12 of the
415 complaints about the 2010 Hyundai Sonata are about the
fuel system — 3% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
89,000 miles.
B
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Fuel/Propulsion System
1191.7%
Fuel System, Gasoline
18.3%
Fuel & Propulsion across every Hyundai Sonata year
Subject: Non-Collision Engine Compartment Fire - 2010 Hyundai Sonata (VIN: [XXX] ) "On dec 19 2025, my 2010 Hyundai Sonata suffered a sudden, non-collision fire that originated in the engine compartment. While there are currently no 'open' recalls on this VIN, I am formally reporting this incident as it matches the failure patterns documented in NHTSA Defect Petition DP18-003 regarding non-crash fires in Hyundai/Kia vehicles. Preliminary inspection of the damage shows characteristic signs of a manufacturer defect, specifically potentially related to a connecting rod bearing failure leading to an engine block puncture and oil ignition, or an electrical short in the ABS module—both of which have been subjects of major Hyundai fire investigations and class-action settlements (e.g., Engine II settlement) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11706241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Olney, MD
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump failure, causing car to stop immediately on highway.
NHTSA complaint #11591412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 91,000 milesWood Dale, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CARS FUEL TANK HAS RUSTED THRU CAUSING EMISSIONS FAILURES. REMEDY IS TO REPLACE FUEL TANK! $800-1200.00
NHTSA complaint #11291088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Battle Creek, MI
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DOOR HANDLES EASILY SNAPPED OFF AND SENSOR WENT OUT FUEL TANK. THIS HAPPENING ON ALL CARS I HAVE 5 CO WORKERS SAME VEHICLES ALL HAVE SAME PROMBLEM THIS SHOULD BE FIXED WE CANT ENTER IN REAR OF CAR WITHOUT GETTING IN FRONT TO OPEN BOTH BACK DOORS
NHTSA complaint #11287158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 89,000 milesChicago, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER & PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES. HAD TO GET SWITCH TO OPEN GAS TANK REPAIRED. WHEN FUELING CAR, PUMP CONTINUESLY STOPS WHEN TANK IS NOT FULL.
NHTSA complaint #11202685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 55,200 milesDeerfield Beach, FL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ENGINE FAILED WOULD NOT START IN LESS THAN 55200 MILES
NHTSA complaint #11076413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesRiver Ridge, LA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE ALWAYS SWITCHES OFF WHEN I TRY TO GET GASOLINE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE SOMETIMES TO GET THE NUMBER OF GALLONS I NEED, REQUIRING A GUESS WHEN THE TANK WILL BE FULL BECAUSE THE TRIGGER WON'T STAY IN PLACE. OUR 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA WAS PURCHASED IN 2012 AND HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE, AND I SEE IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET AMONG SONATA OWNERS. WE BROUGHT IT INTO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES: NEITHER WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. AT ONE POINT, WE COULD NOT PUT ANY GAS IN AND HAD TO DRIVE IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED A CARBINE CYLINDER IN THE GAS TANK THAT COST $700. JUST SO WE CAN PUT GAS IN THE CAR, AN REQUIREMENT OF ITS FUNCTION. THERE WAS ONE PUMP AT A GAS STATION HALFWAY ACROSS TOWN THAT I FOUND TO WORK FLAWLESSLY. SO I WOULD DRIVE THERE WEEKLY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN. TWICE, I WAS APPROACHED BY STRANGE MEN LOOKING FOR MONEY OR A RIDE TO THE CASINO. THEN ON THIS LAST TIME IT TOOK 15 OR SO SMALL PUMPS TO RAISE THE NEEDLE JUST A THIRD OF A TANK. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS AN OVERFULL TANK COULD SPILL TOXIC PETROL ON US WHILE WE ARE PUMPING GAS, OR LEAVE US WITH TOO LITTLE GAS AND NO WAY FOR THE PUMP TO WORK, AND GET STRANDED IN A BAD PART OF TOWN OR A HIGHWAYS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR MONTHS, SOMETIMES SEEMING TO BE RELATED TO THE GAS CAP. YET THE DEALERSHIPS CAN'T HELP US AND THERE IS NOWHERE TO BUY GAS THAT ISN'T A FRUSTRATING ORDEAL. UNACCEPTABLE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? HTTPS://WWW.HYUNDAIFORUM.COM/FORUM/HYUNDAI-ELANTRA-17/PROBLEM-FILLING-GAS-TANK-3298/ "IF NHTSA RECEIVES SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, IT MAY OPEN AN INVESTIGATION, AND IF IT FINDS THAT A SAFETY DEFECT EXISST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES, IT MAY ORDER A RECALL AND REMEDY CAMPAIGN." -- 2010 SONATA OWNERS MANUAL, CH. 8, P. 16
