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:
2 / 13
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
59,327 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2011 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 1 of 10)

problem #195

Sep 172024

Sonata

  • miles

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

Car is overheating. Took it to a mechanic They replaced the thermostat but car is still overheating, jerking and so much more. The mechanic wants to charge more to fix it. I got a second opinion from another mechanic and after he reviewed the paperwork from the first mechanic. He searched my vin number and told me to contact this number because my vehicle is on a recall list. So I need someone to contact me about where and how we can get my vehicle fixed.

- Daphne, AL, USA

problem #194

Jul 192024

Sonata

  • miles
On July 19 I started my car and there was a loud knocking noise coming from underneath my hood when I lifted the hood the knocking sound was coming from my engine I-??ve had this car for 3 years never had any problems or issues at all with my car not sure what-??s going on or if there are any recalls on parts for my car

- Salisbury, MD, USA

problem #193

Jan 012024

Sonata

  • miles
My vehicle dash board has started cracking in several locations. Causing a risk to my safety, having the potential of breaking up in the event of a crash casing the dash board to break up and shatter that would cause injury to my passenger and myself. I have seen on the internet where Hyundai has a recall on this, but I was not contracted about this and wound like this matter review please thanks

- Wendell, NC, USA

problem #192

Apr 222024

Sonata

  • miles

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

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 #191

Jan 102024

Sonata

  • miles
My dash board is cracking and the Hyundai dealership don-??t seem to think it-??s a safety recall. And I found this information, saying this sonatas due to defective materials used for the dashboard that may cause it to crack and form sharp edges, potentially causing injury during an accident. The recall affects over 220,000 vehicles and requires dealers to replace the dashboard in affected models for free. I would like you to look into and see if it-??s was a recall please,

- Wendell, NC, USA

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problem #190

Apr 192024

Sonata

  • miles
Not sure what component is responsible but the car caught fire while driving on [XXX]. Started smoking and then shut off. Limped car to the shoulder and got out. Saw from underneath that it was on fire and called 911. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Burlington, NJ, USA

problem #189

Jan 012024

Sonata

  • miles

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

Gas gauge worked, only, intermittently. Would indicate empy after a fillup. At about 3/4 of a tank, would start showing accurate reading. Now seems not to work at all. This has been going on for 2 years. Now, it is stuck on 1/2 full no matter how much or little fuel is in the tank. My safety concern is running out of fuel on the highway and being rear ended by another vehicle. Online, I have found. Many others complaining about this issue.

- Evanston, IL, USA

problem #188

Jan 142024

Sonata

  • miles
My car won-??t start idk what-??s cost that-??s

- Snellville, GA, USA

problem #187

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

problem #186

Aug 302023

Sonata

  • miles
My Hyundai Sonata started messing up 3 months ago. My check engine light came on I took it to autozone to get it checked and it was my knock sensor wire harness I dont have a warranty on my car and I dont know what else to

- Byhalia, MS, USA

problem #185

Jun 132023

Sonata

  • miles

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

My 2011 Hyundai Sonata was stolen on June 13th in Minneapolis in broad daylight on a busy street. When I got it back at the Mpls Police impound lot they said it was stolen (most likely by kids) because of the security defect the Hyundais and Kias are known to have: the lack of an interceptor that other cars have. That security defect has been well publicized and apparently widely featured on TikTok. The week before the theft I received the Hyundai recall notice for a software solution to be installed to solve the security defect, but when I contacted area dealerships they either didn't have it yet or were booked out several months. I've seen it reported that Hyundai (and Kia) companies have known about the defect for years, so it's especially frustrating!

