10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,319 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #38

Jul 012023

Sonata

  • miles
I have financed my Hyundai Sonata Sport 2017 in December of 2019. I have not had any issues until this current year of 2023. I have noticed that with every oil change that I receive that I would have to go back to the dealership or certified mechanic a month or two earlier. I personal checked for leaks but seen no signs of why I had to get constant oil changes. Recently, when driving on the highway speed limit at 70 mph and my car went to 60 mph. The engine light came on but no other warning. I stopped the car, check the oil level which was pretty low and topped it off. I let the car sit for a short while as I was only 5 mins away from home. Soon as I made it back, I check the oil level again which was in the line. Check for visible leaks. I figured my car shook as it did and idle at the speed do to a misfire with the spark plugs/coils which I had already replaced 2 months prior to the incident. I was able to use a car scanner from AutoZone to check for codes but there wasn't an engine light at all on the dashboard. There was only one code that did show which was P1326 but no engine light or flashing engine light. I then schedule an appointment for an oil change and to confirm that the engine light code was with Firestone Auto Care to analyze the issue. They did an overall check over on the car, checked for codes, and changed the oil in which they found no issues. With driving my car to test if there were any issues it completely shut down and did not want to start. They called me to tell me that the engine was locked. They tried turning the engine over multiple times, but nothing would start up. Due to not knowing what was going on with my vehicle I felt unsafe with driving it as it completely slowed down on the highway. As other cars where speeding by. It gave no indications prior to the incident that anything was wrong. I am waiting to see a Hyundai dealership to inspect my vehicle which they are booked until next month. My car is currently disabled.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #37

Jan 052023

Sonata

  • miles
My 2017 Hyundai hybrid PHEV vehicle stuttered and failed to accelerate when the gas pedal was depressed and a warning light indicated a problem which was confirmed as a failed battery in January 2023. I was advised by the Hyundai Sonata service center 13 weeks ago that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to a defective battery. They have not been able to replace the battery or provide an estimate of when the replacement battery will be delivered. The battery has a lifetime warranty but the Hyundai company and dealership is not providing a loaner vehicle or reimbursing me for rental vehicle while the unsafe vehicle sits in the service center for more than 3 months. Please help.

- Santa Cruz, CA, USA

problem #36

Dec 222021

Sonata

  • miles
Problem began Dec. 2021. Has occurred on 16 occasions since then. Warning light "Check Hybrid System; Turn off Engine" comes on while driving. The car then shuts off the engine and there is a 100% loss of motive power. Sometimes is associated with very rough braking with the car "knocking'." On 3 occasions there has been partial/near complete loss of braking power. All incidents have occurred while under power, so far all while under 45 mph. No accidents yet. Two near collisions from the rear. Hyundai was notified of the problem Dec. 2021/Jan. 2022. After a month of testing they stated the car needed a new plug-in hybrid battery. One was not available and due to "supply chain issues" is still not available 15 months later. Dealership provided a loaner vehicle Jan to Sept. 2022. They requested their car back and Hyundai initially agreed to cover the cost of a rental car. I rented a car for 6 weeks in Sept.-Oct. 2022 at which point a new case manager informed me that Hyundai would not pay for a rental vehicle any longer (note: they did reimburse me the cost of those 6 weeks rental). Hyundai is well aware of the safety issues involved in driving this vehicle. However, they have chosen to ignore them. Their attorney, in a letter to the Ohio Attorney General's Office, blamed the lack of a plug in hybrid battery on supply chain issues (letter was Nov. 2022, at which time the battery was supposed to be available March 2023) and only stated that my vehicle was "drivable." Another warning message "High System Temperature; Switching to Hybrid Mode" has been occurring for a couple of years periodically. Since October 2022, the malfunction indicator lamp is always on and 99% of the time the "Check Hybrid System!" warning light also comes on after about a minute after starting the vehicle. On 3 other occasions the vehicle has entered into "limp home mode" instead of complete shutdown.

- Blue Ash, OH, USA

problem #35

Dec 272022

Sonata

  • 157,187 miles
The check engine light started flashing Check hybrid system turn off engine massage appeared The gas pedal doesnt work and the car jumps The problem happened 4 times so far with me The same problem happened about 5 times with my uncle that drives 2016 sonata hybrid

