Problems · by component

2006 Hyundai Sonata exterior lighting problems

45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Sonata cite exterior lighting, 4% of all 1,047 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 5 recalls on this component.

Complaints
45
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My parking and tail lights do not turn off when I turn off the car when it's dark. I have to turn the headlight switch on and off several times to see if they will turn off. If they do not I have to disconnect the battery so it doesn't discharge. I was told this is a fuse panel issue. If this is a fuse panel issue then I'm concerned what else will go wrong with the fuse panel. If the lights stop working altogether then that will be a problem. I have not taken this vehicle to a dealer due to financial responsibilities. This all started without warning. At about the same time, my ESC turned off and will not come back on. Curious if this is connected.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2022Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11456799
“I CAME HOME RURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT. I LOOKED AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WAS STILL ON. I CHECKED THE LIGHTS TO MAKE SURE I TURNED THEM OFF AND THEY STILL WON'T GO OFF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11352345
“PASSENGER SEAT BELT TAKES SEVERAL TIMES TO REMAIN SECURED AND LOCKED. HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT POSITIONED PROPERLY. AT NIGHT THE ROAD IS BARELY VISIBLE AND COULD VERY EASILY LEAD TO A CRASH IF NOT PROVIDING PROPER ATTENTION AND FOCUS TO ROAD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2020Exterior lighting, Seat beltsODI 11328697
“THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AGAIN, INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH IT THE NEXT TIME I CAME IN. THE PARK LIGHTS WILL NOT ALWAYS SHUT OFF WHEN IN THE AUTO SETTING, SO FAR HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM TO SHUT OFF BY REPEATEDLY TURNING LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF. THE ABS/ESC LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY AND WILL USUALLY GO OFF AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND RESTARTING. NOW, THE TRUNK WILL NOT CLOSE AND THE TRUNK LIGHT IS ON CONTINUALLY AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT LIGHT WHEN HITTING THE DOOR LOCK BUTTON ON THE FOB, SO I DO NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS SECURE AND SAFE TO ENTER AT NIGHT. THESE SITUATIONS ALL OCCUR EITHER WHEN PARKING OR IN THE CASE OF THE ABS/ESC WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING AND STATIONARY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2018Exterior lighting, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11120687
“WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND THE KEY IS OUT OF THE IGNITION THE PARK LIGHTS STAY ON IN THE FRONT AND BACK, AS WELL AS THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS STAY LIT UP. I HAVE TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY TO GET THEM TO TURN OFF. AS SOON AS I HOOK THE BATTERY BACK UP THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11110666
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER BEING REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. FURTHERMORE, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. KEN GARTH HYUNDAI (10770 AUTO MALL DRIVE, SANDY, UTAH 84070) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND REQUESTED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2018Exterior lighting, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11062480

Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

5 recalls on this component

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Exterior lightingReported Jul 21, 2009NHTSA 09V280000

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 532,633 MY 2006-2007 ACCENT, ENTOURAGE, SONATA, MY 2007 AZERA, ELANTRA AND SANTA FE, MY 2005-2007 TUCSON AND MY 2007-2008 VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 15, 2009NHTSA 09V122000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 7, 2009NHTSA 09E012000

Exterior lighting: headlights

Free remedy

HYUNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 4,085 REPLACEMENT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD FOR USE ON 2006-2008 SONATA AND AZERA VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ALIGNED PROPERLY AND FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported Mar 7, 2008NHTSA 08E021000

Exterior lighting: headlights

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INNER BEZELS OF THE HEADLAMPS WERE NOT PROPERLY ASSEMBLED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE TURN SIGNAL LENSES TO BE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED.

Exterior lightingReported May 22, 2006NHTSA 06V180000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.