10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 9
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 1
Average Mileage:
33,059 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 2013 Hyundai Sonata:

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

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #76

Jul 052020

Sonata

  • 91,993 miles
Beginning at around 90K miles, there was intermittent stuttering, about 2 seconds apart, whereby the vehicle would lose power while in motion; at various speeds, both on acceleration and deceleration or coasting. The episodes were only happening after the car had been driven for more than an hour. Now, at 92K miles the stuttering has increased in frequency and today I received a "hybrid system warning! safely stop and do not drive" message with audible warning chimes and a "wrench" icon illuminated. This trip was only a ten mile trip, in the morning, outside temperature was about 65F. The car hadn't been driven at all this day prior to this event. The warnings happened twice, less than one mile to my home, and I barely made it to my driveway, where it's now parked.

- Kirtland, NM, USA

problem #75

Jun 232020

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
When I was driving on the highway in the third left lane all of a sudden the car started to beep and stated hybrid system failure stop take to shop don't drive but the car lost power before I can pull over and stall on the highway luckily I cut it all the way off and cut it back on and was able to move it.

- Hapeville, Ga, GA, USA

problem #74

Nov 022019

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
Purchased a 2013 Hyundai Sonata in September 2019 from Hyundai superior North in fairfield Ohio. There has been an ongoing outage with the passenger side tail light overheating and blowing out. I replaced it three times( November 2019, twice in June 2020) since my purchase. The most recent replacement it blew out the same day. I seen there are reviews and videos on the internet stating this is an ongoing problem with 2013 Sonatas. This is a road hazard and illegal operation of a vehicle if pulled over by law enforcement when will a recall be issued and resolved? to add to the bulb /electrical problem. A month ago a recall letter was mailed for oveheating motor with no remedy in place to fix it. I feel like I purchased a lemon with all the issues starting to pile up. My car only has 68,000 miles on it. As a first time buyer this is unacceptable and beneath my expectations for Hyundai. I need these recalls resolved immediately. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Springdale, OH, USA

problem #73

Jun 132020

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
Manufacturer recall number 189 NHTSA recall number 20V121000 recall status recall incomplete manufacturer has had plenty of time to issue the parts for the recalls!!!! I am afraid of being put in danger with my small children in the car!!

- Lutz, FL, USA

problem #72

May 112020

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 86,900 miles
The passenger airbag come out by itself, and all the front and back struts are bad need to be changed.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #71

Apr 012019

Sonata

  • 40,000 miles
There are text messages on my radio screen and extremely loud popping from the antenna and in the vehicle. This is startling and distracting and I have almost plowed into other vehicles when it occurs because it sounds like a gunshot. The car was involved in an accident rear ended in 2018 so I don't discount there isn't an underlying electrical problem. I paid for a new antenna and the problem still present. The dealership states the issue cannot be resolved and the car should have been salvaged post accident due to the lengthy process of trying to detect an electrical issue. The insurer has not addressed the problem. I'm asking now, for the government to assist. Thank you very much.

- Palm Harbor, FL, USA

problem #70

Mar 282020

Sonata

  • miles
Recall incomplete

- Thomaston, GA, USA

problem #69

Mar 122020

Sonata

  • 80,000 miles
Starter, car will not start

- Dacula, GA, USA

problem #68

Mar 082020

Sonata

  • 124,550 miles
I was going down a city street going about 35 or 40 and all of a sudden the car just shut down I lost power steering off brakes I was able to turn into a parking lot and before that I had kind of thought that it it wasn't really feeling like it wanted to go.

- Westlake, LA, USA

problem #67

Feb 192018

Sonata

  • miles
The brake lights are burning out quickly. One socket in the tail light assembly has completely melted to the point the light had to be cut out.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #66

Feb 212020

Sonata

  • miles
My front and passenger driver's side doors have had the locking mechanism/actuator cables detach and break. Requiring me to have a mechanic forcefully open the doors and then replace the internal locking assembly and cables at a cost of over $800 per door. One door cable broke in the summer of 2019 and the second door, the drivers door, just broke this Friday 2/21/2020. This is a huge safety hazard and is known to happen in this vehicle after warranty is out. If this happened without someone knowing they wouldn't be able to open their door. I work with uber and lyft as a second job as well and cannot have this type of mechanical issue.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #65

Jan 282020

Sonata

  • 92,100 miles
While on the highway in motion, car stalled warning. All lights on the dashboard came on. Could not brake. Could not shift car out of drive. Could not turn the car off. Had to engage emergency brake.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #64

Dec 032019

Sonata

  • 107,000 miles
Unlocked door will not open from the inside or outside

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #63

Nov 202019

Sonata

  • 105 miles
The car is struggling to shift gears from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. So if I don't come to a complete stop the car stalls and slows down while in motion due to the struggle of changing gears.

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #62

Nov 072019

Sonata

  • 41,000 miles
Transmission heat sensor failure, causing car to have propulsion issues in traffic. This is a complaint by several owners from 2011 through 2014.

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #61

Oct 202019

Sonata

  • 86,000 miles
After parking car and turning the car off, key would not release, key stuck in ignition, key works fine, car drive fine, however unable to remove key from ignition. ( key will not turn pass accessory. Car shifts gears, steering wheel will not lock, key cannot be removed. I had to un plug the fuse to radio/ assessories to remove/release key.

- Capitolheights, MD, USA

problem #60

Sep 152019

Sonata

  • 143,000 miles
When placing the car in park, unable to remove key from ignition. As if system thinks car not in park.

- Lakewood, NJ, USA

problem #59

Sep 182019

Sonata

  • 66,600 miles
The dashboard on the passenger side has developed two large cracks. It appears to be over the airbag. My concern is that it may damage the underlying airbag since it is now exposed to the "elements", sunlight, cleaning solutions etc.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #58

Sep 092019

Sonata

  • 134,000 miles
El vehiculo Sonata 2013 tiene 134,000 millas Y esta gastando 1 cuarto de aceite por cada 600 millas. Entiendo que ES un problema de fabrica ya que no ES normal que un vehiculo nuevo este gastando esta cantidad de aceite para ese millaje. Varios mecanicos me han dicho lo mismo. Que no ES normal para un vehiculo nuevo. Practicamente. Tiene todos los cambios de aceite Y filtro cada 3000 millas Y todos los mantenimientos al dia. Seria bueno que verificaran ya que el vehiculo no ha dado problemas de nada anteriormente, except la gastaera de aceite que le estoy presentando actualmente. El vehiculo lo utilize diariamente para mi trabajo Y nunca me ha dado problemas.

- Manati, PR, USA

problem #57

Sep 042019

Sonata

  • 19,934 miles
The top of the dashboard cracked about 18 inches. Our Hyundai service rep said it was caused by the airbags under the dashboard expanding from the heat. Hyundai should replace the dashboard, obviously made of faulty material. Our rep said it would cost us $1,000. I'm afraid that airbags will crack it completely in half and then the car would not be drivable.

- Melbourne, FL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »