10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
60,964 miles

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problem #14

May 022019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 61,000 miles
While driving and using the accelerator, the RPM would rev up but the car would not move. The car would then jerk back and forth. Only able to go approximately 10 miles per hour, but the RPM would go as high as 6K or 7K RPM. Dangerous to drive. When idle, also felt RPM go up and jerking motion.

- Playa Vista, CA, USA

problem #13

Dec 152018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 57,334 miles
Major failure occurred. I was driving my car when I heard sharp bells ringing from the car dash. Check hybrid systems lights illuminated on dash. The car was in motion when it just stopped. I had no time to pull to the side of the road. I turned it off and on again. I was in the center of the road and it would not move. Good samaritan pushed my car to side of the road. The check brakes light came on. Then the car would not turn on at all. The car would not recognize the key pad light came on. Locks would not operate. The window was stuck in the open position. The internal car lights were on and would not go off. The key pad could not lock/unlock the car. Luckily this happened on a side road. 1 mile earlier I was on a freeway that had no shoulder. If it had happened there, it could have been catastrophic. Numerous systems failed. I took it to they dealer. They had to wait for the hybrid specialist. He said the transmission fluid was very dirty and ordered a new transmission. My question, why would check hybrid systems come on and so much electrical failure if it was the transmission. I have read in forums that this has happened to several other hybrid sonata owners. Even after the transmission repaired, I still feel very unsafe in the car now. If it had happened just 1 mile earlier, my car stopping immediately on the freeway with no shoulder could have caused a major accident and been life-threatening.

- Los Gatos, CA, USA

problem #12

Sep 052018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 41,281 miles
For the second time in just over 3 months, the hybrid system failed (and displayed hybrid system failure / do not drive vehicle) on the 2013 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. There was no motoring to the wheels after complete stop. The first occurrence is reported in NHTSA report # 11100475 (May 29, 2018). The second occurrence was on Wednesday, September 5, 2018. This occurred while backing up. After towing, the Hyundai mechanic could not diagnose the problem, even though he tried to mimic the failure situation. Further, error code was not obtained due to automatic reset when vehicle restarted (poor firmware design?). this problem is intermittent and therefore hard to diagnose, especially without recoverable error codes. When problem occurs the driver must strive to get off the road safely and very promptly, since vehicle motoring is lost. Hyundai Consumer Affairs office is indifferent to the problem, because the vehicle is now functioning, though not truly repaired (vehicle "fixed" itself on reset). Hyundai Consumer Affairs has closed the problem report (second time in just over 3 months). This is a potentially dangerous problem, since the driver has to immediately stop the car at a safe spot, even if in high speed traffic.

- Vail, AZ, USA

problem #11

Jul 242018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 78,369 miles
Takata recall, my car was totaled out in a car accident on July 24, 2018. As the result of the person in front of me was driving and had to come to a complete stop multiple times attempting to find the turn she was looking for. It was a unit in between us allowing me to make a complete stop without hitting her. In the process of me hitting breaks my engine reved really high causing my car to speed up instead of stop. The back tired were even spinning with my foot on the breaks. As a result my car slammed into her rear end without me having any control period. There was no damage to her vehicle other than a scratch from the impact of my car, however my car was totaled completely out. I'm faulted for the accident bc I'm suppose to have control over my own car. In this case I did not. I was told by my insurance company to investigate if there was a recall on my car dealing with these issues causing my accident, and sure enough there is 2 recalls I was never informed about. The only one I knew about was the seatbelt and I took it to the dealship for that and it still didn't fix the problem. I need to know since these recalls play a part in my accident how I can be compensated. It clearly was not my fault that the car had manufacture issues I knew nothing about. It's had this issue for some time now but I was told it's bc it's a hybrid me knowing it was something not safe about it. I was in motion on a city street getting ready to get in the left lane once the lady turned to take my son to school. She almost missed her turn and hit her brakes. My car did not respond to me hitting my brakes it just kept going. #162

- Dothan, AL, USA

problem #10

Aug 072018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 148,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle decelerated and stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer (braman miami Hyundai, 2001 ne 2nd ave, miami, fl 33137, (305) 571-1200), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and opened case number: 11506645. The failure mileage was 148,000. The VIN was not available.

