679 of the
22,259 complaints filed about the Hyundai Sonata
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
679
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
10
Crashes
2
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
Blower motor malfunction at night. Smelled something burning. Extremely hot and humid outside. Windows fogged up inside which greatly reduced visibility. Checked the multifuse which controls the ABS, oil pump, cooling fan, & Blower. I discovered a burnt connection on one of the terminals for the blower. This is a huge safety and fire risk and needs to be addressed ASAP!!!! Upon my research, I’m finding several Hyundai Sonata vehicles having this same exact issue. Kia vehicles are being recalled for this same exact issue. Why isn’t the Hyundai Sonata??
NHTSA complaint #11758874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my 2015 Hyundai Sonata approximately 35 mph after leaving the Hyundai dealership following an engine replacement when the hood unexpectedly flew completely open without warning. The hood struck the windshield, completely obstructing my forward visibility and creating an extremely dangerous situation. I was able to safely pull over without causing a collision, but the vehicle sustained extensive damage and was declared a total loss by my insurance company. During the same service visit in which the engine was replaced, the dealership recommended replacing the hood latches, but I declined that repair. Hyundai later informed me that the hood latching system was functioning properly after the engine replacement and that the vehicle passed its post-repair inspection and road test. Approximately one mile after leaving the dealership following the engine replacement, the hood unexpectedly opened while I was driving. There were no hood-ajar warnings, warning lights, or other indications that the hood was not properly secured before the incident. The sudden loss of visibility created a serious risk of a crash that could have resulted in severe injury or death. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this incident represents a significant vehicle safety issue that should be investigated.
NHTSA complaint #11753510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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)
NHTSA complaint #11741415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I respectfully submit the following additional information.In connection with this matter, the dealer in question asserted in writing that I "should have refused to participate" in the manufacturer-authorized "Z05 Service Campaign"—a measure designed to prevent potential damage—and characterized the program as nothing more than "free paint work." Service campaigns administered by manufacturers are conducted within the framework of federal safety regulations pursuant to Title 49, Chapter 301 of the U.S. Code; they are neither optional nor merely cosmetic in nature. Rather, they constitute systematic procedures intended to preserve vehicle integrity and support public safety. Statements suggesting that consumers should decline participation in such campaigns—or that they may bear financial responsibility for damage incurred during their execution—raise concerns regarding how these federally supervised programs are communicated and implemented and may discourage participation and undermine public confidence in the national vehicle safety campaign system. Although the dealership subsequently offered to replace the windshield at no cost, I have not received confirmation that the repair has been completed. This offer was made only after the vehicle remained at the facility for an extended period, during which I was repeatedly placed under pressure to assume financial responsibility for damage that occurred while the vehicle was under dealership custody. I was presented with two conditional options; however, in either scenario, I would ultimately be required to accept financial responsibility for the outcome. Ultimately, I was required to assume financial responsibility for issues arising during the work. On 2/23, I was told the loaner could be reported as "stolen," and I returned it immediately. After returning the vehicle, no alternative transportation was provided while my own vehicle remained unrepaired.
NHTSA complaint #11727389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The internal core of the Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS), part of the center muffler/front pipe assembly (#28600-L5210), suffered a catastrophic failure. This allowed approximately 9 gallons of engine coolant to leak directly into the hot exhaust stream. Safety Risk: This failure creates a severe visibility hazard. During acceleration from stop lights and stop signs, the vehicle emits massive, thick clouds of white glycol smoke. The smoke is so dense that it completely obscures the driver's view of trailing vehicles and prevents following drivers from seeing the roadway or my vehicle's brake lights, creating a high risk of rear-end collisions. Additionally, the rapid loss of coolant caused the engine to overheat and lose power while in motion, nearly causing a stall in active traffic. Confirmation: The failure was confirmed by the service department at Washington Hyundai (Invoice #174281). This is the second failure of this specific component (previously failed in Jan 2025). The manufacturer issued TSB 23-EM-009H for this defect, acknowledging it affects 2020-2023 Sonata Hybrids, but no safety recall has been issued. Symptoms: The issue was preceded by a "sweet" burning smell and a sudden "Engine Overheating" warning on the dashboard. The failed component has been replaced by the dealer, but the manufacturer refused to replace the coolant-poisoned Oxygen (O2) sensors, leaving the vehicle in a technically compromised state. The failed unit is likely held by the dealer for warranty parts return.
NHTSA complaint #11727380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic sunroof detached from the vehicle. The hazard lights were activated, and the vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact attempted to close the cover and was able to close it halfway. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure reoccurred. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to close the cover, but the cover failed to close. The contact drove the vehicle while holding the sunroof cover with the other hand. The contact stated that the wind kept lifting the detached panoramic sunroof. The vehicle was taken to a collision center to reattach the panoramic sunroof. The employee removed the panoramic sunroof and placed the sunroof on the passenger seat. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (VISIBILITY). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11726826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Safety Concern — Damage to Windshield During Manufacturer Recall Repair (Z05) My vehicle was brought to an authorized Hyundai dealership on January 14, 2026 for a manufacturer-directed paint recall repair (Campaign Z05), which required removal and reinstallation of the windshield as part of the procedure. The repair was originally expected to be completed between January 14 and January 28, 2026. However, I received no explanation for the delay during that period. On February 13, 2026 — nearly one month after check-in — I was informed for the first time that the windshield had cracked during the reinstallation process while the vehicle was in the dealership’s custody. As of March 18, 2026, the windshield has not been replaced, and the vehicle remains at the dealership without this safety-critical component restored. Because the windshield is a structural element essential to roof strength, airbag deployment performance, and overall crash integrity, the prolonged failure to properly restore it raises serious safety concerns. The unresolved condition of this component creates uncertainty regarding the vehicle’s crashworthiness and may expose occupants to significant risk of injury in the event of a collision. Damage occurred during a manufacturer-mandated recall repair while the vehicle was under the exclusive control of an authorized service provider, and the vehicle has not been returned to a safe, operable condition for an extended period. This situation raises broader concerns regarding the handling of safety-critical components during recall procedures and the timely restoration of vehicles to safe operating condition. This matter is also currently under review by the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission (AMVC), Case #26-009, due to the prolonged inability to restore the vehicle to a safe condition. I am submitting this complaint in the interest of vehicle safety oversight and to help prevent similar situations from affecting other consumers.
NHTSA complaint #11725388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a re-failure of Safety Recall 152. The panoramic sunroof wind deflector, which was previously 'repaired' in 2017 under this recall, has failed again. The broken parts have jammed the sunroof mechanism, preventing it from closing. According to NHTSA Recall 152, this failure poses a severe safety risk as the sunroof glass can detach from the vehicle while driving. The vehicle has only 55,000 miles. Hyundai has currently refused to honor the recall remedy because the 10-year warranty expired 3 months ago, but a safety recall remedy must be permanent and effective.
NHTSA complaint #11719908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The EHRS coolant system failed and had a leak causing the coolant to be excessively burned off as thick white smoke. This caused me to not be able to see anything behind me and forced others to stop or slow down dramatically to avoid colliding with me. I had my engine overheat and force me to pull over on the side of an unsafe road because the exhaust system burned off my entire tank of coolant in less than a mile. I have taken this to a Hyundai dealership and they confirmed it was the EHRS system failure and told me it was a fairly known issue with the 2020-2023 Sonata Hybrids. I was told that even if I get it replaced the possibility of having it happen again are pretty high. This seems extremely unsafe to myself and others.
NHTSA complaint #11719316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My windshield cracked with no discernable impact or reason. The windshields for the vehicle are too thin for use on a highway and crack too easily. This puts my safety and the safety of others at risk, as well as affecting safety mechanisms related to or mounted to the windshield. It has been replicated by myself as it's happened twice in the last 4 months of owning the car. The first windshield was replaced by my dealer at Laird Noller in Topeka.
