2000 Sonata electrical weirdness

[Joey Goldstein]

I also had this strange episode a few weeks ago.

After I bought the car I had a remote starter/security system that was in there deactivated. I think it was a Power Start 9000A by G.I.T. Security Products. I don't know whether or not they removed all the hardware or if they just disconnected it and deactivated it. There is an antenna in front of my rear view mirror still that was part of the remote system though, so some of the wiring is still in place. This may not have anything to do with the following though.

I also just had a couple of new keys made up for the car. This may not have anything to do with the following either.

A few days later I'm in my driveway and I start the car (with one of the new keys btw). Everything seems fine but then I turn on the heating system including the AC button (which gets activated automatically on some of the vent settings, the 2 settings that have the blower blowing on the windsheild). The fan doesn't seem to work now. As a matter of fact ALL of the electrical systems of the car seem to have gone wonky. Eg. When turning on the headlights I can only get the runner lights on, not the headlamps. The radio won't turn on, etc. I turn the car off and then start it again but the problem persists.

Then I try my old key and everything is fine. The old key had some rubberized material at the top that the new key doesn't have. Maybe this affects the grounding of the electical system in some weird way? Maybe there was still some rough metal on the edges of the new key that affected the electrical system?

So, that same day, the problem seems to have gone away even when I use the new key. But I go driving around a bit just to be sure. The headlights and everything else seems to be working fine, but then I go to turn on the radio and it won't come on. 5 minutes later the radio seems fine too.

This was all about 2 weeks ago and everything seems fine now.

Maybe the deactivation of the remote starter screwed something up? The system was just resetting itself?

Any ideas as to what might have been going on and how concerned I should be?

 

[hyundaitech]

I doubt the key has anything to do with it. It was probably coincidence that it worked ok with the original key. The alarm removal has a possible link. Most alarms now include a starter interrupt and are installed in-line in a few of the ignition switch wires. If the wires weren't properly reconnected when they removed the alarm, that could cause this problem -- sometimes making contact, sometimes not. The thing I notice is that all the items not working correctly need the ignition in some other position than off to operate correctly.

 

[Joey Goldstein]

I doubt the key has anything to do with it. It was probably coincidence that it worked ok with the original key. The alarm removal has a possible link. Most alarms now include a starter interrupt and are installed in-line in a few of the ignition switch wires. If the wires weren't properly reconnected when they removed the alarm, that could cause this problem -- sometimes making contact, sometimes not. The thing I notice is that all the items not working correctly need the ignition in some other position than off to operate correctly.

Well, like I said, it's been ok now for about 2 weeks.
Should I still be worried?
Should I take back to the guy who deactivated the remote starter?

 

[hyundaitech]

You should still be concerned. If it were my car, I'd probably give him a call and see if he wanted me to bring it in or keep driving to see if it happens again.