2016 Hyundai SONATA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Hyundai SONATA has 991 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 12.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (46% of all complaints), specifically: while driving 65mph at 10pm on a the interstate, i heard a pound "thunk" and thought i had a tire issue, so began to steer toward the emergency lane. i quickly realized i had no power to accelerate, no power steering and the dash was blacked out...car was dead. only ever thing working was radio, eme. ⚠️ 41 fire reports filed.

41 fire reports 18 crash reports 17 injuries

991

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

12.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

459 complaints

46%

• WHILE DRIVING 65MPH AT 10PM ON A THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A POUND "THUNK" AND THOUGHT I HAD A TIRE ISSUE, SO BEGAN TO STEER TOWARD THE EMERGENCY LANE. I QUICKLY REALIZED I HAD NO POWER TO ACCELERATE, NO POWER STEERING AND THE DASH WAS BLACKED OUT...CAR WAS DEAD. ONLY EVER THING WORKING WAS RADIO, EME
• DRIVING INTO A TRAFFIC CIRCLE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED THEN LURCHED FORWARD MAKING A SQUEALING NOISE. AGAIN, ALMOST T-BONED. THE ENGINE LIGHT THEN LIT AND BLUELINK POSTED A MESSAGE ON SCREEN THAT CAR HAS AN ENGINE ISSUE AND TO CALL DEALER. BLUELINK ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOOK 7 HOURS TO GET TOW TRUCK TO ME
• MY WIFE HELEN DRIVES TO WORK 35 MILES EACH WAY DAILY, SHE STARTED HEARING A RATTLING NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE NOISE PERSISTED FOR A FEW DAYS AND WAS OBSERVED DURING HER COMMUTE TO WORK TWICE. HUSBAND TEST DROVE CAR AS WELL AND COMFIRMED A RATTLING NOISE. CAR TOWED TO PREMIER HYNDAUI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 19 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING 65MPH AT 10PM ON A THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A POUND "THUNK" AND THOUGHT I HAD A TIRE ISSUE, SO BEGAN TO STEER TOWARD THE EMERGENCY LANE. I QUICKLY REALIZED I HAD NO POWER TO ACCELERATE, NO POWER STEERING AND THE DASH WAS BLACKED OUT...CAR WAS DEAD. ONLY EVER THING WORKING WAS RADIO, EME”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

95 complaints

10%

• TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A CRASH AT 35 MPH, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED.
• EMERGENCY BRAKE SELF ENGAGED WHILE ENTERING ROADWAY CAUSING CAR TO BE IMMOBILE AND SMOKE POURED FROM REAR OF CAR. WAS NEARLY T-BONED THEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. ...UPDATED 08/31/16 *BF *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

90 complaints

• TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.
• IF I OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON, A WARNING LIGHT "CHECK BSD SYSTEM" IS DISPLAYED ON THE INFO DISPLAY. THE WARNING STAYS ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. IT SHUTS DOWN THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE. I'VE TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE
• PASSENGER POWER WINDOW WILL NOT LOCK OUT. ONLY THE BACK WINDOW LOCK. MY DOG HIT THE WINDOW BUTTON AND THE WINDOW OPENED AND THE DOG ALMOST JUMPED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

59 complaints

• DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ONCE THE ENGINE IS AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THERE IS A HARSH SURGE DURING DOWN SHIFTING AT 35 MPH ( ALMOST AS IF I WERE DOWN SHIFTING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION OR HITTING THE BRAKES) THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW MUCH MORE RAPIDLY THAN EXPECTED CAUSING MY HEAD AND BODY
• WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE MY CAR IS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE. WENT TO THE DEALER AND HE SAID IT IS NORMAL. PREVIOUSLY IT WAS LITTLE BUT NOW DAYS IT IS MAKING LOUD NOISE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN WE DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND TRY TO CHANGE THE GEAR FROM P TO D THE GEAR ROD IS MAKING SAME CLICKING NOISE. W
• LOSS OF ACCELERATION BETWEEN 3-4 RPM.. HARD ACCELERATION..LOSS OF ACCELERATION BEFORE SHIFTING BETWEEN 60-70MP.. THEN SLOWLY ACCELERATES. MAJOR PROBLEM IF ON HIGHWAY WHERE YOU MUST SPEED UP BUT CAR NOT QUICKLY SHIFTING GEARS AND IS RUNNING TOO SLOW.

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

“DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ONCE THE ENGINE IS AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THERE IS A HARSH SURGE DURING DOWN SHIFTING AT 35 MPH ( ALMOST AS IF I WERE DOWN SHIFTING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION OR HITTING THE BRAKES) THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW MUCH MORE RAPIDLY THAN EXPECTED CAUSING MY HEAD AND BODY ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

46 complaints

• I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WERE PULLING. IT FELT LIKE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATOR THAT IT WAS ON. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THIS POINT.
• REAR BRAKES FAILED TO PROPERLY FUNCTION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FORWARD MOTION ON A HIGHWAY. BOTH REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WITHOUT OPERATOR PRESSING ON BRAKE PETAL. BOTH REAR BRAKES AND WHEEL GOT RED HOT CAUSING PASSENGER SIDE REAR BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS WAS ACTIVATE. THIS EV
• ON FEBRUARY 19 2019 I WAS DRIVING A CAR RENTAL FROM HERTZ DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN SOUTHERN CA DRIVING ONLY 25 MPH I CRASHED TRYING TO AVOID CRASHING INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ME KEPT PUTTING ON MY BREAKS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOPPED THE BREAKS MALFUNCTION I TRIED TO CHANGING LANE I STILL CRASHED I W

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

“I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WERE PULLING. IT FELT LIKE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATOR THAT IT WAS ON. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THIS POINT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~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 991 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING 65MPH AT 10PM ON A THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A POUND "THUNK" AND THOUGHT I HAD A TIRE ISSUE, SO BEGAN TO STEER TOWARD THE EMERGENCY LANE. I QUICKLY REALIZED I HAD NO POWER TO ACCELERATE, NO POWER STEERING AND THE DASH WAS BLACKED OUT...CAR WAS DEAD. ONLY EVER THING WORKING WAS RADIO, EME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ONCE THE ENGINE IS AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THERE IS A HARSH SURGE DURING DOWN SHIFTING AT 35 MPH ( ALMOST AS IF I WERE DOWN SHIFTING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION OR HITTING THE BRAKES) THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW MUCH MORE RAPIDLY THAN EXPECTED CAUSING MY HEAD AND BODY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)