- Saint Paul, MN, USA

problem #184

May 122023

Sonata

  • miles
Picked up my car after getting my recalls done on May 10, 2023. Drove it for 2 days. As I was on my way home on the 2nd day, my car started giving me trouble. As I accelerate, the car will stall out and I will have to turn it off and back on just to get it out of the middle of the street. It won't go over 1000 RPMs. The EPS light, battery light, and engine light all lit up.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #183

Jun 292023

Sonata

  • miles
Starting 6 months ago air bag light is on constantly. Horn stopped working, speed control doesn't work. The whole steering wheel and buttons with horn doesn't work.

- Granite Falls, NC, USA

problem #182

Jun 152023

Sonata

  • miles
as i was drivim back home from engine started a smoke green, smelling like burn wires electricity ect. the shut off, i ran out the car. in the middle of traffic. i contacted mechanic, has inform me that the engine has siezed.will no longer turn on. and maybe some ECM or electrical but dat the engine is locked.oil looks very clean radiator fluid clean aswell. what could have caused this no idea. im scare to try to start the car

- Summit Argo, IL, USA

problem #181

May 022023

Sonata

  • miles
The alternator and battery of this vehicle has been switched at least 3 times. Purchased new and all, yet the car keeps getting drained and left powerless. Something is draining the energy of the vehicle and the root to the problem is not known.

- Hialeah, FL, USA

problem #180

Feb 232023

Sonata

  • miles
I'm smelling has from under the car and it's got a ticking sound and burning oil it looks like

- Deer Lodge, TN, USA

problem #179

Jan 202023

Sonata

  • miles
Engine stalled and shut off and wouldn-??t start again

- Columbia , SC, USA

problem #178

Feb 012023

Sonata

  • miles
The car suddenly stopped idling while driving at around 40-45 mph and everything seemed normal until it would not drive but the car was on and then the steering was difficult to pull over to a safe area and the brakes were hard to brake and stop but when it came to a full stop the vehicle dash warning lights were flickering and shut off. When I tried to attempt and start the vehicle it would not start but everything turns on ike normal al the lights except the engine was not on. Also it started smelling like some sort of electrical components were burning or something but I couldn't see any smoke or anything coming from the engine area but it seemed like electrical burn somewhere in the car. The vehicle is very unsafe to drive since there was no kind of warning lights or sounds and just stopped working while driving. The vehicle is well maintained and up to date with maintenance services. It became inoperable and had to be towed home since I ended up stuck in a unsafe spot in the middle of a busy street and waited hours for someone to tow it back to my house because it was already about 1 or 2 in the morning. The next day had hired a mechanic to come and do the diagnostics and repairs and still doesn't start or drive and I had to hire another mechanic to diagnose the problem again and was told that the motor is seized and I would need a new engine and other work done on it as well and so me and my family are stuck without a car which is our only car and no more money to fix the car and have no way to bring my child to school and also take my wife to work and etc etc since this problem and don't know what's wrong with it after spending so much money trying to have it fixed so possibly a lemon car.

- Vallejo, CA, USA

problem #177

Sep 112020

Sonata

  • miles
I was driving my 2011 Hyundai Sonota and it felt like a truck had slammed into the back of my vehicle but it didn-??t, the car was knocking and finally stopped and wouldn-??t accelerate when pushing the pedal. I had to have it towed and the shop didn-??t know what to do and I had it sent to Rick Case Hyundai and I explained the situation about the debris being washed out of the engine and they asked for $1700 just to look at the engine. I had a few recalls and they should have looked at the engine with no problems and no charges. They had my vehicle towed and it took me a few months to figure out what happened to my car? I have been denied EVERYTHING BY HYUNDAI CORPORATE AND TAMMY OFFERED TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE AFTER SENDING THE INFORMATION TO BBB AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD DO IT FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THERE IS A RECALL ON THE END

- Social Circle , GA, USA

problem #176

Sep 202022

Sonata

  • miles
Hyundai has refused to get back to me about my car it's been months they don't return my phone calls or emails or anything. The motor recall had caused me and my children to be stranded in the busy highway after just shutting down 2 times. Amongst other things this is unacceptable

- Sharpsburg , GA, USA

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