Hyundai Sonata problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,211 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls for the Hyundai Sonata. That averages 26.7 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.63 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize sedans segment it ranks #3 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 40.0.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, the Hyundai Sonata has logged 1,211 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls, averaging 26.7 complaints per year which is fewer than typical at an index of 0.63 against all tracked vehicles. The 2018 model year stands out as needing careful research because it runs at least 50% above the model's own average with a rate of 43.6 complaints per year, while the 2025 model year shows the lowest rate at 16.1. Engine issues account for 40.1% of complaints and are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles, with recurring terms including "oil", "engine", "consumption", "tank" and "check". Owners report 56 injuries and 1 death across all model years, while 78 complaints or 6.4% describe a crash or fire, and half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of the model year's start.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 6% of the 2018 and 2019 models (45 early complaints per model year versus 55).
The 2018 model year has the highest rate (43.6 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (16.1). The 2018 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (40.1% of complaints), followed by Electrical (12.5%) and Fuel system (10.6%). Engine complaints are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “oil”, “engine”, “consumption”, “tank” and “check”. 78 complaints (6.4%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 56 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 295 complaints versus 270 in the previous 12 months — a steady pace. The 2018 model year generated the most recent reports (57). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 10 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (3), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu; Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Years to research carefully | 378 | 43.6 | 1.04 | 83 | 0.93 | 57 | 1 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 168 | 21.9 | 0.52 | 27 | 0.33 | 41 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2020 | 191 | 28.6 | 0.68 | 45 | 0.79 | 43 | 4 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2021 | 183 | 32.3 | 0.77 | 28 | 0.46 | 52 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 110 | 23.5 | 0.56 | 43 | 0.58 | 31 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 100 | 27.2 | 0.65 | 53 | 0.64 | 31 | 2 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 54 | 20.2 | 0.48 | 38 | 0.54 | 22 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Fewest complaints | 27 | 16.1 | 0.38 | — | — | 18 | 0 | Electrical | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 295 · Previous 12 months: 270 Steady
Problem areas
Interior & equipment ›
114 · 9.4% · 1.05 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- paint12
- peeling8
- white10
- trunk latch4
Transmission / powertrain ›
82 · 6.8% · 0.58 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- transmission36
- accelerate16
- consistent diagnostic3
- january november3
Body & structure ›
68 · 5.6% · 0.61 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- paint15
- peeling9
- sunroof11
- notification latches4
Lighting
38 · 3.1% · 2.01 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- headlights30
- beam19
- night22
- project6
Airbags & seat belts
36 · 3.0% · 0.78 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- air16
- bag10
- seat belt10
- passenger14
Brakes
29 · 2.4% · 0.39 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- brake16
- rotors5
- pedal8
- emergency7
Driver-assist systems
28 · 2.3% · 0.4 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- forward8
- abs5
- emergency7
- automatic6
Other
26 · 2.1% · 1.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- seat9
- crashed5
- accelerated5
- space4
Steering
14 · 1.2% · 0.18 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering13
- wheel11
- left right5
- rubbing3
Wheels, tires & suspension
11 · 0.9% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tires7
- side tire3
- results3
- consumer3
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- oil243
- engine445
- consumption93
- tank82
- check203
- fuel146
- burning61
- knock sensor30
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 44 months
What owners report
Parking malfunction. Parked, running car moved itself to reverse and backed up a driveway crossing a dirt road and hitting a fence and post. This car could have hit and severely injured anyone who was in the path while it was reversing on its own.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, smoke started coming from the hood and the vehicle was pulled over into a parking space.
Massive loss of coolant in closed loop cooling system Heat soak. Fail safe mode
Since I had Service Campaign 9C2 completed, the car hesitates to start, does a mini-lurch upon cold start and runs rough. Two weeks ago, it was put in park, lurched backwards, then died. The starter and battery have been replaced but this has not helped.
Blower motor malfunction at night. Smelled something burning. Extremely hot and humid outside. Windows fogged up inside which greatly reduced visibility. Checked the multifuse which controls the ABS, oil pump, cooling fan, & Blower.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize sedans
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nissan Altima | 798 | 15.7 | 0.37 | Improving | Steady | 14 | Electrical |
| 2 | Chevrolet Malibu | 1,391 | 26.3 | 0.63 | Improving | Rising | 10 | Engine |
| 3 | Hyundai Sonata | 1,211 | 26.7 | 0.63 | Stable | Steady | 10 | Engine |
| 4 | Toyota Camry | 1,935 | 43.9 | 1.04 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Engine |
| 5 | Honda Accord | 4,247 | 87.5 | 2.08 | Improving | Steady | 18 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 10
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 1
Safety recalls: 2018 (1) · 2019 (0) · 2020 (4) · 2021 (4) · 2022 (3) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (1) · 2025 (0)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
- Electrical overstress Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicl…
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Sonata model year has the most complaints?
The 2018 model year has the highest rate (43.6 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (16.1).
Is the Hyundai Sonata getting better or worse?
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 6% of the 2018 and 2019 models (45 early complaints per model year versus 55). In the last 12 months owners filed 295 complaints versus 270 in the previous 12 months — a steady pace.
What are the most common Hyundai Sonata problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (40.1% of complaints), followed by Electrical (12.5%) and Fuel system (10.6%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “oil”, “engine”, “consumption”, “tank” and “check”.
How does the Hyundai Sonata compare with other Midsize sedans?
Within the Midsize sedans segment it ranks #3 of 5 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 40.0. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu; Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have more.
Does the Hyundai Sonata have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 10 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (3), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).