10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
18 / 83
Injuries / Deaths:
15 / 0
Average Mileage:
72,497 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #443

Jul 182017

Sonata

  • 110,000 miles
On 7-18-2017 my 2011 Hyundai Sonata lost power as I was driving in the city and I was able to coast to safer place off a busy road. Immediately fellow driver alerted me that there is fire under the front of the car. 911 was called but the fire developed very quickly and the car was not saved. Special chemicals were used to put out the fire. The police ordered the vehicle to be towed. On 7-19 I informed Hyundai dealership in des plaines Illinois of the event and offered them the vehicle to inspect if needed. They declined and told me to open the case with hq. I contacted them and case was open as the vehicle was under recall for danger of engine catching fire. Asked them to take position of the vehicle or agree to pay storage charges but they declined. Over one month later Hyundai requested me to provide the vehicle for inspection. The car was no longer available and case was closed as there was no vehicle to inspect. Police report along with pictures were submitted to Hyundai with the original claim.

- Mount Prospect, IL, USA

problem #442

Jul 182017

Sonata

  • 110,000 miles
On 7-18-2017 my 2011 Hyundai Sonata lost power as I was driving in the city and I was able to coast to safer place off a busy road. Immediately fellow driver alerted me that there is fire under the front of the car. 911 was called but the fire developed very quickly and the car was not saved. Special chemicals were used to put out the fire. The police ordered the vehicle to be towed. On 7-19 I informed Hyundai dealership in des plaines Illinois of the event and offered them the vehicle to inspect if needed. They declined and told me to open the case with hq. I contacted them and case was open as the vehicle was under recall for danger of engine catching fire. Asked them to take position of the vehicle or agree to pay storage charges but they declined. Over one month later Hyundai requested me to provide the vehicle for inspection. The car was no longer available and case was closed as there was no vehicle to inspect. Police report along with pictures were submitted to Hyundai with the original claim.

- Mount Prospect, IL, USA

problem #441

Dec 222017

Sonata

  • 45,000 miles
My car model, Hyundai Sonata 2011, has been recalled for engine issues. I checked the VIN number of my car and my car has been affected. When I took my car to dealership they told me because my car is not making a clicking noise they will not fix it. I told them that my car has been recalled and I want them to take care of it. They refused it because according to them they did not hear anything. Recently my car started making clicking noises when I turn my wheel. It seems that the steering wheel is loose. I can especially feel it when I go through bumps. Even when I am stopped and turn the wheel from side to side I can hear the noise. I am hoping that when I take my car to dealership they will fix the problem as I saw a recall for this issue as well. Looks like the dealership only wants to fix the smaller type of recalls and not the major pricy ones.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

problem #440

Nov 242017

Sonata

  • 11,218 miles
Engine failure due to metal debris that may not have been removed during manufacturing. Loud and irregular knocking and squeaking noises from the lower portion of the engine. While driving on the highway 126 in columbia SC my car started with this loud noise I was in the middle lane had to move over quickly to the right lane where I had to immediately pull over off the road because my car cut off. Very dangerous to be in motion on a highway and have your car out of no where make a loud noise before your car completely turning off. According to the inspector the NHTSA issued recall 15V568000 my vehicle manufactured on 8/27/10 was one of the units that should be included. However Hyundai has no record of a recall for my model year 2011, please tell me why my car is not on a list with a recall? I do have a copy of documentation

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #439

Dec 072017

Sonata

  • 105,000 miles
While driving on the freeway, all the warning lights on my car's dashboard lit up all at once, and suddenly my car stalled. I immediately tried repeatedly to restart it and it wouldn't start. My car was towed to a nearby mechanic shop and I was told that my car's engine had to be replaced. I was in disbelief, so then had my car towed to a Hyundai dealer and was told that my car was indeed going to need a new engine. I was told that I would receive notice within 72 hours, as to whether my car's engine would be replaced by Hyundai due to a recall that affected my car.

- Hacienda Heights, CA, USA

problem #438

Nov 172017

Sonata

  • 97,097 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle began drifting to the left side of the road. The contact could not restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic's auto shop. Heritage Hyundai towson in towson, Maryland was made aware of the failure and stated that the engine seized because there was no oil in the vehicle, which was contested by an independent mechanic who stated that there was indeed oil in the vehicle. The source of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 97,097.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #437

Dec 022017

Sonata

  • 127,000 miles
2011 Hyundai Sonata. Car was in motion in busy traffic and engine seized without warning. Right before started hearing noise upon acceleration. Took car to get a diagnostic done, 11/29/17 nothing. Was sent on my way 12/02/17 car seized at busy intersection. Car had to be towed. Mechanic states the bearings are bad and engine needs to be replaced. We have had recalls and issues since purchased date 03/05/15.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

problem #436

Dec 052017

Sonata

  • 170,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was operable after it was restarted. After reaching her destination, the failure recurred. The failure occurred without warning. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

- Marion, AL, USA

problem #435

Dec 012017

Sonata

  • 115,300 miles
The car was in motion at approximately 40mph when the oil light on the dash illuminated. The engine then shut off, causing a loss of power and absence of braking assist, which made the car very difficult to stop. The car did start again, but made a loud banging/clunking noise. I drove it the next day and it did the same thing again, and the clunking became louder. It appears to have spun a bearing judging from the loss of oil pressure and the noise (oil level checks out fine). This could have caused a serious accident if it had happened on busy roadway like the one that I travel to and from work. This occurred with approximately 115,300 miles on the odometer. I had the recall 132 inspection done on this car at 110,485 miles, and it passed at that time. Please note that this dangerous failure is still happening after the recall inspection is performed. The inspection procedure may not be sufficient to diagnose this issue.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #434

