Hyundai Sonata Complaints

17,026 consumer complaints on file.

#11717972February 14, 2026
STEERING
While driving around 45 mph, the steering wheel locked up and car came to a hard stop. Luckily cars swerved to avoid me. This was the second time it happened. The first time I was in a parking garage and the steering wheel locked up. After restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel worked again. The dash showed no fault codes or engine light. I found out there is a service bulletin and took it in to the dealer. Once there, the confirmed it was the power steering and is covered by the service bulletin and extended warranty. However, because the bulletin requires the dealer to clear code to try and reproduce it, I have to pick up vehicle because they could not reproduce the fault code. So now I have to drive the vehicle knowing their is a service bulletin for the problem and have it happen again before it is fixed. There is an extremely high likelihood of injury considering you lose all power at wheel and car continues to move.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718006February 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
To Whom It May Concern, My name is [XXX] , and I am formally escalating serious ongoing issues with my 2018 Hyundai Sonata. Despite repeated attempts to resolve these concerns through the dealership, my vehicle continues to experience excessive oil consumption, engine failures, and additional mechanical issues, all while under warranty. I am now seeking immediate corporate intervention. Timeline of Events and Mismanagement: •2024(~62000 miles): First reported oil leak and excessive oil consumption. Directed to complete multiple 1,000-mile oil consumption tests. I complied fully. •2024: Repeatedly redirected between service advisors, received conflicting instructions, misleading guidance, and poor communication. No effective resolution was provided. •2025: Completed extensive additional diagnostic testing as requested. Despite full compliance, no clear corrective action was taken. •2024–Present: Vehicle brought to Hyundai on US 19 in New Port Richey approximately 13–15 times for engine-related concerns. Each visit demonstrated neglect, miscommunication, and failure to properly address documented issues. •February 11, 2026: After proper diagnostics, vehicle found to have two additional oil leaks, including a head gasket and valve cover requiring replacement, with total estimated repair costs exceeding $3,000. I was advised I must repeat all testing already completed in 2024 before final determination. •Vehicle is currently at 71,332 miles. Impact: •Delays and repeated unnecessary testing pushed my vehicle beyond warranty limits. •Mismanagement caused significant financial burden, emotional stress, and frustration. •If initial oil consumption issues had been properly addressed under warranty, the current extensive engine failures could likely have been avoided. Immediate Requests: 1Full review of my complete service and diagnostic history. 2Warranty or goodwill coverage for all necessary engine repairs, including head gasket and valve cover INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718051February 14, 2026
ENGINE
While driving on the freeway, my vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure. The check engine light began flashing, the vehicle lost power, and I almost lost control of the car. I barely had time to pull over to the shoulder to avoid an accident. The vehicle was towed to a Hyundai dealership. The engine does not start and the engine block is cracked. Hyundai denied coverage stating that a software update (Campaign 953) was not installed. Campaign 953 is only a detection update and does not repair or prevent internal engine failure. This is a serious safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717557February 12, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717654February 12, 2026
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We pulled up at Hillgreen circle Cockysville MD To drop my boyfriend off at his apartment. I went to pull in the parking spot.I went to put the car into park and it had no brakes. I was slamming them and pumping them. It excellerated and took off. Jumped the curb,went down the hill and into the apartment building. A red light had came on the dash, right before it took off. Seemed like it was changing to gas or the electric mode,or the other way around. The airbag on the passenger side came out deflated,and filled with smoke going into the car. He was the belted front passenger and his elbow went in to the front window. You can tell by looking at it,the hole and spidered around it. He broke his right elbow. It is available anytime at the moment. It's at Hyundaii in Glen burnie. I need to get it to state farms lot,to get the Kelly blue book value. We look forward to hearing from you
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11717646February 12, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My windshield cracked with no discernable impact or reason. The windshields for the vehicle are too thin for use on a highway and crack too easily. This puts my safety and the safety of others at risk, as well as affecting safety mechanisms related to or mounted to the windshield. It has been replicated by myself as it's happened twice in the last 4 months of owning the car. The first windshield was replaced by my dealer at Laird Noller in Topeka.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717243February 11, 2026
ENGINE
While driving in normal traffic, the engine experienced a sudden and significant loss of power and went into a reduced-power “limp” mode. The check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stored an active P1326 diagnostic trouble code related to the engine/Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Because this occurred in live traffic, the sudden power loss created an unsafe situation that increased the risk of a collision, as the vehicle could not accelerate or keep pace with surrounding vehicles. This issue appears to be directly related to Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin 22-EM-001H-1, which addresses known engine defects and P1326 activation in this model and engine. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership in West Palm Beach, Florida for inspection, where the code was verified and documentation (including oil change records) was requested. The vehicle has approximately 89,000–90,000 miles. After the dealership inspection, I received an email from Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs [XXX] ) stating: “This is Hyundai’s final position in this matter, and we are unable to offer any assistance with regard to this claim.” I believe this position is incorrect, as the symptoms and P1326 activation align with the conditions outlined in TSB 22-EM-001H-1, which Hyundai is supposed to honor when these failures occur. To my knowledge, the vehicle/component has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. The check engine light and reduced power symptoms first appeared at the time of the incident. 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
#11717311February 11, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was driving car and it went completely hot. Towed to a dealership and they said was not drivable and that the radiator support and radiator hose needs replacing and eventually the Drive CV left and front will need replacing or I will be stranded on side of road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717330February 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