- Miami Beach, FL, USA

problem #9

Aug 022018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 106,000 miles
While I was driving the car stopped and wouldn't start, all the lights came on, message on dashboard read "hybrid system error" "check charging system" than everything went off, no power, no emergency lights, this in the middle of a busy street. Luckily a sheriff's was nearby and rerouted cars. Very scary. Seems I am not the only one that has a similar experience. This happened when I was going to work at 7:45am at S very busy intersection. Car is at mechanic's shop.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #8

May 292018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 38,738 miles
Experienced a completely unexpected (and potentially dangerous) stalling while driving (I.e., not while stopped). This sudden stall was displayed to the sonata's driver panel as hybrid system failure, and the alarm was triggered to beep continuously. This may be related to the 12V lead-acid deteriorating, with capacity degraded to 110cca from specified 600cca. Even though the battery was degrading, the car should not stall just because the battery capacity is low.

- Vail, AZ, USA

problem #7

Oct 272017

Sonata Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 73,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving 10 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The contact attempted to stop the vehicle by shifting the gear shifter into reverse, but it failed to shift from drive. All the warning indicators illuminated. As a result, the vehicle collided with a street sign. The contact sustained back injuries that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The dealer (keyes mission hills Hyundai, 10240 sepulveda blvd, mission hills, mission hill, ca 91345, (818) 221-4000) was contacted and informed the contact to have the vehicle towed to an auto body repair shop. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for determination of the brake failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed back to the dealer, but a failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

- North Hill, CA, USA

problem #6

Oct 282017

Sonata Hybrid 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving 15 mph, the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to stop. Also, the gearshift became difficult to shift. As a result, the contact struck a street sign. The driver's air bag deployed. The contact sustained minor injuries to the back, neck, and head which did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. The contact spoke with keyes mission hills Hyundai (10240 sepulveda blvd, mission hills, ca 91345), but they could not repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000. Updated 8/20/18 the consumer stated the dealer advised the brakes and computer system failed. The vehicle was repaired.

- North Hills, CA, USA

problem #5

Jun 082017

Sonata Hybrid

  • 88,000 miles
Car make a noise from the front drive train while driving. Sounds like a wearing or rubbing noise while moving that increases during turning (while at road speed going through a curve in roadway). Noise has been consistent for the last 30K miles (current mileage is aprox 88K miles). New tires and alignment a few days ago do not lessen the noise.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #4

Apr 082017

Sonata Hybrid

  • 43,567 miles
The car does not accelerate from a stop position at a light or during stop and go traffic on the highway. The car also jerks from transmission problems causing the driver to be distracted.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #3

Feb 262017

Sonata Hybrid

  • 44,602 miles
I was driving on a interstate and suddenly I see "hybrid system warning message" + "check charging system" with continuous alarm beep sounds. I had to immediately move to the right most shoulder on the interstate (which I was able to as car was still on with engine running). Once, I moved to the shoulder, I turned off the engine and restarted the car with check engine light. It would turn on fine but wouldn't move and immediately it throws up the error. I have attached the pics for reference. Since car didn't turn off in the middle of highway, I was safely able to move it to the curb. I cannot imagine what would have happened if car had shut off. I had it towed to the nearest dealer and there are working on it. I just had a 45000 miles factory servicing with same dealership where the car got towed to and they checked on all the green boxes. Within a week, I had this issue. This is what troubling me.

- Cincinncati, OH, USA

problem #2

Nov 012013

Sonata Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 5,600 miles
The vehicle lurches forward during deceleration thus pulling pressure off of the brake pedal and causing you to put even more pressure on the brakes to compensate. Vehicle will slide on icy roads at this point. Vehicle also has little to no acceleration on electric motor after the vehicle is hot. Making a left turn from a stop with oncoming traffic is hazardous since the vehicle can take up to 7 seconds before it accelerates enough to complete the turn and clear the oncoming lane. Both problems seem related. The first would appear to be free wheeling with no engine type braking applied while switching from engine to electric. The second would be from no electric motor engagement during initial acceleration from a stop or slow to turn maneuver.

- Stow, OH, USA

problem #1

Sep 122013

Sonata Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
Engine shut off and battery only lets you go 1/4 mile pulled into parking lot turned car off waited 5 minutes and car started back up. Took car to dealer but could not find anything wrong told me to drive it. It happened again in April they had car for 7 days but could not find anything. Told me to drive it. It started again on june17th they say there is nothing wrong.

- Beverly, NJ, USA