NHTSA Complaint #10896841 — 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

STARTED HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE TURNING. THE STEERING WHEEL LITERALLY FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OFF IN MY LAP. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE QUITE RAPIDLY TO THE POINT WHERE IT DOES IT AS I DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD NORMALLY AROUND 65 MPH OR FASTER. IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WILL WALK ALL OVER THE ROAD WHILE IT IS MAKING THIS NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO HAS SLACK AND MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHILE STATIONARY IF YOU MOVE IT BACK AND FORTH. I INITIALLY THOUGHT MY TIE RODS HAD ALREADY WORN OUT ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE TIE RODS REPLACED TO FIND OUT IT IS IN MY STEERING COLUMN. IT SEEMS AS IF A BOX IN THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE OR BAD AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD I AM GOING TO LOSE THE STEERING SHAFT IF IT DOESN'T GET FIXED. IT IS ALSO BELIEVED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON DUE TO THIS SAME ISSUE. IT HAS CAUSED A SENSOR IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO GO OUT. I CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF RECALL FOR THE STEERING ON MY CAR AND THEY SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING. BUT THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AND SAID THAT MY STEERING COUPLER MOST LIKELY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT IS GOING TO SET ME BACK AT LEAST $350. SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND A KNOWN ISSUE, I ASK WHY THERE ISNT A RECALL AND JUST GOT TOLD HE DOESNT KNOW. I WAS READING THAT THERE IS THIS SAME ISSUE IN THE 2011 SONATAS. MY CAR IS A 2012 BUT WAS ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED IN DEC 2011 BUT THEY STILL WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.