2007 Hyundai Sonata service brakes, hydraulic problems

“DURING A SNOW STORM, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A STOP. MY BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE (AS IF SOMETHING WAS KEEPING THE BRAKE SHOES FROM ENGAGING ONTO THE WHEEL). THERE ALSO WAS A LOUD CLATTER. I DISENGAGED MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND WAS ONLY THEN ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. TODAY I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STOP SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I SAW HYUNDAI HAD A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN #: 09V-122 WHICH WAS PUBLISHED APRIL 15, 2009. . ACCORDING TO MY VIN HISTORY, MY STOP LAMP SWITCH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED ON 4/4/09 BY MALONE HYUNDAI. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATION AND ASKED IF PERHAPS MY STOP SWITCH, SINCE BEING REPLACED BEFORE THE RECALL, MIGHT HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ALSO A DEFECTIVE STOP SWITCH. THE CASE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE 5 YEAR, 60,000 MILE WARRANTY ON PARTS WAS 5 YEARS, 60,000 MILES FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST DRIVEN NEW OFF THE LOT AND HYUNDAI WOULD NOT REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE STOP SWITCH UNLESS I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD CERTIFY THAT MY SWITCH WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. ON SAFERCAR.GOV, YOU HAVE SEVERAL DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED RELATED TO THIS RECALL. IN THE DOCUMENT ENTITLED…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:09V122000(SERVICE BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:SWITCHES: BRAKE LIGHT) ON AUGUST 19, 2009 HOWEVER, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A BRAKE FAILURE 40,000 MILES LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,822 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED DURING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE SHE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ROTORS WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS PREVIOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,237 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,900.”

“RIGHT REAR OUTER BRAKE PAD SEIZED IN THE PAD HOLDER, GRINDING THE ROTOR. DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKES AND CHARGED ME $ 400.00 EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE FRONT PADS WERE ONLY 50% WORN AND THEY DO MOST OF THE STOPPING. NOW HYUNDAI DEALER SAYS THAT THE HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE REAR BRAKES CLEANED AND LUBRICATED EVERY 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES AT MY EXPENSE, TO PREVENT "LOCK UP". HYUNDAI DOES NOT MENTION THIS TYPE OF MAINTENANCE ANYWHERE IN IT'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. AFTER CHECKING ON THE WEB, I FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM AMONG HYUNDAI OWNERS WHO ARE BEING RIPPED OFF BY HYUNDAI WHO REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL THE FAULTY BRAKE CALIPERS. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND MILEAGE IS 90% HIGHWAY, SO THERE IS MINIMAL USAGE OF THE BRAKE COMPARED TO CITY DWELLERS, YET THE BRAKES FAILED PREMATURELY. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY DEPLETED AND THE ROTORS WERE IN POOR CONDITION. THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,990.”

“LEFT REAR BRAKE LINING FAILED CAUSING LOUD NOISE WHEN I BRAKED. ALSO BRAKES TOOK LONGER TO STOP. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER IT MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. HYUNDAI HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR CALIPERS SEIZING UP AND NOT RELEASING THEREBY WEARING THE BRAKE PADS OUT IN SEVERAL MILES AND CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO FAIL. I ALSO HAD THIS SAME FAILURE AT 12,000 MILES AND HYUNDAI REPLACED THE PADS AND THE SAID CALIPERS WERE OK. HYUNDAI SAID THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN AREAS WERE THEY USE A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CHEMICALS ON THE ROAD IN WINTERTIME. ALL OTHER MANUFACTURERS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, MY OPINION IS THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE CALIPERS HYUNDAI USES AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR INJURED DUE TO A REAR WHEEL BRAKE FAILURE.”