NHTSA Complaint #11015591 — 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA

WHAT HAPPENED: WE WERE AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE FOR DINNER. WE CAME TO THE CAR LATE AT NIGHT AND PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED TO ROCK THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY WHILE TRIED TO TURN THE KEY WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. WITHOUT ENGINE POWER, NO STEERING WAS AVAILABLE. FORTUNATELY, MY FRIEND DROPPED US AT OUR HOME. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER AT GLASSMAN HYUNDAI IN SOUTHFIELD THE NEXT MORNING (JULY 28) WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY SINCE STEERING WAS LOCKED. I SAW A MECHANIC WORKING ON A SIMILAR CAR IN THE PARKING LOT WITH SIMILAR ISSUE AND HE SAID THAT HE WILL BE WORKING ON MY CAR ALSO. HE ALSO SAID THAT IGNITION KEY CYLINDER ARE WEARING OUT AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. COUNTER PERSON SAID THE KEY CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT THE WHOPPING COST OF $650. LATER SHE SAID $850 UPFRONT. LATER DECLINED TO SERVICE AND I HAD TO TOW TO ANOTHER PLACE AND THEY REPLACED KEY CYLINDER FOR $380. THIS IS DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED ON A FREEWAY AFTER A REST STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF NIGHT. I HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS ISSUE IN MY 45 YEARS OF DRIVING. I DID SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME CARS. THE SWITCH IS FAULTY AND SEEMS LIKE IT IS WEARING OUT FASTER FOR SOME REASON. I HAVE ONLY 73K MILES ON IT AND THE CAR SITS IN THE GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS NOT COVERED. I THINK HYUNDAI SHOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS ISSUE FOR ALL 2007 SONATA VEHICLE. I THINK HYUNDAI SHOULD OWN THIS ISSUE AND REPLACE THE CYLINDER LOCKS ON ALL SUCH VEHICLES AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS.