2014 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
743 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: . 390 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 300 of 743 complaints (40.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 138 | 18.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 82 | 11.0% |
| Engine operation | 79 | 10.6% |
| Steering behavior | 73 | 9.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 3.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 15 | 2.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 300 |
| Electrical System | 131 |
| Exterior Lighting | 107 |
| Unknown Or Other | 80 |
| Steering | 64 |
| Service Brakes | 57 |
| Power Train | 54 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 49 |
Engine: 300; Electrical System: 131; Exterior Lighting: 107; Unknown Or Other: 80; Steering: 64; Service Brakes: 57; Power Train: 54; Fuel/Propulsion System: 49
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 75 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 58 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 73 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 88 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 74 |
| 150,000 and above | 22 |
Under 25,000: 75; 25,000 to 49,999: 58; 50,000 to 74,999: 73; 75,000 to 99,999: 88; 100,000 to 149,999: 74; 150,000 and above: 22
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (88). 353 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 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 24 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2017 | 67 |
| 2018 | 54 |
| 2019 | 93 |
| 2020 | 93 |
| 2021 | 72 |
| 2022 | 101 |
| 2023 | 68 |
| 2024 | 50 |
| 2025 | 50 |
| 2026 | 20 |
2014: 24; 2015: 25; 2016: 26; 2017: 67; 2018: 54; 2019: 93; 2020: 93; 2021: 72; 2022: 101; 2023: 68; 2024: 50; 2025: 50; 2026: 20
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 138 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 82 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 79 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 10565215 · 2014-02-20 (February 20, 2014)
AS I WAS LEAVING MY PARKING SPACE AND APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION AND STOP SIGN, I PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. I PRESSED BRAKES AGAIN AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP AGAIN. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THE CAR STOPPED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565215 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10630203 · 2014-09-02 (September 2, 2014)
AS RPTD TO HYUNDAI MOTOR AMER. (HMA) VIA CUST. CARE LINE & PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION RPT. VEHICLE: 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA SE 2.0T SEDAN DETAILS OF INCIDENT: INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT. PARKING SPOT: PERPENDICULAR PARKING (PARK BETWEEN PAINTED LINES) CURB, SHRUBBERY AND WALL IN FRONT OF SPOT (IN THAT ORDER). APPROACHED PARKING SPOT, TOWARD FRONT OF PARKING SPOT APPLIED BRAKE. UPON APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD --- FELT LIKE IT WAS FLYING --- WENT FORWARD AND OVER THE CURB AND STOP…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,226 miles reported. Look up ODI 10630203 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560196 · 2014-01-16 (January 16, 2014)
CAR BATTERY GOES DEAD,UNABLE TO START CAR, COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. THE DEALER HAS NO IDEA WHY. EVEN HYUNDAI CORP DOES NOT HAVE ANY ANSWERS. THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DAYS AT A TIME WITH NO RESOLUTION. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE CAR CAN LEAVE YOU STRANDED, IT IS SO UNRELIABLE. THIS IS A 2014 SONATA. I SEE MANY PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI CARS. IT APPEARS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH CARS WITH "PUSH TO START". *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560196 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10730825 · 2015-06-28 (June 28, 2015)
WENT TO START THE CAR ALL IT DID WAS GO CLICK. TRIED DIFFERENT KEY FOB, IT STARTED, REPLACE BOTH BATTERIES IN KEY FOBS. NEXT WEEK, WOULDN'T START, LET IT SET FOR A BIT, IT STARTED, WEEK LATER ON A SATURDAY TRIED WOULD NOT START, CALLED HYUNDAI 24 HR ROAD SERVICE, THEY HAD TROUBLE STARTING IT. NEXT MORNING IT STARTED, 6 HRS LATER IT WOULDN'T START, MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO DRIVE BACK TO PARK LIKE THE ROAD SERVICE GUY DID, IT STARTED. IT STARTED THE NEXT MORNING MONDAY 6/22/15 TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10730825 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10652055 · 2014-11-03 (November 3, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. WHEN ENTERING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10652055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10759328 · 2015-08-25 (August 25, 2015)
