What 1,551 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hev

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the rear taillights failed to illuminate upon depression of the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where she was informed that the socket to replace the light bulb had melted and that due to the failure, both light bulbs could not be replaced. The contact also mentioned that a white smoke had emitted from her driver side headlight when she attempted to replace the light bulb. The contact was able to replace the driver side headlight bulb; however, the driver side headlight bulb would illuminate very dim. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11455479

The brake peddle stopper gets worn out and the car stops accelerating. Activation of the engine management system's brake pedal override feature causes the car to not accelerate, brake lights stay on, and car turns on without touching the brake.

NHTSA ODI 11447658

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated he would need to replace both rear brake lights every two months. The contact stated recently he noticed a burning smell and saw the plastic cover on the bulb was melted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11444830

I HAVE PURCHASED MY CAR IN 2014. SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE GOING OUT MORE THAN THE NORM (FOR OTHER VEHICLES). I HAVE RECEIVED COUNTLESS OF TICKETS OF THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT THE 2012-2014 HYUNDAI SONATA OWNERS HAVE YET TO GET RESOLVED/ADDRESSED BY HYUNDAI. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF MY POLICE FRIENDS AND OTHER CURRENT/FORMER HYUNDAI SONATA OWNERS TO TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE PULLED MANY PEOPLE OVER WITH THE SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL FOR BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE IS HAZARDOUS FOR NOT ONLY ME AND MY CHILD, BUT ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE THE ROAD WITH ME. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS THE LAST AND FINAL STRAW FOR ME. I WAS DRIVING WHEN ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL INFORMED ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS OUT YET AGAIN. I WENT TO THE AUTOZONE TO ATTEMPT TO CHANGE MY LIGHT BULB JUST TO DISCOVER THAT THE ELECTRICAL MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THE BULB IN PLACE IS BROKEN. IT APPEARED THAT THE LIGHT BULB WENT THROUGH A MILD BURST OF FLAMES. TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY AS A MOTHER, ON THE SAME SIDE AS MY CHILD SITS IS UNACCEPTABLE! I'M SURE THAT IF YOU CONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH WITH POLICE ABOUT VEHICLES BEING PULLED OVER, YOU WILL SURELY SEE THAT THE NUMBER ONE REASON WAS BECAUSE OF A BROKEN BRAKE LIGHT. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE SOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328329

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, A BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS HAD BURNT AND WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER HERITICH OF NEW CASTLE (120 S. DUPONT HWY, NEW CASTLE DE.) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS ASSEMBLY AND WIRE HARNESS KIT WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11245514

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS HAD AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORT AND CONTAINED RUST AND CORROSION. ALSO, THE SOCKETS MELTED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT HAD TO BE REMOVED TO PREVENT THE MIDDLE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FROM REMAINING ILLUMINATED. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS OPERABLE, BUT EVENTUALLY SHORTED OUT AS WELL. THE CONTACT ORDERED REPLACEMENT TAIL LIGHTS THREE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 18V137000 (SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS) AND 18V934000 (ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTIFICATIONS. MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI (6750 W GRAND AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60707, (773) 889-9090) WAS CONTACTED, BUT HAD NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11193325

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE FAULTY, AND THE SOCKETS FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE BURNT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION EAST (28825 EUCLID AVENUE, WICKLIFE, OH 44092, (440) 296-3020), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,067.

NHTSA ODI 11181677

I HAVE NO LIGHT SOCKETS THEY ARE MELTED RITE OUT THE BAULB FALL RITE OUT I HAVE TO CHANGE MY HEADLIGHT EVERY 2 MONTHS AND MY TAIL LIGHTS EVERY WEEK

NHTSA ODI 11162844

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY BURNED OUT. THE DEALER (HYUNDAI OF KENNESAW, 2878 BARRETT LAKES BLVD, KENNESAW, GA 30144, (678) 631-3575) STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11112530

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COLLEGE PARK HYUNDAI (9500 BALTIMORE AVE, COLLEGE PARK, MD 20740, (301) 441-1313) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT WIRES WERE BURNT, WHICH CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE BRAKE LIGHT WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11110362

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET I CAME TO A SLOWING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN, MY CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE. I PULL OVER TO FIND SMOKE COMING FROM TRUNK ARE AND BEHIND THE BACK SEATS. OPEN THE TRUNK TO FIND FLAMES NEAR DRIVERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT. CAR WENT INTO FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ODI 11060659

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR AN INOPERABLE REAR BRAKE STOP LAMP. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE STOP LAMP BULB, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VAN HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 1301 S INTERSTATE 35E, CARROLLTON, TX 75006, 972-437-8334) TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,682.

NHTSA ODI 11011280

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AS WELL AS THE HORRIBLE TICKING (CYLINDERS NOT INJECTORS!) MAINLY AT FIRST WAS THE RADIO WOULD GO OUT. WAS NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, DEALERS ANSWER WAS TO "REMOVE THE FUSE AND PUSH BACK IN AND IT WILL WORK". SO I DID, SHADY BUT I DID. THEN CRUISE WOULD NOT WORK, WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER SHUT OFF VEHICLE THEN MAYBE IT WOULD WORK. NEXT MY CAR KEPT BURNING OUT HEADLAMPS. FRIGGIN EXPENSIVE (I USE SILVER SILVERSTAR ULTRA HEADLIGHTS FOR LONG TRIPS) I'M NOW ON MY 8TH SET. I EVEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR CHEAP HEADLIGHTS! OOPS! THEN THE CLICKING AND POPPING STARTED WITH THE FRONT WHEELS FIRST ONLY IN REVERSE THEN ALL THE TIME ESPECIALLY WHILE TURNING. I WAS PAST THE WARRANTY AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T ASK ABOUT IT BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY DIDN'T FIX IT!!! THEN THE CRAZY ELECTRICAL STUFF STARTED! MY DOME LIGHT STOPPED WORKING RIGHT SO I HAD TO TURN IT OFF COMPLETELY. THEN PARKING TAIL LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. FINALLY I WENT THROUGH MY THIRD BATTERY AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO ASK WHAT ALL THIS CRAPPIE AS ABOUT, OH IT'S A BAD BATTERY, YOU KNOW THEY DO GO BAD THEY SAID. WELL THANK GOD I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY FIXED AN AXLE, CLOCK SPRING REPLACED BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL, I HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. RECENTLY AFTER THIS WHOLE ORDEAL I STARTED WITH THE DEALER IN AUGUST AND DIDN'T GET MY CAR FIXED AND BACK TO ME UNTIL ALMOST CHRISTMAS! GOT MY CAR BACK TAIL LIGHT STILL DOESN'T WORK, CRUISE IS SOMEWHAT FIXED RADIO DID IT AGAIN AND GUESS WHAT, THE HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT AGAIN A WEEK AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR!!! ARRRGGGHHHH! I WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW SET OF HEADLIGHTS (BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS TELL YOU TO REPLACE IN PAIRS) AND GUESS WHAT EVEN THE BRAND NEW BULB DOESN'T WORK!!! I SPENT ALMOST 30K ON THIS CAR AND MY 18K COROLLA WAS WAY BETTER! FUNCTIONING.

NHTSA ODI 10939948