7.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
89,500 miles
Total Complaints:
12 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (10 reports)
  2. no action taken by area hyundai rep (2 reports)
2009 Hyundai Sonata body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2009 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments

problem #12

Sep 012017

Sonata V-6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

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

I seriously can't believe the low quality of this car's paint, it's literally falling off the vehicle :(

- Carolyn W., UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH, US

problem #11

Jun 122018

Sonata L 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

Great car, however, the paint is falling off, so we will not buy another Hyundai again.

- Larry D., Huntersville, NC, US

problem #10

Nov 012017

Sonata GLS 2.4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

PAINT OVER THE WINDSHIELD IS PEELING OFF ----------------------------------------

- Alexander P., Waterford, MI, US

problem #9

Feb 042015

Sonata 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles

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

click to see larger images

paint flaking off

I touched up the area with some paint from an auto store, didn't look too bad. This was after Hyundai was no help and the auto body place told me it would cost a bundle to strip and paint the whole hood. Now other areas on the car are showing peeling too.

- Warren J., Selden, NY, US

problem #8

Jun 092016

Sonata GLS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 170,000 miles

Noticed this problem in two places last few weeks - side molding and today in another location on the car. Found similar complaints with this car while researching air bag light (reported only thru 08 Sonatas), so adding all of my complaints while I'm here.

- rollt1de, Tyrone, GA, US

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problem #7

Apr 262013

Sonata 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,000 miles

2009 Hyundai Sonata, I purchased in 2010 with less than 20,000 miles.Two to three years later, I noticed a 4 inch by 2 inches of paint missing just below my rear licence plate. Shortly after that the paint started the flake off along the passenger windshield rail, then the all over the hood. I took it to a paint shop and was told that the paint did not adhere to the primer. If I wanted to have it fixed they would have to remove all the paint and primer and repaint it $5000.00 ! After researching the internet, I see other complaints about the same problem. BTW did I mention the color was Pearl White ! My wife drives this car in Southern California and it is an eye sore! Looking to just get rid of it. Not sure if even Hyundai would want it as a trade in ! Class action suit anybody?

- Robert G., CHINO HILLS, CA, US

problem #6

May 112016

Sonata GLS 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

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

click to see larger images

paint flaking off paint flaking off

Hyundai has really failed me on this one. My car has been flaking for a little over a year. But the flakes began small and I thought maybe a chip or something. However, this dime sized chip has now turned into the size of a textbook. I called Hyundai first in attempt to get this fixed and the response was to call my dealership and let them know of the situation. I call the dealership(Randall Noe in Terrell) and they tell me to go up to the maintenance shop. There I am introduced to a guy that looks at it and agrees with me saying "Yeah, that's not normal wear." He takes pictures, gets my information, etc. and tells me he will send it to the body shop and contact me in 2-3 days. Of course you know where this goes.. 2 weeks go by and I am now calling the the guys personal number and the maintenance shop daily. And I mean DAILY. I would get the same responses 1. You have reached the voicemail of blah blah blah. 2. He's with a customer. 3. He's not in today. A month goes by after this constant battle getting me nowhere and I call the body shop, where my information and pictures of car were SUPPOSED to go. That's right "supposed to" because the genius that helped me never really sent my case to the body shop because the person at the body shop told me they have never had a case from me or my vehicle. The person from the body shop did however try to assist me but I ended up getting what was already said to me being that my car is out of warranty. At this point I am lit and call Hyundai, again. I tell them about the entire situation and this time this guy really put in an effort to help me. I send my pictures to consumer affairs and what not and wait for their call back. This may shock you but no phone call came through and I was forced to call back :) .... Consumer affairs tells me there is nothing they can do for me because the car is out of warranty and I responded with the typical arrogant self wanting to get my 7 year old car fixed because I have seen dinosaurs with more coat than my car.

I know this isn't just me because I have seen plenty of sonatas with the same flaking. But one thing I've noticed is they are all WHITE. I saw one on here that wasn't white but I only see the white ones and its so consistent with the white ones that anyone would think its a recall or something. The paint flakes due to the air force of driving the cars which is ridiculous because I'm stuck on the interstate going 55 because this guy is too afraid of going 60 because he'll start seeing paint flakes fly across the windshield. In addition, there is fear of washing my car. Yes, I am afraid of washing my car to keep it clean and reflecting. 2009 Hyundai Sonatas cannot withstand 60 mph air force so why in the world would it withstand a pressure washer at the car wash? That's because they can't.

