Hi everyone! So I have a friend with a Sonata. He bought it new and it worked fine until now.
Yesterday, when he tried to get into his car, it wouldn’t start. The lights came on, but the engine just wouldn’t turn over. After a while, the brake locked up, preventing him from starting it at all.
I had a similar problem with my Jeep Renegade about a month ago. I know, boo for jeeps! In my case, it was the battery. I faced the same issues: car not starting, no engine sounds, lights turning on, and the brake locking up. A simple recharge did the trick.
He went to buy a new battery but was told that wasn’t the problem. Even after replacing the battery, nothing worked.
So now we’re turning to this forum. My boyfriend suggested it might be the starter, which we thought was the issue for my car too. But does anyone have other ideas? Any advice would be appreciated! Sorry if this isn’t clear; I tried to include as many details as I could. I can clarify things in the comments if needed, just let me know!
EliTurner said:
I have the same issue with my 2018 Sonata. I took it to the dealership, but they said nothing is wrong.
Have you found out anything new? Any updates?
I’ve taken it to the dealership twice, and they have no idea what’s causing it. Sometimes it works fine for a week and then suddenly won’t start. They checked the starter, battery, alternator — everything is fine. I’m really frustrated.
Lashun said: @Jacob
What about the ignition switch? Is it a key or a push button?
It’s a push button!
Does the engine have enough oil? Also, does the push button light up when the car is on? The button itself could be dead, and that would still point to the ignition switch being the issue. Also consider a dead key fob battery, a faulty brake pedal sensor, or a failing smart key module where the key fob works but the car doesn’t recognize it. Maybe try looking into those?
Jacob said: @Lashun
I’ll send him a screenshot and let you know what he thinks!
Please keep me posted. I’m trying to help and I’ve got some free time today.
If it’s the brake sensor, it should be near where the brake pedal connects to the firewall. The key fob battery would be easy to change; if it’s the ignition switch, it could be more complicated.
Could it be a bad key fob? Has he tried starting the car by pushing the start button with the key fob? If it starts, that would indicate the key fob battery is low or there’s an issue with the fob itself. Does he have another fob to try?