Hyundai Sonata Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Hyundai Sonata options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
Free VIN check
Found a Hyundai Sonata? Check that exact car.
Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
HYUNDAI SONATA (2017-2026) has 1800 NHTSA complaints and 19 recalls. Engine issues account for 789 complaints, with the 2017 model year alone having 761 complaints. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Make
- Hyundai
- Model
- Sonata
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 1,800
- Safety recall campaigns
- 19
- Crash-related complaints
- 79
- Fire-related complaints
- 31
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (761 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2025 (15 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Below Average
By model year
Hyundai Sonata: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
Below AverageBased on NHTSA complaint data, the Hyundai Sonata (2017-2026) has 1800 complaints and 19 recalls. The engine accounts for 789 complaints, the most of any component. Buyers should prioritize engine inspection and recall checks. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Engine complaints total 789, the highest of any component.
- The 2017 model year accounts for 761 complaints, the most of any year.
- Steering complaints number 201, indicating a secondary concern.
- Engine failure or malfunction
- Steering issues
- Electrical system problems
The 2017 model year has the most complaints (761), driven largely by engine issues. 2018 also has elevated complaints (365).
The 2024-2026 model years have the fewest complaints (42, 15, 2), suggesting improved reliability, though data is limited due to low sample size.
- Check for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for engine repairs
- Have a mechanic inspect engine and steering
- Test drive for steering or electrical issues
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
19 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 1,800 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
1,800 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
When backing into my parking spot the front driver side tire blew at the side wall. Then a few weeks late the Rear driver side tire started to bubble at the same spot and was showing signs that it was getting ready to blow. The first one was immediately replaced under Kumho's warranty and then the second one was replaced on my dime. I feel that the other 2 tires could blow at anytime as the car only has 2800 miles on it and has not been involved in any significant impact or accident.
2026 hyundai sonata limited hybrid first owner. The sunroof above the driver's seat exploded while i was driving 70mph on the highway. Sounded like a gunshot. It was completely shattered but thankfully did not rain down on me. Local hyundai dealer inspected it and warranty denied from hyundai due to "caused by an outside influence." I did not see or hear any rocks or debris.
The vehicle is stalling in the acceleration process. I can feel and hear the stall by the air conditioner going out or fading out when it happens while driving. Pressing the gas and it barely moves at times. Makes a noise now while running. Unknown to whether it's electrical or engine or transmission. Pull out in the traffic accelerating but the car wasn't moving at the pace it should have. Could have cause an accident when trying to cross on going traffic. Just got the vehicle 2 weeks ago. No one has inspected the vehicle yet. Going to have it looked at for recalls. No warning lights appeared to reflect an issue, but there clearly is.
Vehicle brakes sound and feel rough when pressing them. And when backing up the vehicle spotted another car turning in and hit brakes automatically. Car jerked hard as if I hit something. Very rough. Made a scrubbing sound. Does the same when pressing the parking button. It perks and makes the scrubbing sound. Just purchased Vehicle 2weeks ago. No inspection on it yet. A warning light about the approaching car but didn't know it was going to hit on brakes by itself so forcefully. Car wasn't near the vehicle just in the scenery of the camera.
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. In addition, the contact stated that on multiple occasions while turning into a parking lot, the vehicle's collision avoidance system would engage while in the vicinity of another vehicle as a warning chime would emit from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they initially could not diagnose or duplicate the failure. The contact was asked to come and drive the vehicle herself and she was able to duplicate the failure. The dealer eventually diagnosed the vehicle with a failed transmission and remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was later informed that they would not replace the vehicle but would replace the transmission. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 50.
The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,000 miles. The glass suddenly developed widespread cracking and a large opening in the panel. The glass also appeared to lift/bulge upward around the damaged area. There was no obvious impact point or bullseye pattern visible that would clearly indicate an object strike. The failed component was the panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel. The damaged component is still available for inspection. This created a serious safety concern because shattered glass could have entered the vehicle while driving at highway speeds and could have caused distraction, injury, or loss of visibility/control. The vehicle has been inspected by a Hyundai dealership. I was informed the panoramic roof assembly may require replacement. I am filing this complaint because the failure appeared spontaneous and may indicate a defect or structural stress issue with the panoramic roof glass. There were no warning lights, alerts, or prior symptoms before the failure occurred. Photos of the damage are available for inspection.
Read 14 more owner reports
the car has two issues. brake issue (gas pedal is soft and sinks) and engine power ( gas pedal is soft and not responsive) Brakes are soft and spongy some times and sometimes hard. even you push the brake pedal twice or three time it takes long distance to stop. some times the brake looks good but for short period of time. the brakes inconsistent. I took to the dealer where I bought it hey refuse to repair it. then i took it to another dealer. first time they said no issue with car then second time they they replace the vacuum pump and they found out one of the piston is not firing. they replace the ignition coil. the car still has issue and not fixed. I filed case with the manufacturer but the manufacturer closed the case. After that I file lemon law case.
I am the original owner of a 2025 Hyundai Sonata purchased new in 2025. The vehicle currently has fewer than 4,000 miles on the odometer. Since early in my ownership, I have experienced a persistent and recurring squealing noise that occurs specifically when releasing the brake pedal after a short stop, and when transitioning from braking to acceleration. This is not an intermittent or weather/humidity-related issue. The noise has been consistent and ongoing throughout my ownership and has not resolved on its own--I was thinking it might since new cars take some time to adjust. At under 4,000 miles, brake components on this vehicle should be essentially new. Brake pads are engineered to last between 30,000 and 70,000 miles under normal driving conditions. A persistent brake noise at this mileage cannot reasonably be attributed to normal wear and tear and is indicative of a manufacturing defect, defective OEM brake pad compound, or a sticking/dragging brake caliper that fails to fully release after braking. I note that NHTSA has previously investigated Hyundai Sonata brake behavior, including a technical bulletin concerning rear brake pads remaining in contact with rotors after a diagnostic self-check cycle, causing a dragging condition in the next drive cycle. My symptoms are consistent with this type of brake drag behavior. Multiple Hyundai Sonata owners have documented the same persistent squeal-on-release pattern on Hyundai owner forums, with some reporting the issue beginning within the first year of new vehicle ownership and dealers being unable to diagnose or resolve it. I have formally reported this issue to Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs prior to filing this complaint and have requested warranty coverage. I am filing this complaint to create an official federal record of this defect and to contribute to any pattern investigation NHTSA may conduct on 2025 Hyundai Sonata brake systems.
Driving home and heard what sounded like a gun shot. Upon arriving home we found the moonroof glass had exploded/shattered. Took pictures/video to document. Found online that there have been reports of similar instances happening dating back to 2011 and newer vehicles. Have called dealership to see what next steps are to have repaired as a warranty issue but service department is closed until Monday morning 7am.
My engine light come on. Air flow notification come on. I had a brake cleaner notification come on.
the gas tank is loose upon pumping gas it was found loose today the red mccombs dealership is the only service company who has performed service on vehicle
I went into dealer was told there was a car recall for radio update which I later was not provided any documentation for on another visit I noticed a speedometer update was performed to vehicle since the speedometer does not match the actual speed of the vehicle as the other complaint in December 2024 by another same model vehicle owner
Upon topping up gas to full or anytime fueling after there is a heavy scent of gas inside the cabin lingering
I recently purchased a 2025 Hyundai Sonata. I’m writing to raise a concern regarding the height of the brake pedal in this vehicle. Both my wife and I have observed that the brake pedal seems noticeably higher than the gas pedal. This positioning requires extra effort to lift the foot during normal driving, and we are concerned that it may delay reaction time when moving from the accelerator to the brake — especially in emergency situations. I contacted the service department at the dealership to inquire if this pedal height is standard and whether any adjustment is possible. However, I have not received a response. I would appreciate it if you could confirm: Is the brake pedal height in the 2025 Hyundai Sonata within your design standards? If any manufacturer-recommended adjustments or modifications could improve pedal accessibility and response time. This is a significant safety concern for my family, and I would be grateful for your prompt attention and guidance.
Speedometer display inaccurate speed. Sometimes its shows 1-4mph miles more than the actual speed and other times 6-8mph. Verified issue with sonar system from different truck, street speed limit screen and own gps.
Vehicle is shaky at highway speeds
My speedometer doesn’t match my actual speed u had my passenger measure the speed by timing the trip from one mile marker to the next and it doesn’t match the stated speed
May 23rd, 2026, vehicle dash and navigation screens went black while driving on freeway. May 26th, 2026, vehicle battery completely drained. Purchased new battery and the same thing happened. Took the vehcile 3x to Hyundai dealership, switched out battery for a brand new OEM one. June 10th, vehicle died again, battery was completely drained. Dealership said its not the alternator but only jumped the vehcile since they couldn't figure out the issue. July 11th, 2026, vehcile died for 4th time and had to jumped again. Tested battery by tow truck driver, battery was DRAINED but alternator fine.
Intermittent issue. On startup, the hvac system cycles through the modes and gets stuck blowing on mixed mode (face and feet) regardless of what mode is selected. The problem is temporarily fixed by manually tapping the mode button until the desired mode is selected.
Bluelink remote start with climate control is defective. When initiated, the vehicle starts but the climate control system comes on in the OFF state and does not apply the saved preset, including front and rear defroster settings. This defeats the intended pre-conditioning function in winter conditions, where a remote-activated defroster is a meaningful visibility/safety feature. The defect has persisted since early December 2025 and is documented widely on Hyundai's owner forums and on Reddit across multiple model lines. A recent Hyundai-issued app update removed the standalone remote stop button that owners had been using as a workaround, making the defect materially worse. Hyundai Consumer Affairs Case #[XXX] has been opened. As of this filing, no resolution or response timeline has been provided by Hyundai. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Showing 20 of 1,800 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Hyundai Sonata
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Hyundai Sonata, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Hyundai Sonata has 1,800 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Hyundai Sonata has 19 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 79 of the Hyundai Sonata's 1,800 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Hyundai Sonata vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Hyundai Sonata vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Hyundai Sonata has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
Compare
Buyers also compare
How does the Hyundai Sonata stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Hyundai Sonata by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Hyundai Sonata.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Hyundai Sonata reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Hyundai Sonata reliable?
Below Average. The Hyundai Sonata has 1,800 NHTSA owner complaints and 19 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Hyundai Sonata years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (761 complaints), 2018 (365 complaints), 2020 (169 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Hyundai Sonata problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (789 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (268 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (233 complaints).
Does the Hyundai Sonata have recalls?
Yes — 19 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Hyundai Sonata. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.