APPROXIMATELY 4 PM ON AUGUST 24, 2015 DRIVING MY 2014 SONATA LIMITED WITH 11450 MILES ONTO THE LOCAL FREEWAY ON RAMP, CAR STALLED AND TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING OCCURRED. I HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SIDE AND AVOID POSSIBLE COLLISION FROM BEHIND. HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING, AND WAS DRIVING NORMAL FOR THE CLEAR ROAD DRIVING. WEATHER WAS GOOD, CLEAR AND SUNNY, UPPER 80F. TRAFFIC WAS STARTING TO BUILD FOR RUSH HOUR AND HAD THIS OCCURRED 5 MINUTES LATER MAJOR COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON FREEWAY DURING T…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10759328 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10579075 · 2014-04-11 (April 11, 2014)
THE NEW SONATA IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. IT WILL NOT STAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE. IT IS CONSTANTLY MOVING OR FADING RIGHT TO LEFT. HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP RESPONDS ITS BUILT TO GO TO THE RIGHT INCASE YOU FALL ASLEEP. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THE SONATA HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF THIS SAME PROBLEM SINCE 2011. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS ITS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP. WELL AT HIGH SPEEDS ITS HARD TO HANDLE AND THE REACTION TIME IS MORE DIFFICULT TO COMPENSATE THE RIGHT AND LEFT MOVEMENT. I WILL BE TAKING INTO A SECOND HYUND…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10579075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595301 · 2014-05-31 (May 31, 2014)
NO ACCIDENTS WITH VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. WE PURCHASED ON A MONDAY, MAY 26TH, AND I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN TESTING, ACTUALLY I DID NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE, MY WIFE DID SINCE IT IS HER CAR. WHEN DRIVING THE SONATA FOR THE FIRST TIME THREE DAYS LATER, MAY 28TH, I NOTICED ON THE INTERSTATE, 55-70 MPH, THE CAR DRIFTS AND HAS TO BE CONTINUOUSLY CORRECTED LEFT AND RIGHT. DOING FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST MODEL YEARS AND NOT CORRECTED BY HYUNDAI. I AM 58 YEARS OLD, A CAR NUT, AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595301 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587231 · 2014-05-08 (May 8, 2014)
ON MAY 7,2014 THE SONATA WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID ON MY GARAGE FLOOR. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY TWO WEEKS OLD AND ABOUT 700 MILES ON IT. WHEN O'BRIEN HYUNDAI TOWED IT TO URBANA,ILLINOIS. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION HAD LEAKED ONE QUART OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. HE ALSO STATED ONE OF THE PORTS HAD NOT BEEN SEALED AT THE FACTORY. WHEN PRESSED HE TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE ALSO STATED WHEN THE CAR RAN OUT OF FLUID IT WOULD JUST LOCK UP. FRIGHTENING THOUGHT OF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH. THANKS FOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587231 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10649304 · 2014-10-22 (October 22, 2014)
AT APPROXIMATELY 5PM ON OCTOBER 10TH 2014 I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT IN HARRISBURG, NC. WHEN THE CAR REACHED 15 MPH IT DID NOT SHIFT (THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH SHIFTRONIC MANUAL CONTROLS) AND I HAD TO SHIFT THE CAR MANUALLY INTO SECOND GEAR AND EACH SUCCESSIVE GEAR. AFTER DOING SO I NOTICED THE CAR HAD TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WITH NO INCIDENT AND RESTART THE CAR. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I NOTICED CLICKING UNDER THE HOOD AND TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER. AFTER THEIR EXAMINATION THEY DE…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10649304 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10871361 · 2016-05-28 (May 28, 2016)
I HAVE A PUSH BUTTON IGNITION. THREE TIMES THIS PAST WEEK, MY CAR HAS FAILED TO START. WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON, ALL OF THE LIGHTS COME ON, BUT THE ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER AND WHEN TRYING TO PRESS THE BREAK IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRESSING THE PUSH START ENGINE BUTTON, THE BREAK PEDAL IS STIFF AND DOES NOT PRESS DOWNWARD. THE THIRD TIME THIS OCCURRED, I WAS STRANDED FOR 1.5 HOURS. MY BROTHER CAME TO GIVE ME A "JUMP" AS HE THOUGHT IT WAS MY BATTERY ONLY FOR SPARKS TO COME FROM MY BATTERY AND FOR HIS CABLES TO GET SO HOT THAT THEY MELTED. I HAD MY C…
Owner-reported narrative. 59,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871361 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217131 · 2019-05-31 (May 31, 2019)
THE GDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAS A BIG PROBLEM. THE CAR WILL READ EMPTY WITH A FULL TANK IN THE CAR. THE SPRING LOADED FUEL PRESSURE PUMP WILL SEIZE OR EITHER TEMPORARILY STOP WORKING. MY CAR HAS 62,500 MILES AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN SERVICED. I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS PART WITH MANY DEALERSHIPS AND IT'S THE NUMBER ONE PART ON THE CAR THAT SELLS BECAUSE HOW FAULTY THE PART IS AND GOES OUT QUICKLY. I CAN BE ON THE FREEWAY WITH HALF TANK READING AND THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS CONSIDERING EVERYON…
Owner-reported narrative. 62,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217131 at NHTSA ↗