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:
20 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 1
Average Mileage:
51,010 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 steering problems

steering problem

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2011 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 37 of 58)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #435

Aug 182015

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 62,000 miles

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

I purchased this car less than a year ago. The steering wheel is making a clicking noise when moved from left to right and there is a clunking sound coming from the steering column when driving between 10 - 40 mph. When searching online, I have noticed that hundreds of Hyundai owners that have this make and model are experiencing the same issue. I feel unsafe when driving this car, especially when my grandchildren are with me. I understand there was a recall but I was told my car did not qualify. The dealer wants to charge me $100 just to look at it. This is a major safety issue!!!! is Hyundai waiting for someone to be killed before they do something and take responsibility for their cars. I now have 64,000 miles on this car, 4000 over the warranty and Hyundai refuses to fix unless I pay up front. I was told that Hyundai was a very good car but after reading all these horror stories about the steering issues, I will never purchase a Hyundai again. I believe safety comes before money and Hyundai should take responsibility and issue a recall for all 2011 Sonatas. Please help in keeping everyone safe and make Hyundai stand behind their cars and fix these known issues. Thank you.

- Pine Bush, NY, USA

problem #434

Aug 312015

Sonata

  • 81,319 miles
Recently while turning steering wheel in park, heard clicking/popping noise. Could feel the clicking through the steering column. Local Hyundai dealership (where purchased) diagnosed issue on August 31,2015. Description of diagnosis on service paper. " recommend replacing coupler " cost of labor at $222.14 and part cost $3.65. This issue needs to be investigated for root cause and corrective actions. This coupler should not be wearing out after 81,319 miles. Also, if this had not been fixed soon., it may caused a steering issue. Last, I have read there are several hundred reports of this coupler issue. I already had another popping issue with steering last spring that the gear in steering rack failed per service report and was replaced.fortunately under warranty. With these issues mounting, with high labor cost, the long term reliability and cost to own this vehicle, is a concern.

- Kernersville, NC, USA

problem #433

Jul 092015

Sonata

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving at 15 mph, the front drivers side of the vehicle vibrated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering column and the intermediate shaft universal joint connections needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Sioux Falls, SD, USA

problem #432

Sep 042015

Sonata

  • 78,119 miles

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

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. When the vehicle was taken in for inspection, the technician stated that the steering flexible coupling needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number:10V426000 (steering). The failure mileage was 78,119.

- Pittsboro, NC, USA

problem #431

Aug 312015

Sonata

  • 63,820 miles
Beginning August 31st, 2015 my 2011 Hyundai Sonata's steering wheel started making a clicking noise whenever it drove over any large bumpy areas in the road, no matter the speed driven over the bumps. Over the next week the steering wheel itself has started to feel like it is loosening and now makes the clicking noise whenever steering wheel is turned at all. Very little movement from the steering wheel causes a clicking noise now and there is significant movement in the wheel from the column, even when not in motion. The steering itself seems to be affected now as well, as it takes more maneuvering from the wheel by me to drive in normal conditions. From what I have read online and from the recall on some 2011 Sonata's this issue can become very dangerous and life threatening. I looked up the VIN to my vehicle and according to NHTSA and Hyundai.com my vehicle is not covered under this recall, even though the issues are exactly the same as what the recall covers.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #430

Mar 012015

Sonata

  • 50,000 miles
Was driving down the road hit a small piece of black ice and lost control couldn't recover due to excessive play in steering wheel. After filling claim and getting car repaired steering has got worse. Did resarch there is a recall on Hyundai sanatas for this issue but is not covered on my car many others are having this issue and are still not covered on any recall.

- Yuma, AZ, USA

problem #429

Jun 182015

Sonata

  • 90,000 miles

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

When this problem started initially it was a little noise that you can barely hear whenever the steering was turn to the right or to the left, but as the days goes by the situation keep getting worst, the noise could be heard a little louder. I went to the web and I found a recall for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata because of issues with the steering, I called Hyundai customer service in order to get information about the recall and they told me that my car was not part of the recall just because my car was made about a month after the date on the recall. They said the recall was for Sonata built by December 11, 2009 to September 10, 2010. My car was built on October 6, 2010. I explained that my car was having the same issue as the cars on the recall and my car was also made in the same factory in Alabama as was the other cars on the recall. They told me to go the dealership where I bought the car. I went to the dealership but they want to charge $165 to diagnose the car before fixing it and then charge to fix it. I think my car also have the same problem with the steering as the others because its less than a months and that's not enough time for them to fix the issue they have. The option that I have is to address it with you. Thanks for the help.

- Antioch, CA, USA

problem #428

Aug 132015

Sonata

  • 173,222 miles
I having notice when accelerating up to about 25-35 miles per hour there is a consant rattling sound coming from my steering column. Also when I hit a small or large bump in the road there is a loud clicking sound coming from the steering wheel like it is about to fall off. In the last few days I have notice when I trying to brighten or dim my lights at night, the slightest touch causes the lights to flicker on the inside of the car and the lights to go out momentarily. It seems what ever is affecting my steering column is affecting my lights as well. It is getting very dangerous to drive and this is my only source of transportation.

