10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
84,848 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.

2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Owner Comments (Page 2 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #46

Jul 012020

Sonata Hybrid

  • 130,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, an abnormal noise was present coming from the engine prior to the vehicle stalling. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer ray brandt Hyundai located at 1700 westbank expy, harvey, la 70058, who diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The contact was informed by the dealer that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The contact was informed that the same failure listed in the recall had occurred however, the hybrid sonata was not included. The failure mileage was 130,000. Invalid VIN.

- Harvey, LA, USA

problem #45

Apr 182019

Sonata Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving, the transmission failed and the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to bob brady Hyundai (4025 E boy rd, Decatur, il 62526, (217) 876-3800) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken approximately seven times to the same dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that the dealer previously replaced the electrical component and the engine. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- Decatur, IL, USA

problem #44

Jun 162019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 165,000 miles
While driving the car on the freeway, it will jerk forward and then shortly after lose power. The car shows the battery as being barely charged. I pull over (luckily haven't been killed yet) on the side of the freeway. Let the car sit for a few minutes, restart it and the battery is half full and the car is driveable. I've read online that this is a common issue with 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrids. I've taken my car to a Hyundai dealership twice, and they can't find anything wrong, diagnostics show its fine. The second time I took it in they replaced the battery located in my trunk for $485. That did nothing, as the car is still randomly shutting off, and most times in the most dangerous areas of the road. I don't think Hyundai will do anything about this until numerous people are killed. Forgot to mention that sometimes when it shuts down the check oil light comes on. I've had the oil replaced and the oil sensor, so thats not the issue.

- Alpine, CA, USA

problem #43

Apr 022019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 104,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and an alarm noise was coming from the instrument panel. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to taylor Hyundai (located at 3233 Washington rd, aguata, ga 30907, (706) 868-1200) where it was diagnosed that the third rod in the engine needed to be replaced and caused the engine to seize. The contact stated that the vehicle still remained at the dealer. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to rick case Hyundai (located at 3180 satellite blvd nw, duluth, ga 30096, (678) 321-1584) to be diagnosed, but the cause the failure could not be duplicated. The contact was informed that hybrids were supposed to operate in that manner. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: 15688279. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #42

May 062019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 15 miles
Warning check charging system do not drive stop safety issue

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #41

Apr 072019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 104,543 miles
Engine failed me while driving at the rate of speed 65 miles per hour on highway 20 returning from my myrtle beach vacation with me children and girlfriend with. We could have been killed the car just started decelerating as I was trying to pass another car. I had to think quick as there where semi tractors behind me I threw on my hazards and was able to give signal that I was in distress allowing other travelers to take heed. I then started moving into the left lane so that I could exit the highway the car at this point was just coasting and coasted into a gas station where I awaited road side towing. I have read several complaints here on NHTSA of similar incidents when will the consumers be protected against huge manufacturers we do all that were supposed to as far as maintaining our investment and then they try to stick the consumer with the bill in which they are will aware of had been manufactured with defects. I will never buy another Hyundai product again in life and I will do everything in my power to make sure no one I know does either. For them not do whats right by your customers will in the end cost them way more. My vehicle came with an extended warranty and they are also trying to get out of replacing the faulty engine either way consumers think there doing everything right maintenance and warranty and still some how the big guys get off the hook of honoring there end of the deal. Its very disheartening to say the least. I have provide a very in depth letter to what work has been done on my vehicle and if you need to I am sure that all my maintenance records can be retrieved from carfax. Please please advise on what other measures I can take

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #40

Jan 022019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 12 miles

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

Suddenly gave warning while driving not drive hybrid system failure. Please call me at [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #39

Apr 012019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 93,000 miles
Engine fire, non collision. Just driving down the highway. No warning lights came on until engine quit running. Lost power and engine became extremely hot. Had to tow to mechanic who said engine might have caught fire and I would need new engine.

- College Station, TX, USA

problem #38

Jan 132019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 115,000 miles
Engine blew a rod spontaneously while on the freeway. Going 75 miles an hour and heard a loud clicking sound that resulted in engine failure. No warning lights or indicators until after the engine seized. Left us stranded and in danger. Engine regularly maintained and no warning indicators or reason to have the car looked at prior to the event. Towed back to mechanic where he explained the engine rod had blown and damaged the engine and would require a completely new engine as a result. It's a hybrid and does not fall under the recall as of now but it's the exact same situation as the non hybrid versions.I only found out from the mechanic that there has been a problem with 2012 Hyundai sonata engines.

- Avondale, AZ, USA

problem #37

Jan 132019

Sonata Hybrid

  • 100,135 miles
While driving the car will randomly rev very high it started about 3 weeka ago while driving at around an average of 45mph in city. It was initially just revving 3-4 times until I hit the break and it was isolated to one incident per drive. But last night after driving on I-25 at highway speed I turned to a slower busy street more stop and go traffic and the car started revving again only this time it did not stop after one incident. As soon as I hit the accelerator it went into a revving fit. And didnt stop I couldn't even drive it because I could not get it to accelerate. I tried turning off blue drive and tried shifting down to 1st gear so I could at least make it at 10-15mph but it revved up even in manual gear. I had to park it for the night in a pretty sketchy neighborhood and call an uber. The system didn't populate any codes and no service lights came on. Then, this morning when I went back to get the car to a mechanic and it was accelerating fine though it was sluggish. I managed to make it 2.5 miles to a mechanic without incident but still no service engine light.

