10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 12 / 27
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 9 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 49,916 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
2011 Sonata SE. Will not start. Warning light indicates key not present or press brake to start. When pressing brake, pedal is "stiff". tried emergency key reset procedure per owner's manual. No luck. Wait 30 minutes, heard relay in dash click, and car returned to normal operation. 3rd time occurred. Noticed I had pulled into parking space by truning hard right prior to shut off. Also, my wife had opened the passenger door and climbed in prior to the driver's door being opened (possible alarm system problem?) no warning. Dealer is stumped. Many others have same exact issue. Suspect either computer or sensor problem. Other possible cause, issue with the alarm system when teh passenger door is opened while car is locked. Car waits until after a time reset to initialize the relay again.... milage 13,600.
- Stafford, VA, USA
My new Hyundai Sonata SE 2011 fail to start or to turn off ( I have to restart the car in order to do it). Besides that once in a while the transmission indicator does not show any letter on (R or D or P or N).again, I have to restart the car then it goes on normally.when driving the transmission downshifts abnormally.
- North Miami, FL, USA
Picked up new Sonata gl with 58km on it now has 96km interior lights flicker and click on and of brightly. Head lights also flash at same time. Car is under 3 hours old. Already called dealer and there first thing in the am.
- Newmarket, 00, USA
My car was warming up in the driveway. It was running for about 5 minutes. I went outside and it was on fire. The flames were coming from underneath the hood. There is only one recall for this and it was mechanical related to the steeering column. The fire was a difinitive smell of electrical burning. The car was a total loss.
- Wichita, KS, USA
The driver owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The vehicle was equipped with a key fob in which the vehicle was supposed to shut off once the key fob was within a specified distance away from the vehicle. The vehicle would intermittently remain in the on position when the key fob was beyond the allotted distance from the vehicle which forced the driver to manually turn the vehicle off. He vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 5,200 and the current mileage was unknown.
- Amherst, NY, USA
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail to start intermittently in cold temperatures, a problem that would occur since the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was taken to the dealer yet the failure was unable to be duplicated. A diagnostic test was performed but did not generate any failure codes. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The contact would have to receive a jump in order for the vehicle to start. The failure mileage was 200 and the current mileage was 958.
- Bellerose, NY, USA
For the third time I have gotten in my 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE and it will not start (push to start). The screen will either say the key is not in the vehicle or it will say press brake pedal to start (the key is certainly in the vehicle, how else did I get in with it locked). After repeatedly getting in and out of the car, locking and unlocking pressing the break pads, trying everything and then some for about a half hour the vehicle still will not start. This is the fourth Hyundai I have purchased, second brand new and I have never had problems like this before but this is ridiculous. I've taken it to the dealer and they say they have never heard of this happening even though I have found numerous complaints for it online (what sources are they using, google turns up plenty of information). This is the third time I have been stranded in a dark, potentially dangerous area unable to start my brand new car that has already had a recall. I expect more than this.I will drop it off at the dealership again and after that I am going to invoke the lemon law. One recall is bad enough I would at least like to be able to start my vehicle. The battery is fine both in the car and the remote. At 8,000 I should not have any issues!
- Orlando, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the horn was not loud. The contact stated that the manufacturer did not install a dual horn which could cause an accident beause another drive might not hear the horn. The current and failure mileages were 700.
- Gibsonia , PA, USA
I have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The horn is a real safety hazard. You can hardly hear it inside the car, and in traffic, other cars can not hear it with all the road noise.
- North Olmsted, OH, USA
My 2011 Hyundai Sonata has been failing to start over the past 2 days. The problem is inconsistent, it at times takes 5 minutes to start and at others it takes 20 minutes before the car turns on. After several attempts to start the car, a display message appears near the odometer stating that you must press brake to turn vehicle on (this model uses a push start button). The problem is that the brake pedal locks in place and cannot be pressed down.
- Silver Spring, MD, USA
Over the past 3 days I have been unable to depress the brake pedal and start my car with the electronic starting system. The problem is intermittent and the time frame varied from 2 minutes to 15 minutes before the car would start.I called my dealer to make a service appointment ant the service department commented they never heard of this before but I see other complaints online. Besides the danger of being stuck somewhere I am concerned that the braked may not work for stopping or a fire if it is electrical.
- South Setauket, NY, USA
To the person who had starting problems with the 2011, I agree. Mine has been in the dealer's shop over eight times with the same "intermittent" problems that they can't solve. Won't start, or delays starting with the new electronic start button. Left me in a dangerous situation in a parking lot 30 miles from home.
- Raleigh, NC, USA
My 2011 Sonata has 7600 miles on it. The problem began around 5000 miles, but has gotten progressively worse. Upon trying to turn the car off, the engine shuts off, but the key is stuck in the accesory position. I can restart the car and drive, but I can't get the key out. It just stays either in the accesory or the on position. I've had to unhook my battery to keep it from dying because I can't get the key out. At first, I could just move the gearshift out of park and back into park, and that would usually unlock the key. As time went by, the problem went from happening once a week, to once a day, to nearly every single time I drive the car. Also, once it started happening more frequently, I couldn't troubleshoot to get the key out. I would just have to wait, sometimes up to two hours, and try again. Eventually, the key would just pop right out as if nothing had been wrong in the first place. Very frustrating and time consuming. The car is currently at the dealership getting a new ignition. We'll see how it works.
- Urbandale, IA, USA
2011 Hyundai Sonata gls automatic transmission. Problem with ignition key. The key will not go past acc to the lock position to allow the key to be removed. Followed directions in manual to push the key in at acc position, but the lock mechanism does not move. Happens every other day. Have restart the car and move it and try the process again to get key to move into its proper position (lock) to remove key. This has happened to both myself and my wife. Taking car to dealership. Impossible security situation as cannot leave key in vehicle.
- Singer Island, FL, USA
2011 Hyundai Sonata SE 16 days old, 2018 miles: Car has an "intermittent starting problem". it has left my wife stranded at work 3 times, two of those times in a deserted parking lot after hours, once at the dealer when I was called to pick it up. It has now been out of service for 18.5 days since April 26, 2010. It has been taken to the dealer four times since April 26, 2010 and remains there at this time. Dealer has confirmed battery is always at full charge, they have changed both starter system relays, replaced the starter, checked transmission neutral position sensors. Safety issue: Leaving a female driver in an unsafe and unprotected situation. Due to the non starting issue.
- Clovis, CA, USA
2011 Hyundai Sonata gls automatic transmission. Insert key to start engine. When I want to turn off engine, the key will not go past acc. I push in the key and try to turn key into the lock position, it will not go into the lock position. I have to fiddle around with the release switch, and shifter on the shifter arm. Eventually I can get the key out. The engine does shut off, but can't leave car, because it can be started again. I can't leave the car because the car can be started without me being there. This failure happens almost every time I try to turn off the car. I brought the car back to king Hyundai fl, twice, without them fixing the problem. I am now waiting for them to replace some parts to the shifter arm. If that does not work, I will invoke the lemon law.
- Boynton Beach, FL, USA
- Grottoes, VA, USA