Hyundai Sonata Complaints (2011)

3,476 consumer complaints on file.

#11703820December 8, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the failure was due to an unrepaired recall. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The repair was performed. The failure reoccurred. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that the recall was closed. The vehicle was taken to an alternate dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed hydraulic ABS booster sensor. The contact was provided DTC: C1237/HPU. The contact was informed that the hydraulic ABS booster sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was released to the contact; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the ABS warning light illuminated and then went off. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to take the vehicle for a second inspection. The dealer declined to perform the second inspection. The contact was informed that the repair was not associated with the recall repair. In addition, the contact referenced several unknown recalls; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not related to a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701548November 25, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, an abnormal knocking sound was heard, and there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a nearby residence, where it temporarily remained. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle a few miles to qualify for towing, per the vehicle insurance provider. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a rod bearing failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to insufficient engine oil maintenance records. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700240November 19, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The vehicle experiences a recurring defect where the brake light turns on suddenly and the engine shuts off while driving. The failure appears related to the braking system (brake switch circuit), electrical system (CAN-bus/ECU communication), and engine control (shutdown/stall). The system remains installed and is available for inspection upon request. The shutdown poses a serious safety risk, including possible rear-end collision or loss of power in traffic. The problem has occurred multiple times. The dealership inspected the vehicle briefly but failed to diagnose or document the defect and returned the vehicle within hours, stating “it shouldn’t be a problem,” even though the issue continues. Hyundai has refused to provide recall documentation or authorize a re-inspection. The only warnings prior to shutoff are the sudden activation of the brake warning light just before the engine cuts off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699615November 15, 2025
ENGINE
While driving home from work after 7 PM on the 215 NB freeway, the oil warning light suddenly illuminated, and the vehicle immediately lost engine power. Within seconds, the engine shut off completely, leaving me unable to accelerate or safely maneuver. I was forced to coast across lanes with no power, creating a significant risk of collision and nearly resulting in a rear-end accident. After the incident, I performed a crankshaft rotation test, which the engine failed, confirming that the crankshaft would not turn. I also verified that the timing chain remained intact. The vehicle has since been inspected by Hyundai technicians, who confirmed the engine failure under Service Campaign 953. Hyundai further communicated via email that my vehicle is eligible under the TXXI Theta Engine Settlement Agreement and expressed a willingness to discuss my recent engine concerns and the details of the settlement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697316November 4, 2025
ENGINE
I am filing this complaint regarding a catastrophic engine failure in my 2011 Hyundai Sonata. According to Hyundai’s own documentation, Service Campaign 953, issued in 2018, was never performed on this vehicle. This campaign addresses the risk of connecting rod bearing failure caused by residual metal debris in the crankshaft oil passages.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696471October 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Good day, please note that most of my communication with Hyundai has been over the phone. I sent one an email shortly after the event, and after following up on the phone, I received this following string separately. I can forward you more along the way, but Hyundai is in possession of the call recordings. I was hoping they would cover my repairs, my engine had a lifetime warranty, but during this process I learned that there was a recall for this car that I was never aware of as the new owner. I needed a software update to get any repairs covered. Please reach out to me for more info!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696100October 28, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started to overheat, with the check engine and temperature warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 184,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695234October 23, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In summer of 2023 my car 2011 Sonata Hybrid quit running and would not start. My granddaughter had used the car to go to Oklahoma City for a tennis tournament. Her life was at risk because she was coming back in the evening and was alone. The next day I had the car towed to Ada Oklahoma and then called dealership and had it towed to Ardmore, Oklahoma where I had purchased the car new in 2011. The car was at the dealership for 6 months. The vehicle was inspected at the dealership. There were no warning lights or symptoms of the failure prior to the breakdown. I am an 80 year old female that knows nothing about a car engine and they talked to me like I was a mechanic. I still do not know why my claim was denied but was told that I did not have a claim. I had to rent a car to get to work for several months and was out the money to have my car towed 2 times. Not to mention the strain of being without my car for 6-7 months. I finally just gave up until I read about all these other people having trouble with Hyundai also.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694680October 21, 2025
ENGINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I bought this car from someone in April of 2024 and the person who i bought it from said everything was perfectly fine, they brought it to the Hyundai dealership and according to the mechanic there the engine was fine….i have taken care of the engine since i bought the car, kept up with oil changes and everything….until a few days ago when the whole thing ceased up on me while driving down the road to my sons school. I wasnt going fast either, the speed limit is 40mph where i was when it happened, but I’m glad i have quick reflexes because otherwise we would have wrecked the car. Everything shut off on me and now its knocking. There is alot of metal shavings in my oil and my mechanic tried to drain it a few times to get the debris out of the oil but it does no good.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694186October 17, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed air bag clock spring. The contact was informed that the driver's air bag clock spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The contact had received an unknown recall notification previously for the air bag. The contact was informed that he was nine days late for the coverage of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under repair. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693138October 13, 2025
ENGINE
My daughter was driving her 2011 Hyundai Sonata on the freeway at 65mph when the engine light came on and car simultaneously slowed to a stop on 8/21/25 creating significant danger to my daughter and other drivers on the road. There were no prior warnings or indications, and car just had an engine check performed in June 2025. Had it towed to Hyundai on 8/22/25 and Hyundai completed an engine check and it failed. Hyundai told us they'd cover it under the extended warranty if only we could provide complete maintenance records. We were unable to satisfy their record request threshold, as we are not the only owners of this 14-year-old vehicle, so they've requested $10,000 to replace the engine instead. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is part of the Theta II engine family that has been subject to multiple recalls, class-action lawsuits, and federal investigations due to catastrophic engine failures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691155October 3, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There was a 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid transmission-related shift cable recall, Campaign 123, which covered certain 2011-2014 Sonatas (including some 2011-2015 Hybrids). The recall addressed the potential for the transmission shift cable to detach from the shift lever pin, which could prevent the car from being fully in park and potentially lead to rollaway
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691138October 3, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from under the hood. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine hesitated while turning over. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the long block kit and engine needed to be replaced. The contact was advised that due to the mileage and aftermarket engine in the vehicle, the recall repairs were denied. The contact related the failure to Hyundai Service Campaign: 953. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 216,301.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690938October 2, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The affected component is the engine/rod bearing (Theta II 2.4L). My 2011 Hyundai Sonata stalled and the engine locked up twice in live traffic (March 2025 and July 2025). The vehicle is available for inspection if needed. This created a serious safety risk to me and others on the road, as the stall occurred on [XXX] at highway speeds. This failure could have been catastrophic had it happened on the DC/Baltimore Beltway or another high-traffic roadway. Hyundai’s system shows Recall 132 was marked complete at very low mileage (around 32,000 miles), but my vehicle later developed oil consumption and stalling consistent with rod bearing failure. Capitol Heights Hyundai noted a warranty pre-authorization (PA) in March 2025 and told me Hyundai needed my mailing address “for the claim,” but later said it was a typo and that no record exists. The dealership charged me for a diagnostic but did not inspect the vehicle for rod bearing failure, despite symptoms consistent with Recall 132. Annapolis Hyundai, where the car was purchased as a CPO, has admitted they have no documentation that Recall 132 was ever performed (no repair order, mileage, or technician notes). Yet Hyundai’s system shows Recall 132 marked “complete.” Without proof that the KSDS software or bearing inspection was done, I belive this recall should be considered open. Hyundai Consumer Affairs has stated that I must pay for towing and diagnosis before they will investigate, with possible reimbursement later. This conflicts with federal law (49 U.S.C. § 30120), which requires recall diagnosis and repair at no cost to the consumer. Prior to the failures, my vehicle had a history of oil consumption and “no oil on dipstick” findings, which are known precursors to rod bearing failure. No warning lamps appeared before the stalls. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance in requiring Hyundai to provide documentation or reopen Recall 132 and perform a no-cost inspection/repair to ensure this vehicle is safe to operate INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690722October 1, 2025
ENGINE
