Hey peeps…
I’ve been having an issue with my 2017 Sonata. The steering wheel feels really heavy, and I keep getting a warning sign on the dash when I drive over 120 km/h.
This has been going on for two days now. Any ideas on what might be causing this and how to fix it?
Sounds like a power steering issue…definitely take it to the dealer. I’d also recommend checking the car’s manual; it’ll have more info on it.
You might have an MDPS Failure. Most of the 2017s were built with electric power steering. Is there any unusual clicking when you turn the wheel.
My suspension has been clunky when steering for years now, but I’ve never bothered to deal with it.
Is the suspension making a thunk sound when you turn left or right at any speed? I’m guessing your flex coupling in the MDPS might have failed, which could be why it’s not working right. It could also be your alternator or battery failing. Those are usually the main issues with MDPS.
I’d recommend taking it to the dealer so they can check it out properly. Mom-and-pop shops probably won’t have access to the GDS-S system to reprogram the angle sensor and recalibrate the MDPS.
Quick random question …maybe you can help. I have a 2019 Sonata SE, and the driving mode button isn’t working. I can press it, but the ECO and Sport mode lights don’t show up on the dashboard. Any idea what’s up with that?
Looks like the switch might have failed, or your BMS isn’t getting the command from it. It’s just a basic trigger switch, so it’s not a complicated setup. But getting to it can be a bit tricky because of the trim.
Like others have said, you’ve got fully electric power steering, and there’s a fault in that system. It’s probably either a failed MDPS (motor-driven power steering) module, an issue with the software, or a bad steering angle sensor. No mechanical problems, including the coupler, will trigger that light. A good mechanic with a quality scanner can figure this out. You might need to go to the dealer for programming later, but it depends on what needs fixing.
Stay under 120km done.
Dangerous to drive under 120km/h in the highway.
Where do you live? Can you explain why going over 130 km/h is safer? I’m curious 
I can explain! The deal is that at lower speeds, the steering is super stiff (like with the OP’s issue), making it really hard to turn unless you’ve got some serious muscle, which can be dangerous in traffic. But once you hit speeds over 120 km/h, the EPS gets stiff anyway, which gives you more confidence while driving.
Is there an ABS light coming on with this too? I had a similar thing happen on the highway with my Creta when I hit 120 km/h—both the ABS and MDPS/EPS lights turned on, and the steering got really stiff. If the ABS light is on too, it’s probably not too complicated; you might just have a bad wheel sensor on one of the front wheels or maybe the wiring/coupler came loose. For me, it was the coupler that got knocked off by some tiny debris from the road at that speed.
