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:
4 / 13
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
64,696 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 fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2011 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #37

Jul 032018

Sonata

  • 190,000 miles

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

Vehicle is hesitant to crank. I have to hold switch a few seconds before it will start. I have taken it to the shop and they said it needs a new fuel pump and that this is a very common issue with these types of car.

- Pheba, MS, USA

problem #36

May 112018

Sonata

  • 72,000 miles
After putting gas in my car the gas gauge is everywhere. I can stop and restart my car after filling it and it will say I'm empty. Whether I'm actually driving at the moment or stationary, the gauge will constantly move up and down. I have to keep an eye on my mileage to know how much I really have. It has been happening for over a year now. I've seen other stories online of many others having the same issue.

- S St Paul, MN, USA

problem #35

Jan 042018

Sonata

  • 110,000 miles
I have had two separate incidents where my vehicle's engine completely lose power while driving. There is no warning and the steering locks up and my car is immediately disabled each time I came extremely close to being hit by on coming traffic.with the incident the car suddenly start slowing down and when I pressed the gas pedal nothing happened but all the sensors popped up I was able to pull over just as it lost power and the car wouldn't restart and I had it towed. Few days later car started as if nothing happened I began to drive it again but after about a week I was on the highway during morning rush hour attempted to cross lanes and it suddenly lost power again and I couldn't move the vehicle at all I feel very unsafe driving the car beacuse this happens randomly and without warning

- Hampton, GA, USA

problem #34

Oct 202017

Sonata

  • miles

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

Gas gauge goes from empty to full back to empty and it continues to do so. I have a full tank of gas and it says it's empty. The light comes on and even the check engine light comes on and goes away. It happens in park or while I'm driving. Streets or highway.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #33

Dec 052017

Sonata

  • 86,700 miles
I have noticed a very strong smell of gasoline. The smell is so strong that I had to roll my windows down because I was starting to get dizzy.

- Hanahan, SC, USA

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problem #32

Jun 302012

Sonata

  • 78,000 miles
2011 Hyundai Sonata limited 2.4L. Ever since I purchased the vehicle from the dealership in bloomington, in five years ago I've had a difficult time getting fuel to pump into this car. I can't even put it on the lowest gas pump setting and it will disengage the pump over an over again. Literally, most times only being able to put 5$ in at a time very, very slowly, with some gas stations leaving me unable to pump at all. I've complained about it over the phone for years. After going through cancer treatments, I finally went to the terre haute dealership for the first time instead of bloomington, also for more recall issues. They found the gas pumping problem and said it's the canister and valve near the gas tank that needs replaced quoting me $548.65. Of course there's no warranty now at 140,000 miles. Once again left to do the work myself, as the part is really cheap an easy to fix. I don't know how one can justify that price.. tired of all the crazy issues with this vehicle

- Linton, IN, USA

problem #31

Sep 012017

Sonata

  • 80,000 miles

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

My fuel sending unit has failed. My "miles to empty" meter is never accurate or steady. It's always moving sporadically. I have to constantly keep my tank fill in fear of not knowing how much gas is actually in my car. Also, my airbag light is on. It just randomly came on when I was driving. I'm not sure if this has anything to do my seat belt or a faulty sensor. Both of these issues both happen when the vehicle is or isn't in motion.

- Davie, FL, USA

problem #30

Jul 262017

Sonata

  • miles
Fumes in cab while driving causing burning nostrils, headache, bad taste in mouth, gagging and nausea. 2 different Hyundai dealer service departments have told me it is normal for the plastic gas tank to vent the fumes in hot weather to prevent the gas tank from exploding, and there is no repair for it. I don't know how it is safe for the driver to be breathing in those fumes. I have to park the car and get out so I can breathe. This is normally on days when the temperature is above 110 degrees, which is often in las vegas summers, and normally happens during city stop and go driving, but has also happened during highway driving. This happens with our 2009 Hyundai elantra under the same conditions, as well, but the fumes are not as strong.

- Henderson, NV, USA

problem #29

Jun 012015

Sonata

  • miles
Fuel gauge and fuel pump sending unit. Safety issue with the fuel gauge as it will not accurately show fuel level and will sometimes show empty because of a faulty fuel pump sending unit. The warranty on this vehicle should be extended to repair this safety issue. This started approximately two years ago and has gotten progressively worse.

- Mission Viejo, CA, USA

problem #28

Jan 012017

Sonata

  • 13,500 miles
I am a owner of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata and my fuel gage fluctuates showing at times I have gas and other times that I have no gas. My fuel tank only lets me put in no more than $10 at any time. I do not know any owners of the same make and model to compare this to.

- Ontario, CA, USA

problem #27

Apr 122017

Sonata

  • 101,000 miles

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

The contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 70 mph, the engine seized. When the accelerator pedal was depressed, the RPM gauge needle was in the red. The contact stated that the driver was able to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and noticed smoke and flames under the hood. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed and no injuries were sustained. The fire department stated that the cause of the fire appeared to be caused by fuel leaking into the engine block. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #26

Mar 182017

Sonata

  • 74,000 miles
On March 10 I took my Sonata to get an oil change at superlube. I also took the car on the 11th to the Hyundai dealership to check for a knocking noise I had heard in the car. They ran tests and told me my engine was fine, and I need brakes, an alignment, and tires. So I spent $800 getting these things done on my car including the oil change. Well on the 18th of March in traveling my car stopped in the middle of the highway. I crank up it drive for a minute and cut right back off again. So I had the car towed to my house. They ran tests, could not find anything wrong with the car, thought it was my pulley, but it was all right. So the mechanic said let's try another oil change. Started draining the oil, it was black as tar as if I had not gotten an oil change. Treated the gas and the fuel injection system. Still a knock in acceleration. Went back to superlube to give them a piece of my mind only to find out that the manager had been having problems with gdi engines and the fuel injection system. Told me that they knew about it and-and not saying anything. I was only mad because I had taken my car to Hyundai twice since I had the car in a year for engine inspection and not one time did they tell me this.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

problem #25

Jul 132016

Sonata

  • miles
When I accelerate on the freeway, engine stalls. Goes from 55 to zero and when I pump vigoursly in the gas to make it go faster, it will not. I almost was slammed in the rear from other cars in the freeway. Plus air bag light will not go off. Plus knock knock noise heard in the engine.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #24

