10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 1
Average Mileage:
14,959 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 2016 Hyundai Sonata:

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

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #59

Apr 152023

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
I got this car less than a year ago and immediately had issues within the 2nd day of getting it. Called the dealership and they had me take it in to a mechanic who fixed the issues. Since then I have had issues with this car consuming so much oil it's beyond ridiculous. This past Saturday night the car was being driven and all of a sudden the acceleration has become an issue. The car acts as if it doesn't want to go and hesitates. The dealership I got the car from no longer is in business and the loans were sold to another company and I'm not sure why no one is doing anything about the many issues with hyundai cars and their dangerous engine issues. When you're in traffic on the road with your children in the car and cars coming at you with full on speeds (here in alabama 70plus mph on interstate) it's very scary. Hyundai and kia need to take responsibility for these engines people are forking over thousands of dollars for. I'm not even a yr in and having several issues. Oil consumptions and issues with acceleration which seems that it leads to dead engines all the way around. We need help and we need it now. Please assist us with these issues. Thanks

- Wilsonville, AL, USA

problem #58

Mar 312022

Sonata

  • miles
Hello, I have reached out to Modesto Hyundai and consumer affairs since May of 2022. I have been shunned and told nothing is wrong. The message below was sent last year in May. I was turned away because I could not afford the diagnostic even though it was covered under a past warranty recall. I had to complain. A few months later I came up with the money and was told I was given the wrong information the first time. They kept the car for a week, , drove only 30 miles and said it was the battery. I recently had a oil change done at Hyundai in February 2023. They failed to mention the oil everywhere and said everything was fine. The engine stalls on a daily bases. The 2 prior oil changes one said they thought oil was leaking but didn't know from where the other said something was wrong with the oil pan. Also you can smell gas in the cab and the head and tail lights have been replaced 3x each in the last few months. "I have gotten no where with the Hyundai dealership here in my town. I was told I'd have to pay for a diagnostic to see if something is wrong before the vehicle could be checked to see if the engine is failing. I believe this car is a lemon and has stalled on several occasions. I recently had an oil change and was told their diagnostic came out clear yet the engine still acts up and will stall while driving. Will it take for my car to stall on railroad tracks and be hit by a train and killed before Hyundai fixes the issue" Women and children die in in faulty cars because no one would listen. A mechanic told me his friend had the same exact car down to the year and had the same issues and Hyundai said it was infact a recall and they replaced the vehicle. Did Hyundai make it right because he was a man? Is this something I should just look for an attorney for" Please help as I know something is seriously wrong with this car. I was told that Hyundais are safe cars yet I have never felt more unsafe in a vehicle." Thank you for your time. Hoping for the best.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #57

Dec 072022

Sonata

  • miles
I just drove up a small hill and then I had to accelerate to get onto the on-ramp to match the speeds of highway traffic. The engine shut off. no lights from the cluster gauge illuminated. had to really use my leg muscles to step on the brakes really hard to avoid a front collision. had to really use the muscles in my arms and hands to steer the steering wheel hard too. it felt like the loss of brakes and steering capabilities turned off and were really hard to use when the engine turned off for no apparent reason.

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #56

Jan 262023

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
In November, 2022 my car stalled on the expressway. The indicator, Hybrid trouble turn off engine(not exact wording),tried to turn back on after sitting, it came on there was a loud noise as I put it in drive. It was towed to Happy Hyundai ( The car was hit on expressway while waiting on the tow truck). [XXX] in the service department ensured me nothing was wrong, I reminded him that it shut off while in drive on the expressway. He had it inspected again, only to say they believed the hybrid system needed to be updated. It was updated and I was charged a service fee because no parts were needed, ([XXX] words) I was under the impression that my car is under warranty and any service under warranty would be no charge but because no part was needed. I had to pay. Not two (2) months later same thing happens....I had just gotten my oil changed at World Hyundai in Mattenson, IL. Driving in the express lane on the expressway. Lights come on to turn off engine again...... ONLY by the grace of God was I able to coast to the right to get on the shoulder, traffic was moving fast!!!! It was towed back over to Happy Hyundai on Cicero.Trying to explain to [XXX] (service department) was hard I did tell him the car was there for the same thing two (2)months ago.My life and my daughter's was put in jeopardy on both occasions. I transport my grandsons to and from daycare and school, they had been dropped off earlier(the thought of them being in the car when this happened is scary).My car can be inspected at Happy Hyundai, 9121 S. Cicero, Oak Lawn, 60453. 708-382-8000 Paperwork from first incident are in the car. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #55

Nov 202022

Sonata

  • miles
While driving on the highway at speed, I received a red Check Hybrid System error, and immediately lost all acceleration, putting myself and all occupants at risk on a busy interstate highway, as we tried to find a safe way to quickly change lanes and coast to a stop in a safe location. The cause is under diagnosis by a Hyundai Service Center. This was a sudden failure and there had been no previous warning alerting us to substandard system condition.

