News: Hyundai Halts Sonata(i45) Sales



I previously introduced to you the new Hyundai i45. Now there is bad news about it, and this car has to stop sales in America. Read more below...

A defective door-lock module that may lock passengers inside temporarily prompts the automaker to cease sales. Replacement parts should reach dealerships on Wednesday.

The Sonata is Hyundai's biggest-volume vehicle, with 2009 sales of 120,028 cars. The 2011 model went on sale only two weeks ago. There are currently only about 5,000 cars in U.S. inventory, and about 1,300 have been sold.

It is unclear how many of those have the faulty locks or how Hyundai will notify owners to bring in the cars for inspection.

Malfunction occurs only in situations where front-seat passengers try to open their doors from the inside while simultaneously holding down the lock button. In that circumstance, the interior door handle will not return to its normal position, and passengers cannot get out of the car. If they press the lock button again, the handle will correct itself and allow the door to open.

Hyundai engineers were trying today to determine whether the malfunction even warranted notification to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which governs product recalls.

The Sonata repair will consist of replacing the front door-lock mechanism. The replacement parts will begin reaching dealerships tomorrow, and the stop-sale will be lifted as soon as repairs are made.