That Is SUPER ANNOYING! Didn't pull hard just trying to open the door. Didn't personally hit, knock, or tap anything or anyone that I knew of but wrote it off as possibly something of that nature even though no scratches on handle. But weird accident no less. Never experienced anything like that before in any of my previous vehicle's.

Update from Jul 24, 2016: CORRECTION UPDATE

MILAGE

the first door handle fell off during 2nd yr ownership in 2013 being a 3yr old vehicle

with 64,000 MILES

Miss read and put current milage when filing complaint.