47 complaints reported

2001 Hyundai Sonata Structure

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
47
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2009

THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT AND WHEN WE WENT OUT TO START THE ENGINE IT TURNED OVER BUT IT WOULDN'T MOVE SO WE TOWED IT TO A LOCAL GOODYEAR REPAIR GARAGE WHERE THEY REPORT THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND THE MOTOR DROPPED AND BENT THE AXLE. THEY CANNOT FIND A USED UNDERCARRIAGE THAT ISN'T RUSTED THROUGH. WE HAVE REPORTED THIS TO HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY HAVE GIVEN US A CASE NUMBER (3122110) BUT REPORT THAT THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Feb 2009
Jan 2009

I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAS RUSTED ON MY 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA. IT ONLY HAS 85K MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT TO ME. I FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN I GOT NEW TIRES, THERE WAS A SLIGHT PULL TO MY CAR. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR ALIGNMENT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS USELESS TO GO THROUGH WITH THE ALIGNMENT DUE TO THE ENGINE CRADLE BEING RUSTED OUT. SINCE THEN I HAVE PUT MY CAR OUT AND HAVE HAD TO RIDE MY MOTORCYCLE TO AND FROM WORK SINCE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR REPAIRS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2008
Jan 2009

FRONT RIGHT PORTION OF FRONT SUBFRAME IS RUSTED AND BROKEN. ALIGNMENT AND STEERING IS WAY OFF . WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE SINCE FRAME DAMAGE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2008
Dec 2008

BOTH TIE ROD ENDS BREAK. REPLACED BOTH. CAR THEN EXPERIENCED BROKEN LEFT AXLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARE WHICH WAS ATTRIBUTED TO CRACK IN SUB FRAME. SUB FRAME REPLACE WITH AXLE AND CONTROL ARM. ARE THERE ANY RECALL ON SUBFRAME FOR 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS? CAR HAS NOT EXPERIENCE ANY FRONT END COLLISION IN HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE. CAR BOUGHT NEW AT DEALERSHIP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jul 2008
Dec 2008

2001 HYUNDAI SONATA V6, WITH UNDER 120K MILES. TIRES REPLACED FOR WEAR AND ALIGNMENT PERFORMED ON WEEK OF 12/08/2008. MECHANIC POINTED OUT ALIGNMENT A MOOT POINT DUE TO RIGHT SUB FRAME, AKA K-FRAME,AKA ENGINE FRAME, AKA RIGHT WHEEL SUSPENSION MOUNT WAS RUSTED THROUGH TO POINT OF BEING ABLE TO ENTER RUST CAVITY WITH ALL FINGERS. THIS RESULTING TO CRACKED SUBFRAME AT WHEEL WELL SIDE WERE SUSPENSION IS MOUNTED. SOME COMPLAINANTS REPORT LEAKING POWER STEERING LINE FROM OVEREXTENDED DISTANCE FROM FRAME STRETCH . THIS ALSO IS A PROBLEM IN SANTE FE. I IMAGINE THE SAME K FRAME BEING USED A COST SAVING MEASURE. I'M NOW WAITING FOR HYUNDAI AMERICA TO RESPOND TO MY CASE #3460531. DON'T YOU BELIEVE ANYONE WHO DISCOUNTS THIS AS BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT COSMETIC BODY RUST THROUGH , BUT A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NHTSA WILL BE ISSUING A RECALL ONCE THE BODY BAG COUNTS BEGIN BEING ATTRIBUTED TO THIS NATIONAL PROBLEM. SOME REPS ARE SAYING IT'S A SALT BELT SALES PROBLEM BUT THIS CONSISTS OF 60% OF THEIR SALES AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE GOOD FOR POORLY ENGINEERED STEEL CONSTRUCTION. IT APPEARS THE SALT WATER ENTERED FRONT OF FRAME BUT NEVER COULD EXIT DUE TO NO EXIT HOLES TOWARDS REAR OF FRAME. OXYGEN EXPOSURE TOOK CARE OF THE REST. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2008
Dec 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING POORLY AND SHE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT EITHER THE UNDERCARRIAGE OR THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2008
Oct 2008

