2013 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID has 169 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: engine shut off and battery only lets you go 1/4 mile pulled into parking lot turned car off waited 5 minutes and car started back up. took car to dealer but could not find anything wrong told me to drive it. it happened again in april they had car for 7 days but could not find anything. told me to . ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 13 crash reports 11 injuries

169

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

40 complaints

24%

• ENGINE SHUT OFF AND BATTERY ONLY LETS YOU GO 1/4 MILE PULLED INTO PARKING LOT TURNED CAR OFF WAITED 5 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK UP. TOOK CAR TO DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL THEY HAD CAR FOR 7 DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. TOLD ME TO
• THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD DURING DECELERATION THUS PULLING PRESSURE OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSING YOU TO PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE. VEHICLE WILL SLIDE ON ICY ROADS AT THIS POINT. VEHICLE ALSO HAS LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION ON ELECTRIC MOTOR AFTER THE VEHICLE IS HOT. MA
• ON 19 JUL 2013, AN INSURED DRIVER ON MY AUTO POLICY WAS DRIVING IN NORTH DAKOTA AND HIT A DEER. THE RIGHT FENDER, RIGHT HEADLIGHT, HOOD AND BUMPER WERE DAMAGED. SHE CALLED ME & I TOLD HER IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, TO CONTINUE DRIVING. SHE KEPT DRIVING AND THEN THE OVERHEATING LIGHT CAME ON. S

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

“ENGINE SHUT OFF AND BATTERY ONLY LETS YOU GO 1/4 MILE PULLED INTO PARKING LOT TURNED CAR OFF WAITED 5 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK UP. TOOK CAR TO DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL THEY HAD CAR FOR 7 DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. TOLD ME TO ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

25 complaints

15%

• WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR GOING UP A SLIGHT DRIVEWAY THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE CAR SURGES. WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND A CAR AND WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE AROUND THEM THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO APPROX 1 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLAT ON THE F
• I WAS PARKING THE CAR (AFTER TURNING AROUND AND REVERSING) AND AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO EASE INTO THE PARKING SPOT THE BRAKES AND CAR JUST STOPPED FUNCTIONING. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES FURTHER AND ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE. THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AT A SLOW SPEED AND WENT UP THE CURB, TOPPLED A SMALL TRE
• DEAR. I HAVE NOT GOT AN INCIDENT, BUT THE BRAKE HAS A PROBLEM. WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES, IT SOUNDS STRANGE. I VISITED THE DEAR SHOP AND THEN THEY CANNOT FIND THE REASON. THE SERVICE CENTER INQUIRES A HYUNDAI HEADQUARTER ABOUT THE REASON. THEY CALLED ME THAT IT IS NO PROBLEM FOR SAFETY AND ARE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR GOING UP A SLIGHT DRIVEWAY THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE CAR SURGES. WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND A CAR AND WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE AROUND THEM THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO APPROX 1 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLAT ON THE F”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

24 complaints

14%

• WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR GOING UP A SLIGHT DRIVEWAY THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE CAR SURGES. WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND A CAR AND WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE AROUND THEM THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO APPROX 1 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLAT ON THE F
• THE 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID'S SPEEDOMETER REPORTS 5 MPH LESSER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED. I HAVE TESTED THE SPEEDOMETER AGAINST 3 DIFFERENT RADARS THAT ARE PART OF SOME OF THE SPEED SIGNS IN OREGON. I FIRST REALIZED THIS WHEN I FELT I WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN WHAT THE SPEEDOMETER REPORTED. *TR
• 27 DEC 2013: HYBRID BATTERY DRAINED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND CAR COULD NOT BE ACCELERATED MORE THAN 20 MILES/HR WHILE DRIVING. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STOPPED ON THE ROAD. DASHBOARD SHOWED "PARK SAFELY AND DO NOT DRIVE" WITH LOUD BEEPING WARNING SOUND. TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR, THE ENGINE WOULDN'

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

14 complaints

• ENGINE SHUT OFF AND BATTERY ONLY LETS YOU GO 1/4 MILE PULLED INTO PARKING LOT TURNED CAR OFF WAITED 5 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK UP. TOOK CAR TO DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL THEY HAD CAR FOR 7 DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. TOLD ME TO
• THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD DURING DECELERATION THUS PULLING PRESSURE OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSING YOU TO PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE. VEHICLE WILL SLIDE ON ICY ROADS AT THIS POINT. VEHICLE ALSO HAS LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION ON ELECTRIC MOTOR AFTER THE VEHICLE IS HOT. MA
• I WAS DRIVING ON A INTERSTATE AND SUDDENLY I SEE "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE" + "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM" WITH CONTINUOUS ALARM BEEP SOUNDS. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO THE RIGHT MOST SHOULDER ON THE INTERSTATE (WHICH I WAS ABLE TO AS CAR WAS STILL ON WITH ENGINE RUNNING). ONCE, I MOVED TO THE SHO

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

12 complaints

• THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD DURING DECELERATION THUS PULLING PRESSURE OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSING YOU TO PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE. VEHICLE WILL SLIDE ON ICY ROADS AT THIS POINT. VEHICLE ALSO HAS LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION ON ELECTRIC MOTOR AFTER THE VEHICLE IS HOT. MA
• THE SONATA HYBRID HAS A MAJOR FLAW AND IT'S THE GAS MILEAGE. I WAS TOLD I WOULD GET AT LEAST 45 MPG WITH SENSIBLE DRIVING AND THAT WAS A LIE. ON COLD DAMP MORNING AND AFTER A COLD FOG THERE WOULD BE CONDENSATION ALL OVER THE FRONT AND BACK WINDSHIELDS TO THE POINT WHERE WATER DROPLETS WOULD RUN ONTO
• DAY AFTER PURCHASE, BEEPS AND NOTIFICATION TO PULL OVER AND CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM. HAD CAR TOWED ONE WEEK LATER CAR WAS RETURNED TO US. DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. RUNNING FINE EXCEPT BRAKES MAKE A NOISE WHEN DEPRESSED QUICKLY. MARCH 28TH, 11 MONTHS LATER COMING HOME FROM FLORIDA, DRIVING ON IN

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

“THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD DURING DECELERATION THUS PULLING PRESSURE OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSING YOU TO PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE. VEHICLE WILL SLIDE ON ICY ROADS AT THIS POINT. VEHICLE ALSO HAS LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION ON ELECTRIC MOTOR AFTER THE VEHICLE IS HOT. MA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 169 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ENGINE SHUT OFF AND BATTERY ONLY LETS YOU GO 1/4 MILE PULLED INTO PARKING LOT TURNED CAR OFF WAITED 5 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK UP. TOOK CAR TO DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL THEY HAD CAR FOR 7 DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. TOLD ME TO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR GOING UP A SLIGHT DRIVEWAY THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE CAR SURGES. WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND A CAR AND WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE AROUND THEM THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO APPROX 1 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLAT ON THE F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR GOING UP A SLIGHT DRIVEWAY THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE CAR SURGES. WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND A CAR AND WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE AROUND THEM THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO APPROX 1 MPH WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLAT ON THE F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ENGINE SHUT OFF AND BATTERY ONLY LETS YOU GO 1/4 MILE PULLED INTO PARKING LOT TURNED CAR OFF WAITED 5 MINUTES AND CAR STARTED BACK UP. TOOK CAR TO DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL THEY HAD CAR FOR 7 DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. TOLD ME TO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)