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2011 Hyundai Sonata Wipers & Visibility Problems

18 owner-reported wipers & visibility complaints from NHTSA data

18
Complaints
Jan 2017Dec 2019
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (18)

mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Dec 2022

I was driving on the interstate when all of a sudden I heard a loud noise that terrified me. I quickly realized the glass of my sunroof was gone. There were no warning signs at all and the sunroof was not open when this happened. After inspection it was clear that only the glass was missing and no other parts of the sunroof assembly. I called Hyundai and was told I could bring it in but it would be an out of pocket expense and would be at least a week before they could get to it. I wasn't sure of the date so I put today's date. N

NHTSA #: 11496020
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Dec 2019

SUNGLASSES HOLDER DROPS DOWN DUE TO WEAR IN THE LATCHING MECHANISM, PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTING VISIBILITY IN REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE PROBLEM INITIALLY OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS HOT, BUT BECAME MORE FREQUENT WITH MORE WEAR. APPEARS TO BE COMMON OCCURRENCE BASED ON INTERNET QUERY.

NHTSA #: 11291979
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Nov 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE ABOVE HER HEAD. SUDDENLY, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WHILE THE SLIDER WAS OPEN. GLASS FRAGMENTS FELL ON THE DRIVER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS MADE WITH THE DEALER (ALLEN TURNER HYUNDAI, 6000 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505, 1-(850) 479-9667). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA #: 11153352
mediumVISIBILITY,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jan 2017

THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 22,2016 ABOUT 7:30 AM HEADED TO WORK, SUDDENLY I HEAR SOMETHING SOUNDING LIKE A GUN SHOT NEAR MY HEAD!! MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED!! SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ME!! I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45-55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID NOT WRECK MY CAR!! *TR

NHTSA #: 10944961
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Oct 2016

DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE SUN/MOONROOF SHATTERED. NO DEBRIS STRUCK THE ROOF. *TR

NHTSA #: 10919779
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Aug 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA #: 10750315
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Nov 2014

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE FOR APPROX 1 HOUR, WHEN SUNROOF EXPLODED OUTWARDS, NO ROAD DEBRIS HIT THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE EXPLODING SUNROOF, IT WAS NOT AN EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGE. SOUND WAS LIKE A GUNSHOT INSIDE THE CAR, AND THANKFUL THAT THE MOONROOF COVER WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME SO THAT GLASS DID NOT SHOWER INTO THE CAR WHILE DRIVING. VERY FRIGHTENING AND COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED ACCIDENT. GOING ROUNDS WITH HYUNDAI RIGHT NOW TO GET REPAIRED. DEALERSHIP STATING THAT HYUNDAI WILL NOT COVER THE PART. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTING I FILE WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, HOWEVER THIS WAS A FAULT ISSUE WITH PRODUCT, NOT INSURANCE RELATED. VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY AND STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA #: 10654309
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: May 2014

I OWN A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS IT BEGAN TO RAIN VERY HARD, WHEN I TURNED THE SWITCH ON FOR WIPERS THEY WOULD NOT WORK. I WAS ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK, AND PULLED UNDER A BRIDGE, AND WAITED FOR THE STORM TO BLOW OVER WHICH LASTED A LOT LONGER THAN I EXPECTED. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY USELESS UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE WIPER MOTOR WENT BAD. WITH A PRETTY HEFTY COST TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE MOTOR YET, AND I AM UPSET THAT A CAR ONLY 3 YRS. OLD WOULD HAVE A WIPER MOTOR GOING OUT ALREADY . I READ ON THE WEB OF MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM SO GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DOWNPOUR WITH RAIN. IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE CAUSED AND ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA #: 10595059
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Mar 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GLASS SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED AND SHATTERED CAUSING A VERY LOUD BOOMING SOUND. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED DURING THE INCIDENT AND NOTHING MADE CONTACT WITH THE GLASS TO CAUSE THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. ..UPDATED 04-24-14*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE AT THEIR EXPENSE. UPDATED 05/14/14 *TR

NHTSA #: 10568784
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Feb 2014

PREMATURE SCRATCHING OF WINDSHIELD GLASS. *TR

NHTSA #: 10563477
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Nov 2013

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HEARD WHAT SOUND LIKE AN EXPLOSION. ALMOST WRECK THE VEHICLE FROM THE NOISE IT MADE. MY CHILDREN STARTED TO SCREAM AND CRY. THEN I HEARD GLASS FLYING OFF MY CAR. PULLED OVER TO SEE THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED INTO A MILLIONS PIECES. I CALL HYUNDAI AND WAS TOLD THE ONLY SUNROOF RECALL THEY HAVE IS FOR THE VELOSTER WHICH FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN REGARDS TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA #: 10553176
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Oct 2012

TODAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A NORMAL SPEED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG. IT WAS SO FRIGHTENING I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT. I WAS STARRING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THERE WAS NO TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ON A TWO LANE ROAD DIVIDED WITH A GRASS MEDIUM WITH STEEL GRIDS SEPARATING THE SIDES. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR TO FIND OUT THAT THE GLASS OF THE MOON ROOF HAD SHATTERED AND HAD COMPLETELY COME OUT LEAVING A HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOF. FORTUNATELY, MY INSIDE VISOR WAS CLOSED AND THE GLASS DID NOT ENTER THE CAR. THE TEMPERATURE HAD GONE DOWN TO A CHILLY 60 DEGREES THAT NIGHT AND WARMED UP DURING THE DAY. I SEARCHED THE AREA AND FOUND NOTHING TO INDICATE A ROCK OR AN OBJECT HAVING HIT THE GLASS. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOF. I CALLED INSURANCE AND HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IMMEDIATELY THE HYUNDAI REPRESENTATIVE SAID SOMETHING HIT THE CAR POINTING TO A SPOT THAT HAD RESIDUE WAX FROM A RECENT WAXING STATING THIS IS WHERE THE HIT HAD COME FROM. I DISAGREED AND INSURANCE IS NOW SENDING AN ADJUSTOR. *TR

NHTSA #: 10480788
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Mar 2012

AFTER SCRAPING SOME ICE FROM THE WINDSHIELD WITH A STANDARD PLASTIC SCRAPER, THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH SCRATCHES. THE SAME SCRAPER WAS USED ON THE OTHER WINDOWS OF THIS CAR, AND ON THE WINDSHIELD OF ANOTHER CAR WITH NO SCRATCHING. TESTED ON ANOTHER DAY WITH A NEW SCRAPER, AND ADDITIONAL SCRATCHES WERE CAUSED. THE RESULT IS REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO THE SCRATCHES, AND AN INABILITY TO PHYSICALLY CLEAR ICE FROM THE WINDSHIELD IN ORDER TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL SCRATCHING. VISIBILITY IS ESPECIALLY IMPACTED WHEN DRIVING TOWARD THE SUN. THE HYUNDAI DEALER AND HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA #: 10452141
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Dec 2011

MY WIFE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION THAT TWO OF FOUR VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD BLOW 10%-20% CAPACITY DESPITE WHICH SETTING (LOW, MID, HIGH). *TR

NHTSA #: 10439318
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: May 2011

WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM WORK AND CLOSED THE DRIVER DOOR THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND EXPLODED OUTWARD. IT WAS 7P AND HYUNDAI WAS CLOSED, HAD SAFELITE EMERGENCY REPLACE WINDSHIELD AND THEY CONFIRMED IT DID NOT BREAK FROM AN IMPACT BUT FROM STRESS DUE TO A BAD FACTORY INSTALL. HYUNDAI REFUSED WARRANTY REIMBURSEMENT CLAIMING IT CANNOT BE PROVEN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THE WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA #: 10400800
mediumVISIBILITY,SEATS
Filed: Dec 2010

WINDSHIELD IS DEFECTIVE IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE WINDSHIELD. VIEW IS DISTORTED THROUGH THESE SECTIONS OF THE WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY THE LOWER 1/3 AREA AND AREAS NEAR THE POSTS. PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF CAR SICKNESS LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS LOWER THAN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND MY WIFE HAS LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO CRASH OR AT LEAST GO OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL BUT THE REPLACEMENT GLASS IS WORSE. ALL THE SONATA'S ON THEIR LOT ARE AS BAD OR WORSE. IT APPEARS HYUNDAI'S SUPPLIER OF WINDSHIELDS IS MANUFACTURING DISTORTED WINDSHIELDS. IT APPEARS ALL SONATA'S ARE BEING MANUFACTURED WITH THIS DISTORTED GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELDS. THERE IS DISTORTION LOOKING OUT THE REAR GLASS THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BUT WE CAN LIVE WITH THAT.

NHTSA #: 10374154
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Oct 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD DISTORTED IMAGES AND A RIPPLED EFFECT AT THE BOTTOM. WHEN SHE LOOKED AT THE RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD, IT SEEMED AS IF VEHICLES WERE MOVING INTO HER LANE, CAUSING HER TO MOVE INTO THE LEFT LANE TO AVOID ACCIDENTS. WHEN SHE RODE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, SHE NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, SHE NOTICED THE SAME RIPPLED EFFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER TOLD HER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE SECOND WINDSHIELD'S PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,100. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100. UPDATED 02/07/11 *BF UPDATED 04/21/11

NHTSA #: 10360074
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jul 2010

THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA WINDSHIELDS HAVE DISTORTED IMAGES WHEN SEATED IN THE FRONT AND VIEWING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE VEHICLE AND OUT THE WINDSHIELD. ALL IMAGES SHOW A "RIPPLE EFFECT" . THIS HAPPENS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS (LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT) I CHECKED OTHER NEW VEHICLES IN THE SHOWROOM AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE IT IS SUTTLE AND MOST MAY NOT NOTICE IT CAN BE A PROBLEM WHEN CHANGING LANES OR TURNING RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY THE DRIVER SEE A DISTORTED IMAGE WHEN LOOKING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD TO TURN RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA #: 10343469

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