NHTSA complaint #10990715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 148,000 milesSpringdale, MD
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT ABOUT MY FUEL PUMP. WHICH WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR. AGAIN ON 8/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 495 SOUTH TOWARD RICHMOND VA . I WAS DRIVING 60MPH. WHEN MY CAR SHUT DOWN. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED TRYING TO MOVE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE POHANIKA HYUNDA DEALERSHIP IN CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD. THE SAME PLACE I HAD MY FUEL PUMP REPLACED LAST YEAR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT HAPPEN TO ANOTHER CAR. I SUSPECT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. AFTER I COMPLAIN, THE DEALERSHIP STATES THEY WILL REPLACE THE PART AND NOT CHARGE ME, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $375.00 FOR THE LABOR. I COMPLAIN TO MANAGEMENT AND THEY SAY THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF THE LABOR. THE REASON I'M WRITING THIS LETTER, BECAUSE IF THERE IS A DEFECTIVE PART, I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO BE HURT OR KILL BEHIND THE WHEEL, BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE PART. I HAD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOUR AGENCY LAST YEAR WITH NO RESPONSE. I ALSO CONTACT HYUNDAI COSTUMER SERVICE AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.
NHTSA complaint #10894835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,000 milesFarmington Hills, MI
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHENEVER FILLING GAS, I WOULD USE A AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF IN FUEL DISPENSER LOCK. BUT THE LOCK IS ALWAYS RELEASED AFTER THE POINT OF RELEASE ALLOWING GAS TO OVERFILL AND WOULD CAUSE GAS TO SPREAD ON SIDE OF VEHICLE AS WELL AS ON THE FLOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED REGARDLESS OF THE GAS STATION PUMP.
NHTSA complaint #10873564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesWilmington, MA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHEN I PUMP GAS EVEN WHEN ON A EMPTY TANK , THE GAS WILL SPLASH BACK ALL OVER THE PLACE ALMOST LIKE ITS FULL BUT WHEN IT'S REALLY EMPTY , ALSO THE ESC WILL TURN OFF AND ON BY ITS SELF FROM TIME TO TIME , HAD TOO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AT 90,000 MILES , NOW I'M GETTING A CODE PO449 EVEN WITH NEW GAS CAP .. LAST BUT NOT LEAST MY PAINT IS PEELING OFF MY CAR , ESPECIALLY THE HOOD AND ROOF . NOTICED HYUNDAI SHEDS THERE PAINT ,
NHTSA complaint #10846470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 130,000 milesSpringdale, MD
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS TRAVELING ON THE BELTWAY DOING 65 MPH, I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL. I FELT I WAS LOSING SPEED. I NOTICE THE SPEEDOMETER DECELERATING DOWN TO 40MPH WHILE I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. I PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, TO NOTIFIED ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS DIAGNOSIS AS PROBLEM WITH MY FUEL PUMP. I CHECK WITH HYUNDAI THEY SAID, THE FUEL PUMP DOES NOT HAVE A WARNING LIGHT. MY CONCERN IF SOME TYPE OF WARNING LIGHT SHOULD HAVE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE I STARTED THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE NOT DROVE THE CAR IF THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ON, I WOULD HAVE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HAVE REAR END ME ON THE BELTWAY, DUE TO THE SUDDEN DROP IN SPEED. I HAVE ENJOYED MY CAR SO FAR, BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE A SON WHO DRIVES MY CAR, I AM WORRIED ABOUT HIS SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER WITH HYUNDAI 8216379. HOWEVER, I SPOKE WITH A CASE MANAGER [XXX] WHO SAID IT WAS NOT MUCH THEY COULD DO. I WANTED TO HAVE A RECORD ON FILE REGARDING THIS COMPLIANT, AND TO SEE IF IT COULD BE INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10764646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 3,500 milesBoligee, AL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE SMELLED A FUEL ODOR BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETECT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE ONE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS WHICH WAS CAUSING A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT SHE WOULD STILL SMELL GAS FUMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500.
NHTSA complaint #10374922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.