2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid other reported problems

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid well maintained by original owner, under 130,000 miles. May of 2025 AC stopped working intermittently (Hyundai dealer replaced AC hose). Aug 2025 AC stopped working AGAIN (same dealer could NOT identify problem). Car has consistent Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do not Drive messages lights and sirens when braking. Code PA186 comes up (low state of charge code for hybrid battery). December 2025 brought car back to SAME Hyundai dealer who NOW says car suddenly needs a 10k transmission (BUT still no idea what PA186 code is related to). Got transmission drained at different shop and NO NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED! Every repair shop OUTSIDE OF HYUNDAI who has scanned for codes gets the PA186 error and say it is related to HYBRID BATTERY LOW STATE OF CHARGE (I am the original owner THUS lifetime hybrid battery warranty). June 2026 different Hyundai dealer for repair of AC and PA186 code. NEW Hyundai dealer says AC issue is NOT related to the PA186 code. They still dont know what PA186 code is but want to charge me $5100 for engine wiring harness electrical short. SIDE NOTE!! Engine wiring harness electrical short is known issue for ABS module recall 251 for this car. Hyundai has denied the engine wiring harness electrical short repair as part of ABS recall 251 warranty and STILL cant tell me why Hybrid System Warning Lights and PA186 code is come on. Is electrical issue really harness or HYBRID battery?? Car is currently at Hyundai dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11744480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving all the dashboard lights come on and a beeping noise starts. On my dash is says "hybrid check system warning" Pull over safely and do not drive. This problem has sporadically been happening, but it seems to be more frequent now. As of this moment it has been on the side of the road due to this problem. It usually starts after about 10 minutes, but this time it will not start. When I Googled this problem, I saw this type of problem goes back to 2012 when the car came out to buy and it has affected numerous people with this year model car. Everytime I take it to my local Hyundai dealership of course they tell me nothing is wrong with it. Well apparently there is something wrong or it would not be on the side of the road not starting.

NHTSA complaint #11440643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the "Hybrid System Warning - For Your Own Safety Do Not Drive" message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated she veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. On another occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to stall. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer who informed the contact that no issues were found. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was still awaiting a callback from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 98,914.

NHTSA complaint #11426707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine overheated and the parking brake light was illuminated. The message "hybrid system warning - stop do not drive and check brakes” was displayed and the brake pedal was extended to the floorboard while depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the ABS braking system however, the failure persisted. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,000.

NHTSA complaint #11420311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WARNING CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM DO NOT DRIVE STOP SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA complaint #11218570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY REV VERY HIGH IT STARTED ABOUT 3 WEEKA AGO WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND AN AVERAGE OF 45MPH IN CITY. IT WAS INITIALLY JUST REVVING 3-4 TIMES UNTIL I HIT THE BREAK AND IT WAS ISOLATED TO ONE INCIDENT PER DRIVE. BUT LAST NIGHT AFTER DRIVING ON I-25 AT HIGHWAY SPEED I TURNED TO A SLOWER BUSY STREET MORE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STARTED REVVING AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME IT DID NOT STOP AFTER ONE INCIDENT. AS SOON AS I HIT THE ACCELERATOR IT WENT INTO A REVVING FIT. AND DIDNT STOP I COULDN'T EVEN DRIVE IT BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET IT TO ACCELERATE. I TRIED TURNING OFF BLUE DRIVE AND TRIED SHIFTING DOWN TO 1ST GEAR SO I COULD AT LEAST MAKE IT AT 10-15MPH BUT IT REVVED UP EVEN IN MANUAL GEAR. I HAD TO PARK IT FOR THE NIGHT IN A PRETTY SKETCHY NEIGHBORHOOD AND CALL AN UBER. THE SYSTEM DIDN'T POPULATE ANY CODES AND NO SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON. THEN, THIS MORNING WHEN I WENT BACK TO GET THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND IT WAS ACCELERATING FINE THOUGH IT WAS SLUGGISH. I MANAGED TO MAKE IT 2.5 MILES TO A MECHANIC WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT STILL NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT.

NHTSA complaint #11169886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

AFTER I EXITED THE FREEWAY WHILE TRAVELING TO MY MOTHERS ON THANKSGIVING DAY I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT TO TURN LEFT ONTO A STREET AND WHEN I TRIED TO GO THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE I HAD TO PUSH THE GAS PEDDLE ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WHEN IT FINALLY WENT IT JUMPED/JERKED REALLY BAD WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND AFTER THAT IT WAS GOING REALLY SLOW. 2 DAYS PRIOR THE CAR WAS LAGGING WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO BREAK SEEMED LIKE THE SYSTEM WASN'T READING THAT I WANT TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP WHICH AGAIN ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THIS CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I ONLY HAVE 61,000 MILES AND I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 9 MONTHS. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG.

