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2014 Sonata Hybrid - DEAD!

10K views 28 replies 15 participants last post by  Old's Cool 
#1 · (Edited)
I got a 2014 Sonata Hybrid two months ago, in June. It was beautiful and it was the first car I've been in love with in a very long time! The ride so smooth and quiet. Much more so than the 2013 Sonata (non-hybrid) that I had before. And the seats were way more comfortable!

But as you may have noticed, I'm talking about it in the past tense. On June 25th, just 10 days after I got it, the Check Engine light came on and stayed on. So I took it into the dealership and they didn't find anything wrong so they cleared the code and told me I was good to go. I doubted them though.

And sure enough just two weeks later something else happened. I went down to start it and it just wouldn't start. The lights came on on the dash and looked pretty normal, but the READY light wouldn't come on. I knew the car was fine, nothing wrong with the engine. But it just wouldn't start.

So, I had it towed into the dealership. It took them three days to figure it out and when they did, it turned out it was a $0.50 fuse that had blown. They replaced it and everything was fine. I hadn't done anything to the car. I hadn't replaced light bulbs or anything. So I have no idea why the fuse blew. On the dealer invoice it says they replaced the "LP-MINI FUSE 10A".

I got the car back, but on August 13th, exactly one month and two days after my last visit, the car wouldn't start again. Same thing, all the lights came on except the READY light. And it was fine the day before. But it just wouldn't start.

I had it towed again to the dealership (using up 2 of my 3 Hyundai Assistance yearly tows)!

The dealership has now had it going on 14 days and they have absolutely no idea what's wrong with it. Last week they replaced, what they told me was the main computer unit - a HPCU or HPUC or something like that. The service rep didn't really know for sure what it was called. But they said that didn't work.

On Friday they ordered something the service rep again was not able to tell me specifically what it was. But he said it had something to do with the ignition system. That's supposed to come in tomorrow. I'm really hoping it'll work.

But I was wondering if any of you might have any idea what this is?

Apparently it's pretty common. The service rep told me they had another car that's been in for 30 days with what looked like the same problem. Later he told me the other car was one of their stock cars that they had for sale! So they had the same problem on one of their own cars that they were trying to sell!

He said for 30 days (I guess now you can make that 45 days), they hadn't been able to fix it. A Hyundai technician came out last week and looked at it and he had no idea either.

Then the service rep told me that they've been getting a lot of calls from people who wanted to tow their new 2014 hybrids in for the same problem (or at least the same symptom - their car wouldn't start). He's been turning down these tow requests and telling them they don't know what the problem is!

So apparently it's really happening a lot. I'm just curious if anyone here has heard of it or might have any idea what it is.
 
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#2 ·
That's too bad, don't be discouraged they will nail it down.
What bothers me and what they should have given a good hard look is, what would cause a fuse to blow so early in the cars history.
Replacing that and then feeling good about themselves and sending you on your way was the wrong way to go.
Good luck with it all.
 
#3 ·
JonQYork - man, your story is really disturbing! My 2014 HSH Limited is about one month newer than yours and I love it but catastrophic issues like you are experiencing are very troubling. I sure hope that Hyundai is able to determine what is wrong and eliminate it from happening again (or make you whole with another car or refund). Hoping for the best outcome!
 
#4 ·
krisjan, if you've had it a month and no problems, you're probably going to be okay. (I hope)! I drive pretty much every day so if you do the same, I'd say not to worry. I had my first problem within 10 days of purchase.

Lubie, I agree, they should have figured out what caused the problem on such a new car. They saw I had two phone chargers in the car and they kind of tried to blame it on that. Saying I was charging two phones at the same time (which was true). But it seems to me, they put two outlets in the car and they know people use them to charge phones, it shouldn't have been a problem.
 
#5 ·
First of all, any time something like that happens.. (SES light) coming on. You don't just take your car back with out asking why the light came on.. There was a DTC code that was set with that light came on . The dealer Techs know what code it was and what it means.


second, It blew a FUSE, they told you which Fuse it was. LP-MINI FUSE 10A The owners manual should identify what circuits this fuse controls.