NHTSA complaint #11717646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle's HVAC (heating) system failed. It stopped producing heat on one side of the vehicle. My mechanic/dealer diagnosed the issue as a broken component within the HVAC case under the dashboard, requiring full dashboard removal and a repair estimated at over $3,000. This failure prevents the defroster from working properly, which is a major safety hazard as it cannot clear fog or frost from the windshield. A search of online forums and owner communities shows this is a widespread complaint from many other Hyundai owners, often identified as a failed blend door or blend door actuator, which requires the same expensive dashboard removal to repair.
NHTSA complaint #11698349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wiring harness under fuse box is not making a consistent connection and is causing the blower amp to overheat and disconnect. When this happen, cabin air doesn’t blow and the front and rear defrost stops working. The only way to make the blower engage is by removing the fuse box cover and tapping the 30 amp fuse things. I’ve taken my car to the dealership for this specific problem 5 separate times, and it was supposed to be corrected. Due to this poor connection, I am now about $1200 into repairs / replacing parts that aren’t the root cause. I am not taking my car back to the dealership for a 6th time to have it “fixed” but the service guy looked me in the face and said “you should trade it. We see this issue all the time in sonatas and elantras. It won’t be fixed”. I’ve replaced the blower motor, had the Freon charged, this is one of the vehicles with the exploding gas tank, and I’ve already paid to replace gaskets.
NHTSA complaint #11693692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car has 123,000 miles on it, it started with just aircon compressor not working then a week after the engine light started blinking and doesn’t accelerate more than 60 in the interstate then there is a rod knocking in my engine after that.
NHTSA complaint #11668857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine does not reach normal operating temperature, possibly failed thermostat. Front window does not defrost properly and ices up while driving for 10 minutes after warming up for 15 minutes.
NHTSA complaint #11642667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am experiencing an electrical malfunction with the driver-side door controls and side mirrors on my 2022 Hyundai Sonata Limited. The buttons on the driver’s door panel intermittently stop responding, and the lights on the panel flicker. At the same time, the side mirrors move up and down randomly, without any input from me. This issue occurs while the vehicle is both stationary and in motion. This malfunction affects the visibility and safe operation of the vehicle, as it can disrupt mirror adjustments while driving. I am concerned that this could be a potential safety hazard, especially at night or in high-traffic situations. I have researched online and found that other Hyundai owners have reported similar electrical issues with door controls and mirrors in recent models. I would like the NHTSA to investigate whether this is a widespread issue and determine if Hyundai needs to issue a recall or a technical service bulletin (TSB) to address this safety concern.
NHTSA complaint #11642648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle in freezing weather conditions, the front windshield wiper fluid would not properly spray onto the front window and the window could not be cleaned, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The contact indicated that the failure was present on both the front driver and passenger-side windshield wipers. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 400.
NHTSA complaint #11635009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:AIR HANDLER/CHAMBER, DUCTS, AND VALVES
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that all the rear row seat belts did not buckle as intended and water would leak from the front passenger side air conditioner. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
NHTSA complaint #11620317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Improperly seated strip fuse High Resistance Connection on the IG-2 40amp blower motor fuse receptacle causing melting of plastic fuse box components and ultimately failure of blower motor circuit and potentially loss of other circuits. Loss of blower motor leads to loss of cabin HVAC as well as loss of front windshield defrost ability during adverse driving conditions. Not only does this pose a potential electrical fire hazard, but a safety hazard due to inability to clear windshield from loss of defrost feature. Brief research finds this to be a very common problem with these vehicles. Manufacturer's recommendation is complete replacement of engine bay wiring harness. Problem begins as intermittent, but leads to total circuit failure over time if not identified.
NHTSA complaint #11611414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.