NHTSA complaint #11155826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY CAR LOOSES ACCELERATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAY ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY. IT HAPPENS FIR MULTIPLE TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #11141810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLE HAD JUST TURNED OFF HIGHWAY ONTO A MAIN ROAD AND THERE WAS A SOUND LIKE A TIRE GOING OUT. WE PULLED OVER AND EXITED VEHICLE AND THE TIRE WAS SLANTED ON A DIAGONAL. THERE HAPPENED TO BE A MECHANIC RIGHT THERE SO HE WALKED OVER AND LOOKED AT IT AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE SUBFRAME. CAR COMPLETELY UN-DRIVABLE. WE WERE TOWED AND HAD THE SUBFRAME REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #11121495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CAR STARTED DRIVING ROUGH. IT MADE SOME LOUD CLICKING SOUNDS AND STARTED TO MISFIRE AND STUTTER. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE OIL WAS EMPTY, BUT I HAD JUST HAD THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL LIGHTS DIDN'T ILLUMINATE. HE DID AN OIL CHANGE AND TUNE UP. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RIDE ROUGH. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC A FEW DAYS LATER AND THE OIL WAS LOW AGAIN. THERE WAS NO OIL LEAK. HE CHECKED EVERYTHING AGAIN AND SAID IT APPEARED THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FAILING. TWO WEEKS LATER I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I ADDED OIL. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC (I WAS OUT OF TOWN). HE CLEANED THE SPARK PLUGS. FOUR DAYS LATER THE CAR STARTED ACTING REALLY HORRIBLE, MAKING LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND STUTTERING. I ADDED OIL AGAIN AND TOOK IT BACK TO MY ORIGINAL MECHANIC. HE TREATED THE OIL AND ASKED ME TO COME BACK IN A WEEK SO HE COULD MONITOR THE PROBLEM. THE CAR DROVE SMOOTH AND WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM THEN ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING TO THE MECHANIC THE CAR MADE LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE CAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. HE IS LOOKING TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. IN ALL THIS THE INDICATOR LIGHTS NEVER CAME ON (OIL OR CHECK ENGINE).

NHTSA complaint #11012253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"TAKATA RECALL MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID LIMITED IS COMING UP WITH A WARNING SIGNAL "HYBRID SAFETY WARNING DO NOT DRIVE".AND CHECK BRAKETHIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. TAKEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND NO BODY ABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR SOUNDS AN ALARM AND THE MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND CUSTOMER CARE LINE CANNOT PROVIDE EXPLANATION OR FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10891564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHEN PUTTING MY CAR IN PARK THE WARNING "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING! SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE" APPEARS. IF I TURN THE CAR OFF AND IMMEDIATELY TRY TO RESTART IT WILL NOT START. IF I TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES IT WILL START WITH NO ALERTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT AND TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE MANUAL SAYS NOT TO DRIVE IT AFTER THIS HAPPENS AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT SINCE THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHAT COULD POTENTIALY HAPPEN.

NHTSA complaint #10736096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID NUMBERS: 10546231 & 10582880 - "CHECK BRAKES" ...2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID WILL NOT START OR MOVE (APR 2014). FROM PARKED POSITION, TURNED ON VEHICLE (STEPPED ON BRAKE AND DEPRESSED ELECTRONIC IGNITION). LOUD CHIMES OCCURRED WITH MESSAGE "CHECK BRAKES". NO BRAKES WERE ON, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD/REVERSE. CAR TOWED TO DEALER..DEALER SAID IT MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK UNTIL "HYBRID" EXPERT CAN DIAGNOS DUE TO OTHER HYBRID'S AWAITING SERVICE! SAME "CHECK BRAKE" ISSUE OCCURRED 8-MONTHS AGO (AUG 2013) AND WAS "REPAIRED" WITH SERVICE SOFTWARE UPDATE.

NHTSA complaint #10582885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID LIMITED IS COMING UP WITH A WARNING SIGNAL "HYBRID SAFETY WARNING DO NOT DRIVE". THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE COMMON FACTOR HAS BEEN THAT I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A 95+ DEGREE DAY AND IT HAPPENS WHEN I PULL IN TO PARK AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. THE CAR SOUNDS AN ALARM AND THE MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR GETS STUCK IN PARK. I TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT 30 MINUTES LATER AFTER A COOL OFF PERIOD. THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI CUSTOMER CARE LINE CANNOT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION NOR FIX. HYUNDAI SEEMS UNWILLING AND UNABLE TO RUN THIS ISSUE UP TO THEIR DESIGN ENGINEERS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LIGHT IS DESIGNED TO ALERT OWNERS AND MECHANICS ABOUT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE LITHIUM BATTERY MAY BE A PART OF THIS "HYBRID SAFETY" PROBLEM. SINCE HYUNDAI DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE ALERT MEANS, THEY CANNOT ASSURE ME THAT IT IS NOT THE LITHIUM BATTERY CAUSING THIS ALERT. THEY SIMPLY CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT SINCE THEY CANNOT MAKE IT REPLICATE AT THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #10538233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHILE SLOWLY MOVING DOWNHILL, ON THE FREEWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATED QUICKLY. THE SWITCH FROM HYBRID TO GAS ENGINE INTERFACE ONLY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REV (INCREASE RPM) WITHOUT ANY GEAR BEING ENGAGED. I QUICKLY LET OFF THE PEDDLE AND DEPRESSED IT AGAIN. IT THEN ENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION, NARROWLY AVERTING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5-6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR WHEN TRAVELING SLOWLY AND THEN TRYING TO GET A BURST FROM THE GAS ENGINE. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP, AND TOOK IT IN FOR A CHECK PER THEIR RECOMMENDATION. THEY FOUND NOTHING AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE IT, ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT TRY THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCE. THEY ONLY ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND ACCELERATE AT WHICH I SAID THEY WOULDN'T GET IT TO HAPPEN THAT WAY.

NHTSA complaint #10489701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.