Front Suspension Control Arm problems of the 2000 Hyundai Sonata

The contact owns a 2000 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 5 mph, the front passenger side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an auto shop where the failure was diagnosed as a control arm failure and rusted subframe. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

While slowing down to make a turn on side road, the lower left control arm pulled completely out of the frame. Inspection after found large hole rusted completely through the frame rail. Inspected right side and frame has same type of rusted and missing frame segments. Thankfully this happened at low speed and not on the interstate where outcome could have been very bad. Doing some research I have found that this appears to have been a known problem with this model for several years beginning with 1999 model.

Tl-the contact owns a 2000 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the local mechanic for tire maintenance the vehicle front subframe lower control arms was found corroded. The manufacturer denied assistance with the repair, because the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 09v124000 suspension. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 220,000. Li.

Car has bad rust out problems. On the metal frame and suspension parts. Total rust out on rear frame, also the upper control arms. The front cradle frame was repaired previously. Updated 10/20/11.

Hi I'm an owner of a 2000 Hyundai Sonata who resides in the state of iowa. I'm writing in regards to the Hyundai recall #089. The lower control arm has detached from the sub-frame on my vehicle rendering it undriveable. I haven't received a notification letter about the recall yet. Do I need to actually receive the letter before I can contact a dealer/service center for repairs?.

2000 Hyundai Sonata, subframe rotted out and lower control arm mounts broke off, it was discovered during a pre-alignment inspection after the car started pulling to the right.

Son was driving vehicle and another vehicle had suddenly stopped in front of him and he had to apply the brakes suddenly and turn his wheel. Right front lower control arm pulled completely out of the of the engine cradle causing damage to fender and suspension and drive train. Insurance company has totaled vehicle because of this. No correction has been done as of yet.

My son was getting on the on ramp to I-35 turning to the right. He was going about 20 mph and the car made a noise and started grinding. He pulled it off to the side and called me. I called my other son who is a mechanic to go and take a look at it, he said that it looked like a bearing had worn out and came apart and it needed towed. We had it towed to a trusted service station that put it on the lift and said the front subframe/crossmember had rusted through causing the control arm and cv axle to come apart. I called Hyundai and they said the car was out of warranty. Well our car has been sitting at the service station for eight months waiting for a used subframe that isn't rusted through. They the service station has ordered 4 used subframes and all have been rusted through. My brother runs a body shop in n. C. And has been looking for one for us and cant find any that aren't rusted. Supposedly as soon as there is one that isn't rusted its sent to "the salt belt" for a thousand dollars to repair a car that should not need it. Our family has 2 cars one 13 years older than this Sonata and one 16 years older than this Sonata. Their frames aren't rusted through both have been outside in the salt and snow more than this Sonata. This is a major problem this part should be the last thing to rust through on a car. From the complaints I've read on this site and others Hyundai is not doing anything about this. Hyundai wants 13 hundred dollars just for the subframe and its about the same for labor. It is just a matter of time before someone gets hurt because of this.

While driving straight down a newly paved access road at approximately 20mph, the control arm broke free of my rotted/rusted out subframe. I have recently had the car in for an alignment, and brake work and no problem was detected with the rusted subframe. The car immediately seized up as the wheel slammed into the wheel housing and the car came to an immediate stop and was immobilized. The car is now in the shop and I am contacting Hyundai directly regarding the unlikely fact that many drivers are experiencing this very dangerous problem. I suspect that this problem will be increasing dramatically in the near future as the Hyundai Sonata's 1999-2001 continue to age. I have noted at least a dozen instances of complaints regarding this issue online and almost all instances appear to be very dangerous.

On August 25th, 2007, my wife and I were driving home on the southern state parkway. There was quite some traffic (stop-and-go kind of thing) so we weren't at a high speed. When the person in front of me had to stop short, I stepped on the brakes, and the front right wheel of my car sunk, and there was a loud noise like metal scratching against the pavement . After I finally managed to stop the car without getting hit by another driver, and checking to see if my wife was ok, I got out of the car just to find out that my front right wheel was in an almost horizontal position. After towing the car to the repair shop, my mechanic found out that the axle and the lower control arm broke because the engine cradle was severely rusted, and therefore there was no support for the axle and the control arm to sustain the weight and pressure of the sudden stop. Needless to say, I believe that my wife and I are very lucky to not have been injured, or to cause somebody else an injury. The repairs were costly, but I had to do it. I need the car to work, and we live in a place were the car is an everyday necessity. The cradle for this vehicle was damaged and completely rusted away and needed to be replaced completely at a cost of $2,897. 22. We also incurred the following expenses due to the cradle failing while we were driving the car on the southern state parkway on August 25th, 2007: towing charge of $168. 37, car rental charges of $164. 53. A written estimate from a local body shop for $996. 59 should be added to cover the body damage sustained when the right side axle and right side lower control arm cracked, causing the front right side wheel to bend the right side bumper cover. My mechanic kept the old cradle up to a couple of months ago, when after dealing with the local dmv office and explaining the situation they informed us that "a dmv judge wouldn't even look at this case". I do still have pictures of the rusted cradle where you can see the fist-sized holes in it.

While driving approx 30 mph my front right wheel folded back against the fender, bring me to an abrupt stop. Once I had the vehicle towed to a local shop we found that the sub frame had rusted through and that the control arm had completely broken off of the sub frame. I had to replace the complete subframe on this 6 year old vehicle with only 77000 miles on it.

While driving on interstate at about 55 mph suddenly vehicle began to spin out of control in rush hour traffic. The car spun around and struck a guard rail and stopped in traffic. No previous problems with the car. It was towed to pep boys for repairs, serviceman noted the rear driver's side control arm broke in half. No explanation as to why this happened, noted this was rare. Car is currently at pep boys for repairs. Contacted Hyundai , who claimed there were no recalls on that car and they could not help.