I have a 2007 Hyundai Sonata SE v6 3.3L and on January 9th, 2026 I had an incident where on the road my charging system light on signifying alternator failure. I made it home, but the battery was dead which was recently purchased. After recharging the battery I conducted tests with a multimeter and have determined the alternator has failed. The alternator has accrued a coating of oil overtime that was unknown until my research into the matter of root cause. Hyundai manufactures a V6 engine family called Lamba in which a version called Lambda MPi G6DB was introduced in 2007–2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (CM) and 2005–2009 Hyundai Sonata (NF) models. In 2023 Hyundai issued a recall for the 2007-2009 Santa Fe for a Cylinder Head Cover Oil Leak Repair where oil drips from the valve cover directly onto the alternator causing it to fail. I have a 2007 Hyundai Sonata 3.3L V6 engine where the very same issue has occurred with photo evidence that has caused my alternator to fail and have tested the issue. This vehicle model was not included in the recall despite the engine being exactly the same as the recalled model, the year being the exact same as the Santa Fe, and the alternator in the exact placement where the oil drips into the alternator causing failure just like the Santa Fe recall. The Santa Fe recall with the same issue is documented with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration below: [XXX] Hyundai has yet to issue the same recall for the Hyundai Sonata brand of vehicles, despite the same issue occurring and a known issue with the Lambda MPi G6DB engine design effecting multiple models in the same way documented across multiple owners of these vehicles with various fixes suggested on Youtube, Reddit, and enthusiast forums for this engineering failure that causes considerable risk if the alternator fails in operation on roadways. 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
#11717361February 11, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond or exceed 30 MPH. The contact stated that the speedometer reading was lagging. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal with more force. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the camshaft position sensor was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the starter was previously replaced due to the engine's failure to turn over while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that upon switching to Sport Mode and driving 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked and lost motive power. The contact shifted to neutral(N) and was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure could be an electrical failure or that an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717413February 11, 2026
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
1. All safety features related to the back up camera, EPS, Traction Control, Lane Assist, Active Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam, Forward Collision Avoidance and more. 2. Loss of all safety features and then sudden restoration of EPS would cause swerve into oncoming lanes or into neighboring lanes and/or ditches. 3. Yes the problem has been reproduced, repeatedly in cold weather and while the dealership has had it in for repairs. 4. No, but the dealership has contacted the manufacturer for repair advice. 5. Yes, every time. I have photos of my dash with the indicating lights on. 10/2/23.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717187February 11, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted and taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the spark plugs had failed. The dealer replaced the spark plugs; however, the failure progressively worsened. The vehicle failed to restart and became undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the dealer on several occasions, and the dealer cleared the diagnostic trouble codes; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717157February 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN, AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES
My engine light come on. Air flow notification come on. I had a brake cleaner notification come on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717012February 10, 2026
ENGINE
Engine failure, cylinder 4 is swimming on oil.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717092February 10, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I began braking and the brakes locked up. Braking to the floor and the car would not stop resulting in a car crash
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11716933February 10, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving the vehicle the other night, the cars electrical system completely shut off for a few seconds before popping back on. The whole car inside and out went completely black. It was around 10pm on a dark country road. I had the seat heater on high and the defrost on high because it was cold. It appeared to happen when the auto high beams were supposed to engage. Instead of them engaging, the whole cars electrical system just shut off. No headlights, no instruments, interior lighting, console display, nothing worked. The car was in battery mode at the time, and it sounded like the whole car just shutoff. I took my foot off the accelerator wondering what happened, and before I could understand what was going on, everything came back on. It did not prompt me to start the vehicle again. The auto on/off brights never worked like they were supposed to again either. I had to manually engage and disengage them. Thankfully it was just me on that stretch of road going 30mph at the time or it could have ended badly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716730February 9, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off without warning. There was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle with an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716603February 8, 2026
ENGINE
My 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has a permanent and recurring DTC P1326 (Knock signal range/performance) from the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS), indicating potential connecting rod bearing wear in the Nu 2.0L engine. The vehicle enters limp mode (reduced power, limited acceleration/speed) on the highway under load, with hard engine vibration, tinkling/knocking noise from under hood, and significantly reduced MPG. These symptoms create a serious safety risk: sudden loss of power at highway speeds (e.g., 50+ mph) makes it difficult to maintain speed, merge, or avoid hazards, increasing crash risk or stranding in traffic. In rare cases, bearing wear can lead to engine seizure or failure. The problem first appeared summer 2024 at approximately 115,000 miles. The Check Engine Light illuminates (cristmass tree), and limp mode triggers during highway driving. I have an OBD scan showing confirmed, pending, and permanent P1326, plus related hybrid communication codes (U0293, U1004) likely secondary to the protection mode. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times (four visits) by a Hyundai dealer. Each time they scanned the code, performed basic checks, but stated “engine is working normal, no road vibration, nothing” and did not resolve the issue. The code returns immediately after clearing. I replaced the knock sensor, engine mounts, spark plugs, ignition coils myself—did not fix it. Dealers did not perform the full bearing clearance test or follow TSB 22-01-023H (Service Campaign T6G) procedure as required for this known issue (related to Recall 209 and Campaign 966). The component (engine/connecting rod bearings) is still in the vehicle and available for inspection. No police, insurance, or other parties have inspected it beyond the dealer. This matches a widespread known defect in 2011–2019 Sonata Hybrids (bearing wear triggering P1326/limp mode).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716400February 7, 2026
STEERING
Steering will stay stuck in left or right position when turned slightly, a couple of inches. The wheel has to be jerked back to center. Vehicle will not go back to center. No lane assist of any kind are on. Excessive tire wear. Consistent issue especially when it’s hot weather. Steering wheel tilts to left when brought to centerz Cannot be reset to stay centered. Dead spot in steering.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716496February 7, 2026
ENGINE
I have been dealing with issues with the turbo that cost over $3k out of pocket to get "fixed" only to have a part go bad and needed to be replaced. Now the engine is bad and needs to be replaced. The dealership is horrible at being honest and treat me as if that's not my only vehicle. I ask for a loaner car and thery never respond!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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