2001 HYUNDAI SONATA- RUST IS ON THE FRONT SUB-FRAME AND WE WERE TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT IT WAS HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE WHEELS WILL BECOME DETACHED AT ANY BUMP ALONG THE ROAD. THE STEERING IS ALSO JERKY AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT STRAIGHT ANYMORE AND THE TWO FRONT TIRES ARE POINTING INWARD AND WEARING VERY FAST ON THE INNER MOST PART OF THE TIRES. IS THERE SOME TYPE OF RECALL OR INVESTIGATION GOING ON FOR THIS MATTER? ARE THERE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME MODEL OF CAR AS MINE? IS THERE ANY COMPENSATION THAT IS DUE TO ME? WE HAVE HEARD FROM A FRIEND THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON WITH THIS MATTER (NHTSA NUMBER PE08029) PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP. THANK YOU. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2008
Oct 2008

DROVE OVER A CRACK IN THE ROAD, FELT AND HEARD SNAPPING, TOOK TO MECHANIC, WAS TOLD RIGHT SUBFRAME RUSTED OUT SO BAD THAT IT SNAPPED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2008
Sep 2008

2001 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 82,000 MILE SUB FRAME (CRADLE) RUSTED THRU CAUSING CONTROL ARMS TO PUSH THRU CRADLE. CAR WAS ALL OVER AND OFF THE THE ROAD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2008
Sep 2008

2001 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS - THE VEHICLE SPRANG A LEAK UNDERNEATH OF STEERING FLUID. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC HE PUT IT UP ON THE LIFT, FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE SUBFRAME BEING SO WEAK AND RUSTED THAT WE CAN'T DRIVE IT. MY MECHANIC CALLED A LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER WHO SAID THE WHOLE PROBLEM WAS COVERED (INCL STEERING LEAK CAUSED BY BENDING SUBFRAME). I THEN TOWED IT TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY CALLED TO TELL ME I NEEDED TO PREBUY OVER $2000, SUBFRAME NOT COVERED. HAMPTON HYUNDAI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 177 LAFAYETTE ROAD. I FOUND TWO OTHER DEALERSHIPS WHO SAY BOTH PROBLEMS SHOULD BE COVERED. I AM ORIGINAL AND PRESENT OWNER, UNDER 93,000 MILES. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2008
Sep 2008

I TOOK MY 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MY MECHANIC SHOWED ME THAT THERE IS A FIST-SIZED HOLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT SUB FRAME UNDER MY CAR. CURRENTLY, I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO FIX MY VEHICLE AND IT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION THE NEXT TIME AROUND. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO PAY FOR THIS DAMAGE BECAUSE A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING OUT! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 2008
Aug 2008

IN 2007 A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS BEING PERFORMED ON THE CAR AND IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A 1-2 INCH ROTTED HOLE THE RIGHT SIDE SUBFRAME. LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THERE WEREN'T ANY RECALLS, SO HE WELDED ON A NEW PIECE OF METAL FOR SUPPORT. TODAY (8/13/08) ANOTHER OIL CHANGE WAS BEING DONE AND IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE IS NOW A 2-3 INCH HOLE ON THE LEFT SIDE SUBFRAME THAT WASN'T VISIBLE A YEAR AGO. MECHANIC HIGHLY RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE FRONT SUBFRAME. REF PE08029. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Aug 2008
Jul 2008

WHILE CHANGING THE OIL A LARGE HOLE IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME WHERE THE FRONT SUSPENSION CONNECT TO WAS FOUND. IT IS ALL RUSTED THROUGH. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR BY THE MECHANIC. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET A NEW PART FROM THE JUNK YARD AND THE THREE REPLACEMENTS THEY FOUND WERE RUSTED IN THE SAME PLACE. I CALLED THE HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS AROUND $1500.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER CARE TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND THEY SAID NOT AT THIS TIME. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2008
Jun 2008 Crash

