356 of the
1,162 complaints filed about the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
are about the engine —
31% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle, and while inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that there was a puddle of oil on the ground underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a nearby Ford dealer, where it was diagnosed with camshaft and engine failure. The contact was informed that the camshaft and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of Technical Service Bulletin: 22-EM-006H-2. The contact was advised to tow the vehicle to a Hyundai dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to an alternate dealer where the failure was confirmed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The contact was informed that the repair was denied because of the previous owner's negligence with maintenance of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 120,744.
NHTSA complaint #11757938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the malfunction indicator and coolant temperature warning lights illuminated, and the engine overheated and shuddered abnormally. There was smoke and an abnormal ticking sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.
NHTSA complaint #11756244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experiences sudden, complete electrical power loss while driving at speed on highways and city streets or on the parking. All digital displays turn off, the engine shuts down, and power-assisted steering and braking are instantly lost without prior warning, presenting an extreme collision risk. The issue first occurred in August 2025 at approximately 48,000 miles and was taken to an authorized Hyundai dealer in Michigan for warranty repair. The dealer held the vehicle for over 30 days but failed to correct the defect. The identical power failure has continued and recently escalated to daily occurrences. A second Hyundai dealer (Pacifico Hyundai, Philadelphia, PA) diagnosed an intermittent open circuit in the engine wiring harness but Hyundai Motor America refuses to repair the vehicle under warranty, claiming 'outside influence' without providing evidence. Driving a hybrid vehicle that randomly cuts all power in live traffic is a life-threatening safety hazard. Hyundai Motor America has failed to rectify this critical safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11755133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The primary failure is in the Engine/Powertrain system and Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS), causing 6 identical sudden engine stalls (OBD-II code P1326) from 09/2000 to 06/2026. Additionally, severe excessive oil consumption was documented during 2 of these diagnostic visits, showing deep-seated engine issues. The vehicle and all records are available for inspection at the Hyundai dealer. Safety was severely threatened on 6 occasions. The vehicle abruptly stalled at 60+ mph in active highway traffic, forcing an immediate engine shutdown. This left me with highly impaired steering and braking control in fast-moving traffic, creating an imminent risk of high-speed rear-end collisions and jeopardizing my life and others. The primary stalling defect and P1326 code were confirmed 6 separate times by the authorized Hyundai dealership. The secondary excessive oil consumption issue was also formally confirmed by the dealer during 2 of those visits. Despite multiple dealership-confirmed diagnoses, no permanent repair has been achieved. The vehicle has been inspected during all 6 visits by dealership technicians. For the current (6th) visit, the dealer could not resolve the recurring defect and formally contacted Hyundai Corporate Technical Support for expert analysis, which is currently ongoing. Except for the first visit, the pattern is identical: the car stalls, the dealer clears codes/replaces KSDS, and it stalls again within 3 weeks. Notably, during the 4th visit, they replaced the Intake Manifold. Now, on this 6th visit, they demand I pay to replace that same part again. This proves they cannot diagnose the root engine failure and are only applying useless, temporary fixes. Prior to all 6 stalls, the flashing Check Engine / Hybrid Warning light triggered on the dashboard. This critical KSDS alert was followed within seconds by a total loss of motive power. Also, a history of rapid engine oil depletion and low-oil alerts was documented in 2 of the diagnostics.
NHTSA complaint #11750679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) system in my 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited malfunctioned. On three separate occasions, the HEV warning light illuminated while I was driving on the highway, followed by a sudden loss of power. The vehicle stalled and stopped running, leaving it inoperable. The incidents occurred in approximately August 2022, November 2023, and February 2026. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Each incident occurred while driving on a highway. The vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled in moving traffic, creating a significant safety hazard. I was forced to attempt to move the vehicle out of active traffic lanes while other vehicles were traveling at highway speeds. The unexpected loss of propulsion increased the risk of a crash, serious injury, or death to myself, my passengers, and other motorists. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership after each incident. However, the dealership did not provide an explanation for the HEV warning light, loss of power, or stalling condition. To my knowledge, no permanent repair was identified, and the problem recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership following each towing event. The vehicle was towed after each incident because it was not safe to drive. To my knowledge, Hyundai did not provide a definitive cause for the failures. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives in connection with
NHTSA complaint #11743355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2/25/2026 vehicle was put in service for a safety warranty recall. 2/26/2026 Hyundai approved the replacement of the engine, but there were costs involved that I was responsible for (approx. $800). 3/9/2026 I was informed by Hyundai the vehicle was complete, and would now last "for another 200,000 miles". I picked up the vehicle and only drove 5+ miles from the dealership when the vehicle’s motor completely shut down, putting me in a VERY UNSAFE driving condition, almost causing a serious accident. Vehicle was returned to Hyundai the same day and I was informed they were still figuring out the failure and to be patient. 3/11/2026 Hyundai informed the vehicle would now need a new catalytic converter and O2 sensor, and that it would all be covered under warranty. On 3/12/2026 Hyundai informed me that they would not fully cover the cost of the new parts and I ended up paying another $1300. 3/19/2026 Hyundai notified me that the vehicle service was complete, and the vehicle was ready for pick-up. I picked up the vehicle that day and again only drove 5+ miles when the vehicle repeated the same failure with the motor completely shutting down and again putting me in a VERY UNSAFE driving condition and almost causing a serious accident. Vehicle returned to Hyundai the same day. 3/23/2026 was told I would receive update once technician gets to the vehicle. 3/26/2026 informed that the vehicles Brake Booster Actuator needed replaced, and I have to cover the almost $4000 to replace this part and later informed Dealerships GM was covering cost. 4/8/2026 vehicle being worked on and completed by the end of that day. 4/9/2026 vehicle failed a 3rd time with same codes and limp mode. Tech line stating to replace EGR valve and Intake Manifold. 4/13/2026 informed that Hyundai refused to pay total amount, but were going to re-submit to not be completely out of pocket. 4/15/2026 vehicle has now been in Service for 7 weeks for a Safety Warranty recall.
