10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 0 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.
Car has a rod knock, has been looked at by a private mechanic, seen online there was a recall on Hyundai Sonatas for rod knock issues.
- Easley, SC, USA
Starting in July 2023 I have noticed that the oil consumption for my car is racing through the engine. I barely make it 1000 miles before the oil is completely gone. After 2 local oil changes - I decided to take it to the Hyundai dealer where I purchased the car. This was in October - I have brought my car in 4 times for 1000 mile oil consumption tests. I had to add an additional visit due to the fact that Hyundai changed the testing standards. Now I have to bring it again today - Hyundai has not told me what the next step is other than I have to leave the car there all day - after they speak to tech support they will determine next steps. Most likely a combustion cleaning. Then I have to start the 1000 mile consumption tests again. I live 35 mins from the dealer - I have had to hire someone to take me there to leave car - and I then have to take mass transit to work. There are never any loaners because they are booked months in advance. I have had to rent numerous cars for long distance travel due to the mileage meter of 1000 miles on my car - I am not allowed to go over - if I do have to start all over again. That happened to me the first time. My car is crap at this point - I am not able to use it as I should be able to and Hyundai is giving us the run around. I have been contacted about trading it in and getting a new Hyundai - what a scam. I am not the only person - there are so many of us - follow the chats on Facebook and Reddit - nobody is helping us. The staff said if your engine seizes - that would be great. People are seizing on highways - that is very scary to me. Why is this not recalled yet?
- Point Pleasant Boro, NJ, USA
Car consumes excessive oil -?" one quart about every 500-700 miles. This has caused sludge in the engine and the car hesitates significantly on starting from a stopped position and now hesitates even at highway speeds. This has become a definite safety issue. If the car stalls it is only a matter of time before I am hit by another driver. The dealer first stated the oil consumption was fine IF it was one quart every 1,000 miles and that no repairs would be needed. My car is consuming almost double that amount of oil. Dealership agreed to look at it; stated the car needs a new engine. Hyundai refused to even do an oil consumption test, let alone repair/replace the engine. The -??sludge-?? in the oil that Hyundai states was present is a result of the oil consumption (even the dealer service department verbally agreed). I-??m literally putting new oil in it about once a week! There is no possibility this would NOT cause sludge. In addition, dealership said to expect the engine to fail fairly soon. Hyundai claims the car was not maintained properly; however, that is untrue. I-??ve submitted records to them that I had. The warranty has no requirement that the oil must be changed or maintained by a certain individual or company. Without a new engine, the car will continue to hesitate and will eventually fail. Hesitation (and especially engine failure) subjects me to a much higher possibility of a crash causing injury or death to myself or someone else. Hyunadai should absolutely recall the thousands of vehicles having this exact same issue.
- West Lafayette, IN, USA
I was traveling on a highway when a "hybrid system warning" suddenly appeared on the dashboard. Every dashboard warning light illuminated. The car began to lose power. I exited the highway immediately and the car began to have sporadic power and was "lurching." I immediately pulled onto the shoulder and at that time another warning on the dash appeared within a minute or two of the first warning that said "shut engine off." The computer screen began to flash on and of and the windows would not roll up smoothly. When the tow truck arrived the car wouldn't start and it didn't recognize the key fob. Hyundai now has the vehicle and claims the car needed a "software update", but they cannot tell me if it will ever happen again and cannot tell me why the car goes into critical failure when it needs a mere software update. This is the second time this has happened. The first time it was repaired under a voluntary recall campaign about a year ago. This is an extremely dangerous occurrence as the car loses power without warning. I was fortunate to be near an exit when it happened and able to safely get off the highway, but that was just luck. The manual indicates that a hybrid system warning means that the car can potentially go on fire.
- Larchmont, NY, USA
The transmission in my vehicle makes a whine when shifting at about 35-40 miles per hour. No other car I ever drove made that noise. Hyundai has replaced the transmission 3 times and they still could not fix it. After the third replacement they said it's normal and that other Sonatas make that noise. That cannot be true. They did not replace the transmission 3 times if that noise is normal. If it IS true and other Sonatas make that noise, there may be a defect that will turn dangerous in other Sonatas. The second time the transmission was replaced, the service manager told me they found metal fragments in the transmission fluid. I don't know what problem this defect will cause later on. If you would like to inspect my car to determine if this is dangerous, I can make it available. Thanks! P.S. - Below, I have to pick a date of the incident and mileage at that time (so I chose when I first reported it to Hyundai), but this happens every time I drive the car.
- Milford, CT, USA
- Akron, OH, USA