ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1999 WHILE DRIVING ON BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON PRKWY, I APPROACHED AN AREA OF HIGHWAY WERE WORK WAS BEING DONE. I WAS NOW TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH. AT ONE POINT TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS I GLANCED DOWN AT MY INSTRUMENTAL PANEL THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT APPEARED TO BE FLICKERING, THE LIGHT STAYED…
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ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1999 WHILE DRIVING ON BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON PRKWY, I APPROACHED AN AREA OF HIGHWAY WERE WORK WAS BEING DONE. I WAS NOW TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH. AT ONE POINT TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS I GLANCED DOWN AT MY INSTRUMENTAL PANEL THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT APPEARED TO BE FLICKERING, THE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN WENT OUT. WHILE IN A STOPPED POSITION APPROXIMATELY (2) MINS AFTER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, THE AIRBAGS BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DEPLOYED. I WAS STARTLED BY THIS AND DID HOWEVER RELEASE THE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES SLIGHTLY BUMPING THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE AND LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER OF MY CAR. THE MAJOR DAMAGE IS FROM THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR FROM THE AIRBAGS. PLEASE BE AWARE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BEFORE MY CAR CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #711907
Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT LOW SPEED, UNDER 5 MPH, KILLING FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.*AK THE SONATA HIT THE REAR END OF A VEHICLE DEPLOYING BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT BAG. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THE 5 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS BELTED. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CHIL…
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PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT LOW SPEED, UNDER 5 MPH, KILLING FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.*AK THE SONATA HIT THE REAR END OF A VEHICLE DEPLOYING BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT BAG. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THE 5 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS BELTED. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CHILD WAS. THE CHILD SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE NECK, SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND BRAIN DAMAGE. THE CHILD WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.CW
NHTSA ODI #10036844
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2001
Air Bags
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #894167
Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2001
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrash
CONSUMER REAREND VEHICLE WITH A 25 MPH IMPACT WITH APPLYING BRAKES. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SHOULDER SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK UP, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT HEAD AGAINST STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WILL CONTACTED DEALER TO DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #890131
Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 1999
Air BagsExterior Lighting
IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE HYUNDAI SONATA'S TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO ACTIVATE, YOU MUST TURN ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS OR WAIT FOR THE VEHICLE TO WARM UP. THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN THE HYUNDAI, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN NO STEPS TO RECALL THE AUTO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM…
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IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE HYUNDAI SONATA'S TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO ACTIVATE, YOU MUST TURN ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS OR WAIT FOR THE VEHICLE TO WARM UP. THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN THE HYUNDAI, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN NO STEPS TO RECALL THE AUTO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE EMERGENCY FLASHER SWITCH, WHICH SOMEHOW PROVIDES POWER TO THE TURN SIGNALS, MUST BE REPLACED. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE CONNECTION IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT POWERS THE AIR BAG CONTROL SYSTEM. WHEN THE CONNECTION IS POOR, THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT ACTIVATES, INCDICATING THE SYSTEM IS DISABLED. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN "REPAIRED" TWICE, AND STILL HAS NO AIR BAGS. THE DEALER "FIXES" THE PROBLEM BY "ADJUSTING/BENDING" THE "CONNECTOR" IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE PROBLEM RECURS WITHIN DAYS. I'VE BEEN WITHOUT WORKING AIR BAGS FOR 8 MONTHS NOW. HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF A MAJOR DESIGN DEFECT IN THE STERRING COLUMN WHICH CAUSES THE AIRBAGS TO REPREATEDLY FAIL AND DE-ACTIVATE IN THIS MODEL. THEY HAVE TAKEN NO STEPS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE GOV'T NEEDS TO ORDER THEM TO DESIGN A FIX FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND RECALL ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #710820
Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 1999
Air BagsCrashInjury
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH VEHICLE HAD HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #838912
Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 1998
Air BagsCrash
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT TRAVELLING ABOUT 15MPH, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. CAR WAS TOWED, INSURANCE INVESTIGATION PENDING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #827957
Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 1998
Air BagsCrashInjury
AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE CAUSING INJURY IN ACCIDENT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT GT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DOHC ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 19, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997; 1998 ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 6, 1997 THROUGH JUNE 25, 1998; 1997 SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 1996 THROUGH JULY 9, 1997 AND 1998 SONATA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JULY 9, 1997 THROUGH APRIL 24, 1998. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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