NHTSA complaint #11731393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving at 78 mph and "Check hybrid system" came on, engine and all throttle/electrical shut off and did not regain power. Had to sit for 5-10mins and vehicle eventually regained power after resetting battery and had no issues.
NHTSA complaint #11712021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN- While driving on highway, from 70 mph speed the car suddenly lost acceleration and speed dropped. No response to accelerator. Even with pushing the accelerator high, car will go in high RPM and speed will barely reach 40 mph. I was lucky that there was no other vehicle behind me, especially heavy automobile like semi truck as it would have crashed in me from behind due to sudden propulsion loss. The car started working fine next day. I took it to dealer and they couldn't find any error code but said it could be 12V battery BMS software update and they updated it. They mentioned that this is NOT a safety issue which is mind-blowing and concerning as this is a MAJOR safety hazard. I would request you to investigate this further and if this is a software issue then please direct Hyundai to update this with all vehicles and cover the cost for those who have had to pay for it.
NHTSA complaint #11704561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 11/28/25 at approximately 6:30 pm, I was driving on a Highway 17 going about 60 mph when my car's engine completely shut down. a "Hybrid System Failure" warning flashed and my car was no longer drivable. The car was towed to the dealership. In mid October 2025, my car stopped running with the same "Hybrid System Failure" warning, but it happened in my driveway. The car was towed to the dealership and supposedly repaired.
NHTSA complaint #11702405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car will randomly lose acceleration and jerk forward. It will make a beeping noise while the hev system warning flashes on the dash. It also says to turn off engine. While the warning is flashing and engine light is on it goes into a limp mode and you have limited acceleration. It has almost caused multiple wrecks when I go to acceleration from turning or at lights in traffic because I cant go over 20-30 mph. I have turned the car on and off and the hev system and engine light turns off and the car continues to work normal. It eventually comes back on and does the same loss of power/hev warning. It will be random and does not matter on how fast you are going to trigger the warning lights and loss of power.
NHTSA complaint #11692279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine shut off on the highway on two different days. Vehicle was going between 65 and 70 mph. The vehicle engine shut down and all the warning lights came on. Every one. The vehicle still moved but nothing inside worked, it ran on battery mode for the 17 miles to the dealership with a maximum speed of 60 mph. The risk was the immediate unresponsiveness of the vehicle and the sudden and immediate reduction in speed and power. It presented itself twice in about 2,000 miles. The dealership charged a 491$ diagnostic and found all the warnings and reset it, not reason for it happening and sent me on my way. Then it happened again. Brought back to the dealership and they tried to say they did another diagnostic and called the tech helpline. It took hours and they still don’t have a definitive answer, wanted to try almost 2k in repairs to see if it would fix the issue without any guarantees it would. Warning lights, all of them came on, cruise control, abs, engine light blinking, steering, literally everything and messages started running through the information center.
NHTSA complaint #11688690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH on the highway, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate. No warning lights illuminated. The contact veered over to the right side of the road, turned the vehicle off, and she noticed smoke coming from the engine. A bystander behind her noticed the flames coming up from the engine. The contact mentioned she exited the vehicle and called 911. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to Atow lot. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #11684970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the message "Shut Down" was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and declined to cover the repair under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 140,600.
NHTSA complaint #11680336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle went in for repair at the dealership early July for a check engine light and DTC error code. It was revving high after being driven for more than 20 min or so and wouldn’t get to above 60 mph. Jerky, dangerous acceleration and deceleration seemingly out of nowhere. The dealership replaced the fuel pump which is what they said was causing the error. Today on August 10th, check engine light popped up again with a DTC error code. Weird acceleration and deceleration and general jerkiness when driving. Scheduled service appointment for next week.
NHTSA complaint #11679707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Purchased 2019 after 44,000 miles engine was replaced metal in engine and inverter coolant issue July 2025 117,000 my inverter coolant light came in and off several times then car through all warning lights hev check engine warning shut it down went into limp mode Towed to dealership they checked and cleared codes said it threw 13 codes but after clearing they stated nothing wrong with it As they went to pull car around it happened again this time code was knock sensor which they relaxed at no charge extended warranty They next day after picking up while at idle hev warning went in shut car off and it was gone kept driving nonissues The next day again it happened and this time the engine light stayed on Spoke with dealership they said they would charge me diagnosis charge of 208 and if it was related to what they did. It would be covered also stated if the engine light was flashing it would be covered or it isn’t the engine isn’t covered The inverter coolant is not bubbling or moving when car is on it is an inverter coolant issue that was a problem back when my first engine was repaired and should be covered I love my vehicle but I have had so many issues since getting it major things and the lighting system showing a black spot in my view as well that could not be fixed I will attach pictures of earning lights and video of coolant not circulating and the dealership filled the coolant way over the top I have to now take it back again to have it looked at
NHTSA complaint #11674772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before downshifting to a lower gear. In addition, the engine revved independently. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was no longer being driven. The contact parked the vehicle at the residence. The contact started the vehicle and the check engine warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
NHTSA complaint #11670632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to the rod bearings failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under an unknown recall due to the mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 183,000.
NHTSA complaint #11666119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.