- Lakewood, CO, USA

problem #36

Dec 272018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 131,000 miles

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

The car began lurching forward intermittently at highway speeds (65+ mph) when travelling in a straight line on a flat highway on day 1, after 30 minutes of driving. On day 2, the car failed to shift gears at low speeds (<40 mph) while decelerating downhill on a city street, after running normally for 30 minutes at highway speeds. It coasted slightly uphill in first gear to the destination on a city street, unable to accelerate from 5mph. It was towed ($88) to a mechanic where it failed a road test, and the transmission and clutch assembly were pronounced dead. A new transmission and clutch assembly were installed and the engine (odo 131,000+) failed to turn over. $650 in labor to diagnose and attempt repair/replacement. Repairs were estimated at $8,100 and the kbb value was less than $3,200. The car is otherwise in excellent condition and is being sold to a junk yard with new tires under it.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #35

Nov 272018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 80,000 miles
While trying to accelerate at freeway speeds (50-60mph), the "eco guage" revs up but the car will not accelerate - slows down in the middle of traffic. The oil pressure warning lamp flickers on and off as well. After the car is stopped and turned off, the car functions normally. Mechanics are unable to retrieve any codes from the system. The car has intermittantly dropped into this mode at least 10 times since we first experienced the problem in July 2018. The problem occurs at freeway speeds causing the car to rapidly decelerate in fast moving traffic with no advance warnings. This situation requires immediate evasive action to remove the car from high speed traffic lanes so it can be shut down and towed to the Hyundai dealer. My wife and I consider this a life-threatening situation as it has occurred in places such as the bay bridge (with no shoulder) and a lengthy underwater tunnel (again with no shoulder). We have taken it to the Hyundai dealer service shop four times. They have replicated the problem and have tried various repairs - replace transmission oil pump, replace inhibitor switch, install new auxilliary battery, and - finally - replacing the transmission. Even after the transmission replacement, the car shut down while the mechanic was test driving it and provided a code to replace the crankshaft position sensor. The mechanics still are not certain they have fixed the problem. It appears as if Hyundai is aware of the problem as their technical support staff have a protocol for repairing the car. Given the intermittant nature of the problem, the fact that it occurs at high speeds, and the potential danger of having your car rapidly decelerate on busy freeways, I think this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed by Hyundai. Attached is the original service record that describes the problem (date 8/6/18). The most recent occurrence was 11/27/18.

- Incline Village, NV, USA

problem #34

Nov 222018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 61,000 miles
After I exited the freeway while traveling to my mothers on thanksgiving day I was stopped at a light to turn left onto a street and when I tried to go the car would not move I had to push the gas peddle all the way down and when it finally went it jumped/jerked really bad which almost caused me to hit the car in front of me and after that it was going really slow. 2 days prior the car was lagging while slowing down to break seemed like the system wasn't reading that I want to slow down and stop which again almost caused me to have an accident. This car is a safety hazard and I only have 61,000 miles and I only had the car for 9 months. I was told it was the transmission and the car is still in the shop trying to figure out what is wrong.

- South Gate, CA, USA

problem #33

Oct 022017

Sonata Hybrid

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle had received an oil change a week prior to the failure. The vehicle was then towed to jim burke automotive (1301 5th ave N, birmingham, al 35203, (205) 549-9387) where the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, less than a year after the engine was replaced the failure recurred. The contact stated that currently the vehicle was still at the dealer. The contact stated that the engine was scheduled to be replaced for a second time in November of 2018. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.

- Chelsea, AL, USA

problem #32

Jul 262018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 65,000 miles
Engine shook and engine seized on a busy 65 mph highway.. warning light came on to pull over and not drive. Car was towed to nearest Hyundai dealer. Has been at service dept awaiting a new engine for 3 months. This vehicle was not part of an engine recall, yet Hyundai always claims in media reports that the affected vehicles have been recalled. This vehicle is a hybrid and Hyundai needs to recall these cars as well, because the engine is having the same exact issue!

- Lewisburg, PA, USA

problem #31

Jul 022018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 97,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. The contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the engine compartment. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and the "hybrid pull over soon" warning indicator flashed. The vehicle stalled and was able to be coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the hybrid battery needed to be replaced. The dealer (dicksmith Hyundai, 781 congaree rd, greenville, SC 29607) indicated that the motor assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer indicated that the vehicle was excluded from any recall campaigns. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.

- Hiram, GA, USA

problem #30

Sep 082018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal noise while driving approximately 55 mph. In addition, the charging system warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to autonation Hyundai mall of Georgia (located at 3445 buford dr, buford, ga) where it was diagnosed that the compressor failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

- Suwanee, GA, USA

problem #29

Jul 262018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 105,207 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. While driving 65 mph, the engine seized. The contact stated that the vehicle went into hybrid mode and only traveled 5 mph. In addition, the hybrid battery warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to huffines Hyundai plano (909 coit road, plano, tx 75075, 469-685-1543) where it was confirmed that the engine seized, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,207.

- Royse City, TX, USA

problem #28

Dec 202017

Sonata Hybrid

  • 155,000 miles
I started to have engine problems around November 2017. I took the car to the dealership and I was never told that it was a recall on the engine. They just dismissed me only telling me the warranty was out. My car was 3 payments away from being pay off and the dealer wanted $11,000 (eleven thousand) to fix it. I have to ended up buying a new one since I couldn't come up with that kind of money. Is there anything that I can do now, after 6-7 months after the purchase of the new car? I felt the dealer and the company was very tricky......when I noticed something was wrong with the car I was driving on a street, had to stop and call a tow truck. It was a big noise like something was inside the engine. Thank you

- Ventura, CA, USA

problem #27

Jul 192018

Sonata Hybrid

  • 3 miles
Engine started making a very loud knocking sound while driving 70-75 mph. Shortly there after the engine stopped and smoke came out of the hood. Towed the vehicle to a local Hyundai dealership that said the piston broke and went through the firewall.

- Port Orange, FL, USA

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