2015 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID has 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: when pressing the accelerate pedal there seems to be a delay in response. the delay can be as short as a few milliseconds to almost 3 entire seconds. this problem happens randomly, and makes my wife and i very nervous when trying to maneuver or proceed into traffic after being stopped.. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 6 crash reports 8 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

22 complaints

27%

• WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.
• AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, A WARNING SIGN APPEARS IN MY DASH THAT SAYS DO NOT DRIVE.... MEAN WHILE IM ALREADY DRIVING.... CARS STARTS TO STALL AND WHEEL LOCKS. I GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT NIGHT AND THE NEXT DAY... WHICH IS TODAY I AM WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO CALL AND ASK ME WHAT HA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

19 complaints

23%

• ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START (PUSH BUTTON) .
• WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.
• PUSH BOTTON START DOESNT A LOT OF THE TIME SEVERAL TIMES A WEKK START THE ENGINE. ALSO, THE SUSPENSION IS TERRIBLY ROUGH. YOU CAN FEEL EVERY BUMP!

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START (PUSH BUTTON) .”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

14 complaints

17%

• STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION, BRAKE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALER, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER HAD SHORT, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER REPLACED. WONDERING WHY THE ELECTRONICS DO NOT HAVE A DUAL CHANNEL OPERATION TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING STRANDED IN AN UNDESIRABLE OR DANGE
• BREAK PEDAL UNUSUAL SOUND: WHEN STANDING STILL AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL, UNUSUAL NOISE CAN BE CLEARLY HEARD. I BELIEVE THIS NOISE SHOULD NOT BE PRESENT. SOUND IS REAPPEARING MORE THAN ONCE THROUGHOUT ALL BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL FROM UPPER POSITION TO ITS LOWEST POSITION. SOUND IS IF SOME M
• I'VE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH ABS SYSTEMS. MY CURRENT CAR CLAIMS TO HAVE ABS, BUT IF I SLAM ON THE BRAKES, THEY LOCK. THAT IS NOT ABS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THE DEALER CLAIMED IT MET THEIR ABS STANDARDS. THE BRAKES DON'T MEET MY ABS STANDARDS. I HAVE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES ON

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

“STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION, BRAKE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALER, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER HAD SHORT, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER REPLACED. WONDERING WHY THE ELECTRONICS DO NOT HAVE A DUAL CHANNEL OPERATION TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING STRANDED IN AN UNDESIRABLE OR DANGE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

7 complaints

• WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.
• ABOUT AN HOUR INTO DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY, MY CAR ALERT SYSTEM WENT OFF AND THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY SHOWED INSTRUCTIONS TO CHECK HYBRID CHARGING SYSTEM AND TO CHECK SURROUNDINGS AND TO PULL OVER WHEN SAFE AND TO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, NECK AND BACK WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO THE SEAT BELT RE

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

6 complaints

• THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE CAR TRACKING STRAIGHT. IT IS NOT A TIRE ISSUE, NOR IS IT A CROWN IN THE ROAD ISSUE. THE VEHICLE MUST CONTINUOUSLY BE CORRECTED TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE. WINDY CONDITIONS CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RADICAL
• A FEW MONTHS AGO THE VEHICLE STALLED AT A RED LIGHT. I FOUND COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL STALLING ON OTHER OWNERS ON THE INTERNET. WENT TO DEALER AND AFTER NUMEROUS HOURS IN THE SHOP THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. TODAY MY 19 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO PUL
• WHILE DRIVING MY CAR STARTED ALARMING SAYING CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM...IT IMMEDIATELY WENT TO 15 MILES AND HOUR WHILE I WAS ON I95 WHERE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MPH. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF IT WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON. IVE HAD THIS CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. I BOUGHT IT NEW.

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

“THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE CAR TRACKING STRAIGHT. IT IS NOT A TIRE ISSUE, NOR IS IT A CROWN IN THE ROAD ISSUE. THE VEHICLE MUST CONTINUOUSLY BE CORRECTED TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE. WINDY CONDITIONS CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RADICAL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 83 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START (PUSH BUTTON) .
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION, BRAKE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALER, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER HAD SHORT, HYDRAULIC BOOSTER REPLACED. WONDERING WHY THE ELECTRONICS DO NOT HAVE A DUAL CHANNEL OPERATION TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING STRANDED IN AN UNDESIRABLE OR DANGE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATE PEDAL THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN RESPONSE. THE DELAY CAN BE AS SHORT AS A FEW MILLISECONDS TO ALMOST 3 ENTIRE SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY, AND MAKES MY WIFE AND I VERY NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER OR PROCEED INTO TRAFFIC AFTER BEING STOPPED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)