2006 Hyundai Sonata Latches & Locks Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED INDICATING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DIDN'T LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. UPDATED 11/21/06.*JB

I NOTICED AROUND THIS TIME THAT THE LATCH HOLDING THE CENTER CONSOLE SHUT IN MY 06 SONATA WAS LOOSE. I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK INTO PLACE, BUT IT THEN BROKE FREE IN MY HANDS. THE CONSOLE WILL FLING OPEN OVER MOST SPEED BUMPS. I'M WORRIED IN A CRASH THAT ANYTHING INSIDE OF IT WILL FLY ALL OVER THE PLACE. PLUS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO SURPRISE THE DRIVER AND CAUSE A CRASH. A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WILL BE REPLACING THE WHOLE CONSOLE, BUT I WANTED TO FILE A REPORT AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

DOORS LOCK WITH KEYPAD WHILE DOORS ARE STILL OPEN. AFTER SHOPPING I BUCKLED MY SON IN HIS CAR SEAT AND PUT THE GROCERIES IN THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY I INADVERTENTLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE KEYPAD AS I WAS PLACING MY SON IN HIS CAR SEAT. I SAT THE KEYS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND WENT TO GET IN THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE KEYS WERE LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS MY TODDLER SON IN HIS CAR SEAT. I CALLED 911 AND AFTER ATTEMPTING FOR AN HOUR THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CHOICES WERE BREAK A WINDOW TO GET IN (THUS TRAUMATIZING MY SON) OR HAVE A PRIVATE CITIZEN ATTEMPT TO BREAK INTO THE VEHICLE. A LOCKSMITH WAS CALLED AFTER MY SON WAS IN THE CAR FOR A 1/2 HOUR AND HE NEVER SHOWED. A PRIVATE CITIZEN HAD TO TAKE TWO SCREW DRIVERS AND PRY THE DOOR OPEN TO BE ABLE TO REACH THE DOOR HANDLE AND GET THE DOOR OPEN, THUS RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IS NOT MY CONCERN. THE FACT THAT THE DOORS WILL LOCK WITH THE KEYPAD WHILE STILL OPEN IS THE SAFETY CONCERN. I HAVE OWNED HONDA AND FORD IN THE PAST AND NEITHER OF WHICH WILL OPEN WILL DO THE ABOVE. I ALSO KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE SATURN, TOYOTA, DODGE, AND CHEVROLET AND THESE VEHICLE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK WITH THE KEYPAD WHILE THE DOORS ARE OPEN EITHER. I HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI AND THEY SAID IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THE CAR IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO FEEL IT WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. IN MY OPINION THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF THE WEATHER WERE 90 DEGREES OR IF MY SON WAS AN INFANT CHILD. I FEEL THAT THE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN TO ME OR ANY OTHER HYUNDAI OWNER. *JB