2004 Hyundai Sonata recalls and problems

The 2004 Hyundai Sonata has 1 recall and 202 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

Pictured: a 2005 model; the 2004 may differ in details. Photo: 2005 Hyundai Sonata by Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2004 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 27 Sonata model years — 17th most.

1recalls

202complaints

22crashes

2fires

32injuries

86,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

1 recall

Suspension

Apr 16, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V124000 · 188,282 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai is recalling 188,282 my 2001-2004 sonata and my 2001-2004 XG300 and XG350 vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Road salt applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months May result in progressive, internal corrosion of the front sub-frame on the vehicles, and May result in thinning or perforation of the sub-frame steel. The corrosion is frequently visible and often discovered during inspection or routine maintenance, and owners May also hear noises or notice tire misalignment and steering pull. If these signals are undetected or unheeded, the corrosion May progress and the forward mounting of the lower control arm May detach from the sub-frame.

Original NHTSA wording

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT IN THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION IS FREQUENTLY VISIBLE AND OFTEN DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND OWNERS MAY ALSO HEAR NOISES OR NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. IF THESE SIGNALS ARE UNDETECTED OR UNHEEDED, THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY DETACH FROM THE SUB-FRAME.

Risk: If that happens, the vehicle May lose drive power to the wheels, and the front wheel May make contact with the fender or wheel well, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THAT HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE DRIVE POWER TO THE WHEELS, AND THE FRONT WHEEL MAY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FENDER OR WHEEL WELL, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will measure the thickness of the front sub-frame and inspect the front sub-frame for corrosion damage and, if necessary, the front sub-frame will be replaced with a new sub-frame that incorporates additional holes in the upper and lower panels. If the front sub-frame does not require replacement, the dealer will add drainage holes to the sub-frame and will treat the sub-frame with rust-proofing material to stop the corrosion process. This procedure will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during April 2009. Owners May contact the Hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai recall no. 089.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Wheels13

Latches/locks/linkages12

Unknown or other12

Engine10

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION

EA08016 · opened Aug 21, 2008 · closed Apr 20, 2009 · led to recall 09V124000

Summary

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT HYUNDAIIS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 20, 2003 THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN THE FOLLOWING SALT BELT STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN.HYUNDAI IS RECALLING THE VEHICLES TO REMEDY A CONDITION WHERE INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME MAY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AT THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE AXLE FROM THE TRANSAXLE.THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR VEHICLE DISABLEMENT. THE SUBFRAMES WILL BE INSPECTED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES USING A PROCEDURE DEVELOPED BY HYUNDAI TO MEASURE METAL THICKNESS.PARTS WITH PERFORATIONS FROM CORROSION OR WITH METAL BELOW THE SPECIFIED THICKNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED SUBFRAMES.IF THE MINIMUM METAL THICKNESS IS MET, DRAINAGE HOLES AND RUST PROOFING MATERIAL WILL BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING SUBFRAME. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA REVEALED THAT 98% OF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS WERE FROM VEHICLES EITHER ORIGINALLY SOLD OR OPERATED IN SALTBELT STATES. SIMILARLY 99.7% OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS WERE FROM VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR OPERATED IN SALTBELT STATES.ODI IDE…

2004 vs. other Hyundai Sonata years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Hyundai Sonata have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2004 Hyundai Sonata, the latest from Apr 16, 2009 (suspension). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Hyundai Sonata?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (56), structure (47), air bags (46). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.