The Hyundai Sonata is a mid-size family sedan that was first introduced back in the mid-1980s and has been in continuous production to this very day. The Sonata is one of, if not the most successful Hyundai sedan of all time thanks to its size and combination of many benefits, but without costing way too much.
The Sonata has always been a really reliable car, but in this article, we are going to tell you the most common problems with Hyundai Sonata. No matter how reliable a car may be, there are always some issues lurking in the background that need to be addressed. Thankfully, the Hyundai Sonata does not come with many of these.
The most common Hyundai Sonata issues are associated with the car’s seat belts, the engine, the transmission, the electricals, and potential fuel leaks. Most of these can be resolved fairly easily which is why Hyundai did a few recalls to save you the trouble. As such, be sure to always check if the car you are looking at has had all these potential issues resolved.
All in all, the Sonata is a really usable car that continues to sell well, even in the era of SUVs and crossovers. As such, if you want a mid-size sedan that does not break the bank, but still does everything really well, you should most definitely consider the Hyundai Sonata.
Hyundai Sonata – Seat belt issues
Seatbelts and airbags are the two most important safety factors of all modern-day cars on which everything else is based. Therefore, these need to be functioning properly if you want to be safe at all times. When it comes to seatbelts, Hyundai issues a nationwide recall for all 2011-2015 models due to faulty seat belt mechanisms.
A report states that this recall included a jaw-dropping half a million sedans. The issue here was that the seatbelt linkage wasn’t set up properly which meant that the seatbelts could fail to restrain passengers in an event of a crash. Two recalls were done to combat this issue which means that it isn’t a small thing, so be sure to check it.
Hyundai Sonata – Engine issues
The engines on modern-day Sonata models seem to be a lot better than many that came before them. The worst Hyundai Sonata model years in regards to engines were the 2011, 2012, and 2013 model years as this was the time when the Sonata was known for complete engine failures. The engine would suddenly start emitting banging noises which later totaled the engine.
These issues were so severe that they even started a class-action lawsuit against Hyundai back in 2016 when the court awarded Sonata customers a grand total of $8.5 million in damages. If you are looking to buy a Sonata from this era, make sure to go through the entire engine and the car’s service history in order to be 100% sure everything is as it should be.
Hyundai Sonata – Transmission issues
It seems like the transmission on most Sonata generations is prone to experiencing either small negligible issues or sometimes even more serious issues. Smaller issues include uncomfortable shifts and jitteriness which mostly affected your comfort levels while the mechanics weren’t at risk for the most part. However, the transmission is also known to suffer from sensor-related issues.
These sensor-related issues can cause damage if they are not dealt with in due time. Other issues include low transmission fluid levels or even fluid contamination which also need to be addressed asap, otherwise, your entire transmission could blow.
Hyundai Sonata – Electrical issues
Hyundai models are sadly known for suffering from various electrical issues and the Sonata is no different. The most common electrical issues with the Sonata are associated with the car’s infotainment system and phone connectivity suite. Other issues include problems with faulty speakers which can fail completely and defective lightning.
Most of these issues can be resolved with either a software reset or sometimes a software update. Fuse-related issues are also relatively common and can also be solved relatively easily. Some owners stated that these issues can also be solved by reconnecting the battery and resetting the car’s entire electrical system.
Hyundai Sonata – Fuel leaks
One of the very latest Hyundai recalls was associated with a faulty torqued fuel pipe with many 2021-2022 Sonata models. These are typically associated with the models that come with the 2.5L 4-cylinder engines. Because these pipes aren’t connected adequately, you could even end up with considerable fuel leaks.
As such, be sure to inquire at your Hyundai dealer if you own a 2021/22 Sonata as fuel leaks are incredibly dangerous and can even lead to a fire.
FAQ Section
Should I buy a Hyundai Sonata?
The Hyundai Sonata is one of the most popular, if not even the most popular mid-size sedan in the US. Not many sedans are managing to boast extreme sale numbers because we live in an era dominated by SUVs and crossovers, but the Sonata sure can.
It is a well-rounded car that does everything the way it is supposed to be done which means that you should indeed consider it if you like these types of cars. On the other hand, if you are used to luxury sedans, the Sonata is likely not going to cut it, but you will enjoy lower running costs and better reliability.
Is the Hyundai Sonata the best Hyundai sedan?
The two best current Hyundai sedan models are the Sonata and the Elantra, and if you have the budget and want a better experience overall, you should go for the Sonata. Hyundai also offers the Accent as the smallest sedan in Hyundai’s sedan lineup, but the Accent is nowhere near as advanced nor good as the Elantra and the Sonata.
What happened with the Hyundai car design?
The car community keeps on talking about how Hyundai made a 180-degree turn when it comes to car design. Older Hyundai models were the least attention-seeking cars on the entire planet while the latest Hyundai cars look really intense. For example, the newest Hyundai Sonata looks like no other sedan on the market, some might even say that it looks like a concept car.
No matter how you look at it, we can certainly say that Hyundai is starting to make interesting-looking cars that are going to attract attention anywhere they go.
