2012 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

PULLING INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR QUIT, LEAVING ME STARRING DOWN THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE AND GET IT RESTARTED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE DURING THE SAME DAY. IT WILL ALSO ONLY CHARGE THE BATTERIES TO 50%, AND SOMETIME THE CAR WON'T OPERATE ON ONLY BATTERY POWER. THIS IS A POTENTIAL VERY SERIOUS ITEM THEY NEED TO ADDRESS, OR START RETURNING MONEY TO THE OWNERS. I WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. IT IS A DANGEROUS CAR, NEVER KNOWING WHEN IT WILL QUIT. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE S…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10487493 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE SLOWLY MOVING DOWNHILL, ON THE FREEWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATED QUICKLY. THE SWITCH FROM HYBRID TO GAS ENGINE INTERFACE ONLY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REV (INCREASE RPM) WITHOUT ANY GEAR BEING ENGAGED. I QUICKLY LET OFF THE PEDDLE AND DEPRESSED IT AGAIN. IT THEN ENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION, NARROWLY AVERTING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5-6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR WHEN TRAVELING SLOWLY AND THEN TRYING TO GET A BURST FROM THE GAS ENGINE. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP, AND TOOK IT IN FOR A CHECK…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10489701 at NHTSA ↗

THE MOVING PORTION OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF SCATTERED RAINING GLASS SHARDS ONTO THE DRIVER AND OVER THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492951 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE HYBRID BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300...UPDATED 03-13-13 *BF THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO PULLED A BRAKE BOOSTER CODE, BUT SINCE THE CODE WAS NO LONGER ACTIVE, NO RE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496738 at NHTSA ↗

PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE. BRAKES BEGAN MAKING LOUD GRINDING NOISE. PULLED BACK INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN BRAKES FAILED. BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT AND CHIME WAS ACTIVATED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND HIT THE CONCRETE HANDICAP SIGN STOPPING THE CAR. PREVIOUSLY HAD PROBLEM WITH NAVIGATION UNIT WHICH WAS REPLACED ONCE AND READY FOR SECOND REPLACEMENT. TOLD SERVICE MANAGER WE THOUGHT IT MAY BE ELECTRICAL RELATED, NOT DEFECTIVE UNITS. BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WITH NAVIGATION UNIT IS RELATED TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. AFTER ACCIDENT, HYUNDAI HAD …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10514286 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT SECTION OF PANORAMIC GLASS ROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT ROOF, AFTER RECOVERING FROM THE SHOCK OF THE SOUND FROM EXPLOSION, AND FOUND THAT THE GLASS HAD A HOLE IN THE CENTER, APPROXIMATELY 8" X 8". GLASS APPEARS TO HAVE BLOWN UP, INSTEAD OF DOWNWARD. REMAINDER OF THE GLASS WAS CAUGHT BY THE INTERIOR SHADE, WHICH, LUCKILY, WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION NO VEHICLES WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS BEING PASSED, IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 4-LANE MAJOR HIG…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10534796 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID LIMITED IS COMING UP WITH A WARNING SIGNAL "HYBRID SAFETY WARNING DO NOT DRIVE". THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE COMMON FACTOR HAS BEEN THAT I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A 95+ DEGREE DAY AND IT HAPPENS WHEN I PULL IN TO PARK AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. THE CAR SOUNDS AN ALARM AND THE MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE DASH ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR GETS STUCK IN PARK. I TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT 30 MINUTES LATER AFTER A COOL OFF PERIOD. THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI CU…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538233 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WILL NOT START. FLASHING "CHECK BRAKES" .NO FOOT BRAKE PRESSURE. WITH THE HOOD UP CAN DETECT A MOTOR PUMPING INTERMITTENTLY WHICH I THINK IS THE BRAKE POWER UNIT. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT A MONTH. NO FLUIDS ON THE GROUND. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,389 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546231 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2017-03-08 (March 8, 2017)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will inspect the connection between the seat belt linkages and the seat belt anchor pretensioners, repairing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for the recall is 160.

Reported: 2017-10-04 (October 4, 2017)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles previously repaired under recall campaign 17V-152. The seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.

Consequence: If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will again verify the connection between the seat belt linkage and the pretensioner and additionally install a warning label to prevent future seat belt linkage detachment, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 169.

Reported: 2018-02-27 (February 27, 2018)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. On February 27, 2018, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that they were recalling 154,753 model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. On April 18, 2018, Hyundai expanded the recall to include an additional 425,305 model year 2012-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying.

Consequence: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install an external wire filter kit, free of charge. The recall began October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 174.

Reported: 2020-07-02 (July 2, 2020)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

Consequence: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

Reported: 2020-12-01 (December 1, 2020)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.

Consequence: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 198.

Reported: 2023-09-22 (September 22, 2023)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.