FaultScore

2010 Hyundai Sonata transmission problems

22 of the 415 complaints about the 2010 Hyundai Sonata are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 30,000 miles.

B

22

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Power Train 18 81.8%
Automatic Transmission 3 13.6%
Manual Transmission 1 4.5%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Hyundai Sonata year

1995 16 1.6%
1997 11 1.1%
1998 12 1.2%
1999 14 1.4%
2000 19 1.9%
2001 19 1.9%
2002 12 1.2%
2003 10 1.0%
2004 10 1.0%
2006 22 2.2%
2008 14 1.4%
2009 41 4.0%
2010 22 2.2%
2011 175 17.2%
2012 97 9.6%
2013 95 9.4%
2014 54 5.3%
2015 133 13.1%
2016 59 5.8%
2017 55 5.4%
2018 40 3.9%
2020 23 2.3%
2021 22 2.2%
2022 24 2.4%
2023 16 1.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Corning, NY

POWER TRAIN

I am contacting the NHTSA regarding a manufacturer's failure to comply with a NHTSA recall campaign. The campaign in question is #13V113000 for a 2010 Hyundai Sonata. The certified Hyundai service center claimed, verbally and on the customer invoice, to have replaced the stop lamp switch with a new OEM part, number 93810-4DR0A-QQH, per the recall's order. After supposedly replacing the defective part, the vehicle is still able to be shifted out of Park without first depressing the brake pedal. This happens with the key in the 'ON' position, 'Accessory' position, and even without the key in the ignition at all. No depression of the brake pedal is currently required to shift the vehicle, in any form, violating the recall's correction order. After contacting Hyundai Motor Company, they informed me via phone and email that because the car is "so old" and "out of warranty", I would remain financially liable for diagnosing and repair of any problems related to NHTSA Campaign #13V113000. Based on the fact my vehicle's current and ongoing issue is EXPLICITLY clarified in the details of Campaign #13V113000, I believe it remains Hyundai's responsibility to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate. Furthermore, Hyundai has seemingly, knowingly and willfully threatened my safety, safety of passengers, and that of the general public by refusing to thoroughly comply with a NHTSA Campaign. This subsequently places the person(s) listed above at risk of injury or even death due to Hyundai Motor Company's negligence. I hope that by reaching out to the NHTSA about this ongoing issue, the problem can be resolved respectfully, as the next course of action and final recourse, with regards to Hyundai Motor Company, may result in legal escalation. Thank you.

NHTSA complaint #11522962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

New Rochelle, NY

POWER TRAIN

Rough jerking downshift transmission when stopping or slow down.

NHTSA complaint #11454289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peoria, AZ

POWER TRAIN

SUSPENSION AND TRANSMISSION FAULTY.

NHTSA complaint #11386206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 135,000 miles Norcross, GA

POWER TRAIN

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD, WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN TO 20 MHP THE CARD JERKS, HARD DOWNSHIFT FROM 3RD TO 2ND, AND RPM INCREASE BY SEVERAL HUNDRED RPS. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WARMS UP, ISSUE MOSTLY GOES AWAY. ISSUE STARTED THIS YEAR. SECOND ISSUE IS THE WHITE PAINT EASILY COMES OFF ALL OVER THE CAR, EVEN JUST FROM HOSING THE CAR WITH WATER. ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. ITS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE CAR PAYMENT. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE ISSUE BEFORE, HOWEVER I SEE ALOT OF OWNERS WITH WHITE COLOR HAVE THIS ISSUE. SUSPENSION SEEMS TO BE VERY HARD WHILE GOING OVER ANY BUMPS. FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO SUSPENSIONS MECHANISMS AT ALL.

NHTSA complaint #11348953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Houston, TX

POWER TRAIN

ESC OFF LIGHT COMES ON, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING. SOMETIMES, THE CAR LOSES ITS POWER WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. ACTING AS IF THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #11320718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 175,000 miles Suffolk, VA

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD BEEN ONGOING FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND HAD GOTTEN WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PRIORITY HYUNDAI IN CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA THREE TIMES FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER CONTROL VALUES AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 10419964. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

NHTSA complaint #11005292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 87,357 miles Tell City, IN

POWER TRAIN

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS THREE TIMES. REPLACED ROTORS FRONT AND REAR. REPLACED CALIPERS ON REAR AND REPAIRED THE FRONTS. 87000 HIGHWAY MILES. TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFT FROM NEW. DEALER STATES THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY TROUBLE LIKE THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10682322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Timonium, MD

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 22 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED HEAVILY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A DAILY BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA complaint #10660091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 132,451 miles Monticello, MS

POWER TRAIN

SOME TIMES I HAVE A HARD DOWN SHIFT SOMETIMES I DON'T THE TRANSMISSION WAS SUPPOSE TO BEEN REPLACE BUT TWO YEARS LATER ITS DOING THE SAME THING.

