Hyundai dealers to inspect, repair Sonatas prone to wandering

Hyundai Motor America said its U.S. dealers will fix a steering problem found in some 2011 Sonata mid-sized sedans after more than 4,000 owners complained about the car's steering system.

Drivers have complained that the 2011 Sonata is prone to drifting or pulling to the left while being driven.

The company suspects that about 41,000 Sonatas with 18-inch wheels could be affected by the problem, Hyundai spokesman Jim Trainor said. He said the fix is a service campaign, not a recall.

Hyundai said it has received or tracked about 4,000 complaints -- representing about 3 percent of the nearly 150,000 Sonatas built from September 2010 through April 2011, Trainor said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 198 complaints about the 2011 Sonata's steering, many of which described vehicle tracking problems seemingly similar to the one being addressed in this campaign.

Consumers can set up an appointment with a dealer to inspect the Sonata's wheel alignment and tracking, Trainor said. If necessary, the dealer will install new front suspension struts and perform a wheel alignment, both for free.

Last year, Hyundai recalled about 138,000 2011 Sonatas for a different steering problem. The recall followed a probe by U.S. safety regulators into customer complaints that a steering shaft could potentially become detached from the steering wheel.