- George P., Grand Saline, TX, US

problem #5

Aug 142013

Sonata GLS 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

the car is an embarrassment to drive. the paint is falling off in chunks. primarily on the hood, roof & trunk.

- Ben C., Brick, US

problem #4

Oct 052011

Sonata GLS 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

I own a 2009 Hyundai Sonata pearl white. Bought the car in 2010. In 2012 my troubles with the paint finish started. It has now deteriorated to a point where it's flaking off on fenders, hood, trunk, roof and now doors. The roof also has rust spots everywhere. So it's also rusting underneath. And whenever it's raining and the car is wet, the paint on the whole car is full of tiny bumps/blisters. When it dries off, most of them disappear. So that shows you the paint on my car is completely loose all over.

I have tried to prolong the inevitable by touching up some areas with touch up paint to essentially glue down the loose edges. If i hadn't done that, half the paint on my car would be gone by now. Already spent a $1000 to fix a rear corner panel where it was flaking pretty badly and was getting bigger every time i dove the car.

Repainting a car like that would be very expensive as the old factory paint would have to come off completely before you can paint, otherwise the same thing would happen to the new paint job. One body shop i talked to, said that they wouldn't even wanna paint a car like that as they couldn't give me a warranty on the job.

- estlander, Destin, FL, US

problem #3

Mar 152014

Sonata GLS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

click to see larger images

paint flaking off paint flaking off paint flaking off

I bought the 2009 Hyundai Sonata at Hyundai of Mesquite in May 2013. I had a friend mechanic look it over, only thing was windshield wipers needed to be changed.

In March 2014 East Texas and several surrounding areas were hit with a sleet/snow storm. I was caught in Tyler when this started. I couldn't make it all the way home. The next day as the ice had melted enough to drive on, I proceeded home. A few days later, I starting noticing paint on hood chipped off. I just thought it was due to all the ice, sand on roads, etc. It has gotten worse as shown in the pictures.

After researching about the paint only being under warranty for only 3 years, I'M SHOCKED...!

UGH! I have lost respect for the quality on Hyundai cars.

Thanks for reading...

- Sheri S., Van, TX, US

problem #2

May 172015

Sonata V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

click to see larger images

paint flaking off paint flaking off paint flaking off

I LOVE my Sonata. Anyone who knows me knows that I have stated numerous times I will never have another car besides a Hyundai. I am rethinking that statement since my paint has peeled off. I was driving to Houston in a rainstorm. When I arrived my son asked me what was wrong with the roof of my car. Needless to say I was shocked and less than pleased. I have not contacted one of the local Hyundai dealers due to the fact that the last time I was there for a recall item I ended up spending money that I had not expected. They hound and shame you into doing things to your car. I do plan on contacting red McComb Hyundai soon to see what type of resolution they have for my situation. I have other complaints which I am going to file separately.

- Barb A., San Antonio, TX, US

problem #1

May 222013

Sonata 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

click to see larger images

paint flaking off paint flaking off paint flaking off paint flaking off

We have a 2009 Sonata which we bought with 12,000 miles on it in 2010. Late in 2012 we noticed a spot of paint peeling off in the center of the front part of the hood. The spot grew until it was about the size of a deck of cards. Then, in May, we drove through a rainstorm with high winds and the paint was literally blown off our hood onto the windshield piece by piece. We kept seeing little white patches of something on the windshield; when we reached our destination and looked at the car, there were now 5 huge paintless patches on the hood. Each one is bigger than a half sheet of copy paper. The edges of the patches are cracked and crinkley--I know if I touch it or wash the car more paint will come off. I took it to our insurance office to see if that kind of thing is covered under our insurace policy, but he said it looked like defective paint to him. I'm taking it to a Hyundai dealer this afternoon so we'll see what they say about it.

Update from Jun 25, 2013: I went to the body shop of the Hyundai dealer in Tyler, TX. The manager took pictures and wrote up a report and promised to talk to the area rep about it. The manager called me later in the day to tell me what the rep said. (I appreciated the quick customer service from the manager.) The rep said that paint is covered in the 3-year, 32K warranty and that we have exceeded both of those, so they won't do anything about it.

I understand that warranties cover parts that wear out sooner than they are supposed to, but shouldn't paint last basically forever? I mean, it shouldn't EVER flake off in big chunks unless it goes through a sandstorm or is 15 years old or something else quite drastic. It seems to me that Hyundai is saying that they don't plan for their paint to last very long so they will only cover it for 3 years.

I'd like to take my car and park it next to the dealership for a week or so and see if the rep changes his mind.

- Kathy W., Daingerfield, TX, US

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