- Thomasville, AL, USA

problem #427

Mar 012015

Sonata

  • 63,000 miles
I have noticed a gradually worsening rattling noise while driving. The noise is coming from the steering column, and the steering wheel vibrates intermittently. It happens on the freeway when driving 75mph and it happens on surface streets driving the posted speed limit. The noise also happens when the car is idle and you move the steering wheel in either direction. The steering wheel acts as if it is catching on something. This seems to be a common issue that is reported on Hyundai sites, but it has not been reported on this site. Please look into this and see if it is a safety issue that merits a recall.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #426

May 312014

Sonata

  • 57,779 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving at 35 mph, there was an abnormal clicking sound in the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front driver side axle was fractured and the steering wheel intermediate shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the front driver side axle was replaced three times and the front passenger side axle was repaired once. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 57,779. Updated 10/06/15

- Downey, CA, USA

problem #425

Aug 102015

Sonata

  • 62,300 miles

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

The steering on my car is wobbly and when I turn the steering wheel, I can hear clicking noises. It has progressed over the past couple of weeks. I took my car to a dealership and was told that the noise is happening because the coupler needs to be replaced. Apparently, the coupler needs to be repaired because of wear and tear. Come on now...it's a 2011 with a little more than 62K miles. The coupler is currently being replaced at a dealership. You don't expect to have this kind of problem on a 2011 vehicle.

- Ft Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #424

Aug 212015

Sonata

  • 61,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the steering column made an abnormal noise. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V457000 (steering). The failure mileage was 61,000.

- Stillwater, OK, USA

problem #423

Jul 012015

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle emitted an abnormal noise. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 09/25/15 updated 10/07/15 updated 12/01/15 the consumer stated the steering made a clicking sound when she wasn't driving and a rattling sound when she was driving. Also, the traction lights illuminated. The rattling sound started at 25 mph. Updated 01/15/16.

- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

problem #422

Aug 112015

Sonata

  • 73,178 miles
I notice some play and a knocking noise in the steering wheel, along with a knocking /rattling sounds in the steering column area when driving on bumpy roads. This issue may have been present for the last few weeks and as of yet has not gotten any worst. This was mention to a coworker of mine who was a previous Sonata owner and informed me that Hyundai had a recall on this issue. Checked for recalls with VIN and none were found. Other then for a certain year previous. From researching on line this seems to be more wide spread problem then Hyundai is leading to believe. And no one says how dangerous this may be, if lost of complete steering is possible?

- Auburndale, FL, USA

problem #421

Jul 152015

Sonata

  • 89,651 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became loose and a rattling noise was heard as all the warning lights flickered. In addition, the contact mentioned that a loud bang noise was heard when the gear was shifted from park to drive. The failure recurred constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,651.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #420

Aug 122015

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 90,000 miles
About two to three weeks started noticing a crackling noise as I am turning the steering wheel either to the left or to the right at low speed as the time went by about two weeks the noise gradually increased and now I have also noticed a rattling noise coming from the steering column and getting trough a bump on the road. I am ware of the two recall campaigns that you have listed on your website but my car VIN # is not listed. Called Hyundai and they said is nothing they can do but at this time I am fearful for my family and me because I believe the car is no longer safe to drive. Just to let you know I have made a appointment for tomorrow with a local Hyundai car dealership. Thank you for your concern and attention.

- Land O Lakes, FL, USA

problem #419

Aug 202015

Sonata

  • 88,002 miles
While driving this car I heard a popping noise in the steering, I called Hyundai they sent me to have the car checked not only on this but found out there were 6 other recalls when I went to pick up my car they told me it is a mdps coupling in the steering column and not covered, the rep told me that this is an ongoing issue with Hyundai and that the part is on back order for several other vehicles and that it would cost me 400 to repair, since this is an ongoing problem with this year model car why are they not doing this as a recall, I was told this is hazardous situation and could cause a life threatening accident really " so I guess Hyundai is waiting for someone to be killed " I am beyond disappointed with this and am afraid to drive my car now ! they need to be held responsible !

- Rolesville, NC, USA

problem #418

Aug 222015

Sonata

  • 126,000 miles
When turning the steering wheel left to right, an audible mechanical clanking noise is heard in the steering column system. Additionally, you can feel feedback in the steering wheel when the clanking noise is occurring. This defect is best found when turning the steering wheel quickly to the left and then to the right, or vice versa. Took car to Firestone today to find problem, and was told it was the "steering column intermediate shaft." This part is a recall item listed for this year/make/model. However, my VIN doesn't qualify as part of this recall. Obviously this defect is wider spread than currently listed, and definitely needs to include my VIN car. Note: I work as an aviation safety inspector for the faa (fg-1825-13), so I work in the same job position but for airplanes instead. Thankfully with my mechanical background, I was able to figure out there was a safety issue before a possible accident and loss of control occurred.

- Cypress, TX, USA

problem #417

Oct 142014

Sonata

  • 33,546 miles
I was having problems with my steering shaking and rattling, was waiting for my appointment at the dealership to resolve the problem as I noticed was on a recall NHTSA #10V457000 & 10V426000, dealer stated they were completed 05/ 2010. That I would have to pay $500 to fix the problem again. I was in process of transfering back to ft worth. Due to limeted budget could not fix the problem.. several days later I was involved in an incident where a person had contacted my vehicle from the front. I managed to cause this possibly fatal front end collision to be a glancing blow. But not before having problems operating the vehicle's steering capability. The shaking and rattling in the steering wheel which they (dealership) said was corrected; come also with play in the steering it self the steering wheel is turned...left or right. Due to this delay the seconds caused contact to still be made where as if was corrected with a adequate replacement part could possibly been avoided. Now am told I have to pay for this to be fixed even though is a prior recal; that is still defective. Mind you the part is $500. So is this a matter of once a recall always a recall. At $500 a pop. Waranty is 6 yrs / 60,000"? (not totally sure on that") so is my responsbility after that" may as well sell. Is it the automotive S industry to have consumers lease instead of buy...and parts industry and manufacturing industry to capitalize off of defective parts...by reselling these defectice parts over and over??????????"

- Ft Worth, TX, USA

problem #416

Aug 122015

Sonata

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 50 mph, the steering wheel became loose. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

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