- Richardson, TX, USA

problem #54

Oct 142022

Sonata

  • miles
2016 Hyundai Sonata (not part of any recall) driven short distance on expressway had "check engine light" come on. Pulled off of expressway and checked under hood...No visible issues. Chose to return home via side streets as car was riding rough and having problems with acceleration at that point. Short while later, heard loud noise and saw smoke coming from under hood. Pulled to the side of the road and exited car. Was told by bystander that car was on fire. Called Fire Dept, by the time of their arrival, entire front end ablaze, tires and body melted. Thankfully, fire extinguished before any explosion or damage to neighbor's property occurred. Vehicle was a total loss.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #53

Oct 242022

Sonata

  • miles
Still having intermittent turn signal problems after the dealership worked on turn signal recall. Sometimes no signal or signal stays on after turning, even after flipping the turn signal switch off. Sometimes there is a delay (up to 10 seconds) before turn signal lights on. Just trying to signal a lane change is dangerous because I never know if the turn signals will work properly.

- San Mateo, CA, USA

problem #52

Aug 302022

Sonata

  • miles
The horn on my car is so quiet, most times I use it nobody hears it, including myself. It's very dangerous for emergency situations where I need to use a horn.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #51

Aug 242022

Sonata

  • miles
The sunroof assembly incorporates a wind deflector to help reduce wind noise in the passenger compartment when the sunroof is open. If the wind deflector becomes partially detached from its mounting bracket while the sunroof is open, the deflector can interfere with the closing of the moveable sunroof panel. In some cases this interference can result in the sunroof panel detaching from its mounting tabs. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2016/RCMN-16V726-5975.pdf The 'fix' does not last. I bought my 2016 Hyundai in Nov 2018. The dealer who fixed my detached sunroof wind deflector told me there was no open recall on the car. Now I know why: 'As required by federal law, dealers must not deliver new vehicles for sale or for lease to customers until all open recalls have been performed. Dealers must also perform all open recalls on used vehicles, demo and rental vehicles prior to placing them into customer use and whenever an affected vehicle is in the shop for any maintenance or repair.' It's now evident that the deflector was fixed at least once before i took ownership. I fixed the deflector in 2020 after it separated while i was driving. I was able to close the sunroof but I was ignorant of the greater danger, the glass sunroof panel flying off the car. As described in the first paragraph these is a serious issue. the 'fix' provided by Hyundai does not last. It's an insidious issue waiting to impact new owners like me who are unaware of the danger. Hyundai must provide a permanent fix for this issue. The defellector detached for the third time in August 2022. Hunter Hyundai in Fletcher NC won't fix it under their repair warranty (only one year from their fix in May 2020) and wants $350. In my first complaint I wanted Hyundai to reimburse me. The issue is larger than this because detachment of sunroof is chronic and remains a ticking time bomb in the car's roof. Hyundai must provide a permanent solution that doesn't rely on glue to hold a part under spring tension.

- Brevard, NC, USA

problem #50

Aug 012022

Sonata

  • miles
2016 Sonata panoramic sunroof wind defector. The wind deflector separated in 2020 and was repaired under warranty by Hunter Hyundai in Fletcher North Carolina. This issue is a design and manufacturing issue. The wind deflector is under spring tension when the sunroof is open and is attached to the body with glue at three points: center, left and right. Because I was skeptical that the fix would work I hesitated to open the panoramic sunroof which was a $1,000 option. With the sunroof open and the wind deflector popped up if it detaches it's difficult or impossible to close the sunroof. This is way it's a safety issue. the sunroof can be opened during driving and once open attempts to close while driving may lead to single or multiple car collision. In my case I opened the sunroof in the garage to see if the deflector was still attached. It separated at the center and passenger side. i was able to close the sunroof but had to hold down the deflector while closing the sunroof. risky business. the hyundai dealer would not fix the defect under the original repair warranty as it was done in May 2020. The recall (152) in 2016 was closed. The cost to repair is $355 and it may happen again. This is a design and manufacturing defect that should be repaired free of charge. I called Hyundai customer service and have a case number: 202112366.

- Brevard, NC, USA

problem #49

Aug 142022

Sonata

  • miles
In May 2022 after driving approximately 2.5 hours, when I turned off the vehicle and tried to restart, the Hybrid symbol "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM", after waiting approximately 15 minutes to restart and it started. During this trip this happened several more times. I brought it in to a Auto Zone and he could not diagnose because the light was not appearing. The check engine light also was on but just disappeared. Once I returned from my trip, I brought the vehicle into a Hyundai dealership for diagnosis, however, they said since the lights nor the check engine lights were on, they could not diagnosis. In August 2022 I went on another long distance trip, and the same thing happened, after driving for approximately 2.5 hours and stopping, the vehicle would not restart and the same warning light displayed, "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM". Again, I waited 15 minutes and the vehicle started, the check engine light remained on for a while and then disappeared. AGAIN, this happened several more times after driving for more than 2.5 hours.

