NHTSA Complaint #10430699 — 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE STEERING WHEEL/CAR SUDDENLY STARTING SHAKING EXTREMELY VIOLENTLY AND IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO MAINTAIN CONTROL LONG ENOUGH TO PULL OVER AND STOP/INSPECT THE VEHICLE. IT WAS REMARKABLE AN ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR AND IF MY CHILD, A NEW DRIVER, HAD BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, I AM CERTAIN AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED. THE SENSATION I EXPERIENCED WAS VERY MUCH LIKE THAT DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 10V426000. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ULTIMATELY CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BRAKE SWITCH WHICH CAUSED POWER STEERING TO STOP WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE SWITCH, CONCLUDING THAT MY 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA, MANUFACTURED ON 3/11/11, WAS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL INVOLVING STEERING COLUMN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT CONNECTIONS. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THE CAR, ALTHOUGH I DO SO RELUCTANTLY, PARTICULARLY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE I DO NOT KNOW IF THESE SITUATIONS ARE RELATED, ON 9/11/11 MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE STARTER WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED. AT THAT TIME A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER, BUT REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT MY VEHICLE AND THIS SITUATION HAPPENING TO OTHER DRIVERS WHO MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY AS I WAS. I REMAIN HOPEFUL HYUNDAI WILL BE AGGRESSIVE AND PROACTIVE IN THIS PROCESS, BUT IT SCARED AND CONCERNED ME ENOUGH I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO PURSUE THIS SITUATION WITH A REGULATORY BODY. *TR