2020 Hyundai SONATA
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2020 Hyundai SONATA has 251 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is fuel system problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: as the vehicle was at a complete stop and waiting for a chance to get in traffic, the car hestiated and would not respond to the depress of the gas pedal, for a second or two... very strange indeed!....is it a transmission issue or something else....the transmission shifts strange from the complete . ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
251
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
3.1x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
FUEL SYSTEM
56 complaints- • AS THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR HESTIATED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE DEPRESS OF THE GAS PEDAL, FOR A SECOND OR TWO... VERY STRANGE INDEED!....IS IT A TRANSMISSION ISSUE OR SOMETHING ELSE....THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS STRANGE FROM THE COMPLETE
- • While driving at about 45mph a warning flashed on my dash. I couldn't read it before it disappeared, but it was something about front collision., contact dealer. the car immediately lost all power. Everything was still running, but I had no acceleration. I had to back down a busy road into a vac
- • The fuel tank under the backseat expanded forcing the backseat up and causing the muffler to scrape the ground. The expansion of the fuel tank could have exploded due to extreme pressure. Vandergriff Hyundai in Arlington, TX has inspected the vehicle and confirmed component failures in the fuel syst
“AS THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR HESTIATED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE DEPRESS OF THE GAS PEDAL, FOR A SECOND OR TWO... VERY STRANGE INDEED!....IS IT A TRANSMISSION ISSUE OR SOMETHING ELSE....THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS STRANGE FROM THE COMPLETE ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
32 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO SAFE MODE AND LOST MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ST. CHARLES AUTOMOTIVE LOCATED AT 5601 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, (636)441-4481 BUT WAS NOT
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE CONTAC
- • I OWN A 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. I PURCHASED THE CAR ON JANUARY THIS YEAR THE MILES IN THE CAR IS 700 MILES. A MONTH AFTER THE CAR STAR GIVING ME PROBLEM WITH BREAK. SOMEHOW THE CAR APPLIES THE EMERGENCY BREAK BY ITSELF AND DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE. WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP BY ITSELF AND GIVING ME
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO SAFE MODE AND LOST MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ST. CHARLES AUTOMOTIVE LOCATED AT 5601 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, (636)441-4481 BUT WAS NOT ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
29 complaints- • WHEN IT RAINS WATER GETS INSIDE THE DOORS WHILE PARKED. ESPECIALLY THE BACK DOORS. IF IT RAINS HARD A CUP FULL OF WATER WILL COME OUT THE DOOR UPON OPENING. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. I'VE HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE AND IT'S STILL NOT FIXED. CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT AND LOOK
- • REAR DOORS RETAIN WATER EVERY TIME IT RAINS. WHEN YOU OPEN THE REAR DOORS WATER DRAINS OUT OF THE CAR. BROUGHT CAR TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WHO VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER NEW CARS ON THEIR LOT, ON APRIL 21, 2020. DEALERSHIP CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATE FOR GUIDANCE AND THE
- • THE CAR WHILE I'M DRIVING SOMETIMES THE CAR IS UNSTABLE ALSO WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR AND I PREPARE TO PUT IT ON DRIVE THE CAR APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BY ITSELF. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON AND THERE IS NO WAY TO REMOVE IT, I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF CONTINUALLY UNTIL FINALLY THE CAR REM
“WHEN IT RAINS WATER GETS INSIDE THE DOORS WHILE PARKED. ESPECIALLY THE BACK DOORS. IF IT RAINS HARD A CUP FULL OF WATER WILL COME OUT THE DOOR UPON OPENING. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. I'VE HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE AND IT'S STILL NOT FIXED. CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT AND LOOK ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
28 complaints- • VEHICLE ROUGH IDLED & EVENTUALLY SHUDDERED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE IN GEAR AND IDLING AT APPX 1000-1500 MILES. BETWEEN 1500-2000 MILES, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 60MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD. AT APPX 2700 MILES, MPGS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING
- • VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPED IN A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITHOUT GIVING ANY INDICATIONS WHAT SO EVER. WHEN TRIED TO RESTART IT STALLED PRETTY BADLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS. THIS HAD JUST 1900 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MIL OR ANY VISIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUE. IT CREATED A HUGE TRAFFIC PIL
- • MY CAR STALLED AND STUTTERED BETWEEN 1000 AND 1500 MILES IN TRAFFIC AND COULDN'T GET IT INTO GEAR ONCE STARTED. IT WAS THE FUEL RAIL SENSOR. NOW AT 6000 MILES DID SAME THING. IF SITS FOR BIT WORKS AGAIN. IT ALSO RESET ITSELF AND I LOST ALL PREPROGRAMMED INFORMATION. THE GAS DOOR ALSO OPENS AT TIMES
“VEHICLE ROUGH IDLED & EVENTUALLY SHUDDERED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE IN GEAR AND IDLING AT APPX 1000-1500 MILES. BETWEEN 1500-2000 MILES, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 60MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD. AT APPX 2700 MILES, MPGS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
22 complaints- • VEHICLE ROUGH IDLED & EVENTUALLY SHUDDERED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE IN GEAR AND IDLING AT APPX 1000-1500 MILES. BETWEEN 1500-2000 MILES, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 60MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD. AT APPX 2700 MILES, MPGS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING
- • VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPED IN A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITHOUT GIVING ANY INDICATIONS WHAT SO EVER. WHEN TRIED TO RESTART IT STALLED PRETTY BADLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS. THIS HAD JUST 1900 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MIL OR ANY VISIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUE. IT CREATED A HUGE TRAFFIC PIL
- • FOLLOWING A FIRMWARE UPDATE TO THE OBC FOR A RECALL, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION NOW HAS A SEVERE DELAY RESPONDING TO DRIVER INPUT. THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRONIC SHIFT WITH PUSHBUTTONS. PREVIOUS TO THE FIRMWARE UPDATE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD RESPOND INSTANTLY TO DRIVER INPUT FROM TH
“VEHICLE ROUGH IDLED & EVENTUALLY SHUDDERED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE IN GEAR AND IDLING AT APPX 1000-1500 MILES. BETWEEN 1500-2000 MILES, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 60MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD. AT APPX 2700 MILES, MPGS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 251 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: AS THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR HESTIATED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE DEPRESS OF THE GAS PEDAL, FOR A SECOND OR TWO... VERY STRANGE INDEED!....IS IT A TRANSMISSION ISSUE OR SOMETHING ELSE....THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS STRANGE FROM THE COMPLETE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO SAFE MODE AND LOST MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ST. CHARLES AUTOMOTIVE LOCATED AT 5601 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, (636)441-4481 BUT WAS NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: WHEN IT RAINS WATER GETS INSIDE THE DOORS WHILE PARKED. ESPECIALLY THE BACK DOORS. IF IT RAINS HARD A CUP FULL OF WATER WILL COME OUT THE DOOR UPON OPENING. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. I'VE HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE AND IT'S STILL NOT FIXED. CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT AND LOOK
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: VEHICLE ROUGH IDLED & EVENTUALLY SHUDDERED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WHILE IN GEAR AND IDLING AT APPX 1000-1500 MILES. BETWEEN 1500-2000 MILES, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 60MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD. AT APPX 2700 MILES, MPGS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Hyundai SONATA — Year Comparison
How does 2020 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 251
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 7
- Injury reports
- 5
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2020 Hyundai SONATA