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 / 11
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,536 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 4 of 10)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #128

Feb 132020

Sonata

  • 170,000 miles

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

The brakes lights and head lights goes out alot.. bulbs melting into socket and burning out frequently and having to replace the whole assembly. It's very hazard because it can catch fire. I was driving on highway doing rain and noticed my head light just went out and I pulled over to check and checked the back as well cause I smelled something burnt. The rear break light was burnt and melted into socket. I've replaced the back assembly aleast once to twice a year.

- Laurel, MD, USA

problem #127

Dec 202019

Sonata

  • miles
SE agriet la parte de arriba del dash en dos reas Y a los das prendi la seal de las bolsas de aire, auto duerme en marquesina.

- Bayamon, PR, USA

problem #126

Dec 152019

Sonata

  • 174,000 miles
While I was driving my car on a two-way street, all of the sensor lights on my vehicle came on. I pulled the car over and now it won't crank. The radio is working, but the car is not cranking. Also, whenever I place my car into park, I would have to turn the car off and start it back in order to shift my gear into drive or reverse.

- Hollywood, SC, USA

problem #125

Oct 012019

Sonata

  • 150,000 miles

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

The rear passenger door latch is cutting my hands when opening the door. The chrome paint on the plastic door latch is peeling and very sharp.

- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

problem #124

Oct 112019

Sonata

  • 40,000 miles
1. steering feels tight and unresponsive. Have hadthis checked as a complaint at service center with no help. 2. gear sticks in park. Recently was in service for another recall and was told for 130$ they would look at it. Very next week I was stuck for 1.5 hrs until I could get it to move. Both problems hqve been reported numerous times with no repair. It only has 40000 miles. Do not call me with offer to look at it. They have seen it and problem is not addressed. Your service is just as important as the sell.. how can anyone recommend this kind of service?

- Attalla, AL, USA

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problem #123

Oct 012019

Sonata

  • 106,841 miles
While the vehicle is in park and I try and turn the car off the dash display reads put the vehicle in park and as a result the car won't turn off.

- Litchfield Park, AZ, USA

problem #122

Oct 012019

Sonata

  • miles

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

My 2011 Sonata suddenly lost power while driving at 65 mph after pulling over restarting car check engine light came on. Car only has 107599 miles

- Henrico, VA, USA

problem #121

Jan 032019

Sonata

  • 70,000 miles
Dashboard has developed cracks. 70,000 miles and garage kept.

- Oviedo, FL, USA

problem #120

Aug 222019

Sonata

  • 125,000 miles
After putting car in park, the key gets stuck in ignition intermittently. Dealer states new gear shifter assembly required at $550 cost. A simple google search shows many are having this same problem.

- Hammonton, NJ, USA

problem #119

Jun 282019

Sonata

  • miles
Making a squilling noise as I'm driving and the noise is coming from the driver front tire. Front end (axel's) sounds like it's loose

- Baldwin, GA, USA

problem #118

Jun 042019

Sonata

  • 185,000 miles

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

When I'm turning I hear popping noises. And as I'm driving I hear a squilling noises from the front

- Baldwin, GA, USA

problem #117

Aug 202019

Sonata

  • 125,000 miles
Steering coupler recall needed! front dash crack randomly appeared I read it could be due to the damaged coupler. I had a wreck and my car was about $400 from being totalled. The insurance refused to fix the coupler and it is now my responsibility. It sounds awful and it is scary driving around with my steering wheel sounding like it is going to fly off the dash.

- Graham, NC, USA

problem #116

Aug 092019

Sonata

  • 100,000 miles
The key to my 2011 Sonata is stuck and I cannot get it our of the ignition. The car operates just fine. But when you turn the motor off you cannot get the key out.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #115

Jul 012019

Sonata

  • miles
The dashboard over the passenger's side is cracking - vehicle has less than 90,000 miles on it.

- Palm Harbor, FL, USA

problem #114

Jul 102019

Sonata

  • 145,000 miles
Vehicle will shut down while driving down the road. No warning lights or sounds. The engine will just shut down completely. Engine starts up again but will again shut down while driving. No codes will come up on the ECM when scanned at a mechanic shop. No way to tell what is going on. Hyundai dealer has no answers for me.

- Rochester, MN, USA

problem #113

Jun 212019

Sonata

  • 125,913 miles
7/19 bought my 2011 Sonata then two days later check engine light came on. Took to dealership they said gas cap was loose and if it came back on to bring back in. 2 weeks later went to gas station, came back out car wouldnt start. No click or anything. All power worked as well. Walked home started researching, other owners had the same issue. Walked back determined to try some things I read about. Car started without me doing anything. No check light came on. Next day driving check engine light came on and thats when I took back to dealership. Of course it started up whenever they tried it so they wrote could not duplicate customer concern. They ran diagnostics and they said purge valve was found to be shortned internally. Code P0455. 500 bucks later because no warranty (as is vehicle) not even a month off the dam lot...my instructions were when filling up with fuel do not top off beyond when the fuel pump shuts off. Fuel could enter the purge valve/canister via vent tubes. Wtf....they wouldnt cover even though the dealership put the gas in when I bought it so it wasnt me....lucky me :(

- Converse, TX, USA

problem #112

Jun 282019

Sonata

  • 113,000 miles
I was driving my vehicle downtown and my eps light came on along as well as flickering of my low tire pressure and ABS light which I believe is breaks failing. But I had failure of my power steering for sure. Out of nowhere I could no longer navigate heavy and slow traffic. I turned the car off and back on only to have all of my gears lock up and not allow me to even attempt at moving it, after turning it off the second time car entirely died and will not start at all. We managed to get the gears unlocked after a few attempts with just the battery on and push it off the busy road to call for a tow truck. I see online that the 2011 Hyundai Sonata has a recall for the power steering failure but my VIN is not covered but I am definitely effected by this recall. The campaign number is 16V190000

- Glendale, CO, USA

problem #111

Jun 202019

Sonata

  • 127,000 miles
The car exploded, burned and is a total loss. As the vehicle was in motion, the engine began to smoke. Gas then began to leave and the stench of gas was strong. Upon pulling over in a parking lot of a fast food resturaunt, a fire started in the engine area and the fire began to rapidly spread. As I got out of the car the car exploded. The dekalb county fire report number is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #110

May 152019

Sonata

  • 80,000 miles
When backing up and turning the steering wheel a knocking occurs. Also when moving at a slow speed and turning the wheels the knocking occurs.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #109

Aug 222018

Sonata

  • 140,000 miles
My radio display and all speakers completely quick working I searched for months here and there when I had time I even upgraded my radio to the factory touch screen radio and the display came on but no sound and finally I took the factory amp apart and it had water damage I was not in a wreck or anything only thing I could think of how it got wet is terrible placement of factory amp on the outside of the frame in the trunk so now I have to ride in silence or with a bluetooth speaker because Hyundai wanted to put and electronic in the worst place possible where it is completely exposed to road degree and in my case rain

- Cherryville, NC, USA

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