Sonata too fast???

Discussion in 'Hyundai Sonata' started by Edwin Pawlowski, Nov 3, 2006.

  1. A fellow at work bought a 200 Sonata V-6 for his wife. After about 7000
    miles, she decided it was too fast for her and the traded it for a 4
    cylinder Camry.

    Her complaint, it seems, it that the throttle is too sensitive and it takes
    off too fast. It does seem to me at times you need less pressure than
    normal to accelerate, but not uncontrollable. Certainly not a reason for me
    to buy less power :)
     
    Edwin Pawlowski, Nov 3, 2006
    #1
  2. It sounds like someone needs to learn how to drive.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Nov 3, 2006
    #2
  3. Edwin Pawlowski

    Blair Guest

    That may be true... but the throttle on my 2006 Sonata is way too
    sensitive. I regret trading my Elantra GT for it now.

    -B
     
    Blair, Nov 3, 2006
    #3
  4. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    Maybe, but the electronic throttle on the Sonata is WAY too sensitive
    and the gain is too high, especially during initial travel. Certainly
    not uncontrollable, but very annoying and something they should address
    in future designs.

    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 3, 2006
    #4
  5. Edwin Pawlowski

    Tom Guest

    Hey Matt,
    Do you have a stick shift or automatic? I don't notice the sensitive
    throttle on my Sonata automatic.and my wife hasn't complained. AND BELIEVE
    ME, she would complain!!!!! :eek:) It might also just be on the V6. I have
    the 4 cyl, but I think you do, also.

    Tom
     
    Tom, Nov 4, 2006
    #5
  6. Edwin Pawlowski

    Eric G. Guest

    Speaking for Matt, he has the 4 cyl MT. I have the V6 AT and notice the
    same thing, although I have become very used to it now. If I drive the
    truck at work for more than a few hours in a given day, I notice it to the
    max in the Sonata when I get in at the end of the day. Otherwise, I don't
    really notice it much any more.

    It would be nice if they would at least address it to some extent.

    Eric
     
    Eric G., Nov 4, 2006
    #6
  7. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    Yes, I have the stick and the 4 cylinder. I find the throttle to be
    very touchy, especially when starting out, but even things like going
    over a bump when going slow in first or second gear can cause the car to
    lurch ahead from the slight movement of my foot from the bump. I've
    never had another car like this in that regard. The car would be much
    easier to drive if the throttle had a stiffer spring and took a little
    more travel for the amount of throttle action.

    I drove two automatic V-6s and it wasn't as noticeable, but it was
    definitely still there. A number of test drivers have also commented on
    this, often call it throttle "tip in" sensitivity.


    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 4, 2006
    #7
  8. Since my original post, I had the fellow at work drive my car this
    afternoon. He said it was the same sensitivity as his former Sonata. He
    would sometimes spin the wheels at a stop sign and his wife was afraid to
    drive it once the snow starts to fall. I've only had a few instances where
    I did accelerate faster than intended. Not unsafe or wheel spinning, but it
    does take a very light touch compared to other cars/trucks I drive on a
    regular basis. . I think it could be fine tuned a bit.
     
    Edwin Pawlowski, Nov 4, 2006
    #8
  9. Edwin Pawlowski

    Wayne Moses Guest

    Reply to message from Matt Whiting <> (Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:
    38:09) about "Re: Sonata too fast???":

    MW> Maybe, but the electronic throttle on the Sonata is WAY too sensitive
    MW> and the gain is too high, especially during initial travel.

    When I took one for a test drive I was surprised at how it took off like a
    bat out of hell. So I can understand the comments about it being sensitive.
    However after about 15 seconds my foot adjusted and there was no problem.

    Given its target demographic I think they would be well advised to make a
    bit of an adjustment maybe in the next model year.

    Best Regards
    Wayne Moses <> Fri, 03 Nov 2006 17:30:41 -0600

    === Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3
     
    Wayne Moses, Nov 4, 2006
    #9
  10. Edwin Pawlowski

    PMDR Guest

    Gotta agree with Matt and the others: the electronic throttle is WAY
    too sensitive especially when the car is brand new. There is a pattern
    of it taking off like a rocket and lurching as the driver tries to let
    off on the gas. Looks real smooth.

    I tried to quietly leave a subdivision one morning and practically did
    a burnout up the drive way. Then it did it again in front of a cop,
    who was not paying attention thankfully.

    I have had to relearn how to deal with the gas pedal to compensate,
    although the car seems to have calmed down some as I have put miles on
    it. Maybe it's both of us getting adjusted to each other, but I still
    have to be careful with it. She wants to run.

    The throttle also needs to be recalibrated for the shift problem
    between first and second gear.

    First gear go go go

    Shift (no engine power for FAR too long)

    (dump truck runs over you while you sit there helpless)

    Second gear engages.

    The only solution I've found for that is to just floor the thing in
    first and it powers through that shift point. This is not always
    practical.
     
    PMDR, Nov 4, 2006
    #10
  11. I find that to be a PITA first thing in the morning when still cold. I pull
    out of my driveway and turn up a hill and it just sort of hangs for a few
    seconds when it shifts. I've not tried to manually shift it to see if it is
    any better.


    Seems to be a long lag when going from drive to reverse also. Another minor
    PITA when backing out of a parking space, or when backing into my driveway
    when there is a car coming up behind me.
     
