2011 Hyundai SONATA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Hyundai SONATA has 4605 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 57.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: i owned the car for a week. there was no warning. i was driving around 40 mph. the steering wheel whipped to the left and pulled me into the other lane. the wheel was shaking and didn't want to turn to the right. i had to fight to bring it back over, and had to use all of my strength to keep it ove. ⚠️ 155 fire reports filed.

155 fire reports 140 crash reports 105 injuries

4605

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

57.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

1172 complaints

25%

• I OWNED THE CAR FOR A WEEK. THERE WAS NO WARNING. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHIPPED TO THE LEFT AND PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE. THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING AND DIDN'T WANT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO FIGHT TO BRING IT BACK OVER, AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT OVE
• 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA SE - CONSTANT STEERING PROBLEM I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED FOR AN IDENTIFIED CONTINUOUS DRIFT OR PULL OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR TWO WEEKS, AND COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED ALL THEIR KNOWN AND RECOMMENDED SERVICE FIX
• INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I RECENTLY PURCHASED 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA SE. VERY GREAT LOOKING CAR BUT ONLY AFTER COUPLE OF DAYS OWNING IT IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT IS HAS SAFETY PROBLEMS. STEERING SYSTEM IS SIGNIFICANTLY PULLING THE CAR TO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 21 crashes

“I OWNED THE CAR FOR A WEEK. THERE WAS NO WARNING. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHIPPED TO THE LEFT AND PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE. THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING AND DIDN'T WANT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO FIGHT TO BRING IT BACK OVER, AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT OVE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

1008 complaints

22%

• 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA: I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE DOOR LATCH RECALL ON MY NEW SONATA VIA NEWS REPORTS. I PURCHASED THIS SONATA ON FEB 16TH,2010. SO,I CALLED AND THE DEALER(ST.AUGUSTINE HYUNDAI)SAID I WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE DOOR LATCH RECALL. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS 2 BULLETINS ON MY SONATA ANYHOW. #1,THE
• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES PULSATED AND MADE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE THEN SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT FIVE MINUTES, THE ENGINE STALLE
• OUR 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA PURCHASED 30 APRIL 2010 COULD NOT BE STARTED ON 4 OCCASIONS SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE (KEYLESS, PUSHBUTTON). FORTUNATELY, THE EVENTS OCCURRED EITHER IN THE GARAGE OR ON A PARKING LOT. AFTER "MUSCLING" THE STEERING COLUMN LEFT-RIGHT AND/OR PLAYING WITH THE SHIFT LEVER, THE CAR S

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 86 fire reports💥 21 crashes

“2011 HYUNDAI SONATA: I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE DOOR LATCH RECALL ON MY NEW SONATA VIA NEWS REPORTS. I PURCHASED THIS SONATA ON FEB 16TH,2010. SO,I CALLED AND THE DEALER(ST.AUGUSTINE HYUNDAI)SAID I WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE DOOR LATCH RECALL. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS 2 BULLETINS ON MY SONATA ANYHOW. #1,THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

440 complaints

10%

• 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. INSERT KEY TO START ENGINE. WHEN I WANT TO TURN OFF ENGINE, THE KEY WILL NOT GO PAST ACC. I PUSH IN THE KEY AND TRY TO TURN KEY INTO THE LOCK POSITION, IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE LOCK POSITION. I HAVE TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE RELEASE SWITCH, AND SHI
• JUST PURCHASED A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA, AS I WAS DRIVING HOME I WAS BESIDE A TRACTOR TRAILER WHO WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN INTO MY LANE. HERE IS THE PROBLEM AS I LAID ON THE HORN I NOTICED IT'S NO LOUDER THAN THE ROAD RUNNER ON DISNEY CHANNEL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND I THINK THIS SHOULD BE BROU
• WE TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA ON 4/29/2010. AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME A CAR ON THE LANE NEXT TO US ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE STARTED SHIFTING ONTO MY LANE. I BLEW THE HORN BUT HE STILL CUT ME OFF. AT THE LIGHT I ASKED THE PERSON WHO CUT ME OFF IF HE DIDN'T HEAR ME BLOWING MY HORN AT HIM AND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 29 fire reports💥 14 crashes

“2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. INSERT KEY TO START ENGINE. WHEN I WANT TO TURN OFF ENGINE, THE KEY WILL NOT GO PAST ACC. I PUSH IN THE KEY AND TRY TO TURN KEY INTO THE LOCK POSITION, IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE LOCK POSITION. I HAVE TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE RELEASE SWITCH, AND SHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

417 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE DROVE OVER A PATCH OF ICE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE AIR BA
• I WAS EXITING ONE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ONTO ANOTHER. EXIT RAMP DIRECTION WAS MISJUDGED AND CAR HIT A GUARD RAIL. THERE WAS A FRONTAL AREA CRASH CAUSING IN EXCESS OF $14,000 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. NOT ANY OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE ACCIDENT.
• WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 SONATA, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE THIRD TIME...GOING TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 51 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE DROVE OVER A PATCH OF ICE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE AIR BA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

250 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, EXHIBITING AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS IN WHICH THEY WERE UN
• HIGH BEAMS ON THE CAR ARE JUST ANOTHER STANDARD HEADLIGHT BULB. THE AIMING IS HIGHER TO CREATE A PERCEPTION OF GETTER VISIBILITY. HIGH BEAMS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE AT LIGHTING DARK COUNTRY ROADS. DEALER NOTIFIED ON 11/15/10 AND THEY SAID THEY AGREE WITH MY ASSESSMENT, BUT THERE IS NO REMEDY FROM HYUND
• I HAVE A 2011 SONATA. I AM VERY HAPPY WITH IT EXCEPT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN ON LOWBEAM THERE IS A DEFINITE HORIZONTAL LINE JUST A FEW FEET OFF THE GROUND. ANYTHING ABOVE THAT LINE IS NOT ILLUMINATED BY ANY LIGHT. WHEN APPROACHING A SMALL HILL OR WHILE DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOUR VISIBILITY IS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, EXHIBITING AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS IN WHICH THEY WERE UN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 4605 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: I OWNED THE CAR FOR A WEEK. THERE WAS NO WARNING. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHIPPED TO THE LEFT AND PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE. THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING AND DIDN'T WANT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO FIGHT TO BRING IT BACK OVER, AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT OVE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA: I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE DOOR LATCH RECALL ON MY NEW SONATA VIA NEWS REPORTS. I PURCHASED THIS SONATA ON FEB 16TH,2010. SO,I CALLED AND THE DEALER(ST.AUGUSTINE HYUNDAI)SAID I WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE DOOR LATCH RECALL. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS 2 BULLETINS ON MY SONATA ANYHOW. #1,THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. INSERT KEY TO START ENGINE. WHEN I WANT TO TURN OFF ENGINE, THE KEY WILL NOT GO PAST ACC. I PUSH IN THE KEY AND TRY TO TURN KEY INTO THE LOCK POSITION, IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE LOCK POSITION. I HAVE TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE RELEASE SWITCH, AND SHI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE DROVE OVER A PATCH OF ICE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE AIR BA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)