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #34

Feb 062023

Sonata

  • miles
The vehicle has stalled in traffic numerous times since I bought it in 2016 creating a traffic safety issue. Without warning the lights on the dash will flash and the car dies. I have worried each time that traffic behind me would collide with my car. #1 1 1/2 years into ownership this occurred. They replaced part of the EV charging system that was overheating on the cars. (RECALL) # 2 1 /2 years into ownership the air-conditioner failed and the car stalled in traffic due the air-conditioner failing. (REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) # 3 Last year I complained that a Hybrid Overheat Message would come on switching to EV mode and the transmission felt like it was slipping occasionally, and the battery only held 20 miles of charge, rated for 27. They refused to change the battery system under the lifetime warranty. #4 Last summer car stopped charging (REPLACED INVERETER UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) This month car stalled on the roadway, lights flashed on dashboard. Could have been rear-ended, Had to coast to a stop and restart the car. Took to dealer the said the replaced an EV computer for 5K (REPLACED COMPUTER UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) 3 days later same issue, stalled on busy street without warning. Took to dealer and the replaced the cars main battery, charging me $450 3 Days later it stalled again without warning in traffic, It's not back in the shop. THIS VEHICLE HAS MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAVE A CAR STALL IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY PRE-WARNING. THE DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. THE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND BOUGHT BACK AT FULL PRICE BY THE HYUNDAI.

- Valenica, CA, USA

problem #33

Jan 232023

Sonata

  • miles
Electric power steering failure, have taken to the dealer and they told me I need a new battery. I bought one and the problem is still happening. Used to reset after I restart the car but now it won-??t.

- Henrico, VA, USA

problem #32

Dec 072022

Sonata

  • miles
I took my car to a shop due to my car having a loud knocking noise coming from the engine bay and lack of acceleration as well as the oil light flickering on and off and once the mechanic inspected my vehicle he said metal particles were being deposited into my oil due to internal engine parts. After picking my car up all the lights on the dash cut on and the car completely had no steering, no brakes, no power but the radio still worked. I barely could turn the steering wheel nor could stop the vehicle due to this and thankfully could coast into an upgrade leveled hill and stop the car. Car would barely recrank or hold power nor would go above 40 mph. Only drove 5 miles to get the car back home safely. Drove back around 3:00 a.m. so there wouldn't be much traffic out in case of something like this happening. Could've been catastrophic!

- Mooresville , NC, USA

problem #31

Dec 252022

Sonata

  • miles
The car lost all acceleration and my check hybrid system light came on. The car would not handle safely to drive. After 3 resets the car finally accelerated as normal. The codes clear themselves before the dealer can check them to give a specific issue. It is not giving the diagnosis for the hybrid issue in the diagnostic log.

- Spokane Valley, WA, USA

problem #30

Nov 012022

Sonata

  • miles
Electric power steering randomly fails while driving, causing a huge safety issue.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #29

Oct 112022

Sonata

  • miles
As I am driving, at random times, typically at cruising speeds of about 40 mph or less, the STEERING wheel will lock up and I will be unable to STEER the vehicle until I turn the car off and back on again. There are typically some warning lights (i-??ll try to attach the picture) that pop up and go away once the car is turned off and back on again. No dealership that I have taken it to has been able to diagnose the problem since it does not, to my disdain, occur under their watch (it is not reproduced). This issue puts both my life and EVERYONE in my proximity-??s life at risk as I have NO CONTROL of the vehicle once it locks up. At this point it has occurred for over 2 years that I have had this car. There are some warning signs right before it occurs. First, there is typically a sudden change in the resistance of the steering wheel. Particularly, it will become harder to move the steering wheel left but then turning it right will have NO resistance. As soon as this occurs I start to panic because it indicates that ANY turn at that point will lock the steering wheel. It has occurred this way every single time. Sometimes it happens in the opposite direction and the right side becomes stiff and suddenly any turn in the steering locks it up. This is VERY dangerous and can potentially kill. This model needs to be recalled!

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #28

Sep 292022

Sonata

  • miles
my check engine light has came up already three times within each month the codes that appear is P0014 / P1326 i have changed the oil many times and it still appears now my it to the point my car can't be driven it not let me drive it only at a certain limit

- Woodbridge, VA, USA

problem #27

Sep 222022

Sonata

  • miles
Hybrid system failed, lost power while driving on freeway going 65 m/h during rush hours, RPM gage went down to 0, most instrument light weee lit on dashboard. Speed went all the way down to 40 m/h pressing the gas all the way down. Hybrid system warning light was flashing. Could have been hit by other vehicles on freeway I had to put my hazard flashing signal and wait for the right moment to pull my car off the road and to emergency lane to stop. The first time car was towed to dealer. And dealer was able to confirm the Problem. The spent 2 weeks at dealer until the claimed they had to contact the manufacture and ended up replacing a wire harness they thought water got into it, paid over $600 for this fix. Few months later same problem they ended replacing some sensors due to a recall. A week later happened again all 3 time on the freeway. The check engine light was on few months prior to these issue and took to dealer multiple times since was still under warranty. But the problem kept coming back. They replace fuel injector then coil pack, the 3 time I was told the engine needs to be flushed and that not covered under warranty. Not long after that the major issues with the hybrid system 3 times

- Brunswick, OH, USA

problem #26

Aug 062022

Sonata

  • miles
The check engine light came on and wouldn't accelerate normally. The speed was delayed and cutting back and wouldn't pass 40 mph. Upon taking it to a local shop it had to be taken to the buying location by road side assistance. After the service department checked into the problem it now needs a new engine. They stated there were metal shavings in the motor. This was transferred by a known problem in the 2.4 L motor that hyundai has put in their vehicles with problematic bearings. This happened within 2 months of buying this vehicle. We Can't drive it at all now so it's still at the shop.