    Edwin Pawlowski, Nov 4, 2006
    #11
  12. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    Yes, I'm probably the same way. If I drive the Sonata exclusively, then
    I get more used to it. However, if I drive my truck a couple of days
    and then the Sonata, it is really noticeable again. IMO, a vehicle
    shouldn't be so different from the norm that ir requires getting used to
    again after a two day hiatus.

    Probably the most annoying is the PIO (pilot induced oscillation for you
    non-aviators) that occasionally happens. If I drive over a rolling
    "washboard" series of bumps, occasionally the first bump causes my foot
    to either depress or back off the accelerator a little causing either
    deceleration or acceleration (which is quick given the high gain
    throttle), which then coincides with the next bump in phase which makes
    the next accelerate/decelerate event even more pronounced, etc. I've
    had cases where I had to push in the clutch to stop this.

    I think some pre driveline dynamics also comes into play here with the
    stick shift. I've noticed several times now when descending a fairly
    steep hill in first gear that if the engine is at 2-3,000 RPM holding
    back on the hill and I hit a bump at all, the car will go into this
    oscillation back and forth as the driveline winds up an then unwinds
    against the engine. It'll get your head bobbing back and forth! Again,
    sometimes it will damp out on its own, but there is a restaurant near my
    house with such a driveway and I've had to depress the clutch on
    occasion to stop the oscillation. I suspect the springs in the clutch
    disk aren't stiff enough, but that is only a guess. It is also hard to
    make a smooth first to second shift for what I suspect is the same
    reason. Unless I get lucky and hit it just right, it either bogs down
    which unloads the clutch disk springs and then you get a jerk when they
    wind back or you get too much throttle and wind them up and get a jerk
    when they unwind. The only way I can get consistently smooth 1-2 shifts
    is to rev to at least 4000 rpm. The 2-3 and higher shifts are fairly
    easy to make as the gearing is on your side then.

    I agree. And this would be trivial to fix. Add a stiffer throttle
    spring and reprogram the gain curve.


    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 4, 2006
    #12
  13. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    Was this an automatic? I didn't find the automatic all that bad, but
    then I didn't drive one on slippery roads either. I suspect in snow it
    would be interesting, even with the traction control.

    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 4, 2006
    #13
  14. Edwin Pawlowski

    Don P. Guest

    Wow. I have the completely opposite complaint. My previous car was a Grand
    Am GT, where you just have to look at the gas pedal to start the front
    wheels spinning. When I went from that car to this one (V6 AT), I stepped
    on the gas, and the car didn't hardly move.

    Now that I've become accustomed to this one, whenever I go back to the
    Grand Am, I consistently spin the tires on that car.
     
    Don P., Nov 4, 2006
    #14
  15. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    What year and engine in the Grand Am? I get them for rental cars often
    and the throttle isn't even close to being as touchy as my Sonata.

    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 4, 2006
    #15
  16. If "drive-by-wire" is that much of a pain, I think I'll stick with cars
    with mechanical throttle controls. ;-)

    One would think that this should all be correctable with a simple
    software change. I wonder what's taking Hyundai so long to deal with it?
     
    Brian Nystrom, Nov 4, 2006
    #16
  17. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    That would be my preference, but the Sonata doesn't list a mechanical
    throttle linkage as an option! :)

    My thought as well. This should be trivial to fix.

    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 4, 2006
    #17
  18. Edwin Pawlowski

    Don P. Guest

    2003 GT (V6)3.4L.
    All the torque when you just barely tap on the pedal.As you push farther,
    not much more power with that engine. I think it's only 185 ponies in it.
     
    Don P., Nov 5, 2006
    #18
  19. Edwin Pawlowski

    Matt Whiting Guest

    I've never had a GT version as a rental, but all have had the V-6
    engine. I found the throttle on them fairly stiff, about the same as my
    Chrysler minivans. The pickup off the line was good to be sure, but it
    took a fair bit of throttle pressure to get that performance. The
    Sonata on the other hand has almost no throttle feel at all. If I have
    my normal New Balance sneakers on, I almost can't feel either the
    throttle or the clutch. I have to drive barefoot to get any decent feel
    of the throttle. Now my Chevy truck on the other hand is just the
    opposite. Both throttle and clutch take a fair bit of pressure, but
    then trucks are made to be driven with boots on and you need that
    pressure for feedback. My minivan is in between the truck and the
    Sonata with respect to throttle pressure. I don't know what the values
    are in pouns, but I don't think the Sonata takes more than 2-3 lbs of
    force to move the throttle. I'd guess my truck is 15-20 lbs and my
    minivan probably 8-12, but these are just wild guess as I don't have any
    easy way to measure the force required. It would be fun to know though.


    Matt
     
    Matt Whiting, Nov 5, 2006
    #19
  20. Edwin Pawlowski

    Bob Adkins Guest

    I would like EVERYTHING manual except the transmission.

    But, I think ESC requires an electronic throttle.

    BTW, my throttle and shifting are fine. Not too sensitive, not too
    numb. Or, maybe the last 2-3 vehicles I have owned have all had
    similar throttles and I'm used to it.
    -

    Bob
     
    Bob Adkins, Nov 5, 2006
    #20
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