Hyundai Sonata Complaints

369 consumer complaints on file.

#11739406May 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,000 miles. The glass suddenly developed widespread cracking and a large opening in the panel. The glass also appeared to lift/bulge upward around the damaged area. There was no obvious impact point or bullseye pattern visible that would clearly indicate an object strike. The failed component was the panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel. The damaged component is still available for inspection. This created a serious safety concern because shattered glass could have entered the vehicle while driving at highway speeds and could have caused distraction, injury, or loss of visibility/control. The vehicle has been inspected by a Hyundai dealership. I was informed the panoramic roof assembly may require replacement. I am filing this complaint because the failure appeared spontaneous and may indicate a defect or structural stress issue with the panoramic roof glass. There were no warning lights, alerts, or prior symptoms before the failure occurred. Photos of the damage are available for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738864May 19, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine shuddered and the engine stalled. In addition, the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was seized in the middle of the road. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738622May 18, 2026
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES
the car has two issues. brake issue (gas pedal is soft and sinks) and engine power ( gas pedal is soft and not responsive) Brakes are soft and spongy some times and sometimes hard. even you push the brake pedal twice or three time it takes long distance to stop. some times the brake looks good but for short period of time. the brakes inconsistent. I took to the dealer where I bought it hey refuse to repair it. then i took it to another dealer. first time they said no issue with car then second time they they replace the vacuum pump and they found out one of the piston is not firing. they replace the ignition coil. the car still has issue and not fixed. I filed case with the manufacturer but the manufacturer closed the case. After that I file lemon law case.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737873May 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The cars fan is constantly running even when the car is cool. I think it has to do with the ITMS I contacted the dealer and they said there’s nothing they can do about it this happens every time the vehicle is started even when I am parked. The fan is constantly running at 100%.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737860May 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
This is an extremely common issue plaguing Hyundai & Kia vehicles with the Theta III 2.5L Turbo engine, Such as Kia K5 GT, Hyundai Sante Fe, Hyundai Santa Cruz, & Hyundai Sonata N-Line. Its a failing ITM (integrated thermal management) unit or otherwise known as an ITMS unit. There is a rod within the ITM that prevents proper control of the flow of cooling the oil and engine coolant of the engine. Results in Cooling issues, such as a cold lower radiator hose while the engine is hot, or 'limp mode' during acceleration, that causes a sudden loss of power while trying to merge on the expressway. There has been other Kia models and years that have had TSB's related to fixing this issue, but Hyundai has released nothing. I have uploaded an example of one of the TSB's that do not apply to my car. Technical symptoms often include: Fans running 100% full duty (high) while the lower radiator hose stays cool. Or Fuel dilution or a 'rich' running engine. Because the engine is overcooling that keeps the car's fueling rich and in a open loop mode affecting emissions and contaminating oil. Personal Details of exactly what happened when i noticed mine was failing. I ran home on my lunch break, and while accelerating on a ramp to get up on a highway, my car started beeping and flashing "Engine Overheated" and i immediately let off the gas with preparation to pull over. The second i left off the gas, the coolant temp within 1-2 seconds went from a little over 3/4 the way up the gauge back to normal a little below half temp. I resumed driving a 3 mile drive back to work, with it showing normal temps the rest of the way. I popped the hood when i got to work to see if coolant was low, and it was completely normal, a little over halfway between the min/max lines. The car continues to run hot, often with the cooling fans running at 100%.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737351May 12, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Was driving and stopped at a stoplight. When I went to drive it started sputtering and if I wouldn’t have driven into a gas station, it would’ve given out in the middle of the road. It wouldn’t let me switch to drive or reverse , only neutral or park. It threw a code P0301, cylinder 1 misfire. Had to get it towed. Now I have to get my spark plugs and fuel injectors replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737251May 12, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Overheated" displayed. The contact checked the Hyundai app, but it showed no failure. The contact's wife drove to their son's residence, who inspected and discovered that there was no coolant in the engine. The contact's son added coolant to the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the coolant valve, exhaust muffler assembly center, clamp assembly exhaust pipe, two gasket exhaust pipes, and added coolant. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-EM-009H (EHRS Coolant Leak Repair); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 18,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736629May 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Driver side window switch that controls all the windows intermittently fails to operate at times which causes the window to not open or not close back again randomly. When wanting to close any window from the drivers seat the switches don’t work causing a safety hazard in a situation where the windows would require to be rolled up or opened immediately. Issue not brought up with Hyundai or any dealer because warranty doesn’t apply to 2nd owner. No warning lamps or errors. First incident happened August 2025 and has kept on happening intermittently.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735677May 4, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Our 2022 Hyundai Sonata experienced multiple issues related to recalls affecting the vehicle’s reliability and operation. Due to these ongoing problems, the vehicle was taken to a dealership and has remained out of service and in dealership possession for approximately 90 days. The issues were confirmed by the dealership, and Hyundai Motor America was involved in the case. As a result, Hyundai approved a full buyback of the vehicle, indicating the problems could not be resolved in a reasonable timeframe. Despite this, the vehicle remains out of service and unusable. Hyundai has failed to complete the buyback process and has not provided a resolution within a reasonable time. There have been repeated delays and missed timelines. The extended period without a functioning vehicle creates reliability concerns and potential safety risks, as the vehicle could not be safely depended on for regular use prior to being removed from service. The vehicle is currently still in dealership possession and unavailable for use.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735239May 2, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I brought this car 2022 Hyundai Sonata with 41k miles on it and only had it for 6 months. It has cut off 3x so far after putting gas in the tank. Always the same thing, oh nothing is wrong. Obviously there is and I see there is a recall on this car however my VIN isn’t coming up as a recall. This has to be fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734589April 29, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The horn on my vehicle completely stop working. There were no alert messages and I found out that it wasn't working when I needed to use it. I was driving 55 miles per hr in a highway and another vehicle was about to switch lane to merge into my lane and driver did not see me and almost got into an accident. When I try to use the horn to alert tge other vehicle, horn did not work. It still doesn't work. Took my vehicle to Millenium Hyunday Dealership in Hempstead, NY and was told by service advisor that horn is only covered up to 60,000 Mike's because is an electronic feature. I disagree with that assessment and believe this is a safety feature that needs to be reevaluated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732595April 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2026 hyundai sonata limited hybrid first owner. The sunroof above the driver's seat exploded while i was driving 70mph on the highway. Sounded like a gunshot. It was completely shattered but thankfully did not rain down on me. Local hyundai dealer inspected it and warranty denied from hyundai due to "caused by an outside influence." I did not see or hear any rocks or debris.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730992April 14, 2026
ENGINE
The Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS) has failed for the second time on this vehicle. The first failure occurred at approximately 35,000 miles and was repaired under Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin 23-EM-009H, which Hyundai issued to address this exact defect across 2020-2023 Sonata Hybrid models. The vehicle has now reached 71,000 miles and is experiencing the identical symptoms: coolant loss, overheating, and white exhaust smoke. The EHRS shares a coolant loop with the hybrid battery thermal management system. Coolant loss from this failure puts the hybrid battery and power electronics at risk of overheating, creating a potential fire and safety hazard. The recurring nature of this failure following an official TSB repair suggests the root cause has not been adequately addressed by Hyundai's current repair protocol.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730039April 8, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
• I experienced trouble with my splash guard being damaged from hanging and scraping the ground about a month after purchasing the vehicle. Also, my hood paint started chipping after a recent cold front experienced in my state earlier this year. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. Regarding the splash guard, not applicable. • It’s was very inconvenient to drive with a portion of my car scraping the ground. I had to be more mindful of my driving in the higher speed limit areas incase the splash guard detached. I had it re-attached multiple times. Regarding the chipped paint, not applicable. • It it counts, for my splash guard, during a servicing, I asked Hyundai to re-attach it. For the chipped paint, no. • The splash guard has during a past servicing. The chipped paint is more recent so it hasn’t • No. Splash guard, a month after purchasing vehicle. The chipped paint, earlier this year, January-February 2026.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729236April 4, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
