2011 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID has 144 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: the car suddenly started chiming loudly, the check engine light lit up, a second light lit on the dash and a warning message that said to check the charging system appeared on the console. the car became near impossible to operate: limited acceleration, jerked repeatedly trying to stop in a safe l. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 8 crash reports 5 injuries

144

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

40 complaints

28%

• THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED CHIMING LOUDLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT UP, A SECOND LIGHT LIT ON THE DASH AND A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SAID TO CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM APPEARED ON THE CONSOLE. THE CAR BECAME NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE: LIMITED ACCELERATION, JERKED REPEATEDLY TRYING TO STOP IN A SAFE L
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND COULD BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FIFTY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE W
• I HAVE HAD THIS 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID IN THE SHOP SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2011 NEW THE CAR HAS SERIOUS CAR HESITATION AND GAS MILEAGE IS 19 TO 30 PER GALLON. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH OIL LEAKS AND ENDED UP WITH A BLOWN MOTOR AT 60,000 MILES. I ALSO HAVE NUMEROUS SERVICE ISSUES WITH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED CHIMING LOUDLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT UP, A SECOND LIGHT LIT ON THE DASH AND A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SAID TO CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM APPEARED ON THE CONSOLE. THE CAR BECAME NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE: LIMITED ACCELERATION, JERKED REPEATEDLY TRYING TO STOP IN A SAFE L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

18 complaints

13%

• AS I WAS GENTLY APPLYING MY BRAKES IN HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC, GOING ABOUT 50MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SOFT AND DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ALSO STARTED TO FLASH AND CHIME. I SWERVED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND PLOWED THROUGH SO
• WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PEDDLE BECAME SLACK. THE PEDDLE FELL TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE ENTERING THE INTERSECTION. AFTER A MOMENT THE BRAKE WARNING STOPPED AND THE BRAKES WORKED AGAIN. THIS
• ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE TRACTION, BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE & DECELERATE AT RANDOM AND VEHICLE JERKED (INTERMITTENTLY) ALL MENTIONED LIGHTS THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“AS I WAS GENTLY APPLYING MY BRAKES IN HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC, GOING ABOUT 50MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SOFT AND DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ALSO STARTED TO FLASH AND CHIME. I SWERVED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND PLOWED THROUGH SO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

18 complaints

13%

• ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE TRACTION, BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE & DECELERATE AT RANDOM AND VEHICLE JERKED (INTERMITTENTLY) ALL MENTIONED LIGHTS THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE "COUPLING FOR THE MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING SYST
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE EPS (ELECTRIC POWER STEERING) WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO POWER OFF AND THE 'SHIFT GEAR INTO PARK' WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE TRACTION, BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE & DECELERATE AT RANDOM AND VEHICLE JERKED (INTERMITTENTLY) ALL MENTIONED LIGHTS THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

17 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND COULD BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FIFTY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE W
• TOOK CAR IN FOR REPAIR OF MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH ALL THE SAME ISSUES AS IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN 13V113000 EVEN THOUGH MY MODEL YEAR WAS COVERED IN RECALL THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED I WAS CHARGED A FEE TO DIAG THE VEHICLE AND FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *TR
• WE WERE DRIVING ON I81N IN VIRGINIA WHEN IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE DRIVING OVER GRAVEL.I THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TIRE. FOUND TIRES WERE OK. WAITED TO PULL OUT SAFELY. SECONDS AFTER WE ENTERED I81N, WE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, A/C AND A WARNING LIGHT INDICATING TO CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM CAME ON IN MESSAG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND COULD BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FIFTY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

10 complaints

• THIS BEGAN AS A INTERMITTENT HESITANT CLUNK, BOTH DURING ACCELERATION/DECELERATION IN TRANSITIONING BETWEEN ELECTRIC MOTOR / GAS ENGINE. IT HAS PROGRESSED INTO AN UNEXPECTED PHYSICAL JUMP WHILE GOING FORWARD AND REVERSE. THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT WAS LURCHING FORWARD AT A CROSSWALK WITHOUT CONSCIOUSLY
• I WAS COMING OFF OF AN ON RAMP TO GET ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND DUE TO TRAFFIC I HAD TO LET OFF THE GAS. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ANOTHER INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT A SCHOOL CROSSWALK AREA. I LIGHTLY PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCEL
• ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE TRACTION, BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE & DECELERATE AT RANDOM AND VEHICLE JERKED (INTERMITTENTLY) ALL MENTIONED LIGHTS THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THIS BEGAN AS A INTERMITTENT HESITANT CLUNK, BOTH DURING ACCELERATION/DECELERATION IN TRANSITIONING BETWEEN ELECTRIC MOTOR / GAS ENGINE. IT HAS PROGRESSED INTO AN UNEXPECTED PHYSICAL JUMP WHILE GOING FORWARD AND REVERSE. THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT WAS LURCHING FORWARD AT A CROSSWALK WITHOUT CONSCIOUSLY ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 144 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED CHIMING LOUDLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT UP, A SECOND LIGHT LIT ON THE DASH AND A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SAID TO CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM APPEARED ON THE CONSOLE. THE CAR BECAME NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE: LIMITED ACCELERATION, JERKED REPEATEDLY TRYING TO STOP IN A SAFE L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: AS I WAS GENTLY APPLYING MY BRAKES IN HEAVY FREEWAY TRAFFIC, GOING ABOUT 50MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SOFT AND DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ALSO STARTED TO FLASH AND CHIME. I SWERVED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND PLOWED THROUGH SO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE TRACTION, BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE & DECELERATE AT RANDOM AND VEHICLE JERKED (INTERMITTENTLY) ALL MENTIONED LIGHTS THEN STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND COULD BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FIFTY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)