NHTSA Complaint #10202849 — 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA

HYUNDAI SONAT GLS/ PASSENGER AIRBAG DEACTIVATES WHEN SEAT OCCUPIED. WE PURCHASED A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS IN JULY OF 2006, IT HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT CAR EXCEPT FOR ONE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT. SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG DEACTIVATION SIGN WOULD COME ON WHEN MY WIFE WAS IN THE SEAT. THE MANUAL STATES THAT THE AIRBAG DEACTIVATES WHEN THE SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR A PASSENGER LESS THATN 50 LBS. MY WIFE WEIGHS 150 LBS PLUS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HUMBLE HUNDAI: 1ST VISIT: I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE CHECKED IT AND NOTHING WAS WRONG, SO HE COULD NOT FIX IT ----PROBLEM CONTINUED 2ND VISIT: TOLD HIM WE WERE ON TRIP OF 50 MILES EACH WAY AND LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. HE SAID HE GOT THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF VARIOUS SIZES TO RIDE IN IT AND THE LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON 3RD... CALLED THE NATIONAL HYUNDAI HEADQUARTERS.... YOUNG MAN ACTED LIKE HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT 4- STARTED ON TRIP, LIGHT CAME ON, SO..DECIDED TO TAKE IT AND SHOW IT TO SERVICE DEPT. TOOK IT BY DEALER, MGR. NOT IN.. INSISTED THAT SERVICE PERSON DOCUMENT THE FACT THAT HE SAW THE LIGHT ON. 5: CALLED HYUNDAI NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS AGAIN, ASKED FOR A SUPERVISOR, SHE ASSURED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE ALLEVIATED 6. SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME AND ASKED ME TO BRING THE CAR IN. WE TOOK THE CAR IN. HIS SOLUTION WAS TO TAKE A SEAT OUT OF A CAR ON THE NEW CAR LOT AND SWAP IT OUT WITH MY SEAT. 7. THE PROBLEM IS BETTER BUT THE LIGHT STILL COMES ON OCCASIONALLY, WE HAVE TRIED ALL THE TRICKS THEY SUGGESTED TO GET THE LIGHT OFF WHEN IT COMES ON. CONCLUSION: I TOLD EACH PERSON ABOVE THAT IF WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY AT F.W. SPEEDS, HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG FAILED, I WAS HOLDING THEM RESPONSIBLE. I HAVE PUT THIS IN WRITING. HYUNDAI CONSIDERS THE PROBLEM SOLVED. IT IS NOT. I EVEN ASKED THEM TO DISCONNECT THE SAFETY FEATURE WHICH CAUSES THE AIR BAG TO DEACTIVATE. THEY REFUSED.