2002 Hyundai Sonata Suspension

MY WIFE OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA, AND LAST WEEK SHE NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS PULLING HARD TO THE RIGHT. SHE DRIVES 60 MILES ROUND TRIP TO HER JOB 5 DAYS A WEEK. ONCE SHE TOLD ME ABOUT IT, I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE THINKING IT WAS IN NEED OF A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. MY TECHNICIANS CALLED ME BACK TO THE SERVICE AREA AND SHOWED ME WHERE THE SUB FRAME HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE. ALSO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AS TILTED TO THE SIDE SLIGHTLY. I TOLD THEM TO BEGIN REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY, AS MY WIFE'S SAFETY IS MY TOP PRIORITY. I CALLED HYUNDAI ON 2/3/09 AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER, AND TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT ME IN 3 TO 4 BUSINESS DAYS. I EXPECT FULL REIMBURSEMENT, AS I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *TR

VIBRATION IN FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AT HIGH SPEEDS. I TOOK MY 2002 SONATA TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME MY CRADLE THAT INVOLVES THE HALF SHAFT/CONTROL ARM IN THE SUSPENSION WAS RUSTED THROUGH WITH FIST SIZE HOLES. I TOOK IT TO THE AUTO DEALER AND THEY CHARGED ME OVER $500.00 TO REPLACE THE HALF SHAFT AND CRADLE, ALSO THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED HAD MY WHEEL FALLEN OFF. THAT WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I'VE EVER HEARD. AFTER THEY REPLACED THE HALF SHAFT, WITHIN 2 DAYS I HAD A GRINDING/RATTLE ON THE SAME RIGHT SIDE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE AUTO DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME NOW IT WAS THE BUSHINGS IN THE SUSPENSION AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BUT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE.. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE UNTIL THEY WORKED ON THE CAR ORIGINALLY. IT WILL NOW COST ME OVER $300.00 TO HAVE THE BUSHINGS REPLACED. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH THE ORIGINAL WORK. THERE IS A FEDERAL PROBE GOING ON WITH THE NHTSA, IT IS STATED THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS CAR SHOULD BE STANDING BEHIND THEY'RE PRODUCT, BUT INSTEAD THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE THE APPROPRIATE CHANGES THAT COULD IN TURN SAVE SOMEBODY'S LIFE IF THEIR CAR WOULD FAIL DUE TO THIS FLAW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH HE NOTICED A LOUD POPPING SOUND FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE OUTER ARM ASSEMBLY HAD SEPARATED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. 5 DAYS PRIOR, RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER# 09V124000 WAS PERFORMED ON HIS VEHICLE. AFTER THE REPAIR THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117049. UPDATED 3/30/2010 UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE FILED WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE LATEST COMPLAINT I HAVE IS WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM. MY SON COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHEN THIS BROKE. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL GARAGES INCLUDING THE DEALERSHIP AND NO ONE HAS EVER REPLACED AN UPPER CONTROL ARM EXCEPT ON A VEHICLE THAT IS VERY OLD AND THEN VERY SELDOM. MY SON WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL FELL SIDEWAYS. UPON LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM WE DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BROKE. THIS SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE NOT HAPPENED ON A 2002 VEHICLE.

IN 2004, AT APPROX 45K MILES, VEHICLE DEVELOPED CREAKING NOISE IN DRIVER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION. DEALER REPAIRED FOR "LOOSE TRANVERSE CROSS MEMBER". PROBLEM RE-DEVELOPED AFTER 3 MONTHS. SEPARATE DEALER REPAIRED FOR "WORN BUSHINGS". PROBLEM RE-DEVELOPED AFTER ONE WEEK AND HAS WORSENED TO A CLUNKING NOISE AT LOW SPEED. HESITANT TO RETURN TO DEALER UNTIL PROPERLY DIAGNOSED DUE TO CONSISTENT REPAIR DELAYS RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE LOSS OF VEHICLE USE. (CURRENT TOTAL 7 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM). *NM

WHILE DRIVING TO MARYLAND TO VISIT MY DAUGHTER, THE RIGHT FRONT END OF MY CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE SO HARD THAT I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH AND AS SOON AS I COULD I PULLED OVER TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THERE WAS NO FLAT HOWEVER, THE VIBRATION CONTINUED. IT WAS VIBRATING SO HARD MY GLOVE COMPARTMENT CAME OPEN. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP IN MARYLAND ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT MY TIRES HAD DEAD SPOTS IN THEM AND I SHOULD RETURN THEM TO THE STORE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THESE TIRES FOR SIX MONTHS WITHOUT A PROBLEM. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I WENT TO THE STORE WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES. THEY EXAMINED THEM AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. I HAD THE CAR COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER BEFORE I TOOK THIS TRIP. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE VIBRATION CONTINUES BUT IT IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN DRIVING A HIGHER RATES OF SPEED. I AM WORRIED NOW ABOUT TAKING THE CAR ON TRIPS. BELIEVE ME, YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A SUDDEN BREAKDOWN OR CONTROL LOSS ON THE DC BELTWAY. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD I ONLY HAVE 29500 MILES ON IT. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, THE RIGHT LEFT WHEEL BEARING IS BEING REPLACED. *AK

RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS MAKING A RUBBING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND THE DEALER DISCOVERED THE BEARING NEEDED REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AT ANY SPEED, CAUSING BY THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND THE LOWER BALL JOINT. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIME, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS