2008 Hyundai Sonata Visibility
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
THE SUN VISORS ON MY 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA (68,865 CURRENT MILES) ARE EACH (PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES) DEFECTIVE. WE HAVE LIVED WITH THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FOR THE PAST YEAR, AND NOW, WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE ALSO GAVE WAY, HANGING LIMPLY, OBSTRUCTING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER AND CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS RESOLUTION. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THESE VISORS (OBSTRUCTION OF VISION WHILE DRIVING). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR FAILED TO CLOSE AND OPENED INDEPENDENTLY, OBSTRUCTING THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
MY DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR HAS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL YEARS -- IT GOT STUCK AND VERY HARD TO MOVE AND WHEN I TRIED MOVING IT TO THE DOWN POSITION ONE TIME IT "CLICKED" AND SINCE THEN IT CONSTANTLY FALLS -- USUALLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP -- THEN IT IS DIRECTLY AT MY FOREHEAD. IF I WERE TO EVER GET IN AN ACCIDENT I BELIEVE THE VISOR WOULD FALL TO THIS POSITION (DUE TO THE BUMP) AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MY HEAD OR POSSIBLE DEATH. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WOULD BE $155 TO FIX THIS. THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR IS ALSO NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN THAT THE PLASTIC PIECE HAS BROKEN AND IT DOESN'T FIT IN THE HOLDER WELL. *TR
THE SUNVISOR CLIP TO HOLD IT UP FAILED. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OWNERS AS THERE IS MUCH INFO ON THIS IN THE INTERNET. THEY ALREADY HAVE PUT A RECALL IN FOR THE 2006 AND 2007 MODELS FOR THE SAME THING BUT DIDN'T INCLUDE THIS YEAR. *TR
BOTH SUN VISORS NO LONGER STAY IN THE UP ( AGAINST THE HEADLINER ) POSITION, ONE IS AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE THE OTHER HANGS DOWN AT 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY HYUNDAI'S FROM ABOUT 2005 AND UP, I BELIEVE THERE IS A RECALL ON 2006 OR 2007, OR VOLUNTARY ACTION BY HYUNDAI, BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX 2008 AND IT IS THE IDENTICAL PART. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MANY MESSAGE BOARDS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. LIVING IN ARIZONA WITH CONSTANT SUN GLARE MAKES DRIVING THESE VEHICLES DANGEROUS. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR WON'T STAY UP. HANGS STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE LINE OF DRIVER'S VISION. *TR
DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR NO LONGER STAYS IN UP POSITION, DROOPING DOWN INTO FIELD OF VIEW. IT APPEARS THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS BUT ONLY FOR SOUTHERN AND WESTERN STATES. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IT IS EASY TO FIND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONLY SOUTHERN STATES AND LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES. *TR
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR WON'T STAY UP/ NO TENSION. HANGS STRAIGHT DOWN AND SWINGS FREELY INTO THE LINE OF DRIVER'S VISION. *TR
MY CARS VISOR (BOTH SIDES) KEEP DROPPING WHILE IM DRIVING, CAN I GET THIS FIX BY THE DEALER SINCE MY WARRANTY IS OVER? I SEE ON LINE THERE WAS A RECALL. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN THE 'UP' POSITION OR IN THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION (CLOSEST TO THE WINDSHIELD) ON 2008 SONATA. IT FALLS , ENDING UP EITHER POKING YOU IN THE HEAD (IF IT WAS RESTING AGAINST THE CEILING) OR HANGING STRAIGHT DOWN (IF IT HAD BEEN FULLY EXTENDED). THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! *TR
THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP ON ITS OWN. IT DROPPED INTO MY SIDE VIEW AND BLOCKS VISIBILITY. LOOKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHRONIC ISSUE ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. HYUNDAI REFUSES TO REPLACE AT THEIR COST AS THIS IS A ONE YEAR WEAR ITEM. *TR
SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP OR IN ANY POSITION RELIABLY. THE SUN VISOR DROPS DOWN CONSTANTLY WITH ANY VIBRATION DURING NORMAL DRIVING. SUN VISOR DROOPS OR DROPS DOWN AT ANY TIME OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD. *TR
PULLED DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR IN A NORMAL MANNER, HEARD A CRACK AND A PIECE OF THE PLASTIC CLIP FELL DOWN. TOTALLY A POORLY MADE VISOR AND THIS IS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE TO ANYONE WHO HAS THE UNFORTUNATE PLEASURE OF SITTING THERE. THE VISOR IS CURRENTLY RIGGED WITH A RUBBER BAND TO KEEP IT FROM FLOPPING. THE DEALER HAS OFFERED TO FIX IT FOR $100 PLUS DOLLARS AND ALSO SUGGESTED GOING TO A JUNK YARD TO FIND A REPLACEMENT VISOR! POOR, POOR SERVICE & QUALITY! I WANT THIS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE DESPITE MY THE EXPIRATION OF MY WARRANTY AS I SEE BY SEARCHING NHTSA THAT MANY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE! THANK YOU! *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH SUN VISORS WERE FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE VISORS WOULD BLOCK THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO VERIFIED THAT THE VISOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,393. UPDATED 8/31/12 *CN
TRAVELING TO FLORIDA DRIVERS SUNVISOR WOULD NOT STAY IN POSITION IMPAIRING VISION AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT ALSO PASSENGER SUNVISOR WONT STAY IN UP POSITION. CONTACTED HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP GAVE THEM VIN # THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. DID SOME RESEARCH THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 09-01-032 DATED NOVEMBER 9 STATES IF YOU BRING YOUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE UNDER WARRANTY THEY WILL REPLACE BOTH SUNVISORS ONLY UNDER WARRANTY ALSO ONLY IN CERTAIN STATES ALSO MANUFACTURE DATES 6 MARCH 07 TO JAN 10 08 MY VEHICLE FALLS BETWEEN THOSE MANUFACTURE DATES BUT IS OVER ON THE MILEAGE ALSO MANY POSTINGS ONLINE WITH SAME PROBLEMS! IM REQUESTING A MANDATORY RECALL DUE TO HYUNDAI HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM AND IS NOT VOLUNTARILY FIXING ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES , I REQUEST THAT A MANDATORY RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. *TR
DRIVERS SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP AND JUST DANGLES AT EYE LEVEL. VERY DANGEROUS AS YOUR VISION IS BLOCKED BY THE VISOR. *TR
VISOR BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT UP AND NOW WILL NOT STAY UP. IT JUST HANGS IN MY LINE OF VISION AND IS CAUSING A SERIOUS VISIBILITY PROBLEM. I CHECKED ON LINE AND SAW STORY AFTER STORY OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS DEFINATELY A DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS A HAZARD AND I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TT
THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR STARTED FALLING DOWN BY ITSELF WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP OR JUST FOR NO REASON FALLING DOWN HITTING ME IN THE HEAD AND BLOCKING VIEW UNEXPECTANTLY. NOW IT NO LONGER STAYS UP CAN NO LONGER USE HAVE TAPED UP. *TT
SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. FALLS DOWN EXACTLY AT THE HEIGHT OF MY FOREHEAD SO THAT IF I GET IN A WRECK, MY FOREHEAD WILL EXACTLY HIT THE "EDGE" OF THE VISOR AND CRUSH MY FOREHEAD. SINCE THE DIRECTION OF IMPACT AGAINST THE VISOR IS EXACTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WIDTH OF THE VISOR, MAJOR FATALITY WOULD OCCUR. (THINK OF HITTING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE "SIDE" OF A PIECE OF CARDBOARD - NO HARM DONE. NOW THINK OF HITTING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE "EDGE" OR END OF THE CARDBOARD - MAJOR DAMAGE TO YOUR FOREHEAD. *TR
ON MY 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS FIRST MY PASSENGER SIDE AND NOW MY DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN POSITIONS AND FALLS BLOCKING DRIVERS VIEW. SEE ONLINE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. HYUNDAI USA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE SUN VISORS REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. *TR
DRIVER AND PASSENGER VISOR FALLS DOWN AND BLOCKS VISION. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE VISOR STARTED TO FALL DOWN OBSTRUCTING VISION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE VISOR AND NOW THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR IS DOING THE SAME THING OBSTRUCTING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE SUN-VISOR BY PULLING IT DOWN, THE VISOR WOULD NOT MOVE, THEN MADE A POPPING SOUND. THE VISOR THEN SAGGED, AND WILL NOT RETURN TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION. AFTER RESEARCH, I SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY IN STATES WITH HOT/HUMID CONDITIONS, SUCH AS WHERE I LIVE (IN MISSISSIPPI). THE VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN ANY POSITION EXCEPT STRAIGHT DOWN, AND IMPEDES VISIBILITY, AND BECOMES A HAZARD WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE. *TR
THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP AND IS A DANGER BECAUSE IT HANGS DOWN IN VIEW. ITS IN THE ARM WHERE SOMETHING IS BROKEN, NEEDS REPLACED. *TR
ON MY 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA - FIRST MY PASSENGER SIDE AND NOW MY DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN POSITION. NO MATTER HOW YOU MANIPULATE THE VISORS (ALL THE WAY UP, OR ATTEMPTING TO BLOCK THE SUN) IT FALLS TO THE SAME POSITION WHICH IMPAIRS THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD TO SAFETY PIN MY VISOR TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR, WHICH IS UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING INTO THE SUN. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS AND HYUNDAI NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO REMEDIATE THIS PROBLEM, REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR. I'VE ALSO READ THAT EVEN IF YOU GET THEM FIXED, THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN THE ROAD. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Hyundai Sonata has 57 Visibility complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.