Knowing these thing will make it easier to track this problem down. Sounds like the techs aren't very competent.
 
#7 ·
First of all, any time something like that happens.. (SES light) coming on. You don't just take your car back with out asking why the light came on.. There was a DTC code that was set with that light came on . The dealer Techs know what code it was and what it means.

second, It blew a FUSE, they told you which Fuse it was. LP-MINI FUSE 10A The owners manual should identify what circuits this fuse controls.

Knowing these thing will make it easier to track this problem down. Sounds like the techs aren't very competent.
I don't know if it's the techs not being competent or just the service advisor I deal with not wanting to find out the details and relate them to me. He's been pretty lame about getting details for me.
 
#6 ·
If not fixed soon, I would recommend going the Lemon Law route. You have had one problem too many with a brand new car and numerous attempts to repair it have failed. I know you probably are attached to it, but there have been too many problems too soon and you have been inconvenienced for too long, especially it being a new car.
 
#8 ·
If you aren't happy with the service adviser then talk to another, or his boss. Maybe ask them to tow to another dealer at their expense since they aren't doing enough to help.

You could also go straight to Hyundai and let them know of your displeasure with the local people. I asked a question to Hyundai Corporate and had 4 replies and a call from my dealership within 2 days and this was just a map software question.

Good Luck
 
#15 ·
You could also go straight to Hyundai and let them know of your displeasure with the local people. I asked a question to Hyundai Corporate and had 4 replies and a call from my dealership within 2 days and this was just a map software question.

Good Luck
I called Hyundai corporate first time last week. They seemed like they wanted to help but after four more calls this week (one per day), they've done absolutely nothing. They said on Monday they have somebody from Hyundai regional working on the case (which the dealership had already told me). They said they'd have him give me a call on Tuesday. Still haven't heard anything from anybody!

Oh and try to ask for a loaner car... forget it! Everyone refuses.
 
#9 ·
You're obviously not very proactice. By this point, you should have made one request of HMA to replace the car. Once they decline, and they will, then it's time to get read up on your state's lemon law. If you meet the requirements flat out, then go into litigation. If your state's lemon law favors the manufacturer vs the consumer, then call the BBB arbitration line.

Here's the fine print. Every person who buys a new car from HMA has 45 days to opt out of HMA-sponsored arbitration either via electronic mail or certified mail, and you must have proof of having done so. If you missed that window, you will be forced into what is called AAA arbitration which is what the HMA-sponsored arbitration is called. You will absolutely lose there because it is basically HMA's lion's den; however, you can then proceed with BBB arbitration (with or without a lawyer) or litigation (in which case you will need a lawyer). At the BBB, they do not have the power to order HMA to pay your attorney fees. In litigation, if you win, you will be awarded attorney fees because a judge can order that. Do not go into litigation without meeting the letter of your state law.

Or....you can sit there like an idiot and let HMA jerk you around until the cows come home. Forty-five days and three attempts to fix the same issue satisfies most state lemon laws.

What you're getting from HMA is typical. It happened to me, and I didn't get a resolution until I won a lemon law repurchase in 2013 for my then 2012 HSH.
 
#11 ·
You're obviously not very proactice.

Or....you can sit there like an idiot and let HMA jerk you around until the cows come home. Forty-five days and three attempts to fix the same issue satisfies most state lemon laws. HSH.
I really don't know why you find it necessary to be so rude and insulting. Especially when you have no idea what I've done because I haven't said. But I have already started the lemon law process.

However, my question and my purpose in posting this wasn't to get information on that, it was to find out if anyone else had had this problem and if so, to find out what the cause of it is.

I'm attaching a photo of what I saw on the dash when the car wouldn't start.
 

Attachments

#12 ·
So, I called the dealership today and they said they tried the "ignition" part that they thought might be the problem and they said it didn't work.

