2011 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3,376 owner complaints analyzed
14 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 2,499 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,165 of 3,376 complaints (34.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 1,101 | 32.6% |
| Braking behavior | 426 | 12.6% |
| Engine operation | 325 | 9.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 229 | 6.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 116 | 3.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 55 | 1.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 1165 |
| Engine | 967 |
| Air Bags | 415 |
| Electrical System | 410 |
| Exterior Lighting | 224 |
| Unknown Or Other | 213 |
| Power Train | 150 |
| Service Brakes | 145 |
Steering: 1,165; Engine: 967; Air Bags: 415; Electrical System: 410; Exterior Lighting: 224; Unknown Or Other: 213; Power Train: 150; Service Brakes: 145
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 541 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 218 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 470 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 525 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 579 |
| 150,000 and above | 166 |
Under 25,000: 541; 25,000 to 49,999: 218; 50,000 to 74,999: 470; 75,000 to 99,999: 525; 100,000 to 149,999: 579; 150,000 and above: 166
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (579). 877 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 106 |
| 2011 | 311 |
| 2012 | 100 |
| 2013 | 102 |
| 2014 | 163 |
| 2015 | 442 |
| 2016 | 570 |
| 2017 | 361 |
| 2018 | 332 |
| 2019 | 255 |
| 2020 | 163 |
| 2021 | 119 |
| 2022 | 127 |
| 2023 | 83 |
| 2024 | 57 |
| 2025 | 52 |
| 2026 | 33 |
2010: 106; 2011: 311; 2012: 100; 2013: 102; 2014: 163; 2015: 442; 2016: 570; 2017: 361; 2018: 332; 2019: 255; 2020: 163; 2021: 119; 2022: 127; 2023: 83; 2024: 57; 2025: 52; 2026: 33
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1,101 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 426 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 325 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 10322666 · 2010-03-29 (March 29, 2010)
I OWNED THE CAR FOR A WEEK. THERE WAS NO WARNING. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHIPPED TO THE LEFT AND PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE. THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING AND DIDN'T WANT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO FIGHT TO BRING IT BACK OVER, AND HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT OVER. THANK GOD THERE WEREN'T ANY ONCOMING VEHICLES. THEN THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I USED MY CELL PHONE TO VIDEO THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING AND JERKING TO THE LEFT WHILE IN PARK. IT WAS SUNDAY, SO THE DEALE…
Owner-reported narrative. 326 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10330900 · 2010-05-17 (May 17, 2010)
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA SE - CONSTANT STEERING PROBLEM I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED FOR AN IDENTIFIED CONTINUOUS DRIFT OR PULL OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR TWO WEEKS, AND COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED ALL THEIR KNOWN AND RECOMMENDED SERVICE FIXES PER HYUNDAI TECHNICAL SUPPORT. HYUNDAI TECHNICAL SUPPORT RECOMMEND THAT THE DEALERSHIP TO SUBMIT FOR A HYUNDAI ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SUBMITTED FOR A HYUNDAI ENGINEER TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. UPON RECEIVING AN APPROVED SERV…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,297 miles reported. Look up ODI 10330900 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10326949 · 2010-04-22 (April 22, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES PULSATED AND MADE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE THEN SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT FIVE MINUTES, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 470. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220.
Owner-reported narrative. 220 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10353629 · 2010-09-02 (September 2, 2010)
BRAKES FAILED WHEN TRYING TO STOP AT RED LIGHT AT EXIT TO PARKING LOT DRIVING BETWEEN 5-10 MILES PER HR. PRESSED ON BRAKE - DID NOT GO DOWN. NO RESPONSE - CAR KEPT MOVING UNTIL I PUT GEAR IN PARK AND HIT THE TRUCK STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. DRIVING A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA PURCHASED ON 5/31/10. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 3,817 miles reported. Look up ODI 10353629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10320556 · 2010-03-17 (March 17, 2010)
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA: I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE DOOR LATCH RECALL ON MY NEW SONATA VIA NEWS REPORTS. I PURCHASED THIS SONATA ON FEB 16TH,2010. SO,I CALLED AND THE DEALER(ST.AUGUSTINE HYUNDAI)SAID I WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE DOOR LATCH RECALL. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS 2 BULLETINS ON MY SONATA ANYHOW. #1,THE IGNITION WIRE NEEDS REROUTING OR IT COULD BECOME AFRAID. #2,THE ECM COMPUTER NEEDED RE-PROGRAMMING AT THAT TIME WITH AN EXPLANATION THAT SOME NEW SOFTWARE FROM HYUNDAI WHEN IT ARRIVED TO THE DEALER,THEY WOULD CHECK THE PARAMETERS OF THE ECM COMPUTER…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10320556 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10331987 · 2010-05-24 (May 24, 2010)
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA SE 16 DAYS OLD, 2018 MILES: CAR HAS AN "INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM". IT HAS LEFT MY WIFE STRANDED AT WORK 3 TIMES, TWO OF THOSE TIMES IN A DESERTED PARKING LOT AFTER HOURS, ONCE AT THE DEALER WHEN I WAS CALLED TO PICK IT UP. IT HAS NOW BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 18.5 DAYS SINCE APRIL 26, 2010. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES SINCE APRIL 26, 2010 AND REMAINS THERE AT THIS TIME. DEALER HAS CONFIRMED BATTERY IS ALWAYS AT FULL CHARGE, THEY HAVE CHANGED BOTH STARTER SYSTEM RELAYS, REPLACED THE STARTER, CHECKED TRANS…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,018 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331987 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10353522 · 2010-09-02 (September 2, 2010)
MY 2011 SONATA HAS 7600 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM BEGAN AROUND 5000 MILES, BUT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. UPON TRYING TO TURN THE CAR OFF, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, BUT THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE ACCESORY POSITION. I CAN RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE, BUT I CAN'T GET THE KEY OUT. IT JUST STAYS EITHER IN THE ACCESORY OR THE ON POSITION. I'VE HAD TO UNHOOK MY BATTERY TO KEEP IT FROM DYING BECAUSE I CAN'T GET THE KEY OUT. AT FIRST, I COULD JUST MOVE THE GEARSHIFT OUT OF PARK AND BACK INTO PARK, AND THAT WOULD USUALLY UNLOCK THE KEY. AS TIME WENT B…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10353522 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10327508 · 2010-04-26 (April 26, 2010)
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. INSERT KEY TO START ENGINE. WHEN I WANT TO TURN OFF ENGINE, THE KEY WILL NOT GO PAST ACC. I PUSH IN THE KEY AND TRY TO TURN KEY INTO THE LOCK POSITION, IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE LOCK POSITION. I HAVE TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH THE RELEASE SWITCH, AND SHIFTER ON THE SHIFTER ARM. EVENTUALLY I CAN GET THE KEY OUT. THE ENGINE DOES SHUT OFF, BUT CAN'T LEAVE CAR, BECAUSE IT CAN BE STARTED AGAIN. I CAN'T LEAVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE CAR CAN BE STARTED WITHOUT ME BEING THERE. THIS FAILURE HAPPENS ALMOST EV…
Owner-reported narrative. 23 miles reported. Look up ODI 10327508 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10328355 · 2010-05-01 (May 1, 2010)
WE TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA ON 4/29/2010. AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME A CAR ON THE LANE NEXT TO US ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE STARTED SHIFTING ONTO MY LANE. I BLEW THE HORN BUT HE STILL CUT ME OFF. AT THE LIGHT I ASKED THE PERSON WHO CUT ME OFF IF HE DIDN'T HEAR ME BLOWING MY HORN AT HIM AND HE SAID NO I AM REALLY SORRY BUT I DIDN'T SEE YOU AND I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR HORN EITHER. WHEN I GOT HOME I GOT INTO MY OTHER CAR AND STARTED IT WITH THE AC ON AND NO RADIO I ASKED MY WIFE TO PRESS THE HORN ON THE SONATA AND I CAN BARELY HEAR IT AND WE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 19 miles reported. Look up ODI 10328355 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10381665 · 2011-02-12 (February 12, 2011)
FUEL SMELL 2011 SONATA LIMITED NO TURBO. VERY NOTICEABLE FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN AFTER CAR IS WARM AND AT IDLE OR WHEN MOVING LESS THAN 10 MPH. HAVE HEARD/READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS RELATED TO OVERFILLING GAS TANK, THIS TANK HAS NEVER BEEN OVERFILLED. OPENED HOOD AFTER CAR WARM AND GAS SMELL IS VERY STRONG. OPENED TRUNK AND THERE IS NO SMELL. LONG IDLE WHEN WARM AND THE CAR IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE IN ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG KIDS. POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381665 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10383073 · 2011-02-17 (February 17, 2011)
I JUST PURCHASED A 2011 SONATA TURBO AND AM EXPERIENCING STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE CAR WHEN GOING AT SLOW SPEEDS. I ALSO NOTICE IT PULLING TO THE LEFT. CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383073 at NHTSA ↗