NHTSA complaint #10599039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles Scottsdale, AZ

POWER TRAIN

DELAYS IN ACCELERATION LINKED TO A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION, SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THERE MAY BE A 2 TO 3 SECOND LAG IN ACCELERATION DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING OR TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA complaint #10586601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,203 miles LAS Vegas, NV

POWER TRAIN

WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD AND I DECELERATE DOWN THRU 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS ABRUPTLY CAUSING A JERKING MOTION. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN AUTO MECHANIC WHO RESEARCHED IT THAT THERE WAS AN ACTUAL RECALL BY HYUNDAI FOR THIS ISSUE. HE SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THAT HYUNDAI INSTALLED COMPUTER CONTROL EQUIPMENT FROM AN OLDER MODEL IN THEIR 2010 SONATAS AND THIS RESULTED IN A FAILURE IN PROPER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMPUTER AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION'S SOLENOID, CAUSING THE ABRUPT DOWN SHIFTING AT 20 MPH WHEN CAR IS COLD. ONE LAST NOTE: WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED OCCURRING, IT WOULD CAUSE THE "FIX ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON, BUT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR ABOUT THE LAST THREE WEEKS. THE ABRUPT DOWN SHIFTING WHEN COLD STILL OCCURS CONSISTENTLY, ALWAYS RIGHT AROUND 20 MPH.

NHTSA complaint #10573371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 16,500 miles Rochester, NY

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE HAD EXHIBITED STALLING FAILURES. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,500.

NHTSA complaint #10552928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Capitol Heights, MD

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, SHE HAD TO ENGAGE THE SHIFT RELEASE IN ORDER FOR THE SHIFTER TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA complaint #10505483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,640 miles Columbia, MD

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE COVER OFF OF THE SHIFT LOCK BUTTON AND DEPRESSED IT USING A PIN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,640.

NHTSA complaint #10466763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 28,000 miles Patterson, NY

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FURTHER, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,000.

NHTSA complaint #10446116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,000 miles Washington, DC

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD GO TO FLOOR AND BECOME STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME RESISTANT WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS SCHEDULED TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE FOURTH TIME OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAD NOT GIVEN THE CONTACT A REASON FOR THE CONSISTENT FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA complaint #10445223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 500 miles Irvine, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

HYUNDAI SONATA 2010 V6 SEDAN ROLLS BACKWARDS ON INCLINE WHEN IN DRIVE. BASICALLY GOES INTO FREEFALL IN TIME IT TAKES TO PUT FOOT FROM BRAKE TO ACCELERATOR. ALSO STEERING IS VERY SWIMMY. TEND TO OVER OR UNDER STEER AND LOTS OF SWAY IN CHASIS WHEN TURNING OR CHANGING LANES AT HIGH SPEEDS ON FREEWAY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND TOLD IT IS THE WAY IT IS DESIGNED. SOUNDS FLAWED TO ME.

NHTSA complaint #10422804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,000 miles Columbia, MD

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM PARK, TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT DISPLAY READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHERE UPDATES WERE PERFORMED ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE UPDATES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 08/22/11*LJ UPDATED 3/08/2012

NHTSA complaint #10412338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,500 miles Saint James, NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF THE KEY WAS REMOVED WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE DRIVE POSITION. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE INCLINE INTO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 3,500.

NHTSA complaint #10322991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,504 miles NEW Port Richey, FL

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN MY 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA HAS BEEN HAVING ABNORMAL ISSUES SINCE MY DATE OF PURCHASE. FIRST IT WAS JUST STALLING WHEN DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH FROM REVERSE AND FIRST GEAR; NOW IT IS PRIMARILY FROM FIRST GEAR. TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD YOU MUST DRAG THE CLUTCH AND PUSH THE ACCELERATOR CAUSING AN ODD CLACKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, OR SOMETIMES IT HAS A SQUEALING OR RUBBING SOUND AND THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD AND THERE IS A BURNING SMELL. TODAY, WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD AS THOUGH IT WAS ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN AND I WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE WITH COMPLAINTS OF THE ABNORMAL PERFORMANCE, THE FIRST TIME AT 809 MILES, AND THE SECOND TIME AT 1794 MILES , AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE COMPLAINT.

NHTSA complaint #10320829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 859 miles Peekskill, NY Crash

POWER TRAIN

I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE GAS. I WAS ABOUT TO PUT IT INTO FORWARD GEAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARD.

NHTSA complaint #10312473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 859 miles Peekskill, NY Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE GAS. I WAS ABOUT TO PUT IT INTO FORWARD GEAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARD.

NHTSA complaint #10312473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2010 Hyundai Sonata problems

← Full 2010 Hyundai Sonata report