2016 Hyundai SONATA HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SLOWED DOWN PULLED OFF ROAD AFTER SHORT TIME LIGHTS WENT OFF. THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND AGAIN NO BRAKES WE WERE IN TRANSIT CROSS COUNTRY. TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE SPEED LIMIT,

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10883368 at NHTSA ↗

MY CAR HAS BEEN IN MOTION AT NIGHTTIME WITH THE HEAD LIGHTS ON, WHILE DRIVING AT 55 TO 75 MPH THE LIGHT IS SPREAD UP ON MY SIDES INSTEAD OF BEING DIRECTLY IN FRONT WHERE THE FOCAL POINT IS NEEDED THE MOST. I HAVE TAKEN THIS UNIT BACK TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND STILL THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED, I AM TOLD ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN. I TRAVEL MOSTLY ON INTERSTATES AND HAVE 20/20 VISION. MY PREVIOUS CARS LIGHTS DID MAKE MY PATH KNOWN TO ME, WITH THIS CAR, I AM SEEING DEFUSED LIGHT AND IT SCARES ME. I'VE MADE IT KNOWN TO MY LAWYER THAT IF I H…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10888842 at NHTSA ↗

NEW SONATA HYBRID, OWNED 3 MONTHS, MILEAGE 6,000 MILES. RIGHT REAR BRAKES HAVE LOCKED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AT LOW SPEED WHILE NEGOTIATING A HARD LEFT TURN ON A STATE HIGHWAY. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME HIGHWAY LOCATION ABOUT A MONTH APART. WHEN THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCKED, THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL AND AS I WAS NEGOTIATING A SHARP TURN ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD, IT WAS TERRIFYING. IF THERE HAD BEEN OTHER VEHICLES COMING IN THE OPPOSING LANE, THERE VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN A HEAD-ON COLLISION OR WORSE (I.E CAR OVER THE SID…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10899075 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE , MOONROOF/SUNROOF START MAKING AWKWARD NOISE. I NOTED THE MOONROOF HAD CAME OUT OF IT'S POSITION. I HELD WITH ONE HAND AND DRIVE SO THAT OTHER VEHICLES APPROACHING WILL BE SAFE. UNFORTUNATELY I COULD NOT HOLD LONGER DUE TO THE WIND POWER AND IT FLEW BACK AND SHATTERED THE ENTIRE MOONROOF. I JUST WANT THE NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THIS INCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10919666 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE UP OR DOWN AN HILL, IT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED SPEED. INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED WOULD INCREASE OR DECREASE 5-6 MPH FROM THE DESIRED SPEED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S RESUME FEATURE FAILED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DESIRED SPEED WHEN DRIVING. THE FEATURE SET THE VEHICLE AT THE AUTOMATIC SET SPEED OF 40 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL ONLY WORKED ON HIGH INCLINE TYPE OF ROAD C…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10920484 at NHTSA ↗

ON A DARK OR DIMLY LIT ROAD THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS CREATE A SHARP BOUNDARY LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD WITH HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION ON THE LOWER AREA AND DARKNESS ON TWO THIRDS DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE VIEWING AREA. IT IS AS IF THE WINDSHIELD HAS A LINE HORIZONTALLY ACROSS IT TWO THIRDS DOWN IN THE FIELD OF VIEW. THE LINE BOUNCES WHEN THE CAR BOUNCES AND DARK UPPER PORTION CAN NOT BE PROPERLY VIEWED THROUGH TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. THE DEALER HAS SAID A FEW TIMES THERE IS NO ISSUE AND NO REPORT…

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10929758 at NHTSA ↗

SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION OF PANORAMIC SUNROOF AS I WAS TRAVELLING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH. NO FOREIGN OBJECT INVOLVED. SOUNDED LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF ABOVE MY HEAD. THANK GOODNESS, THE INNER LINER WAS CLOSED.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10936440 at NHTSA ↗

DUAL AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. DEALERS EXPLANATION IS THAT IS WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY AND SINCE "IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED", THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI AND HAVE ASKED THEM TO VERIFY THAT THIS "DESIGN" WILL NOT CREATE A FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS CASE#: 10086770 (3/24/17). AFTER SEVERAL UNSATISFACTORY CONVERSATIONS, I WAS GIVEN A SUPERVISOR NAMED ALLY. ALLY WAS POLITE AND ASSURED ME HE WANTED TO GET SOME RESOLUTION. HE CALLED BACK ONCE TO ASSURE ME HE …

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981636 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-04-21 (April 21, 2016)

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.

Consequence: An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.

Reported: 2016-10-11 (October 11, 2016)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the sunroof wind deflector, the sunroof panel on the affected vehicles may detach while driving.

Consequence: If the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 152.

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: 2021-08-06 (August 6, 2021)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Reported: 2021-09-24 (September 24, 2021)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence: A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.