The fifth-generation Hyundai Sonata has won wide praise among the public and critics, but that doesn’t mean the model has been without any problems.
There have been a few recalls but persistent complaints that certain Sonatas tend to drift to the left at highway speeds have not been addressed.
Hyundai now says it has a steering fix for beleaguered owners, according to USA Today. Hyundai said it will inspect the suspension system on the models in question and make adjustments when needed. If the problem lingers after the adjustments, the automaker will replace the struts and reprogram the power-steering system, though the company stresses that it doesn’t believe it will need to make that drastic intervention on many models.
Owners of affected models will be notified over the next few weeks, Hyundai said. The service campaign covers Sonatas with 18-inch wheels built from September 2010 through May 2011, USA Today says. It’s important to note that this isn’t considered to be a recall; the drifting can be addressed with an easy one-handed steering correction while driving, according to Consumer Reports.
Owner complaints about the Sonata’s steering problems have been bubbling up since late last year. Consumer Reports has documented the problem well — the publication experienced the problem with its own Sonata Turbo tester and had to send its vehicle to a dealership multiple times to fix the issue.