Oct 262016

Sonata

  • 5,500 miles
Our 2011 Hyundai Sonata gls 2.4 engine caught fire as my wife was returning home from taking our son to school. My wife smelled gasoline and then it burst into flames. This was the second replacement engine covered under warranty and had less than 6000 miles on it. Hyundai mall of Georgia has performed all warranty service work on this vehicle. After the second engine and many other warranty repairs tried to envoke the lemon law but was denied by hyundia case #9412898.

- Suwanee, GA, USA

problem #23

Jun 182016

Sonata

  • 56,000 miles
The fuel gauge is not working properly from 2-3 months and I started noticing it by early June 2016. When gas is filled, it displays the full tank gauge. But after stopping at any place and then starting the car, the fuel gauge drops by few bars to half a tank. Next morning when I start my car to go to office it would show empty tank with gas light on but will correct itself to few bars to half a tank to full tank. I had visited Hyundai dealership on Oct 12 2016 and they said its out of warranty by 62 days and my extended warranty of 100,000 miles only covers engine and transmission. They also said it will cost 750 plus $ to replace the "fule pump" to fix this issues. To avoid any empty gas situation I always rest my trip B to zero, after full tank.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #22

Jul 182016

Sonata

  • 65,000 miles
Fuel sender (in tank fuel sensor) has failed. First noticed over a year ago with intermittent erroneous fuel gauge reading after refueling, but quickly corrected its self. Noticed the full failure a day after I had refueled and my fuel gauge read half full. Assumed that I was a victim of fuel theft, but no sign of forced entry to my fuel door. I refueled and the car topped off within about a gallon. However the gauge was still reading low. Assumed that maybe the thieves had damaged and partially obstructed my fill hose with a lost syphon hose. Over the next few days the gauge slowly rose to full. Now the gauge fluctuates between full and half full. Researched the sending unit and found that this was a known problem with three models and a tsb (sb-10052842-7701) for inspection of the unit was issued May 2013 and a replacement procedure (sb-10060967-2273) was issued June 2014. Aftermarket replacement part is affordable at approximately $45 from third part vendor, but the replacement procedure is complicated by the high risk of working with gasoline and either trying to remove the fuel pump in the tight confines of the car with the fuel tank still installed or removing the tank with residual fuel.

- Pioneer, CA, USA

problem #21

Apr 012015

Sonata

  • miles
Fuel sensor is faulty. The gas level is never correct. It shows empty when it's not and randomly goes up and down so I never know exactly how much gas I have.

- Mcdonough, GA, USA

problem #20

May 012016

Sonata

  • 105,166 miles
In the beginning of may, 2016 at 105K, I started the car and I made it down the street and the car stalled in front of a stop sign. The engine, oil, battery, and ESC lights came on. I turned off the car and tried to turned it back on and it wouldn't start. I got the car towed to the dealership and they said it was going to cost $1000 to replace the fuel pump so I took to another mechanic and he replaced it with an aftermarket fuel pump for $375. Got it back and it ran great. 2 weeks later, on my way to work I had a full tank and I drove about 10 miles and my full tank went to a half tank and it was saying I had 289 miles left then said I had 270 and then went to 290 miles left in less than a minute. I got off of work and the car started, but stalled in the middle of pulling out of the parking spot. I got it towed back to the mechanic and he said there was something loose on the fuel pump. A week later, it broke down in the middle of a car wash. I had to get it pulled out and towed again. The mechanic replaced the fuel pump again. A week and half later, the fuel indicator kept going up and down and then said I had no more gas when I knew I had quarter of a tank so I brought it home and filled it up at a local gas station. It ran well after the fill up. Didn't drive it for a week because I went on vacation. The day after I came back I went to the grocery store and it drove fine, but after it sat in the parking lot for 15 minutes, it wouldn't start. I let it sit for 6 hours and came back later that night to try again. It took 4 tries for the car to start and was able to drive it home, paranoid thinking that it was going to break down again. It has been sitting in my driveway for the past 2 weeks.

- Lathrop, CA, USA

problem #19

Apr 092016

Sonata

  • 70,140 miles
After losing power and getting horrible gas mileage, I took car into dealer. I was told it was the waste gate for the turbo and that it was not covered with my wrap around coverage that I paid extra for. With this comes the possibility of a firs as the car will heat up because the air can not escape. Hyundai should cover this under warranty and after reading all the other stories the same as mine, a recall needs to be done. I will never buy another Hyundai!!!

- Fridley, MN, USA

problem #18

Mar 282016

Sonata

  • 1 miles
When I was driving 70 mph with two bars left on the gas gauge (dashboard said distance to empty: 80 miles), the car suddenly lost power and engine was turned off. When I try to start the car, I noticed that it was out of gas. I put a gallon of tank and it worked. Hoping that it was just one time problem, I was driving it carefully filling gas when it had three bars left on the gauge. A week later, while driving 25 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning when there were 4 bars (130miles to empty on the dash). Took it to the dealership and they told me be replace the fuel pump for $1,000 which I declined at the moment. I had 63,000 miles on the car and found out that many Sonata 2011 are having the similar problem.

- Austin, TX, USA

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