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Engine Seized
2011 Hyundai Sonata (Page 1 of 10)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Hyundai dealer.
CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2011 Sonata has a seriously defective engine that seizes without warning. It was awarded the dubious honor of being the first CarTalk / CarComplaints Turd of the Week in late September 2015.
A class action lawsuit was filed in May 2015 against Hyundai that claims the 2.4L Sonata engine is defective. More info here.
9.3
really awful- Typical Repair Cost:
- $5,150
- Average Mileage:
- 96,250 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 191 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
- engine replacement (147 reports)
- not sure (33 reports)
- junked the car (4 reports)
- sold vehicle (4 reports)
- replace lower half of engine (3 reports)
engine problem
Helpful websites
- 2011 Hyundai Sonata Engine Failure Class Action Investigation - Chimicles & Tikellis is investigating a proposed class action lawsuit against Hyundai for alleged premature engine failure in certain 2011 Hyundai Sonata vehicles. These models may contain a defect predisposing the engines to experience engine bearing failure, overheating, oil consumption, piston ring land failure and/or connecting rod knock. These issues may result in catastrophic engine failure along with safety issues and expensive repairs.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
WHAT HAPPENED:
The engine seized at about 120,000 kms (~75k miles) in Aug 2023. This happened on a Toronto freeway (ON-410 North). I lost all engine power and electronics (including power steering and braking) on the freeway at about 115 kmph (~70 mph). Only the battery was functional so the check engine light and check oil lights lit up the gauge cluster like a Christmas tree. A slight burning smell filled the cabin almost immediately.
Fortunately there wasn't much traffic on the freeway so we could pull over to the shoulder using the cars momentum. It was quite hard to do this given that the brakes and steering did not have electronic power. Since my family was with me in the car, it was quite an unnerving experience to say the least, but I'm grateful to have had enough driving experience to keep my calm, slot the gear in neutral, switch on the hazard lamps, and maneuver safely without causing an accident.
After being stranded for 2 hours on the side of the road, I got my car towed to the Hyundai dealership that I go to regularly. Two days later, I was told the engine piston connecting rods had seized permanently.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IF IT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU AS WELL:
There was a class-action lawsuit against Hyundai for this particular engine and Hyundai (and Kia) agreed to replace these engine for free for all plaintiffs, as long as engine oil changes were done as per recommendations. The engine was replaced for free about 2-3 weeks later. Hyundai gave me a loaner in the meantime. It took some time for the new engine to break in (about 5,000 kms). I also got the transmission memory reset and got a throttle body re-learn done.
If this has happened to you, please ensure you do your research on the class action law suit for this particular engine, and gather all your oil change receipts (for evidence that you've done your part). Some dealerships might not be transparent with you and might get your car for scrap, only to re-sell it for a lot higher with a new engine replaced for free by Hyundai.
If you do get a new engine (hopefully replaced for free), I'd highly recommend taking it easy for a while. Avoid hard accelerations or speeding. Get a transmission and throttle body reset done. Change engine oil more frequently (about every 4k to 5k kms or 4 months, whichever is sooner). Change the transmission fluid sooner than recommended (every 60k kms or less). This should take your car up to 300k+ kms (~200k miles) with only wear-related maintenance (like tires, shocks, brakes, etc.) depending on your car's age and driving habits.
The new engine is a bit louder but feels a lot more responsive and confident after it breaks in. Do keep an eye on the transmission though. They are generally reliable but it might need a little care while adjusting to the new engine.
Hope this helped.
- Shiva K., Toronto, ON, Canada