Hyundai Sonata
Owners filed 16,049 complaints across 37 model years of the Hyundai Sonata. The 2011 drew the most (3,376); the 2026 the fewest (3).
Model years37
Complaints16,049
Recalls138
Fires521
Deaths15
Every Hyundai Sonata model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 1 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2025 | 16 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2024 | 46 | 1 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2023 | 86 | 2 | — | 5 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2022 | 92 | 3 | — | 8 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2021 | 131 | 4 | — | 7 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2020 | 178 | 4 | 1 | 5 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2019 | 161 | 0 | 6 | 8 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2018 | 372 | 1 | 13 | 18 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2017 | 763 | 3 | 11 | 28 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2016 | 725 | 6 | 28 | 19 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2015 | 1,144 | 9 | 48 | 34 | Engine | Do not drive | |
| 2014 | 745 | 7 | 40 | 29 | Engine | High concern | |
| 2013 | 1,909 | 9 | 97 | 93 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2012 | 1,556 | 8 | 95 | 51 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2011 | 3,376 | 14 | 112 | 116 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2010 | 345 | 2 | 3 | 19 | Structure › Body | Fatalities reported | |
| 2009 | 460 | 2 | 11 | 21 | Service Brakes | Above average | |
| 2008 | 425 | 5 | 11 | 19 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2007 | 696 | 7 | 6 | 30 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2006 | 1,047 | 11 | 9 | 43 | Air Bags | Fatalities reported | |
| 2005 | 165 | 1 | 2 | 26 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2004 | 202 | 1 | 2 | 22 | Suspension | Above average | |
| 2003 | 199 | 6 | 2 | 17 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2002 | 319 | 7 | 4 | 31 | Structure › Frame and Members | Above average | |
| 2001 | 205 | 3 | — | 27 | Structure › Frame and Members | Above average | |
| 2000 | 276 | 4 | 9 | 20 | Structure › Frame and Members | Above average | |
| 1999 | 124 | 4 | 3 | 12 | Structure › Frame and Members | Routine | |
| 1998 | 49 | 1 | — | 3 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 1997 | 49 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly | Fatalities reported | |
| 1996 | 23 | 1 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | Fatalities reported | |
| 1995 | 66 | 2 | 1 | 13 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1994 | 3 | 1 | — | — | Seats | Routine | |
| 1993 | 26 | 1 | — | 1 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 1992 | 22 | 1 | — | 1 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 1991 | 29 | 1 | 6 | 3 | Seat Belts | Routine | |
| 1990 | 16 | 3 | — | — | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine |
Which Hyundai Sonata years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2011 is the weakest year on record, with 3,376 complaints concentrated in the steering. It carries 14 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.