Hyundai Sonata Complaints

369 consumer complaints on file.

#11749769July 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 23rd, 2026, vehicle dash and navigation screens went black while driving on freeway. May 26th, 2026, vehicle battery completely drained. Purchased new battery and the same thing happened. Took the vehcile 3x to Hyundai dealership, switched out battery for a brand new OEM one. June 10th, vehicle died again, battery was completely drained. Dealership said its not the alternator but only jumped the vehcile since they couldn't figure out the issue. July 11th, 2026, vehcile died for 4th time and had to jumped again. Tested battery by tow truck driver, battery was DRAINED but alternator fine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749200July 8, 2026
ENGINE
The engine on a 2022 Hyundai Sonata developed rod knock at approximately 99,460 miles. The vehicle had been serviced exclusively at an authorized Hyundai dealership for its entire life with 12 documented service visits. What failed: The engine lubrication system. Two prior events at the dealership are documented in the service records: (1) approximately 20,000 miles before the rod knock, a dealership technician damaged the oil filter cap during a service visit, causing an active engine oil leak while the vehicle was being driven. The dealership repaired this at no charge, indicating fault. (2) The dealership placed an oil change reminder sticker in the vehicle specifying an interval that their own service advisor later acknowledged was set incorrectly. The vehicle was brought in approximately 660 miles past that sticker date. Safety risk: Rod knock indicates internal engine bearing failure. The engine continued to be driven at the dealership's instruction ("keep driving, come back if you hear it again") with unresolved internal damage. The knocking sound has since returned, creating risk of sudden engine failure while in operation. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. The rod knock was confirmed by the dealership's technician on the date of the diagnostic visit. The diagnosis noted the engine was low on oil and recommended an oil change, but no repair was performed. Warning lamps/prior symptoms: The engine oil warning light illuminated during the prior oil filter cap leak incident. At the rod knock visit, the knocking sound was the presenting symptom. No oil pressure warning light was noted at that visit. Inspection status: Inspected by authorized Hyundai dealership. Warranty claim was denied by dealership and no response has been received from Hyundai Motor America after formal escalation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747445June 30, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the brakes independently activated. Neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747323June 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Intermittent issue. On startup, the hvac system cycles through the modes and gets stuck blowing on mixed mode (face and feet) regardless of what mode is selected. The problem is temporarily fixed by manually tapping the mode button until the desired mode is selected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11746780June 26, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746137June 24, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
At approximately 130,000 miles, vehicle developed and internal coolant leak caused by a failed Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS) in the center muffler assembly, matching TSB 23-EM-009H - a known manufacturing defect documented by Hyundai. Coolant has been slowly leaking internally into the exhaust system. The authorized Hyundai dealership initially failed to diagnose the internal leak and told me there was no leak and wanted to send me home. After pushing back, the internal leak was confirmed. If not caught, this defect could result in engine overheating or complete engine failure without warning. Hyundai Motor America has denied goodwill coverage despite this being a documented manufacturing defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746007June 23, 2026
TIRES
When backing into my parking spot the front driver side tire blew at the side wall. Then a few weeks late the Rear driver side tire started to bubble at the same spot and was showing signs that it was getting ready to blow. The first one was immediately replaced under Kumho's warranty and then the second one was replaced on my dime. I feel that the other 2 tires could blow at anytime as the car only has 2800 miles on it and has not been involved in any significant impact or accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744661June 17, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, SEATS
The vehicle’s fuel tank system failed catastrophically. The vehicle is currently grounded and has been inspected at the Hyundai dealership service center where it was towed. My safety and the safety of everyone on the road was put at extreme risk due to a severe fire and explosion hazard. Additionally, the defect caused the vehicle to suddenly lose power, sputter, and threaten to stall out while driving on a major interstate, creating an immediate risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. When attempting to add fuel, the pressurized tank forcefully spit gasoline back out of the filler neck, creating an active chemical and fire hazard at a public gas station. I was able to drive it home and called via Hyundai Roadside Assistance to have it towed to an authorized Hyundai dealership service department. On June 15th, 2026, the dealership service technicians officially confirmed the failure, stating that the fuel tank had expanded, the back floor base of the car was melting, and the vehicle was on the verge of exploding.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744098June 15, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission shifted into neutral(N) and failed to shift into park or drive on three occasions. The vehicle was restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was shifted into drive, and the contact continued driving. The message that the vehicle could not be shifted into other gears was displayed. The vehicle was originally purchased in another state. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the battery and fuel injector pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743052June 9, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle brakes sound and feel rough when pressing them. And when backing up the vehicle spotted another car turning in and hit brakes automatically. Car jerked hard as if I hit something. Very rough. Made a scrubbing sound. Does the same when pressing the parking button. It perks and makes the scrubbing sound. Just purchased Vehicle 2weeks ago. No inspection on it yet. A warning light about the approaching car but didn't know it was going to hit on brakes by itself so forcefully. Car wasn't near the vehicle just in the scenery of the camera.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743044June 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The vehicle is stalling in the acceleration process. I can feel and hear the stall by the air conditioner going out or fading out when it happens while driving. Pressing the gas and it barely moves at times. Makes a noise now while running. Unknown to whether it's electrical or engine or transmission. Pull out in the traffic accelerating but the car wasn't moving at the pace it should have. Could have cause an accident when trying to cross on going traffic. Just got the vehicle 2 weeks ago. No one has inspected the vehicle yet. Going to have it looked at for recalls. No warning lights appeared to reflect an issue, but there clearly is.