9.6

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
786 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

May 202010

Sonata

  • 1,500 miles
My 2010 Hyundai Sonata has a low beam defect that is a danger to drive at night, especially on hilly country roads. There is a black band that erases the field of view for objects on or alongside the road. By the time the car had 5K miles on her - she had been in twice to have the headlights checked and I was told they were adjusted as high as they could go and to use high beams if I couldn't see. I called Hyundai customer service and after getting nowhere I finally got a manager on the line and he promised that an engineer would be sent to my dealership and look over the problem -this never happened so when I called I was told to go back to the dealership so they could look at the lights again I get flashed by oncoming cars because they think my highs are on when they are not. I can't imagine what they see when my highs are on. If I drive under streetlights or have oncoming cars in my view I don't see the black band but what I do see is my lights bouncing off road signs with only splotches of letters being illuminated and the rest of the sign dark. If something, like a deer, were in the road or by the side of the road I would never see it. I do not want to cause an accident, kill someone, hit debris in the road or hurt myself in a crash because the lights have a faulty design.. I read that other 2010 Sonata owners are having this same problem so when is Hyundai going to do something about it and fix the problem or replace our cars? I wrote to Hyundai and they claim that the lights are working as designed and I should take my car in to check my lights if I am having problems. I had already been told by the service center during my first visit that it is a design flaw so I'm sensing a catch 22 here. I called the service center and told them I need to have a technician drive the car in the dark before closing hours. In the meantime, and until this gets fixed, the black band greatly impedes night driving and is a hazard.

- Smithville Flats, NY, USA

problem #1

Aug 022010

Sonata

  • 71 miles
I noticed this immediately after purchasing the car and driving off at night. I had test driven it for a long period in the daytime, but not at night. The headlights are either faulty or a product with very poor engineering. There is a very distinct horizontal line dividing darkness and light where headlights shine. That line jumps up and down as bumps in the road are crossed while driving. Vision with lights at night is so poor that you have to drive slower than the normal speed limit. It is very shadowy with blotchy areas of darkness to light in the range of vision. Shadows seem to be coming from everywhere; the distraction and lack of clear vision while driving at night is frightening and very dangerous. The only way I feel confident driving this vehicle at night is with the high beams on. I thought there was something wrong with my eyes before various other people with me confirmed this was occurring. I won't drive it on the freeway!

- San Diego, CA, USA