- Greenwood, SC, USA

problem #25

Jul 282022

Sonata

  • miles
My steering wheel is locked it-??s hard to turn left or right. I go to school in a different city so I drive back and forth from school to home. While I was turning into the parking lot to park my steering wheel just locked while I was trying to park i almost hit someone-??s car in the process. I had to turn the steering wheel with both hands tightly to one side for the steering wheel to move. I was so scared

- Avon Park, FL, USA

problem #24

Apr 292022

Sonata

  • miles
The power steering system appears to be failing. There is no indication of the failure prior to failing. When making turns the power steering would randomly stop working, all emergency lights would turn on, and the steering would become extremely difficult to control. This becomes an extreme safety issue when I-??m driving around other vehicles. I took my vehicle to a mechanic and they explained that the power steering is electronic, therefore power steering fluid will not fix the problem. Also, there-??s an electrical issue with the windows as well. The passenger window can no longer can be controlled by the driver. Lastly, the AC has failed as well. It blows out only hot air. I-??ve taken my car to the manufacture dealership and they assessed my vehicle for the AC problem, but they stated that it-??s working fine. This is not true because I-??ve continued to have problems with the AC, even after many failed troubleshooting attempts. To summarize my report, I have a total of 3 issues in order of importance, power steering, power windows/electrical, and air conditioning unit. My car is available immediately for inspection upon request. Thank you.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #23

Jun 012022

Sonata

  • miles
After travelling on the highway for approximately 1 hour the HEV light along with several other lights came on and the engine powered down. The instructions were to turn off the engine immediately. Luckily I was in the right lane and was able to get to the shoulder of the highway and turn off the engine. Tried several times to restart, but same message came up to turn off engine. Had it towed to closest Hyundai dealer for service. They couldn't look at it immediately, but according to them it started the next day and they drove it around (local driving) for 10 miles with no issues. I took the car back and after driving it again on the highway for 1 hour the same problem occurred and I had to have towed to my local Hyundai dealer. It has been in their shop for over 3 weeks and I still have no answers as to what may have caused the problem.

- Lexington, NC, USA

problem #22

Mar 132019

Sonata

  • miles
The vehicle is available upon requested inspection. Since I bought the car in 2019 it has made a rattling sound like the engine is knocking. Not a severe knocking, however, it does make a clicking/rattling sound in idle, occurs more rapidly while accelerating, then sounds like a muffled diesel while the engine-??s torque is dropping when shifted into neutral coasting on the road. Oil has been changed in its due time. Between 3k - 7k as scheduled. Independent service provider didn-??t think it was normal and recommend I check for recalls. I asked Hyundai dealership representative and said it-??s a normal sound. Other vehicles I-??ve driven don-??t sound like this. Even an older -??96 Buick sounded smoother running. Nothing has failed, caused an injury or accident. Engine light has recently come on. Temperature is hotter, according to the gage, than we-??re it has typically sat for the past couple years. The potential risks increased, not knowing what can happen, when the temp rose and engine light comes........... This, aside from previously stated concern, alarm activates (mostly during the rainy cloudy weather) when manually unlocking the car. Having to relook and unlock to silence alarm.

- Branson, MO, USA

problem #21

Nov 242021

Sonata

  • miles
When I was driving, the car began to slow down I was not able to accelarete and the car turned off. I pushed the start button to turn on the car and I saw smoke came from the hood. According to my mechanic it was the starter. We put a new starter, the car didnt star and the smoke was coming from the hood again. I decided to send the car to Hyundai dealer. After two weeks they still didn't call me to know what is wrong with the car. I am still waiting for.

- Westampton, NJ, USA

problem #20

Apr 182018

Sonata

  • 3,000 miles
Back brake light bulb has been changed 10 times they go out repeatedly from side to side

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #19

Sep 042020

Sonata

  • 55,080 miles
While going down the highway, the vehicle's check engine, ABS, TPMS, traction control, air bag, electronic steering & emergency brake lights all came on simultaneously. & at that same time the speedometer & tachometer both dropped to 0, the digital display of the engine temp guage, gear setting & other onboard displays went down while the car was in motion on the highway. I was able to safely pull over to the shoulder but once the car was placed in park the shifter locked & I was no longer able to change gear settings.

- Newark, NJ, USA

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