But there's something disturbing going on. They told me they're actually trying these parts in another car! They say this other car has the same problem as mine. But how would they know that since they don't know what the problem is?

So, they put the part in the other car and if that car doesn't start, they assume it wouldn't work in my car either! So they don't even bother trying it in my car. I'm no mechanic but that sure doesn't seem like the best way to go about fixing a car when you have no idea what the problem is.
 
#18 ·
The couple of times that I had my hybrid at the dealership for more than a day they gave me loaners. On one occasion they gave me a brand new Santa Fe, and the other time they gave me a Sonata turbo with about 5,000 miles on it. My dealership has been very good to me and that's why I continue to purchase cars from them when it comes time to trade up, but if I don't like their treatment, there are many other dealerships that want my money just the same. I find it odd that they won't give you a loaner since the car will/has been there so much.
 
#19 ·
This really depends on the dealership and the service managers.

One dealer gives me loaners every time. Even when I told them I have a 1200mi trip coming up... they made sure to give me a brand new santa fe, w/ leather and navigation. One time they didn't have a loaner, they drove me to an enterprise rental and paid for it.

The dealer up here in NJ... never used to give me a loaner. I had the early charging system issue and told them its not safe to drive, they wouldn't agree or disagree, told me they had to keep my car for days and wouldn't get me a loaner to get home. Their service manager and service techs were mostly replaced last year, now they are good and gives me loaners for warranty work.

If there're any hyundai people reading these message boards... note that I've purchased 6 new vehicles in 7 years from the one dealership that gives great service!!!
 
#20 ·
I think a lot depends on the actual dealer rather than Hyundai.
I know the one problem I had with the hybrid they ran out a Genesis for me to borrow.
When I had my problem and the technician couldn't find it the first time he told me that there were 27 individual computers to deal with. So I can see where it can be a problem to find a problem.
Years ago I had a brand new Dodge Caravan, 95 if I remember correctly, that had died in the first week and it took the dealership about 6 weeks to find the problem, they replaced every piece of silicon in it before they got it to work.
I guess my point is that it isn't the brand but more the type of technology in modern vehicles that is both a blessing and a curse!
 
#21 ·
Mr. JonQYork, any update on this issue? It's been a few weeks now. Just wondering if you got it solved, or where you stand on having a car?
 
#23 ·
This venue has a history of folks popping up, making extreme claims, and not following up.

About a year ago a poster was describing issues.
Moderator who lived an hour from the poster offered (in a PM) to meet up with him, check out the issue, and drive the car.
I also offered (again by PM) to forward the VIN, the problem, and contact info to two well placed contacts, one a member of a nationwide task force tasked with researching and solving complaints.

We never heard from the member again.

I remain skeptical about some of these posters.

After all this is the internet.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Well, I thought I'd share the end of this story in case it might help somebody else who goes through a similar problem in the future.

They finally found the problem - after 31 days in the shop. It was the Power Control Unit (PCU). They replaced it on September 13th and everything has been fine since.

The thing that makes me furious is that it took them 31 days to get around to what was the obvious suspect from the beginning. I had to take the car in a month before this because of a blown fuse. They replaced the fuse but did nothing to try and figure out what made it blow in the first place. It turns out that was the fuse for the PCU. And the mechanic remembered that from my earlier visit. So it seems they could have tried this sooner. But instead they preferred to try cheaper options like checking the keyless entry system and the brake/ignition system and every other electronic thing they could think of.

In the end I got the feeling they could done all of this in a week or two. I think they were just letting the car sit there for weeks on end without doing anything to it. i guess that's where the Lemon Law will come in.
 
