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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
18 / 83
Injuries / Deaths:
15 / 0
Average Mileage:
72,497 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Hyundai Sonata engine problems

engine problem

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2011 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 1 of 46)

problem #903

Jun 162024

Sonata

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car has throw a rod in the engine. The safety of my dog and I was okay. And the safety of other drivers were good also. Yes it was inspected and there were no lights on when the car went down.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #902

May 292024

Sonata

  • 174,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and while attempting to turn, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was restarted but made the abnormal sound and stalled. The contact smelled smoke upon veering to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact exited the vehicle and discovered a liquid substance coming from the under carriage. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine was cracked, and the contact was informed to take the vehicle to the dealer for service. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

- Antioch, IL, USA

problem #901

Apr 222024

Sonata

  • miles
Driving from home to a shopping center, approximately 25 miles, I did not observe any unusual noises nor smoke nor dashboard warning lights. Once I parked and shut off the engine in the shopping center parking lot, I observed a small amount of thick, white smoke coming from the hood on the front passenger side of my car, and then the smoke abruptly stopped. I was concerned enough that I decided I should probably move my car to a parking space a bit further away from the store I planned to go into in order to be further away from other vehicles. I started the engine again, and once again, no smoke nor unusual noises nor warning lights. I drove around to the next parking aisle and parked in a different parking space. Once I turned off the engine again, the smoke then immediately started from the right side of the hood again and quickly smoke started coming from the left side of the hood. I was quickly trying to grab my things to get out of the car as I saw the paint starting to peel off of the hood of my car. I was barely able to get out of my car as fire flames and very thick white smoke were then emerging from the hood. A person in the parking lot called 911 for me, and the local fire department arrived and put the fire out that destroyed my car. I am in the process of securing the Fire Marshall's lengthy report. At the present time, my vehicle is at our home where we paid to have it towed.

- Springtown , TX, USA

problem #900

May 092024

Sonata

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 80 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but was stiff and difficult to depress. The contact stated that her daughter accelerated to steer the vehicle away from slower traffic. The contact stated that her daughter depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond and started losing motive power. The contact stated that her daughter was able to steer the vehicle to the side of the road and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine check brake and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Algonquin, IL, USA

problem #899

Apr 252024

Sonata

  • miles
My vehicle has the flashing engine light on. The code that comes up is the P1326, causing it to go into -??limp mode-?? making it unsafe to drive. My local Hyundai dealership in Vandalia, Ohio and they only reset the code, giving me the impression they actually FIXED the issue. Five days later, it is doing the same thing. I have asked multiple times for a loaner vehicle while they work on mine, I have been told that is not possible due to the fact they have not found out if my vehicle has a warranted covered issue. I had the engine replaced before in 2019, now I-??m having more issues. More assistance should be provided

- Dayton , OH, USA

problem #898

Jan 082024

Sonata

  • miles
The engine locked up on the highway My daughter got over to the breakdown lane. We had it towed to a garage and was told the engine locked up -?" we called Hyundai and got the run around. So we moved on and paid for an engine and got it installed. Then I have been reaching out to see if we could get some type of reimbursement for motor and labor ( something -?" 91,000 miles when it locked up engine no good) But know I finally got through to a few different people and now they are telling me, because we didn-??t go to a Hyundai dealer they won-??t do anything. We bought a engine that was from Hyundai [XXX] And my first claim # from you is 11566045 this is HORRIBLE JUST LOOK FOR SOME HELP ON THIS THANKS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Lawrence, MA, USA

problem #897

Sep 082023

Sonata

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Prior to my trip I checked all fluids, and all was good levels. Car was traveling on improved interstate at posted highway speed. As I was passing another vehicle my vehicle lost power and I was forced to cross lanes in traffic to get to shoulder. There were no prior warnings or lights before my vehicle lost power. I opened my hood and saw the radiator coolant boiling over in reservoir and the top hose was collapsed. Had the vehicle towed home. I checked and replaced the thermostat however found that the engine would not turn over and the starter failed.

- Navarre, FL, USA

problem #896

Jun 062023

Sonata

  • miles
Engine seized at 82000 miles stranding me in the passing lane of Interstate 10. Was nearly hit by a truck.

- Animas, NM, USA

problem #895

Feb 072024

Sonata

  • miles
Hyundai Theta II engine has known defects with excessive engine oil consumption. Numerous consumers have complained of this issue as it appears widespread to the entire line of Theta II engines. A recent class action has limited the scope of the recall but an easy search can see it impacts (or has the potential to impact) nearly all Theta II (six gen) engines from Hyundai. The issue is that the scope of the recall needs to be widened to cover others who are impacted who currently have no recourse. Many are facing the same situation, which can easily be found with a brief search online. [XXX] At this time the issue is the car stalling at unknown times, fire from oil being displaced in other areas and various other issues due to improper and unusual oil consumption. The best situation would be to force Hyundai to review and expand the scope of their recall immediately. I found that I had excessive oil consumption which was causing my car to grind and shift heavily sometimes jerking on the highway. While I didn't crash, that possibility did exist when my car continually grinded heavy between shifting. I took my car to the dealer where they confirmed this issue. However, Hyundai declined to remediate. There are no warning lights and this could easily result in a crash, or fire. Hyundai has records of my maintenance, as my car is only serviced by the dealership where the car was purchased and I am the original owner. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #894

Jan 012022

Sonata

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer informed the contact that the knock sensor detection system (KSDS) software update and the recall repair had already been performed on the vehicle. The contact stated that a failure related to the recall recurred while driving. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to get the vehicle to the shoulder of the highway. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where the contact was able to drive the vehicle again; however, the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a fuel pump failure, and an oil leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #893

Mar 182024

Sonata

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I changed my oil on Saturday and it now has no oil. The engine light started flashing and my engine seized up. Now it does not run at all. It turns on halfway where the dashboard turns on but the motor/engine does not turn. It appears to be white smoke coming out of the car after trying to turn it back on.

- Bothell, WA, USA

problem #892

Mar 172024

Sonata

  • miles
Vehicle stalled while driving

- Allentown , PA, USA

problem #891

Nov 152021

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
November 2021 I was coming home from work when the engine started making a horrible noise. I limped the vehicle home and contacted Hyundai and was told to bring the vehicle in to the dealership. It was stated that Hyundai had closed the campaign on the knock sensor the week before bringing it in, but they would try. About a month later the dealership called and said that I needed to come get the car due to they were selling the dealership lot. I towed it there and towed it home and have continued to peruse actions to correct the lifetime warranty that is offered due to shavings left in the engine when manufactured. Found another recall that said my vehicle is affected by this recall and to scheduled a service appointment. When delivering the car back off yesterday at the new dealership that took over, I was informed that the recall would probably fail due to another recall that had never been preformed, which is a recall that I had never been presented with by mail or communication of any sort. This was in the middle of the global pandemic when the world was shut down, and I have never been presented with any recalls from Hyundai. They may have sent notification through the US POSTAL SERVICE, but never came in to my possession, knowledge or mailbox. The contact stated Hyundai refused to proceed with the recall on the vehicle due to the fact that contact had done his own oil changes. The contact is requesting assistance to get Hyundai to honor their obligation.

- Athens, WV, USA

problem #890

Jan 282024

Sonata

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle shuddered and then lost motive power. The contact shifted the transmission into neutral(N) while stopping or reversing to prevent the vehicle from shutting off. The check engine, air bag, and fuel level warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine was faulty and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine). The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle had previously been repaired in 2015 under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine); however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that he did not own the vehicle at the time of the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- North Miami, FL, USA

problem #889

Feb 122024

Sonata

  • miles
Engine leaks/burns oil too frequently. Every other week I-??m continuously having to put oil to refill levels. Also electrical system for turn signals is always going in and out. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn-??t. Safety hazard because other vehicles can-??t tell that I-??m turning.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #888

Feb 012024

Sonata

  • 189,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the instrument cluster started showing numerous warning lights. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and lost power steering and braking functionality. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact started smelling a burning odor in the cabin of the vehicle and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The contact exited the vehicle and opened the hood, and a large cloud of smoke was released. There were no flames, but the contact smelled the odor of melted plastic and rubber. The Fire Department was called but the vehicle did not catch on fire. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle had been consuming an abnormal amount of engine oil. The contact stated he was adding one quart of engine oil per week. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.

- Zephyrhills, FL, USA

problem #887

Jan 012017

Sonata

  • miles
Oil consumption excessive. I've been doing my monthly and annual maintenance engine ticks. I've added oil every 2 weeks every 200 miles.

- Marysville, WA, USA

problem #886

Dec 182023

Sonata

  • miles
We bought this used car for my daughter, then I found out there was issues with the engine. We had it for 6 months and the engine seized as she was driving it on the highway. She got to pull off to the side of highway. We had it towed to our mechanic, hoping it was the battery or something simple. He told us it was a blown engine and there was PLENTY OF OIL AND ANTIFREEZE IN IT. HE THEN TOLD US THE HE LOOKED AT IT AND COULD NOT BELIEVE IT WAS BLOWN, WITH THE OIL STILL IN IT. WE had to buy a new rebuilt engine and pay for the mechanics time. There has been issues with this engine-??s. How do we get the engine payed for, with the problem they have. This wasn-??t a neglect part on us. I would like to get REIMBURSE FOR THE NEW ENGINE ( rebuilt ) not our neglect, but the way they built the engine / oil pan

- Lawrence , MA, USA

problem #885

Sep 212023

Sonata

  • miles
Engine uses oil excessively, stopped suddenly on highway, Hyundai America refused to authorize oil consumption test car is now in limp mode

- Winston Salem, NC, USA

problem #884

Dec 132023

Sonata

  • miles
My 2011 Hyundai sonata Engine failed in April 2023. Was towed and the engine was replaced due to the recall. Got car back November 4th 2023. Fuel gauge never went out and after driving about 3 miles the engine light came on. Dec 13th was driving on highway and felt like the car was going to fall apart. Able to get off highway only for the car to die. Every light including some I have never seen came on. Was stuck on the side of the road with my ESA dog in 28?. Temp. For over an hour with no power and hazards starting to dim. I'm disabled and had no help. Local PD towed vehicle and drove me home. Car sat at tow yard collecting fees as I was waiting for the dealership to call me back. Finally got help with paying the tow yard company only to be stuck once again for over an hour in the cold and then denied a tow to the dealership since they decided to cancel my appointment by text while I was on with Hyundai roadside assistance. They denied any help. Luckily the tow yard felt bad and made a call for me and a friend came and paid the $160 tow truck to get the car back to my house. They have now not returned my calls and the case manager has not responded as well. This is unacceptable. I don't have any money and I have no idea how they can get away with treating a disabled person in the winter days before Christmas by letting me be stranded twice on the side of the road with an engine that has less than 10 miles on it.

- Lynn, MA, USA

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