NHTSA Complaint #10427813 — 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA

I OWN A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA (82K MILEAGE). THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. BASED ON A WEB SEARCH THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND ONE THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. [THE REASON FOR THE VISIBILITY COMPLAINT, THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAD BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SUNVISOR FAIL (ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANOTHER TIME)] I TOOK THE CAR TO A HYUNDAI DEALER WHO DID NOT CONSIDER THE PROBLEM WITHIN WARRANTY. THE DEALER DID NOTE THAT THE COST TO REPAIR COULD BE AS MUCH AS $1500.00 SINCE THE ENTIRE SEAT AND SAFETY BELT SYSTEM MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. FOLLOW UP CALLS TO HYUNDAI FOUND THAT, THOUGH THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, THEY HAVE ELECTED NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL RELATED TO THE PROBLEM AS THEY DID FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR CAR MODEL WITH A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS INVESTIGATION. I STRONGLY SUSPECT YOUR INVESTIGATION WILL ARRIVE AT THE SAME CONCLUSION AND WITH YOUR HELP MAYBE HYUNDAI WILL ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS FATALLY INJURED. HERE IS A WEB LINK WITH NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS: HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2006/HYUNDAI/SONATA/FRONTAL+AIRBAG THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP! *TT