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, MY RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE OFF, SEPARATING MY WHEEL / IT COLLAPSED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THIS AND SHOWED ME HOW SEVERE THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED. IT BROKE OFF, HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE IT. PLEASE HELP. IS THIS A RECALL THAT I DIDN'T GET? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 2008
Jun 2008

TOOK AUTOMOBILE FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. MECHANIC DISCOVERED MAJOR RUSTING ON SUBFRAME AND ENGINE CRADLE. RUSTED THROUGH AND HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2008
May 2008 Crash Injury

WHILE ROUNDING A GRADUAL CURVE AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH SUDDENLY LOST STEERING CONTROL AND WENT OFF ROAD. EXAMINATION OF VEHICLE SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT REVEALED LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSED BY SEVERELY RUSTED RIGHT (PASSENGER SIDE) FRONT SUBFRAME AND APPROXIMATELY 8 INCH HOLE AND BENDING/CRACKING OF SUCH DUE TO THE RUST, THIS ON A VEHICLE WHICH IS OTHERWISE PRISTINE (THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO RUST ELSEWHERE ON THE VEHICLE). I URGE NHTSA TO REQUIRE HYUNDAI TO ADDRESS WHAT I HAVE NOW LEARNED IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL IN QUESTION, ESPECIALLY BEFORE ANY OTHER LIVES ARE PUT IN JEOPARDY OR LOST DUE TO WHAT IS CLEARLY AND OBVIOUSLY A GROSS MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT. NOTE THAT I CONSIDER THE SITUATION TO CONSTITUTE NO LESS THAN AN EMERGENCY AND THAT UNTIL CERTAIN MODEL YEARS OF THE HYUNDAI SONATA ARE UPDATED WITH A REVISED/NEW SUBFRAME THEY SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND INDEED ARE NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. AT PRESENT MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER ROAD WORTHY DUE TO THE RUSTED SUBFRAME AND AS IT IS 4 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY (WARRANTY PERTAINING TO RUST THROUGH) I FORESEE THAT I WILL HAVE TO BEAR THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR (SUBFRAME REPLACEMENT) MYSELF. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2008
Mar 2008

MY 2001 SONATA ENGINE CRADLE IS SERIOUSLY RUSTED OUT ON PASSENGER SIDE AFT, A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BE ISSUED. I FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINT ONLINE FOR THE SAME AUTO. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2008
Mar 2008

PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND CREATED A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM. MY MECHANICS NOTICED IT DOING SOME WORK ON MY CAR. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND SOMETHING DONE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED WHEN THESE FRAMES BREAK. I WAS LUCKY IT WAS DISCOVERED, BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHTS FOR THIS... AND CAN NOT BE SEEN EXCEPT IF CAR IS ON A LIFT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 2008
Feb 2008

WENT TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED ON MY 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA AND ATTENDANT TOLD ME MY FRAME WAS BADLY ROTTING. HE ASKED HOW LONG I WAS GOING TO KEEP CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BECOME A BIG PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jul 2008
Feb 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND A BASEBALL SIZE HOLE IN THE SUBFRAME WAS DISCOVERED, WHICH CAUSED THE TIE ROD TO DISLODGE. THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED TWO MORE HOLES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE SUBFRAME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2008
Sep 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE CHANGING THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUB FRAME NEAR THE ENGINE WAS CORRODED. HE TOUCHED THE SUB FRAME AND HIS HAND WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HE LIVED IN A RUST BELT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS HELD IN PLACE BY ONLY ONE BOLT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY TAKING A SUB FRAME FROM A SALVAGED VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,959 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,949. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Aug 2007
Jun 2003

EXCESSIVE DUST ENTERED THE TRUNK THROUGH A VENT AND SEEPED THROUGH THE PASSENGER CABIN.*JB....*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 HYUNDAI SONATA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2001

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2001 Hyundai Sonata has 47 Structure complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.