2019 Hyundai Sonata problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 172 owner complaints about the 2019 Hyundai Sonata, or 22.1 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.55, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 78 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #30 of 78 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Hyundai models its rate is 59% lower; against other Midsize sedans it is 42% lower.
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
Complaints filed between 2019-04-15 and 2026-10-04. Median delay from incident to filing: 19 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2018) drew 43.6 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2020) drew 28.7 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2019 model collected 27 complaints, 66% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (57.0% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (9.9%) and Lighting (9.3%). Engine complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 15 reports (8.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 62 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (51% of incidents). In the last 12 months 41 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — up 28%.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.55
- vs. other Hyundai models0.41
- vs. other 2019 models0.49
- vs. other Midsize sedans0.58
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (27)0.34
- #30 of 78 · 2019Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Fuel system · Unspecified or other · Transmission / powertrain · Body & structure
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 9
- Fires reported: 6
- Injuries: 7
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 62 months
What owners report
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.
On April 14, 2026, my 2019 Hyundai Sonata was parked at a retail store parking lot. Returning from the store, I attempted to start the car, and it did not start. I attempted to start it again, and I saw smoke coming out from under the hood.
The low-pressure fuel pump module assembly, located directly beneath the rear passenger seat cushion, experienced a plastic housing failure.
Vehicle stalled in traffic due to recall defect. Manufacturer recall remedy is delayed beyond reasonable timeframe, creating ongoing safety exposure.
The high voltage battery will no longer charge neither from being plugged in to the charger on the wall nor from the buikt in system onboard the car. There are warning lights saying the inverter coolant is low but the reservoir is at the proper level.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2019 · Midsize sedans
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Hyundai Sonata | 172 | 22.1 | 0.55 |
| 2019 Chevrolet Malibu | 194 | 24.9 | 0.62 |
| 2019 Nissan Altima | 233 | 29.9 | 0.74 |
| 2019 Toyota Camry | 408 | 52.4 | 1.3 |
| 2019 Honda Accord | 790 | 101.4 | 2.51 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
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 vehicle…