Hyundai Sonata Complaints (2015)

1,208 consumer complaints on file.

#11701706November 26, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
The vehicle’s sunroof just flew off the car at 31 miles per hour (the whole part), Hyundai had a safety recall for that and it was done in the past, the problem is that happened exactly what the recall were suppose to prevent, it was my wife and 2 kids on my car and I’m glad it was before she enter the highway, it would cause a major wreck with multiple vehicles. The car behind her had a dash cam and recorded the event, I’ll upload for better understanding. I’m also posting it on the social media to get publicity on the event.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701594November 25, 2025
ENGINE
I heard noises immediately after purchasing the Sonata. I took it back in to Carmax ( where I bought it from) multiple times and was told they didnt find anything wrong. As time went on, I took my sonata to Hyundai dealer to get checked out. 1st time they told me, Hyundai wouldnt cover the cost to check out engine & that it would be $700 to take a look. The 2nd time, I was told we cannot check it out because the engine light isnt on. Basically they couldnt scan/check codes without the light being on. I suggested that if they just rode around the block, that they would notice that there's an issue. They still said no. Then back in February, I took back to Hyundai dealer again & they did check it out because the engine light was now on. That inspection came back as the cylinder was bad. Hyundai doesnt cover it because at that point it was past 100k miles and I was not the original owner. I asked about 100 mile.warranty when I bought it at carmax and was told yes 100k warranty still applies. So upon further research, hyundai has had problems with this year/make/model/ engine type before. If they knew something was wrong with it, why not just say so & fix it? Or as soon as I seen the first issue, check it out and repair it for me?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701206November 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The engine/powertrain on my 2015 Hyundai Sonata (VIN: [XXX] ) has failed due to extremely low compression in all four cylinders, causing severe misfires, hard starting, loss of power, and intermittent rattling noises, and the vehicle is currently available for inspection at the Hyundai dealership. This failure created a safety risk because the engine hesitates, struggles to start, and can stall or lose power during driving, which could lead to a loss of control or an inability to accelerate in traffic. The problem has been confirmed by both an independent mechanic and the Hyundai dealership, who documented low compression across all cylinders. The vehicle has been fully inspected by the dealership on Hyundai’s behalf after I opened a case with the manufacturer. Prior to the complete failure, the car showed warning symptoms such as repeated cylinder 4 misfires, rough starting, reduced power, rattling noises on startup, and the check engine light appearing several times beginning earlier this year. 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
#11701032November 23, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint started peeling off in large sections.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701043November 23, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On the highway, my 2015 Hyundai Sonata suddenly began making a squealing or metallic rattling noise. At first, I thought it might have been something loose inside the vehicle. Within moments, the check engine light began blinking, followed by several additional warning lights and a pronounced knocking noise from the engine area. Immediately after the warning lights appeared, the vehicle entered a reduced-power “limp mode” and began rapidly losing speed, even though the engine was still running. Because this occurred at highway speed while surrounding traffic was traveling normally, I had to pull onto the shoulder to avoid being struck. This created a significant safety hazard. I was stranded for approximately 45 minutes on the shoulder, at risk of being struck by other vehicles passing at high speeds. A tow truck arrived before the highway patrol, and the vehicle was towed home. When I returned home, my code reader pulled two versions of diagnostic code P1326, which is associated with potential engine bearing failure in Hyundai Theta II engines. The issue has since been inspected by the dealership, who confirmed the presence of the P1326 code. The vehicle is currently available for further inspection upon request. There were no prior symptoms that I was aware of leading up to the incident other than the brief squealing/rattling noise and the sudden warning lights immediately beforehand. The failure happened suddenly and without warning, causing an immediate and unexpected loss of speed and creating a dangerous situation on the highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700199November 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
At about 30mph the sunroof suddenly flew of of my car and almost hit the car behind me thst had to avoid the flying part, for a good luck it didn’t cause a major accident because I was about get in a busy highway and this hazard could’ve caused a major ctash envolvimg multiple cars, the vehicle behind me has a dashcam that recorded the event. For God nobody got injured.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698983November 12, 2025
ENGINE
1. Description of Safety Problem: My vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure while driving, resulting in a complete loss of power and severe engine knocking. This is a known safety defect related to the Theta II engine (specifically, connecting rod bearing failure, often referred to as the KSDS defect) that poses a severe risk of stalling and engine fire. The failure rendered the vehicle inoperable and unsafe. 2. Manufacturer's Failure to Honor Safety Recalls & Warranty: Despite this being a known, documented defect covered by Hyundai's own Technical Service Bulletin (22-EM-00H-1-1) and the TXXI Class Action Settlement—which provides a "Limited Lifetime Warranty" for this issue—Hyundai Motor America has repeatedly and wrongfully denied my warranty claim. Furthermore, I discovered through Hyundai's official campaign portal that my specific VIN had multiple unperformed safety and service campaigns, including critical Engine Control Module (ECM) updates (Campaign #953) designed to monitor and prevent this exact type of engine failure. Hyundai's failure to ensure these critical updates were performed constitutes negligence and directly contributed to the safety failure I experienced. 3. Evidence of Manufacturer Bad Faith: I have obtained documented proof that Hyundai has approved and performed zero-cost engine replacements for the identical defect on vehicles with mileage exceeding 180,000 miles. This proves that my denial is arbitrary, discriminatory, and demonstrates a pattern of bad faith in applying their safety-related warranty extensions. 4. Escalating Consequences: Due to Hyundai's refusal to honor its warranty, the dealership has now threatened a mechanic's lien and is charging $50 per day in storage fees. The manufacturer's failure to address a known safety defect is now causing active financial harm. 5. Requested Action: I urge the NHTSA to: Investigate Hyundai Motor America's systemic failure to honor the safety warranties and complete