I am the proud owner of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata this is my 3rd sonata; we love it due to the worry free long last and warranty. Never had any issues through the years until last night ([XXX]). When getting off from work 6:15PM heading home for about 30 mins. I was driving my car approximately 35 mph when I went to turn a corner suddenly, my car started sputtering, knocking sound and failed to accelerate having traffic behind me not to cause an accident I put my hazard flashers on, and I lean over to the right on grass. Puzzled and scared saying to myself “ What the Hecks” what’s going on. The car parked on the side was having hard time staying on and shut down. I then went and opened the hood to check to make sure nothing was in my engine causing it, everything looked normal except, the smell of oil has a burnt smell to it which means in technical terms it has thrown a rod and bent valves and smell of burned electric. Finally, we called AAA, they advised their busy and it will be about 2 hrs. So, I sat there to wait for AAA. As I sat in my car waiting, I started researching online. I currently do not have any recalls or ever got any notice. I came across there is an active class action lawsuit going on for the rod bearing going out in these models and years. After some time, I called AAA back to get an ETA, they told us they were extremely busy, it would be about another 45 mins. At that time another tow company pulled up and asked if we needed a tow, we didn’t want to wait longer for AAA to get home so decided to have it towed home … totally cost $175. Today I am trying to contact Hyundai to see what we going to do regarding my car and praying it can get fixed on this recall that I had no idea and thanks God, I turned it off my car could start a fire & burned up. I never got notice about recalls for my engine and It’s sad Hyundai does contact owners ahead to let them know about this problem, think about it we are talking about lives. Thank you for taking INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690300September 29, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and stopped independently. The contact stated the vehicle went into LIMP Mode independently, with a clinking sound coming from the engine. The contact pulled into a parking lot, awaiting tow truck assistance. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was inspected and the contact that the lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the lifters, rod bearings, and piston rings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (ENGINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and denied the claim. The failure mileage was 167,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689370September 24, 2025
ENGINE
I own a 2011 Hyundai Sonata with a 2.0 turbocharged engine. The engine failed/presents issues such as loss of power, rattling, oil consumption, and smoking, which resulted in my engine seizing up. This creates a serious safety risk while driving, to now my car no longer operates. I checked NHTSA’s recall database and found no open recalls for my VIN regarding engine replacement, but I believe this engine defect should be investigated for a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689099September 23, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
The issue has happened multiple times while driving, sitting in traffic, or parked idling. The Brake Light comes on and starts flashing, Alarm Chimes, Brake Pedal goes to the floor seems to not have any hydraulic pressure, the brakes grind like I have no brake pads, and essentially I have NO Brakes. If I turn the car off and on it goes back to normal. I took it to have it checked for a diagnostic code, there were none.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689039September 22, 2025
ENGINE
I had just started up my vehicle as normal and exited a parking lot when all of a sudden the vehicle switched off and I was able to safely maneuver to the side of the road and it would refuse to start, and there was smoking coming from beside the engine and we were unsure of what it was. I got it towed to a local mechanic and he let me know that it was an engine failure, and that the starter had burned as result of that.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687974September 17, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1. The car began to randomly stall and stop running. This happened while driving and it was extremely dangerous. Typically, the engine would restart after at least waiting 15 minutes. Any attempt to start the car before that time would fail. 2. When the stalls happened, the car acted as if it had run out of gas. The engine would simply stop running WITHOUT WARNING, at intersections, on city streets, and on the freeway at high speed. It did not matter how full the gas tank was. 3. My brother and I diagnosed the problem as intermittent loss of fuel pressure. 4. My brother and I replaced the FACTORY fuel pump, and to hour horror, when we unplugged the electrical connection/plug, one of the pins from the fuel pump came out with the plug/connector. 5. We inspected the fuel pump and discovered that parts of the electrical plug INSIDE THE FUEL TANK had become burned and melted. See Image SANY0135.JPG === This is a SAFETY DEFECT - either the internal fuel pump electrical connections were faulty from the factory or the problem developed over time. There have been other recalls for this model of car for random engine stalls but this is a NEW and DIFFERENT cause. A dealer with a relatively inexpensive Infrared camera could likely spot this problem with minimal vehicle disassembly. There was clearly a LOT of heat concentrated in the area of the electrical connection to the fuel pump. We hope this report triggers a recall and prevents extremely dangerous random loss of engine power events, fires, or worse. Please recall all the vehicles that used that fuel pump for inspection before there is a disaster.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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