Owners have filed 14,486 complaints on the Hyundai Sonata, covering 1989–2026. The system named most often is Engine (1,208 reports). Worst years by volume: 2011, 2013, 2012; cleanest: 1994, 2026, 1989. 643 reports describe a crash, 487 a fire, 13 a death. On average the car was 5.9 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Hyundai Sonata
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 14,486 Sonata complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Engine 1,208 Read
I was taking the car doing the oil consumption test for the 3rd time and I had just got it out the shop one hour before this happen
The contact owned a 2011 hyundai sonata. While driving approximately 60 mph, the engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently with a clicking noise. A few moments later, the entire instrument panel warning indicators remained illuminated. In addition, black smoke emitted inside the vehicle. The vehicle was…
I purchased this vehicle brand new. It is still under factory warranty. It has approximately 14k miles on it. I have followed all recommended maintenance procedures. During a routine maintenance appointment at the dealership (Vancouver Hyundai 6802 NE 40th Street, Vancouver WA 98661) they identified a catastrophic…
Electrical System 459 Read
Trying to break after being hit to prevent hitting another driver . Ended up hitting the driver still and my car ended up catching on fire
The contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle skidded and stopped. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence and parked…
The contact owns a 2011 hyundai sonata. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle stalled. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another vehicle. The contact stated that the collision occurred as the contact's vehicle was coasting to the side of the roadway; however, the other…
Power Train 343 Read
Vehicle suddenly accelerated after pulling out of store parking lot at low speed into side street behind vehicle stopped at light (less than a car length in front) while pressing hard on brake. Vehicle lurched forward incrementally during the braking process, but vehicle kept accelerating causing vehicle to hit…
Car was parked, full stop, doors shut, seatbelt on. Foot on brake. Car then seemed to lurch forward by itself forward hitting parking cement block. Put in reverse to back away and car stayed still...then I tapped the gas again to back up and insted vehicle plowed forward.instead.of reverse ...went over the parking…
I was driving down the street and I hit a car because I felt that I lost the control of the car momentarily and it happened as it is described on this recall - 22V746000: The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a…
Steering 330 Read
I starting hearing a clicking then the car lost all power, steering was so stiff, brakes would not prss down I was able to get off the road then smoke was pouring out the front. I could smell wires buring we pour water down in the motor but the hoses were still hot to the touch. The car will not restart. I scared me…
I want to create a safety recall on this vehicle if not other makes and models from this manufacturer. This vehicle is a fire hazard due to chronic corrosion on the fuel lines. It is also a safety hazard due to loss of brakes and steering due to chronic corrosion of the brake and power steering lines. Our 2007 hyundai…
I was driving in my own lane with my seatbelt on and lights on and I didn't see this bus coming speeding with no lights on at all he scratched my passenger side door and he all most took the mirror off I hit the brake and it slowed to 55 and I still hit him I was going speed limit the radiator broke and the car all…
Air Bags 307 Read
The contact owned a 2014 hyundai sonata. While making a left turn at 20 mph, another vehicle collided with the front driver side of the contact's vehicle. The contact noticed smoke and felt heat on her feet. A bystander pulled the contact from the vehicle and flames appeared underneath the driver's side. The fire…
Fatal accident, lost control of vehicle hitting a tree head on. Air bags did not deploy, engine caught on fire. Steering column air bag and passenger air bags intact. Notified hyundai dealer where vehicle was purchased with 49995 miles, 2nd owner no previous incidents to the vehicle , had approx 80000 miles at time of…
2009 hyundai sonata-2 front end collisions air bags never came out for either. Front end work done after 1st front end collision. Air bags did not come out during 2nd colision either. Concerned why the airbags did not come out for either accident
Structure 156 Read
I was driving to work on a highway, approximately 7:15am I started smelling something burning. My car was bucking. I went to pull over when my car turned a sharp right into trees. The car was completely consumed by flames
Recall 286 my vehicle suffered from this causing heat module failure misfire in cylinder 2 and high pressure in gas tank. Sports Hyundai had previously done a 180 day repair under recall 9b1 for an expanded gas tank after the repair the car suffered from the updated recall 286 . I brang to the dealership 4 times with…
Vehicle caught fire while undergoing warranty repairs
Vehicle Speed Control 137 Read
My concern is a potential unintended acceleration forward as. I was. Parking vechicle. Sudden burst of speed, went thru shrubbery and off a 2 foot wall. Felt as if we were taking off a runway in a plane. Car went nose up over the wall and then dropped into a neighbor yard digging a divot, ripping rear left fender and…
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at a low speed pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle accelerated over two concrete stopping blocks and crashed into a parked unoccupied 2015 Toyota vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. A police report was filed.…
I was pulling into a parking space at my church, same place I routinely parked. I was moving forward slowly with foot on brake alternating lifting foot to move forward until I was all the way in. As I lifted my foot from the brake, the car suddenly accelerated forward, going over the cement parking block, on to the…
Service Brakes 129 Read
The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, a pedestrian alerted him that the vehicle was on fire. The contact noticed that the rear portion and driver side of the vehicle was on fire. While traveling around a curve the brakes became inoperable the contact jumped out of…
I had an accident this morning in my 2015 hyundai sonata se due to brake failure a vehicle stopped in front of me about one-and-a-half crawler and I applied my breaks because I saw when the vehicle stops when I apply my brakes they didn't work it went completely to the floor and had no breaks whatsoever and I slammed…
Vehicle in front of me stopped. Six car lengths between us. I applied brakes, nothing, I even put my left foot on top of my right foot. There was plenty of time to stop but brake peddle wouldn’t go down, Felt like it was locked. Automatic Brake Sensor didn’t work either. Still waiting for inspection from manufacturer…
Sonata years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tires | — | — | |
| 2025 | Electrical System,vehicle Speed Control,engine | — | — | |
| 2024 | Back Over Prevention,forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | — | |
| 2023 | Air Bags,structure | 5 | — | |
| 2022 | Back Over Prevention,forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | — | |
| 2021 | Air Bags | 7 | — | |
| 2020 | Air Bags | 4 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Air Bags | 7 | 5 | |
| 2018 | Air Bags | 18 | 13 | |
| 2017 | Air Bags | 27 | 11 | |
| 2016 | Air Bags | 18 | 26 | |
| 2015 | Air Bags | 32 | 46 | |
| 2014 | Air Bags | 27 | 37 | |
| 2013 | Air Bags | 83 | 91 | |
| 2012 | Air Bags | 50 | 85 | |
| 2011 | Air Bags | 105 | 107 | |
| 2010 | Air Bags | 14 | 2 | |
| 2009 | Air Bags | 14 | 10 | |
| 2008 | Air Bags | 15 | 10 | |
| 2007 | Air Bags | 26 | 6 | |
| 2006 | Air Bags | 36 | 9 | |
| 2005 | Air Bags | 21 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Air Bags | 17 | 2 | |
| 2003 | Air Bags | 15 | 2 | |
| 2002 | Air Bags | 28 | 4 | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | 21 | — | |
| 2000 | Air Bags | 13 | 6 | |
| 1999 | Air Bags | 11 | 3 | |
| 1998 | Air Bags | 2 | — | |
| 1997 | Air Bags | 3 | 1 |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 1,492 |
| Average complaints per series | 9.7 |
| Worst single series | 156 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 5.9 years |
A model average of 9.7 hides a worst series at 156. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Sonata?
By complaint volume, 2011, 2013, 2012 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Sonata years are the cleanest?
2026, 2025, 1998 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Hyundai Sonata have?
14,486 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 1989–2026. Of those, 643 describe a crash and 487 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.