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741548June 2, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. In addition, the contact stated that on multiple occasions while turning into a parking lot, the vehicle's collision avoidance system would engage while in the vicinity of another vehicle as a warning chime would emit from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they initially could not diagnose or duplicate the failure. The contact was asked to come and drive the vehicle herself and she was able to duplicate the failure. The dealer eventually diagnosed the vehicle with a failed transmission and remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was later informed that they would not replace the vehicle but would replace the transmission. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 50.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741415June 1, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Bluelink remote start with climate control is defective. When initiated, the vehicle starts but the climate control system comes on in the OFF state and does not apply the saved preset, including front and rear defroster settings. This defeats the intended pre-conditioning function in winter conditions, where a remote-activated defroster is a meaningful visibility/safety feature. The defect has persisted since early December 2025 and is documented widely on Hyundai's owner forums and on Reddit across multiple model lines. A recent Hyundai-issued app update removed the standalone remote stop button that owners had been using as a workaround, making the defect materially worse. Hyundai Consumer Affairs Case #[XXX] has been opened. As of this filing, no resolution or response timeline has been provided by Hyundai. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741226June 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle has experienced repeated transmission and Electronic Oil Pump (EOP) failures resulting in loss of propulsion, loss of acceleration, and transmission-related malfunctions. The vehicle currently has approximately 69,000 miles. On September 3, 2022, the vehicle lost propulsion while traveling approximately 31 MPH in traffic and would not respond normally to accelerator input. This created a dangerous situation and increased the risk of a collision. On the same date, while backing out of a parking space, the vehicle displayed a "Shifter System Malfunction" warning message and unexpectedly stopped while in reverse. The vehicle had to be powered off before it would operate again. Following these incidents, the vehicle was towed to a Hyundai dealership and the transmission was replaced in September 2022. Despite the transmission replacement, the vehicle continued experiencing issues involving the same system. The Electronic Oil Pump (EOP) was replaced in 2023 and again in 2024 due to recurring transmission-related concerns and diagnostic codes. In 2026, the check engine light returned and the vehicle was again diagnosed with a transmission-related failure. The dealership determined that the transmission requires replacement for a second time despite the previous transmission replacement and two separate EOP replacements. Internally, Hyundai has since revised its repair guidance for this condition, suggesting that prior repair procedures may not have fully addressed the underlying defect. The repeated failures of the transmission and EOP system despite multiple repairs suggest an underlying defect that has not been corrected. These failures create a significant safety risk because the vehicle can unexpectedly lose propulsion or fail to accelerate while operating in traffic. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741201June 1, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The car will idle high around 1200 rpms. The car will most of the times fix the issue when you turn the car off and back on but it will start again after driving. This is a known issue with the car. I have had the egr valve replaced since it will pop up the codes P240F and P049 for egr slow response and control position exceeded learning limit but the problem came back within two days. I did find a forum that deals with the joint connector repair but this needs to be a recall as I have come across many people who have this problem and paying out of pocket to fix it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741184May 31, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, WHEELS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Hyundai Sonata SEL - 2022 Both Leg break and hand break didnt work while driving. its a very severe issue in this model.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740755May 28, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line, VIN [XXX] , purchased August 15, 2025 with low mileage under original manufacturer warranty. Within 3 months, recurring transmission and drivability failures began. Six repair visits since November 2025; 71+ cumulative days out of service within 8 months. Visit 1 (11/24/25, 14,748 mi): Hesitation/failure to accelerate from stop. Could not duplicate. Visit 2 (12/4/25, 14,800 mi): Same concern. Fault codes found; auxiliary pump and relay replaced. Visit 3 (1/19/26, 15,982 mi): Check engine light, jerking. External oil pump leaking; replacement required. Visit 4 (1/30/26, 16,025 mi): Check engine light. TCU update, DCT learning performed; declared resolved. Visit 5 (2/19/26, 16,119 mi): Check engine light returned. Transmission oil pump failed; replaced. Visit 6 (4/14/26, 16,945 mi — OPEN 44+ days): Post-repair lurching, infotainment failure, ongoing jerking. On 5/28/26, the service manager at McDonough Hyundai (McDonough, GA) stated the vehicle likely requires a complete transmission replacement and disclosed approximately 4 additional vehicles at the same dealership with identical unresolved issues. Hyundai Motor America refuses to authorize repairs or Techline escalation unless the dealership confirms the intermittent concern — a structural barrier that prevents warranty resolution. Safety concern: repeated failure to accelerate normally from a stop creates direct risk of rear-end collision or inability to clear intersections. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740717May 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the HVAC blower motor became inoperable with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the blower motor fuse had melted and failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739988May 26, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
We were backing up and leaving a parking space when the emergency braking system overrode our driving and forced a stop. This has happened many times, once while turning at a red light (which we had the right-of-way) and our car stopped on the middle of the intersection. Another time was during a turn in a non-traffic light turn lane where timing is important. Our car was again completely stopped in the middle of the road in oncoming traffic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739443May 22, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I took my car to dealer to repair recall. Dealer told me if it failed they would keep car and report stolen if I tried to take it. They failed it. I didn't trust them based on their report it stolen statement. I had the police get my car back. I took it to another dealer where it passed recall easily. I believe they wanted my car for a customer, and tried to get away with this ruse.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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