NHTSA Complaint #10562578 — 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA

FIRST OF ALL THE TIME AND MILEAGE ARE APPROXIMATE. WE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING OFF THE PARKING/DASHBOARD LIGHTS IN OUR 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. FLICKING THE STALK BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIMES WOULD EVENTUALLY TURN THEM OFF. I ASKED MY MECHANIC AND CALLED 2 LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERS AND ALL AGREED THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUSE/RELAY BOX. AFTER CONSULTING A FEW HYUNDAI FORUMS I LEARNED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM AFFECTING SOME 2006 AND 2007 HYUNDIAS AND THAT OWNERS WERE PAYING BETWEEN $700 TO $1200 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART. MANY OWNERS ARE UPSET THAT HYUNDAI DOES NOT ISSUE A RECALL. ON MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2014 THE STALK STOPPED WORKING. A CALL TO HYUNDAI NORTH AMERICA NOT ONLY RESULTED IN NO HELP IN FINDING OUT WHICH FUSE WOULD DISABLE THE LIGHTS BUT ALSO ASSURED ME THAT HYUNDAI SEEMS TO EXPECT THE LIFE OF SUCH PARTS TO LAST JUST PAST THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE. I DECIDED TO PULL OUT THE RELAY LOCATED UNDER THE DASHBOARD WHICH TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS (AMONG OTHER THINGS). THE NEXT DAY WHEN MY WIFE LEFT WORK AFTER INSERTING THE RELAY BACK IN, SHE COULDN'T GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND SLOWLY THINGS STARTED TO STOP WORKING SUCH AS THE HEATED SEAT AND THE REAR DEFOGGER. ONCE HOME, I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND ROAD-TESTED THE CAR. EVERYTHING WORKED NORMAL; HOWEVER, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2014 I BOUGHT A BATTERY QUICK-DISCONNECT AND WIRED THE OTHER END TO THE EXISTING HYUNDAI POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE. NOW, WHILE WE WAIT WEEKS (POSSIBLY MONTHS) TO HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THIS PART REPLACED, MY WIFE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE WORK AND IN A DARK PARKING LOT, RECONNECT THE BATTERY USING THIS QUICK-DISCONNECT TOOL. WHILE THE CAR SITS AT HOME AND AT HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, IT REMAINS UNLOCKED WITH NO ALARM, I CAN PROVIDE DIGITAL PICTURES OF THIS ALONG WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CAR. *TR