- New Orleans , LA, USA

problem #48

Aug 172022

Sonata

  • miles
I assuming it-??s my knock sensor and hopefully the harness or anything doesn-??t have to be replaced but my car went go pass 60mph and when I first get up to 16-20mph it jerks then gains a bit of power and also my check engine light came

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #47

Jul 272022

Sonata

  • miles
There is a recall outstanding that for some reason isn't associated with my car's VIN so the manufacture Hyundai is refusing to pay or make repairs. They even suggested that I buy a part that should fix the problem, after paying $246.75 for the part; the problem remained. The recall number is 16-01-067 for 2016 SONATA (LF) and SONATA HYBRID (LF-HEV); my car is a 2016 Sonata Hybrid. SUBJECT: PANORAMIC SUNROOF WIND DEFLECTOR PLATE REPAIR (RECALL 152) Description: Certain 2015 and 2016 model year Hyundai Sonatas and 2016 Sonata Hybrids come equipped with an optional panoramic sunroof. The sunroof assembly incorporates a wind deflector to help reduce wind noise in the passenger compartment when the sunroof is open. If the wind deflector becomes partially detached from its mounting bracket while the sunroof is open, the deflector can interfere with the closing of the moveable sunroof panel. In some cases this interference can result in the sunroof panel detaching from its mounting tabs. If the sunroof panel detaches while the vehicle is in motion, the panel could become an obstacle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. The wind deflector on my car detached a year ago and after several requests to fix the detached deflector the dealership hasn't and refuses to recognize the recall. Is there a way to help get my car's VIN appropriated associated to this recall so if can be fixed?

- Englewood, NJ, USA

problem #46

Jun 162022

Sonata

  • miles
I went to my mechanic today to see why my car was making rattling noises coming from the steering wheel. It's been happening randomly for about a year now or more now. The mechanic said he's seen this over a thousand times with Hyundai, and I need to bring it into Hyundai to fix because something is wrong with the "Steering Rack Support Yoke", which is making the noise. If this is happening to so many Hyundai's this should be fixed for free and recalled! He googled it and gave me a whole printout from Hyundai. It says 2011 to 2018 model year Sonata 2011 to 2018 model year Sonata Hybrid 2012 to 2017 model year Azera 2013 to 2018 model year Santa Fe. This is what my mechanic gave me and said all these cars are affected. So why isn't this recalled, it is dangerous because eventually you could loose control of the steering wheel I think and it's going to cost a lot to fix. Thanks

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #45

Mar 162022

Sonata

  • miles
IF I drive long distances for 30 minutes or more and then stop in somewhere and shut the vehicle off. Once I try and start it, it will give the Yellow CIL Check engine light and the HEV error, bring car to dealer. You have to wait approx 15-25 minutes and then it will start up again. I also seem to notice that it happens even faster when I put the transmission speed control into High Performance. The battery seems to overcharge and go well past the halfway mark almost to 80% and then once I power off and back on vehicle, I get the HEV error message and must wait 15-25 minutes before it will start.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #44

Mar 012021

Sonata

  • miles
My oil seems to be consumed really quickly! I get a full synthetic oil change and then my engine sounds strange and check the oil and there's no more oil in there! This is after less than 1,000 miles after the oil change! It's very expensive that every few months I need to go and get a new oil change, it's supposed to be every 6 months or after 5,000-7,500 miles with full synthetic but it only last about 700 miles before it starts to start to disappear! I'm scared it will cause my engine to get ruined and make a fire! This has been going on formore than 2 years now.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #43

Feb 122022

Sonata

  • miles
Manufacturer paint is peeling off hood of car. Problem has been confirmed and photographed by Speck Hyundai. Vehicle and component was inspected by manufacturer.

- Kennewick , WA, USA

problem #42

Mar 142022

Sonata

  • miles
The Car is flash on Dash boards Check HEV and turn off the engine cause my car to idle. Turn off my car for 20 mins signal gone Then 2 weeks later randomly does it again. Car also flash Check Breaks on dash boards and turn off the engine and it shut my whole car off

- Lawerenceville , GA, USA

problem #41

Jan 032022

Sonata

  • miles
This is a plug-in hybrid. Charging light on the dash blinks red indicating there is an issue (per manual). Also blinks while driving. Should be green. Still charges. Taken to two Hyundai dealerships. Computer produces no codes. Dealership does not know how to proceed. Safety concern is it-??s unknown if battery is dangerous to charge" Is it dangerous to drive" How does a car indicate a problem but then give no codes.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #40

Feb 172022

Sonata

  • miles
After cold start, car lost power and has set Check engine light codes P0010, P0011, made appointment with Springfield Huyandi, charged $289.33 for the diagnosis of engine oil sludge causing VVT issues. Huyandi will Not cover under warranty, recommended $1400 repair, with no help from Huyandi on repair bill.

- Lewes, DE, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »