10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
45,040 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #20

Apr 042022

Sonata

  • miles
Just about 2 months ago i exit my vehicle after parking up. As i exit i smelled a burning smell and heard sparks so i stepped away from vehicle asap and then the horn start honking and lights flashing on own. Then the car started up by itself and started to run without me in car and keys in my hand. Police came from noise distubing and took the battery off to stop. After that i couldnt start car so had towed in shop for 5 weeks. Hot out of shop and can start now but now my a.c. and windows doesnt work because mechanic said that something keep blowing those fuses out and if he puts yhem back in then the car will go back to not starting. I am guessing this is part of the recall.

- Middletown , NY, USA

problem #19

Sep 092021

Sonata

  • miles
Manufacturer has REFUSED to return My calls. Dragged me down there for an appointment, made me wait. Just to tell me they didn't order the specific part even though I made the appointment months in advanced.... and to call back in a week. That was September (6 months ago). I called, multiple times. Either I get no answer, voice mail, hung up on, laughed at OR told that they will urgently call me right back. All to no call back. I've reached out on social media, email, called managers, no one has followed up, Horne Hyundai AZ is a joke! And so is the surrounding certified dealers. No one has reached out and I've tried all outlets to dealers (somewhat) near me. No one finds this serious so if I get injured on the campus much longer and i will regret it.

- Florence, AZ, USA

problem #18

Nov 172021

Sonata

  • miles
I put the car in reverse while parked in a parking lot, when I put the car in reverse, the car took off at a high rate of speed striking one vehicle and continued at a high speed in reverse about 20 or 30 feet also hitting a return cart station, knocking it over and the car still proceeded to crash into a large parked pickup truck causing significant damage to the truck and also my vehicle. The brakes would not stop the car. The car finally stopped after the hard impact with the truck. My car has been deemed a total by my insurance.

- Waco, TX, USA

problem #17

Oct 192017

Sonata

  • 13,000 miles
Car made a popping noise going down the highway then lost acceleration. The car then burst into flames.

- Newark, DE, USA

problem #16

Dec 242017

Sonata

  • 106,000 miles
First there was a knocking sound and the car would drag to accelerate. This lasted 3 days each day it gradually getting worse. By the third day I was driving the knocking sound grew louder, something fell off the bottom of the car the check engine light came on, the car completely stopped driving, then up under the hood it was a fire and under the front part of the car.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #15

Dec 032017

Sonata

  • 86,000 miles
Car will not start. It's not battery related. I've found several complaints from Sonata owners of model years 2006-08. People have come to find out that it's ignition switch related. My car was parked, it has a brand new battery in it.

- Reynoldsburg, OH, USA

problem #14

Apr 032017

Sonata

  • miles
I am a owner of a 2008 Hyundai Sonata, I have been having this issue of when the car is in motion the driver side visor will fall down blocking my view. I dont know what the problem is but the visor wont just stay up and doing that while driving 70 mph is a very dangerous situation. They come down all the time once the car is in motion and does not matter the speed and it blocks your view suddenly. I tried to fix it but nothing seems to help, so I took to the internet to research this problem and I was surprised to find out that many Hyundai owners have the same problems. It seems like more on the older models say 2001 up to 2008 or so. Hyundai needs to do something about this issue before sadly someone dies or gets hurt. It is a matter of time before something bad happens, it is not safe at all to have the visor block your view while driving. You have customers replacing these visors and guess what down the road they have the same problem come back. I love my Hyundai but with this happening without any warning I dont feel safe being on the road. There should be a recall to fix this visor problems, that is not something that customers have to deal with since it is not something that is in use all the time. This is unsafe and very dangerous, dont wait to a life perishes or someone gets maimed by this defect.

- Mount Airy, MD, USA

problem #13

Apr 092017

Sonata

  • miles
Sun visor droops down will not stay up blocking visual field.

- Elmer, NJ, USA

problem #12

Apr 092017

Sonata

  • miles
Visors drooping down will not stay up, broken unable to drive visualy.

- Elmer, NJ, USA

problem #11

Apr 052017

Sonata

  • miles
Sun visors fall down while driiving, blocks vision.

- Elmer, NJ, USA

problem #10

Nov 282016

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 96,000 miles
The passenger sun visor will not stay up, at all. The driver side will suddenly fall and it's very unpleasant to suddenly not be able to see while driving. They are ridiculously expensive to replace ($200) and my understanding is that this is quite common with Hyundai vehicles. This has happened to me while driving on city streets. I have had the vehicle approx. 6 months and it has happened about 5 times. It really is startling. I'm really glad I wasn't on a freeway.

- Paradise, CA, USA

problem #9

Jul 102015

Sonata

  • 60,000 miles
Passenger side sun visor wont stay up.I heard, there may have been a recall on some models. Thought I would check. Thanks.

- Southaven, MS, USA

problem #8

Jul 162016

Sonata

  • 131,189 miles
On July 19, 2016 at or about 1500 hours, I was driving to the store to get some food, on the way out my apartment complex, I believe my Hyundai Sonata 2008 allowed me to go about two blocks down from where I live to shut off in the street right before I approached the stop sign. I also remember hearing two weeks prior to my vehicle shut off, while driving I heard this knocking sound in my engine, I thought it was the new starter that was replaced but then a day or two later it stop making that knocking noise. I called around to find answers no one had a clue to what was going on with this vehicle. Everything was working just fine until July 16, 2016. I had this vehicle since April 17, 2009 and I can't not believe this vehicle has a major issue like this at point and time. I could deal with regular maintenance services but on this flip sided coin; not having a vehicle to crank or one that just shuts off with out any engine lights or warning is a complete mystery for me, but I think it is time Hyundai give me some answers to this problem... lets also be clear there was oil and gas in the vehicle at this time of vehicle in motion shut off.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #7

Jul 152016

Sonata

  • 111,000 miles
Sun visors do not stay up. This happens while driving, parked, all the time. Very

- Watkins Glen, NY, USA

problem #6

Jan 012015

Sonata

  • miles
I read your recall today re: The same make/model of car that I own. My hyndai Sonata is a 2008. I am experiencing exactly the same issues listed in the recall since the beginning of 2015. I have spent more money than I have trying to fix this car (which I am financing currently). The engine light has been on, there is a knocking noise coming from the engine and the car will not "get up and go" and feels as if it may stall out upon taking off forward after coming to a stop. Loud knocking noise coming from under the hood when you step on the gas. They only way to get rid of the noise is to let off of the gas.

- Delaware, OH, USA

problem #5

Aug 052014

Sonata

  • 19,550 miles
While driving at approx. 50/55 mph, all of a sudden the sun visor on the drivers side fell loosely right in front of my vision. As I was in heavy traffic, I grabbed it and held it up while driving with one hand until I could get off at the next off ramp. Luckily, I had some duct tape in the trunk and was able to tape it up. If a woman had this happen while a child was in the car, the outcome could have been really bad!

- Eugene, OR, USA

problem #4

Aug 062014

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 143,056 miles
Driving while using cruise control at approximately 65 mph the check engine, air bag, and E.S.C light illuminated. Also, a simultaneous internal engine explosion resulted in an instant fire as well as a rod thrown from the vehicle damaging block and setting the car on fire from a resulting massive oil leak. There was no prior damage leading up to the incident nor any indication to my knowledge that there were any concerns with my car till it was too late unfortunately.

- Elk Grove , CA, USA

problem #3

Jul 282014

Sonata

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the contact smelled and saw smoke. The contact exited the vehicle and discovered that the vehicle was on fire starting from the rear. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The cause of the fire was not determined. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Redding, CT, USA

problem #2

Jul 192012

Sonata

  • 10,000 miles
Sun visor on both pass and drive side will not stay in the up position causing a hazard as the visor is in the line of sight and will come down unexpectedly.

- Little Falls, NY, USA

problem #1

Nov 062009

Sonata

  • 35,000 miles
Passenger visor pivot arm failed to retract after a few uses. Visor hung down slightly and would not go back up. Passenger would hit their head getting into and out of the car on the visor. This was not covered under warranty. Driver side visor pivot arm failed to retract shortly thereafter, after few uses. Driver side visor hangs at an angle that occludes driver's line of view, thus a hazard for driver safety. Also if a collision would occur, the driver would collide with hanging visor that points toward face, causing head trauma.

- Maple Glen, PA, USA