2007 HYUNDAI SONATA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was previously illuminated. Additionally, the seat belt warning light was activated for the passenger’s seat while the seat was unoccupied. The contact was concerned that the safety restraint system (SRS) might not function correctly in a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (AIR BAGS); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000.

I have a 2007 Hyundai Sonata SE v6 3.3L and on January 9th, 2026 I had an incident where on the road my charging system light on signifying alternator failure. I made it home, but the battery was dead which was recently purchased. After recharging the battery I conducted tests with a multimeter and have determined the alternator has failed. The alternator has accrued a coating of oil overtime that was unknown until my research into the matter of root cause. Hyundai manufactures a V6 engine family called Lamba in which a version called Lambda MPi G6DB was introduced in 2007–2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (CM) and 2005–2009 Hyundai Sonata (NF) models. In 2023 Hyundai issued a recall for the 2007-2009 Santa Fe for a Cylinder Head Cover Oil Leak Repair where oil drips from the valve cover directly onto the alternator causing it to fail. I have a 2007 Hyundai Sonata 3.3L V6 engine where the very same issue has occurred with photo evidence that has caused my alternator to fail and have tested the issue. This vehicle model was not included in the recall despite the engine being exactly the same as the recalled model, the year being the exact same as the Santa Fe, and the alternator in the exact placement where the oil drips into the alternator causing failure just like the Santa Fe recall. The Santa Fe recall with the same issue is documented with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration below: [XXX] Hyundai has yet to issue the same recall for the Hyundai Sonata brand of vehicles, despite the same issue occurring and a known issue with the Lambda MPi G6DB engine design effecting multiple models in the same way documented across multiple owners of these vehicles with various fixes suggested on Youtube, Reddit, and enthusiast forums for this engineering failure that causes considerable risk if the alternator fails in operation on roadways. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The airbag warning light in my car is always ON, it won't go OFF. It was repaired by Hyundai service center under an extended warranty a few years back but now they said that they won't fix it again.

Unknown

The contact's daughter owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the front passenger's side seat cushion assembly needed to be replaced due to the occupant classification system (OCS) failure. The dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (Air Bags). The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired because the part had been discontinued. The dealer referred the contact to the junkyard to purchase the parts. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the same assessment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 181,416.

While driving on expressway the red Air Bag light went on for no apparent reason and will not turn off. I tried to reset by disconnecting the car battery, but it's still on. This happened about 2 months ago. The car has never had a bag actuate I had heard that air bag malfunctions and some emission problems are covered regardless of age or mileage as long as they have not been tampered.

Brake lights on and traction control light on, engine light on

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was informed that there was no recall associated with the VIN and that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was 133,379.

Red “airbag” light on dash illuminated while driving. Code read as B1706: passenger buckle pretensioner. May have been covered under Hyundai’s 15yr/250k warranty but owners never notified since not official recall. Although, this defect may not affect airbags themselves it causes “airbag” light to remain illuminated until addressed. Driving with the “airbag” light continuously illuminated may pose risk to unsafe conditions due to unknown new airbag codes since “airbag” light already illuminated with buckle pretensioner code B1706.

car began to pull like out of align but upon inspection by tire repair shop it was discovered that the tread was separating on all 4 tires. had 2 replaced at the time. After a few hundred miles the other 2 tires failed in the rear causing the car to shake violently. My kids were on thier way home to Columbus,Ga from Beaufort,S.C. had to leave car there Statesboro, Ga.

2007 Hyundai Sonata- Consumers son is emailing on behalf of his elderly mother. He is requesting any kind of help in reference to a catastrophic engine failure. Complaint has been filed with the MA Attorney Generals Office and the email mentions a current NHTSA investigation into the 2007 Sonata.

I have been encountering issues with my 2007 Hyundai Sonata SE in the following manners: 1- At times the brake lights will be on and the car will have anyone inside. 2- My ESC OFF light comes on will not go off. 3- When using my headlights the cruise control will not work. (Specifically when the automatic lights would come on the cruise goes off) 4-At random times the key will not turn. All the above mentioned issues concern the electrical system!, Speed Control!, and lighting systems. All are available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others has been put at risk because of system failures causing the car to operate improperly and dangerously. I have not had the extra money to take it to the dealership. No other reports have been made. The only warning light is the ESC OFF light comes on occasionally. This light began coming on 6 months ago.

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while performing a daily check on the vehicle, the contact became aware that oil was leaking onto the alternator. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic replaced the driver’s side valve cover gasket. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle was not under recall and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not under recall. The failure mileage was 114,000.

2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL.

Air Bag light is ON due to bad OCS - OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM on the passenger seat. It is a safety issue and airbags wont deploy in case of an accident. Passenger seat bealt light is blinking even withoit passenger. Problem has been confirmed by the service center and reported to the manafacturer. There is an open campain 083 for Sonatas with this issue but not all vehicles are included, VIN of my vehicle is not included even if it has the same issues as described in the campain.

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the electronic stability control (ESC) warning light illuminated causing the brakes to lock-up and the vehicle to not accelerate as needed. The contact stated that she waited until the vehicle cooled down for the vehicle to operate normally. The contact was then able to drive the vehicle home safely. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the hydraulic control unit needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V122000 (Exterior Lighting) and that she had to pay out-of-pocket for the repair. The contact agreed to the repair but was later informed that the parts were discontinued. The manufacturer was contacted and was working with the contact. The failure mileage was 210,075.