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695826October 27, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to buy back the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695853October 27, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered a buyback. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694575October 20, 2025
ENGINE
Knock sensor has gone bad
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693942October 16, 2025
ENGINE
Engine malfunction putting my safety at risk. This is a known issue under Hyundai’s active campaign, and the issue was verified by the manufacturer. A PA was required and Hyundai is refusing to repair vehicle due to service records prior to my ownership not being available. This issue was identified on 9/4/2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693469October 14, 2025
ENGINE
I was driving (I4 highway) when my car suddenly stalled, causing engine failure and almost putting my life at risk, causing an accident. This car has a factory recall for engine damage. I took it to the dealer, and Hyundai refuses to accept the engine repair because the title is rebuilt. The car has no damage to its original engine and is ready to be replaced. They don’t want to assume responsibility.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692450October 9, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting a recurring and unresolved hybrid system failure in my 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited that poses an ongoing safety risk to me and my family. The issue involves a "Hybrid System Warning – Safely Stop and Do Not Drive" message that appears randomly while driving, causing the vehicle to jerking and creating dangerous conditions on the road. This issue first occurred in February 2024 and has persisted through October 2025 despite repeated service visits and costly out-of-pocket repairs. The hybrid battery was eventually replaced after 8+ months of delays, but the exact same warning and jerking symptoms returned in March 2025 and have never been properly resolved. The dealership (Crown Hyundai in St. Petersburg, FL) and Hyundai corporate case management have been unable to replicate or diagnose the problem consistently, and continue returning the vehicle to me in unsafe condition. On October 3, 2025, the same warning reappeared and the vehicle was dropped off again for yet another service attempt. Again on October 7, 2025, I was told to pick up my car, they could not replicate the issue and could not find a code to respond to. To date, I’ve paid $1,748.65 for a repair (air flappers) that did not solve the issue, and spent months without use of the vehicle, continuing to pay for insurance during that time. I believe this is a defective hybrid propulsion system that meets the threshold for investigation and possibly a recall, given the repeat safety risk and lack of resolution. Please investigate this matter for the safety of other drivers as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691690October 6, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving, my 2015 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T experienced severe knocking and loss of power due to a KSDS-related engine defect. The check engine light was inoperative, and the engine now makes loud noises and emits fumes. Hyundai declined warranty coverage despite known KSDS issues. This poses a serious safety concern ( I recently purchased the car and been fixing problems every since)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691693October 6, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
What the consumer services tried to offer (More Information for case)me, instead of a replaced engine that is under my warranty. They have replaced engines before over the mileage as goodwill warranty, but refuse to do the necessary work because of mileages. KSDS is designed for any mileage, and they put a mileage limit on the vehicles warranty, that not just I, but multiple people purchased; where the justice
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690755October 1, 2025
ENGINE
Engine Failure for a 2015 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.4L In-Line4 (144CI) VIN(F) Odometer 141477. Engine starts then runs hot starts clunking and sputtering and then shuts off. Burns oil and has caused a complete exhaust failure. Vehicle cannot past emissions text. The vehicle was a safety risk as the engine may catch fire and the vehicle was use for transportation to work and children to school. The Engine Light stays on constantly the engine oil light comes on as oil is burned off. Vehicle was purchased at a third party dealer and as the new owner did not receive recall notice or settlement notice.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690213September 28, 2025
ENGINE
The engine light started to come on and go off. I had the spark plugs changed and I kept regular maintenance done on oil changes and tune ups. Now my engine is knocking and the vehicle is in limp mo. I took to dealership for extended warranty it was denied due to not properly maintained I turned an additional maintenance records the claim was never reevaluated I took my car home which is only 3 mi away in the engine caught on fire before I could get home $9,000 loss I don't know what to do
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689244September 23, 2025
ENGINE
Vehicle lost power leaving me stranded. All lights on dash came on, lost power, and barely able to steer to get off the road. We had to have it towed. The vehicle was towed to our mechanic, who states the motor seized up. Mechanic states there is no repair for this issue. Car has just been paid off. Now we have nothing!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688793September 22, 2025
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The engine light started to come on and go off and when I got the codes ran, it said something along the line of misfire. I had the spark plugs changed and I kept regular maintenance done on oil changes and tune ups. Now my engine is knocking and the vehicle is in limp mode.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688827September 22, 2025
STEERING
The steering column locks up. When start vehicle and make turn to get on road the steering locks up and cannot turn the wheel. This is safety concern and not safe to drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Hyundai Sonata