#25 ·
When you get a chance, browse through this attached thread to see all the people who have had problems with the HPCU in mostly the 2011's. That unit costs Hyundai around $5,000 to replace from what others have posted on the forum, so you can see why they took so long in coming to that conclusion. I would have thought by now that they would have that issue with the HPCU worked out but you are proof that they still need improvement in their quality control. Give this thread a good browsing and look at all the runarounds we got early on and you will not fee as bad as you do currently.
http://www.hyundai-forums.com/sonata-yf-hybrid/129573-check-charging-system-5.html
 
#26 ·
Yeah, I saw that conversation a few weeks ago vinnyg - and I kind of discounted it since it was from 3 years ago. I couldn't bring myself to believe they'd still be having the same problem 3 years later! But apparently they are! Unbelievable.

They told me the unit was $5,000 but they also said it was covered by warranty for life. So apparently no one will ever have to pay for a repair on it - thank God!

The weird thing though about them taking their sweet time about it was they know I live in a state where the lemon law says if your car is in the shop for 20 days or more (not 30), that they'll have to do some heavy reimbursing. So you'd think they might have been in more of a hurry to fix it. I've already opened a lemon law case and they're probably going to have to pay me several thousand dollars for my trouble.

My dilemma now is deciding whether I should keep this car since it has been running perfectly since I got it back, or make them give me a brand new one, which might end up having the same trouble.
 
#28 ·
I've already opened a lemon law case and they're probably going to have to pay me several thousand dollars for my trouble.


In NJ you either get a relacement vehicle or a prorated refund:

If the manufacturer offers to replace your vehicle, you may refuse the offer and demand a refund. If your request is rejected, you can pursue the matter through a hearing or in court.

If you do accept a replacement vehicle, and the original vehicle was financed, the manufacturer must see that the financing is transferred from the original vehicle to the replacement vehicle. (It is your responsibility to have the title and registration transferred to the car you are given.)

If you accept a refund, you will receive the full purchase price of your original vehicle, minus a "reasonable allowance for vehicle use."


New Jersey Lemon Laws - Lemon Law Attorneys at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple
 
#27 ·
I got a 2014 Sonata Hybrid two months ago, in June. The ride so smooth and quiet. Much more so than the 2013 Sonata (non-hybrid) that I had before.

On June 25th, just 10 days after I got it, the Check Engine light came on and stayed on. So I took it into the dealership and they didn't find anything wrong so they cleared the code and told me I was good to go. I doubted them though it's pretty common.

The service rep told me they had another car that's been in for 30 days with what looked like the same problem. Later he told me the other car was one of their stock cars that they had for sale! So they had the same problem on one of their own cars that they were trying to sell!

He said for 30 days (I guess now you can make that 45 days), they hadn't been able to fix it. A Hyundai technician came out last week and looked at it and he had no idea either.

Then the service rep told me that they've been getting a lot of calls from people who wanted to tow their new 2014 hybrids in for the same problem (or at least the same symptom - their car wouldn't start). He's been turning down these tow requests and telling them they don't know what the problem i.
[


I actually had the HPCU replaced on my 2011 but shortly thereafter Hyundai stopped doing replacements after they found out about a problem with connector bolts. Software flashes solved most of the issues.
Just think, when is the last time someone mentioned having an HPCU replaced?
Something is stinky here.


I did a search for JonQYork and foind this on the Edmunds Forum:

This Car is Going to be Recalled
By jonqyork on 08/21/14 07:56 AM (PDT)
Vehicle

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan w/Panoramic Sunroof Package (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
Review
I bought this car on June 15, 2014. On July 14th, it wouldn't start. Had it towed to the dealer. It took them 5 days to find the problem. It was a blown fuse. On August 13th, it wouldn't start again. Towed again to the dealer. Now, 9 days later they still have it and can't figure out the problem. They said they've had another Sonata Hybrid in the shop with a similar problem for a month. They simply have no idea what's wrong with it or how to get it back on the road! And they told me they're now turning down tows because they don't know how to fix it!


2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 2.4L 4-cyl. Hybrid 6-speed Automatic w/Panoramic Sunroof Package Consumer Review - This Car is Going to

One would not make a mistake about the model year.
And then another one about the failure date.
I would view anything from this individual with a lot of skeptism.

Almost sounds like a pro troll out to discredit the HSh.
 
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