Dec 012017

Sonata

  • 89,300 miles
I was driving on the highway and as soon as I got off I heard a knocking noise coming from the engine so I looked it up on the internet and it said their is a recall on the engine for that very problem

- St.Peters, MO, USA

problem #433

Nov 282017

Sonata

  • 82,000 miles
2011 Hyundai Sonata limited 2.4L. Vehicle has been eating through 2 quarts of synthetic valvoline 5W20 oil every couple weeks. The dipstick always has black tar like oil on the tip. There's no leaks underneath as I keep a piece of card board under it while parked. I began noticing this at around 82,000 miles because when getting it changed around every 2500 miles, the mechanic always stating, "your really low on oil." So, now I check my oil every other day.. the engine has been making a loud knocking sound for over a year now. And, the check engine light came on at around 112,000 miles. I just had the engine recall test done at the dealership in terre haute, in. They stated it passed the inspection test and still couldn't tell me why it goes through so much oil or why it's knocking so loud. Also, the check engine light is still on.. and, now I'm at 140,000 miles. Also, I've had to replace the starter selonoid lever 4 times now! it's a cheap 8 dollar plastic part that keeps breaking inside the starter. And, will pass the starter test if U take it in. Left me stranded each time. Dealer wanted $800 to fix plus tow fee.. I did the job myself instead.

- Linton, IN, USA

problem #432

Jun 012015

Sonata

  • miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power while being operated at 55 mph. The contact was able to operate the vehicle after numerous attempts. The failure occurred without warning. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Coconut creek Hyundai (4960 sr 7, coconut creek, fl) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The VIN was unknown. The contact had not experienced a failure.

- Coconut Creek, FL, USA

problem #431

Jun 222017

Sonata

  • 101,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle burned an excessive amount of oil around four hundred miles of driving and the engine warning indicator illuminated. In addition, the engine made a loud noise when the oil was low. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was then taken to dennis Hyundai (2900 morse rd, columbus, oh 43231, phone number: (614) 471-2900), but the cause of the failure could not be determined again. The contact was informed to drive the vehicle every five hundred miles and then report back so that a report of the oil consumption could be logged in order to move forward. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

- Westerville, OH, USA

problem #430

Nov 102017

Sonata

  • 19,875 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle lost power without warning and made an abnormal grinding noise. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 19,875.

- Trotwood, OH, USA

problem #429

Nov 072017

Sonata

  • 98,500 miles
I was on the highway about 25 miles into my drive home from work started hearing a faint noise kind of like an exhaust leak. Within 2 miles it was getting louder so I started thinking my exhaust was disconnected or something. I get out of the car and see just a little smoke from the hood. Within a minute I noticed there was more smoke so I looked at the front grill and saw small flames. Called 911 but took them over 10 minutes to get there so car was completely destroyed. Car had 98500 miles and showed no signs on any issues. I had all the recalls done and Hyundai passed the car for a recall that caused engine issues and fires. Hyundai has an open investation and I am working with them. From what I can tell they have a major issue and most of these cars have the issue right around the 100K mark. I feel this just might keep happening and Hyundai really should do something more to fix this issue.

- Franklin, MA, USA

problem #428

Nov 072017

Sonata

  • 89,000 miles
Car stopped and turned off on the highway. All warning lights lit then went off and car stopped. It stalled 3 times before. Took it to the dealer made appointment for service on my way home same day it lit up again I pulled over and it stayed running.

- Westport, CT, USA

problem #427

Oct 012017

Sonata

  • 86,500 miles
A catastrophic engine failure occurred on the freeway while driving at 70-80 mph. The first warning was sudden engine noise, a loud ticking or knocking sound. This was shortly followed by the oil light illuminating, then the engine light, and then engine seizure (RPM dropped to 0). As I was pulling to the side, smoke began billowing through the vents. Upon exiting the vehicle I realized the engine was on fire. The vehicle was well maintained with no prior warning. The fire was put out with gatorade from an observer who pulled over.

- Sunnyvale, CA, USA

problem #426

Jul 102016

Sonata

  • miles
My car use too much oil, every week I have to add a quart in a half of oil, that is becoming extremely pricey for me and getting oil changes is worthless to me because it like I'm wasting money by getting them. It would also help to have a low oil warning light show up because before I noticed this problem with my car I was very low on oil getting off the highway that god I was only blocks away from a auto part store to by some motor oil...this really do suck

- Ramsey, MN, USA

problem #425

Oct 122017

Sonata

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled and lost power without warning. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was no oil in the engine and the engine seized. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle had already been serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine), although the contact stated that the vehicle had never been serviced for that recall. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

- Dunn, NC, USA

problem #424

Oct 122016

Sonata

  • 90,043 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While the contact's daughter was driving 20 mph, the vehicle sputtered, made a knocking noise, and lost power. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to southern states Subaru of raleigh (2511 wake forest rd, raleigh, nc 27608 (888) 439-5154) where it was diagnosed with a faulty engine that needed replacement. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). Upon retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, a clicking sound was heard coming from the steering column and underneath the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact of a recall for the steering coupler, but the vehicle was over the mileage and could not be repaired per the manufacturer recall. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V190000 (steering), but was unsure if the recall was serviced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and reffered the contact to Hyundai awards to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer inquired of an estimate of the repairs. Without an estimate, the contact quoated $500. The vehicle was then taken to johnson Hyundai of cary (5000 old raleigh rd, cary, nc 27511(919) 439-2059) where it was diagnosed with a steering coupler and axle failure. The technician stated that the axle damage occurred at the time of the engine replacement. The contact called the manufacturer again with a more accurate repair cost of $800, and was informed that they would only pay $500 towards the repair. The failure mileage was 90,043.

- Coats, NC, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »