2016 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID has 183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (40% of all complaints), specifically: abrupt and total loss of acceleration at full throttle at or near high rpm shift points. this behavior can be reliably reproduced by "flooring it" (all the way, including kickdown) and not letting go - as if one is executing a passing maneuver. the power loss will occur at the next shift po. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 2 crash reports

183

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

74 complaints

40%

• ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT PO
• ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAYS AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN EV MODE, GETTING A WARNING "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM TURN OFF ENGINE" ALONG WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT; THESE ARE THE OCCURRENCE DATES 12/01/2017, 12/11/2017, 12/23/2017, 01/06/2018. EACH TIME HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY A COMPLETE LOSS
• HEV CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR DROPPED @ DEALER ON 4/16/18 @ 0830. TODAY IS 4/24/18. CAR STARTED AFTER WAITING 15-20 MINS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON WHEN DROPPED AT DEALER.

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

“ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT PO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

34 complaints

19%

• ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE ALMOST HAD A COLLISION BECAUSE THE OTHER DRIVER WAS COMING INTO MY LANE AND I HONKED MY HORN, BUT IT ISN'T LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE SONATA SINCE 2011.
• HEV CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR DROPPED @ DEALER ON 4/16/18 @ 0830. TODAY IS 4/24/18. CAR STARTED AFTER WAITING 15-20 MINS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON WHEN DROPPED AT DEALER.
• MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 16,500. ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, CAR SHUT DOWN WITH ALARM INFORMATION AND INTO A CONTROLLED GLIDE, NOT ALLOWING ACCELERATION. AFTER ALMOST BEING RUN INTO I WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND PER DIRECTIONS, SHUT OFF MOTOR. WAS ABLE TO RESTART. WENT THREE MILE

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

“ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE ALMOST HAD A COLLISION BECAUSE THE OTHER DRIVER WAS COMING INTO MY LANE AND I HONKED MY HORN, BUT IT ISN'T LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE SONATA SINCE 2011.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

19 complaints

10%

• BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SLOWED DOWN PULLED OFF ROAD AFTER SHORT TIME LIGHTS WENT OFF. THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND AGAIN NO BRAKES WE WERE IN TRANSIT CROSS COUNTRY. TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE SPEED LIMIT,
• SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION OF PANORAMIC SUNROOF AS I WAS TRAVELLING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH. NO FOREIGN OBJECT INVOLVED. SOUNDED LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF ABOVE MY HEAD. THANK GOODNESS, THE INNER LINER WAS CLOSED.
• DUAL AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. DEALERS EXPLANATION IS THAT IS WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY AND SINCE "IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED", THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI AND HAVE ASKED THEM TO VERIFY THAT THIS "DESIGN" WILL NOT CREATE A FIRE OR ELECTRICA

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

“BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SLOWED DOWN PULLED OFF ROAD AFTER SHORT TIME LIGHTS WENT OFF. THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND AGAIN NO BRAKES WE WERE IN TRANSIT CROSS COUNTRY. TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE SPEED LIMIT,”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

13 complaints

• ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT PO
• MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 16,500. ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, CAR SHUT DOWN WITH ALARM INFORMATION AND INTO A CONTROLLED GLIDE, NOT ALLOWING ACCELERATION. AFTER ALMOST BEING RUN INTO I WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND PER DIRECTIONS, SHUT OFF MOTOR. WAS ABLE TO RESTART. WENT THREE MILE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROPERLY RETRACT AND LOOSEN WHEN NECESSARY. THE SEAT BELTS RESTRICTED THE BREATHING AND BODIES OF THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WHEN THE SEAT BELTS WERE SECURED. IN ADDITION, TH

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

9 complaints

• NEW SONATA HYBRID, OWNED 3 MONTHS, MILEAGE 6,000 MILES. RIGHT REAR BRAKES HAVE LOCKED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AT LOW SPEED WHILE NEGOTIATING A HARD LEFT TURN ON A STATE HIGHWAY. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME HIGHWAY LOCATION ABOUT A MONTH APART. WHEN THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCKED, THE VE
• THERE IS NOISE POOOOK SOUND WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT COME FROM THE BREAKING SYSTEM. MY CAR HAS ONLY 13467 MILES ON IT.THIS SOUND COMES ONCE WHEN I PRESS BRAKE PEDAL. I HEAR THE NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BETWEEN 10- 40 MILE PER HOUR SPEED. TOOK IT TO SACRAMENTO HYUNDAI FOUND THE DEFECT
• WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, THE PARKING BREAK AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED. APPROX SPEED WAS 15 MPH. REPAIRS STILL BEING WORKED AFTER 5 DAYS. UNKNOWN ROOT CAUSE. ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE MOTOR NEXT.

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

“NEW SONATA HYBRID, OWNED 3 MONTHS, MILEAGE 6,000 MILES. RIGHT REAR BRAKES HAVE LOCKED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AT LOW SPEED WHILE NEGOTIATING A HARD LEFT TURN ON A STATE HIGHWAY. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME HIGHWAY LOCATION ABOUT A MONTH APART. WHEN THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCKED, THE VE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 183 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT PO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE ALMOST HAD A COLLISION BECAUSE THE OTHER DRIVER WAS COMING INTO MY LANE AND I HONKED MY HORN, BUT IT ISN'T LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE SONATA SINCE 2011.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SLOWED DOWN PULLED OFF ROAD AFTER SHORT TIME LIGHTS WENT OFF. THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND AGAIN NO BRAKES WE WERE IN TRANSIT CROSS COUNTRY. TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE SPEED LIMIT,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT PO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)