U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

205 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

86,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 138 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 51 of 205 complaints (24.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	28	13.7%
Transmission and shifting	17	8.3%
Steering behavior	16	7.8%
Engine operation	8	3.9%
Electrical and battery issues	4	2.0%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Frame And Members

Air Bags

Suspension

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags:Frontal

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Steering

Structure:Body

Structure:Frame And Members: 51; Air Bags: 27; Suspension: 22; Vehicle Speed Control: 11; Air Bags:Frontal: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Steering: 9; Structure:Body: 9

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 29; 100,000 to 149,999: 41; 150,000 and above: 16

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 67 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2021

2000: 1; 2001: 13; 2002: 19; 2003: 17; 2004: 15; 2005: 11; 2006: 9; 2007: 9; 2008: 28; 2009: 32; 2010: 9; 2011: 7; 2012: 6; 2013: 9; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2019: 1; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10002528 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS A NOISE DUE TO A FAULTY CALIPER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS, CHANGE ROTORS PADS BUT UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002528 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015732 · 2003-04-11 (April 11, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS WHICH WERE WARPED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015732 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008762 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008762 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10089841 · 2004-09-28 (September 28, 2004)

THE CONSUMER WAS GOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE JUST DIED. THE VEHICLE JERKED TO A STOP, THEN LATER DROVE NORMALLY. LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF, AND IT BEGAN TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, BUT THE CONSUMER $135.00 FOR CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK ON 8/24/04, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD GRINDING METAL SOUND, THE DEALERSHIP CLA…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089841 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10078935 · 2004-06-28 (June 28, 2004)

I HEARD A REPETITIVE CLICKING SOUND AND TURNED MY RADIO OFF TO LISTEN. THE NOISE DIDN'T CHANGE WHEN I SLOWED DOWN AND I RESUMED MY NORMAL SPEED OF 60 MPH. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR SLOWLY & GRADUALLY BEGAN PULLING TO THE LEFT. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE AT ALL AND WAS MOVING INTO THE SHOULDER AND MEDIAN BETWEEN THE HIGHWAYS. I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES BUT THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING. I HAD NO STEERING OR BRAKES AND WAS HEADING TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT 60 MPH. I HIT THE END OF A GUARD RAIL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THESE…

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078935 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10152009 · 2006-03-06 (March 6, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED, ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FINAL TIME, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WAS A ROTOR IN THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR THAT WAS DENTED. THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ALSO, A PUDDLE WAS NOTICED UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WAS A RUPTURE IN THE POWER STEERING LINE AND THE LINE WAS REPLACED.

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10152009 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009262 · 2003-02-25 (February 25, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY PULL. *JB THERE WAS A VIBRATION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT HIGH SPEEDS(DUE TO WARPED ROTORS), A TAP NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIMING BELT, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD DIE AT THE SPEED OF 60 MPH. THE TIMING BELT, THE BROKEN COUNTER BALANCE, AND THE MISSING TIMING BELT TEETH WERE REPLACED. *SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009262 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019995 · 2003-05-16 (May 16, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019995 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10091660 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)

RECALL 02V105000, AFTER IGNITION SWITCH RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED THE DEFECT RECURRED. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION THAT LEADS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM, (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION COULD RESULT FROM MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS, AND COULD PREVENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091660 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10117945 · 2005-04-15 (April 15, 2005)

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD, 3RD OCCURRENCE. DEALER TROUBLESHOOTING INDICATED PASSENGER AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT (NOT RELATED TO PREVIOUS LIGHTS). OUT OF WARRANTY COVERAGE BY 2,269 MILES. I BELIEVE MANUFACTURER SHOULD COVER THIS DEFECT. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IF NOT CORRECTED AIR BAG MIGHT DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY. DEALER WILL NOT DISABLE THE SYSTEM OR TELL ME HOW TO DO SO. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SAFETY RELATED DEFECT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 62,105 miles reported. Look up ODI 10117945 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088365 · 2004-08-22 (August 22, 2004)

DEFECTIVE SENSOR FOR THE FUEL PUMP CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP DEAD. OTHER YEARS AND MODELS WERE RECALLED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 61,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088365 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10861938 · 2016-04-28 (April 28, 2016)

MY CAR HAS A REAR RUST PROBLEM THAT HAS LEFT THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. THE SUPPORT FOR THE WHEEL HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND THE REAR WHEELS ARE TILTING IN. I DID LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT SWAYED FOR ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE OTHER LANE AND BACK. MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 45 MPH ON A TWO LANE ROAD WITH A SPEAD LIMIT OF 45 TO 55. WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE CAR SWERVED UNCONTROLABLY THE RUST IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS IGNORING. I HAVE HAD THE FRONT OF THE CAR IN FOR THE ORIGINAL RECALL FOR THE FRONT SUBFRAME. DID YOU KNO…

Owner-reported narrative. 143,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10861938 at NHTSA ↗