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle drove sluggish and unresponsive and would not properly accelerate. Upon inspection it was discovered that engine oil from the valve cover gasket had leaked onto the alternator. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the alternator was damaged due to the presence of oil inside and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced by the manufacturer to prevent the failure from occurring but the failure had occurred on two separate occasions. No further information was available. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 151,000.

I recently purchased this vehicle from my father. I believe there is a faulty sensor in the passenger airbag sensor for their OCS (occupant classification system). The warning lamp for 'Air Bag' stays on when operating the vehicle. When starting the vehicle with no passenger, the lamp to show there is no passenger comes on but then turns off. It does the same thing with a passenger in the seat. The lamp to show there is no passenger used to stay lit, when there is no passenger. I have tried to address the issue with Hyundai about 2 or 3 times by calling customer service by phone and they told me all 3 times that there are no "open recalls for this vehicle at this time." But I can clearly see through records that recall no. 08V161000 addressed this very issue. I will attempt to make an appointment with one of their Hyundai dealerships but I believe there is a safety issue here. Thanks!

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 35 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.

I took the car in for a recall/warranty repair on 3/28/2021. The part (seatbelt/airbag sensor/pre tensioner) has still not been delivered to the dealer so that they can repair the vehicle. The part being defective prevents the airbag sensor from operating correctly and, as such, the airbags will not work in the event of a collision. This car is my daily driver and has largely been parked idle for 12 months. For the entire year, I have been fighting with their corporate customer support team and there has been no progress whatsoever on securing the part. They have given me numerous dates for the part to arrive. None of them have been met. No new date has been provided. The dealer blames Hyundai Corporate, Hyundai Corporate blames the 'distribution centre' and so on. The car is unsafe with no airbags and there is no resolution in sight.

Sensor for right passenger airbag not working and passenger buckle sensor flashing when no one is in seat. Airbag light in main dash will not turn off.

Airbag light is on, taken to dealer, replaced passenger seat occupancy sensor, not fixed

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that there was a recall; NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (Air Bags) related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,205.

The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact then received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (Air Bags). The contact called the manufacturer who set up an appointment with a local dealer for the vehicle to be serviced. The dealer informed him upon arrival that they were going to decline to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed him to ignore the warning lights on the instrument panel. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. Consumer stated he received 2 letters regarding 2 safety recalls dealer refuses to repair it. One is passenger seatbelt light is the other airbag light.

Airbag light stays on because passenger side Seat

VALVE COVER LEAKS ONTO ALTERNATOR, CAN CAUSE SUDDEN POWER LOSS AND PREMATURE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS EXACT THING HAPPEN. APPARENTLY ONCE YOU GET THE VALVE COVER GASKET FIXED, IT WILL FAIL AGAIN IN ANOTHER YEAR OR SO. THERE IS A DEFECT EITHER IN THE GASKET OR THE VALVE COVER MATING SURFACE. CURRENTLY MY CAR IS ONLY AT THE STAGE OF OIL LEAKING FROM COVER GASKET AND GETTING ONTO THE ALTERNATOR. NO FURTHER FAILURE HAS HAPPENED YET. MY CAR HAS 67,000 MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE HEARD RATTLING AND TAPPING SOUNDS. THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WHILE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A ROD KNOCK AND VALVE TAP PRESENT AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. KEARNY MESA HYUNDAI (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPAIRED OUT OF POCKET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,800.

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN 2019 AND MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. SINCE THEN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS STAYED ON. I'VE GONE TO EVERY MECHANIC AROUND ABOUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND THEY ALL SAY I HAVE A RECALL ON THE CAR. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES OVER MY BRAKE LIGHT EITHER NOT ILLUMINATING OR STAYING ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING.

Crash

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN 2019 AND MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. SINCE THEN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS STAYED ON. I'VE GONE TO EVERY MECHANIC AROUND ABOUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND THEY ALL SAY I HAVE A RECALL ON THE CAR. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES OVER MY BRAKE LIGHT EITHER NOT ILLUMINATING OR STAYING ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING.

Crash

THE ESC OFF LIGHT GOES ON SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING AND PUSHING THE BUTTON DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES EVEN WHEN NO ONE'S SITTING ON THE SEAT.

THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN MY CAR IS DEFECTIVE. THIS WAS ALREADY A RECALL BY HYUNDAI, BUT FOR REASONS I DON'T UNDERSTAND DOES NOT INCLUDE MY CAR AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE. IT IS THE RIGHT MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR THE ORIGINAL RECALL INCLUDED. APPARENTLY THE SEATBELT TENSION ADJUSTER IS ALSO INVOLVED IN MY CASE.

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING WHILE DRIVING WITH NO PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. STAYS OFF WHILE VEHICLE NOT MOVING. DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT ON. VEHICLE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST OF SIMILAR ISSUE IDENTIFIED IN THE PAST. ISSUE RESEMPLES CONDITION IDENTIFIED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGH 08V161000. VECHICLE MILEAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 175,000.

A MECHANIC AT OUR INSURED, HEADQUARTER HYUNDAI SANFORD, WAS INJURED WHEN THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD DUE TO SHIFT CABLE GROMMET BEING BROKEN LEAVING VEHICLE IN GEAR

1 injured

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V161000 (AIR BAGS) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,319.