I have a 2011 Sonata GLS purchased in 2010. I have been having problems with pinging (Pre-Ignition) on the car and was wondering if anyone else is having this problem. I've been back multiple times to the service shop.

The service dept were I bought it says they cannot find anything wrong or hear anything. I have offered to drive it with a tech in the car, but they are always too busy to go. How nice. I've been hearing it since about 7K miles, and now about a year later it sometimes sounds like a Mack Truck when accelerating. The problem comes & goes, and seems to occur after the car is warmed up, and is accelerating slowly.

I also had a radio replaced because of the display. During hot weather the display would fade out so that you could not read it.

Has anyone had this issue?

 

Man, I feel your pain! I have a 2011 Sonata and it PINGS too when warmed up while accelarating. I have taken it to the dealer quiet a few times and the morons there don't seem to know how to fix it. I know what the problem is in my case. I have noticed that the PING goes away when I use PREMIUM gas. It is at its worst when I use REGULAR. So it has something to do with the octane management. The funny thing is that I've been complaining about the same thing since three months after I got the car. They finally started doing something about it when I spoke to hyundai district manager and a CASE was openned. The last thing they did, so they claim, is clean carbon buildup from the combustion chamber which in all honesty did nothing to fix the problem. It is just as bad if not worst. A year later after I first reported the problem, it is still not fix. A couple of weeks ago I was just being nosy and took off top engine cover and noticed some sort of leak around the gas pressure pump regulator. I will be taking it back and will keep taking it back until my problem is fixed! Please keep me posted on what you've done and I will do the same.

 

I have sent a letter to the Hyundai Headquarters letting them know a problem exists and that it has not been fixed. Non-compliance is breach of warrantee. The address is:

Hyundai Motor America
Consumer Assistance Center
10550 Talbert Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708


Let them know the car IS UNDER WARRANTEE and that you want the problem fixed. Look up your states New Car Lemon Law and see if you qualify. For the Lemon Law there is normally a time limit, and number of times the car is taken to the shop (for the same problem) to qualify. If you are within these you can take them to court. Keep all your paperwork as proof, as well as maintenance records.

You will have to be very persistent to get a response. Send Letter with return receipt to verify they got it.

I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this issue, or if I am the 1-in-a-millon statistic. A new car should be problem free !

 

First, fill the tank with major brand high test gas and drive a few miles to see if pinging quits; then add injector cleaner of the non-alcohol type to your gasuntil the tank runs low. Check your spark plug gaps too.
If that doesn't clear the pinging have the dealer check your computer control. Its time you also buy amn OBD ii checker.
good luck.

 

Gas cleaner/fuel injector cleaner has been run through it multiple times.
No Joy !

It now knocks & pings on a regular basis now!

Plug gap is for the shop to check, that is why I have a Waranty !!!

 

I am having the exact same issue with a 2011 Sonata

 

There are several possible reasons for the engine to be "pinging".
It can be a long list, some of the reasons could be;
low octane fuel, incorrect heat range of spark plugs, exhaust gas recirculation system, carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, computer controlled engine timing, knock sensor not functioning where upon detecting pinging it would temporarily retard the spark timing.
So as you can see, with so many possible causes it might not be easy to eliminate the actual cause. Sometimes it requires the car's computer to be reprogrammed to change the timing info programmed into it. Since it appears to be a common problem with only certain years and engine models it could very well be something that was changed in programming the car's computer.
This is one of those situations where persistence pays. It is important to have on record that the vehicle has been brought in several times for this problem because some of these conditions that go uncorrected can result in internal engine damage.

 

Thanks for the very detailed response. None of these areas have been examined. I keep getting told to use fuel injector cleaner which has not done any good.

I am attempting to escalate within Hyundai. After 3 years of this problem, my patience has waned.