While driving on the highway on 4/4/26 at 10:40 pm the dashboard and the headlights went out. The outage lasted about 5 seconds and then they came back on. I drove another 40 minutes and did not have another problem. My safety was put at risk because I could not see the road and others could not see me! There were no warnings prior to the problem. This is the second time in a year that this incident has happened. The first time was in September 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729119April 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was notified of a recall on my from vehicle by Hyundai via email some time in March of 2026. The message said mentioned my vehicle may have a defective/worn purge control check valve that would cause the fuel tank to deform. Potentially leading to a release of fuel over time, which then could ignite. NHTSA Recall #25V796000 My car showed now signs of problems, but I brought it into a Hyundai dealership on March 13th where they confirmed my vehicle had the issue. They said the situation required I not drive my vehicle and gave me a rental in the meantime. I assumed it would be a simple swap of the fuel tank and everything would be fine. I was offered a buyback from my Hyundai claims manager over the situation, but I figured since its a simple fix, I'd keep my car and have it fixed. Two weeks went by with no update from the dealership, so I walked in for answers. Turns out, the subframe of my car has been damaged by the expanding fuel tank and they are still waiting for updates from Hyundai on how to proceed as they themselves don't know how to fix my vehicle. My Hyundai claims manager did not mention this when we talked over the phone and he offered a buyback. None of their recall notices mention structural damage anywhere or even as a possibility. I asked the dealership again on April 1, 2026, and they are still waiting on guidance on how to proceed. Neither does my Hyundai claims manager handling this situation on their end.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728741April 2, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
See attached document for complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727380March 26, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
The internal core of the Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS), part of the center muffler/front pipe assembly (#28600-L5210), suffered a catastrophic failure. This allowed approximately 9 gallons of engine coolant to leak directly into the hot exhaust stream. Safety Risk: This failure creates a severe visibility hazard. During acceleration from stop lights and stop signs, the vehicle emits massive, thick clouds of white glycol smoke. The smoke is so dense that it completely obscures the driver's view of trailing vehicles and prevents following drivers from seeing the roadway or my vehicle's brake lights, creating a high risk of rear-end collisions. Additionally, the rapid loss of coolant caused the engine to overheat and lose power while in motion, nearly causing a stall in active traffic. Confirmation: The failure was confirmed by the service department at Washington Hyundai (Invoice #174281). This is the second failure of this specific component (previously failed in Jan 2025). The manufacturer issued TSB 23-EM-009H for this defect, acknowledging it affects 2020-2023 Sonata Hybrids, but no safety recall has been issued. Symptoms: The issue was preceded by a "sweet" burning smell and a sudden "Engine Overheating" warning on the dashboard. The failed component has been replaced by the dealer, but the manufacturer refused to replace the coolant-poisoned Oxygen (O2) sensors, leaving the vehicle in a technically compromised state. The failed unit is likely held by the dealer for warranty parts return.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726347March 23, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I am the original owner of a 2025 Hyundai Sonata purchased new in 2025. The vehicle currently has fewer than 4,000 miles on the odometer. Since early in my ownership, I have experienced a persistent and recurring squealing noise that occurs specifically when releasing the brake pedal after a short stop, and when transitioning from braking to acceleration. This is not an intermittent or weather/humidity-related issue. The noise has been consistent and ongoing throughout my ownership and has not resolved on its own--I was thinking it might since new cars take some time to adjust. At under 4,000 miles, brake components on this vehicle should be essentially new. Brake pads are engineered to last between 30,000 and 70,000 miles under normal driving conditions. A persistent brake noise at this mileage cannot reasonably be attributed to normal wear and tear and is indicative of a manufacturing defect, defective OEM brake pad compound, or a sticking/dragging brake caliper that fails to fully release after braking. I note that NHTSA has previously investigated Hyundai Sonata brake behavior, including a technical bulletin concerning rear brake pads remaining in contact with rotors after a diagnostic self-check cycle, causing a dragging condition in the next drive cycle. My symptoms are consistent with this type of brake drag behavior. Multiple Hyundai Sonata owners have documented the same persistent squeal-on-release pattern on Hyundai owner forums, with some reporting the issue beginning within the first year of new vehicle ownership and dealers being unable to diagnose or resolve it. I have formally reported this issue to Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs prior to filing this complaint and have requested warranty coverage. I am filing this complaint to create an official federal record of this defect and to contribute to any pattern investigation NHTSA may conduct on 2025 Hyundai Sonata brake systems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725496March 19, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was unrepairable, and there was no further information provided. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was filed. The manufacturer informed the contact that the field engineers had reviewed the vehicle and advised that a buyback was the best option. Additionally, the manufacturer offered an 8 percent discount on the purchase of a new vehicle. The contact declined the offer because the vehicle had not experienced a failure, and the vehicle would be paid off after two additional payments.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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