Hyundai Sonata: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the Hyundai Sonata complaint and recall record by model year (1989–2025). 16,824 owner reports are on file across 36 years. 2011 has the highest count (3,457) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
Hyundai Sonata filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Engine more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 36 years of the Hyundai Sonata, owners named Engine more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2011 has the most reports (3,457). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 Hyundai Sonata | 11 | 3 | Engine (ENGINE) · 2 (18.2%) | not reported |
| 1990 Hyundai Sonata | 16 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 7 (43.8%) | not reported |
| 1991 Hyundai Sonata | 28 | 1 | Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) · 9 (32.1%) | not reported |
| 1992 Hyundai Sonata | 21 | 1 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 4 (19.1%) | not reported |
| 1993 Hyundai Sonata | 26 | 1 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 7 (26.9%) | not reported |
| 1995 Hyundai Sonata | 65 | 2 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 11 (16.9%) | not reported |
| 1996 Hyundai Sonata | 23 | 1 | Engine (ENGINE) · 4 (17.4%) | not reported |
| 1997 Hyundai Sonata | 48 | 2 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 16 (33.3%) | not reported |
| 1998 Hyundai Sonata | 49 | 1 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 10 (20.4%) | not reported |
| 1999 Hyundai Sonata | 122 | 4 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 30 (24.6%) | not reported |
| 2000 Hyundai Sonata | 274 | 4 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 84 (30.7%) | not reported |
| 2001 Hyundai Sonata | 203 | 3 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 55 (27.1%) | not reported |
| 2002 Hyundai Sonata | 315 | 7 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 71 (22.5%) | not reported |
| 2003 Hyundai Sonata | 196 | 6 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 38 (19.4%) | not reported |
| 2004 Hyundai Sonata | 200 | 1 | Suspension (SUSPENSION) · 45 (22.5%) | not reported |
| 2005 Hyundai Sonata | 164 | 1 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 44 (26.8%) | not reported |
| 2006 Hyundai Sonata | 1,035 | 11 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 340 (32.9%) | not reported |
| 2007 Hyundai Sonata | 688 | 7 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 188 (27.3%) | not reported |
| 2008 Hyundai Sonata | 420 | 5 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 102 (24.3%) | not reported |
| 2009 Hyundai Sonata | 454 | 2 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 74 (16.3%) | not reported |
| 2010 Hyundai Sonata | 340 | 2 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 153 (45.0%) | not reported |
| 2011 Hyundai Sonata | 3,457 | 17 | Steering (STEERING) · 1,058 (30.6%) | not reported |
| 2012 Hyundai Sonata | 1,705 | 11 | Engine (ENGINE) · 480 (28.2%) | 2011–2012 |
| 2013 Hyundai Sonata | 2,014 | 11 | Engine (ENGINE) · 614 (30.5%) | 2012–2013 |
| 2014 Hyundai Sonata | 774 | 8 | Engine (ENGINE) · 238 (30.8%) | not reported |
| 2015 Hyundai Sonata | 1,195 | 12 | Engine (ENGINE) · 485 (40.6%) | not reported |
| 2016 Hyundai Sonata | 880 | 9 | Engine (ENGINE) · 432 (49.1%) | not reported |
| 2017 Hyundai Sonata | 874 | 5 | Engine (ENGINE) · 355 (40.6%) | not reported |
| 2018 Hyundai Sonata | 381 | 2 | Engine (ENGINE) · 153 (40.2%) | not reported |
| 2019 Hyundai Sonata | 169 | 0 | Engine (ENGINE) · 69 (40.8%) | not reported |
| 2020 Hyundai Sonata | 193 | 4 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 33 (17.1%) | not reported |
| 2021 Hyundai Sonata | 188 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 36 (19.2%) | not reported |
| 2022 Hyundai Sonata | 112 | 3 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 26 (23.2%) | not reported |
| 2023 Hyundai Sonata | 102 | 2 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 36 (35.3%) | not reported |
| 2024 Hyundai Sonata | 54 | 1 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 10 (18.5%) | not reported |
| 2025 Hyundai Sonata | 28 | 0 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 6 (21.4%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Sonata year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2011 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (3,457). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do Hyundai Sonata owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Engine more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this Hyundai Sonata page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the Hyundai Sonata is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are Hyundai Sonata body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.