10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
16,753 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.

2019 Hyundai Sonata engine problems

engine problem

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2019 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments

problem #18

Jul 062023

Sonata

  • 220,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently revved and decelerated to 40 MPH while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that timing chain had failed and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that occasionally she needed to add engine oil between oil changes. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case number was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.

- Duncanville, TX, USA

problem #17

Jun 062023

Sonata

  • miles
Car consumes excessive oil -?" one quart about every 500-700 miles. This has caused sludge in the engine and the car hesitates significantly on starting from a stopped position and now hesitates even at highway speeds. This has become a definite safety issue. If the car stalls it is only a matter of time before I am hit by another driver. The dealer first stated the oil consumption was fine IF it was one quart every 1,000 miles and that no repairs would be needed. My car is consuming almost double that amount of oil. Dealership agreed to look at it; stated the car needs a new engine. Hyundai refused to even do an oil consumption test, let alone repair/replace the engine. The -??sludge-?? in the oil that Hyundai states was present is a result of the oil consumption (even the dealer service department verbally agreed). I-??m literally putting new oil in it about once a week! There is no possibility this would NOT cause sludge. In addition, dealership said to expect the engine to fail fairly soon. Hyundai claims the car was not maintained properly; however, that is untrue. I-??ve submitted records to them that I had. The warranty has no requirement that the oil must be changed or maintained by a certain individual or company. Without a new engine, the car will continue to hesitate and will eventually fail. Hesitation (and especially engine failure) subjects me to a much higher possibility of a crash causing injury or death to myself or someone else. Hyunadai should absolutely recall the thousands of vehicles having this exact same issue.

- West Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #16

May 242023

Sonata

  • 49,000 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that oil was leaking onto the ground from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and stated that the drain plug needed to be replaced. The drain plug was replaced but the failure recurred almost immediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the oil pan was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. No additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 49,000.

- Stevensville, MD, USA

problem #15

May 012023

Sonata

  • miles

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

2019 Sonata is using/burning oil at about a quart every 600-800 miles. We are checking and adding oil constantly. Car is sluggish, especially when accelerating from a stop.

- West Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #14

Apr 172023

Sonata

  • miles
I noticed the problem when my change oil light started coming on several thousands miles before my oil change was due. I checked the oil and it was very very low. Much lower that it should have been at that point during the maintenance period. We added oil thinking maybe something had happened with the previous oil change. Made it to the next round of maintenance and a few thousand miles into that one, same thing. Oil light came on again. Extremely low oil levels. I called the dealership where I had purchased the car - I am the original owner - and they requested me to bring it in for an oil consumption test. It was an immediate request. No other questions were asked. After the dealership kept my car for 2 1/2 weeks we get a call that the "valve" was full of "oil sludge" and were accused of "maintenance neglect", although we can produce records, and due to that Hyundai Corporate said our warranty would not cover it and repairs will not be covered. We would be held financially responsible for a brand new engine. I declined the repair as we cannot afford the repairs at this time and told the dealership we will continue to monitor oil levels.

- Millsap, TX, USA

problem #13

Apr 022023

Sonata

  • miles
A hairline crack from the engine oil drain plug causing leaking oil. This is a very common issue for this engine. Mine was present when the car was new. My local dealer claimed my car has run over something, which never happened. No dent or damages on the oil pan, just crack on the side of pan. This is very common issue for this engine. Low engine oil level will cause engine failure.

- Fulton , MD, USA

problem #12

Apr 142023

Sonata

  • miles

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

The engine is burning the oil faster than normal. There are no oil leaks. Called the dealership and they said it-??s an oil consumption. I got an oil change March 3,2023 and my oil pressure light came on last Friday April 14,2023 as I was driving I pulled over and there was completely no oil in the car. The dealership told me to top it off until they can look it at. I topped it off Friday with two quarts of oil that I purchased from auto zone. I checked my oil again on Yesterday April 18,2023 and the two quarts of oil I put in was completely black

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #11

Dec 142022

Sonata

  • miles
Well below the 5000-mile mark for an oil change, multiple times between multiple oil changes my oil light would come on. I would be at a stop light and the oil light would come on as soon as I start going again. Checked the oil when I got home and there was barely any oil on the stick. Found hundreds if not thousands of complaints about the engine burning oil very fast in multiple Hyundai's and Kia's for almost a 10-year span. This has yet to be recalled by Hyundai, this is a very dangerous situation that if it continues going unnoticed, could cause death or serious injury. It is a known issue at Hyundai dealerships, and they will fix it if it's still under the 100,000-mile warranty, but only if you bring it up to them. Hyundai/Kia has yet to fix the problem or do a recall that has been across multiple models for 10 years.

- Pittsgrove, NJ, USA

problem #10

Dec 312022

Sonata

  • miles
The engine is leaking oil in my garage. The car has 50,000 miles and is constantly loosing oil. It is 100% dealer maintained, and is current on all scheduled service.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

problem #9

Nov 172022

Sonata

  • miles
The car was stolen, one of the vehicles that Hyundai manufactured without an Engine Immobilizer, making it very easy to steal. Consumers didn't know about this defect, because the corrupt automaker kept us in the dark. I'm fairly certain that by breaking the steering column to expose the port to start the car, that driving the speed limit or having control of the vehicle was on the thieves mind. The safety of my neighbors and anyone they were driving would have had their safety compromised. The vehicle is currently being repaired cosmetically. The Engine Immobilizer will not be installed by the body shop. It was inspected by a certified repair shop of State Farm. No warning lights were illuminated.

- Stratford, CT, USA

problem #8

Oct 302022

Sonata

  • miles

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

4500 miles after an oil change the oil drain plug fell out and oil leaked out resulting in an engine stalling. An oil warning light came on 7 minutes before the vehicle stalled on the highway.

- Lake In The Hills, IL, USA

problem #7

Oct 292022

Sonata

  • miles
I was traveling on a highway when a "hybrid system warning" suddenly appeared on the dashboard. Every dashboard warning light illuminated. The car began to lose power. I exited the highway immediately and the car began to have sporadic power and was "lurching." I immediately pulled onto the shoulder and at that time another warning on the dash appeared within a minute or two of the first warning that said "shut engine off." The computer screen began to flash on and of and the windows would not roll up smoothly. When the tow truck arrived the car wouldn't start and it didn't recognize the key fob. Hyundai now has the vehicle and claims the car needed a "software update", but they cannot tell me if it will ever happen again and cannot tell me why the car goes into critical failure when it needs a mere software update. This is the second time this has happened. The first time it was repaired under a voluntary recall campaign about a year ago. This is an extremely dangerous occurrence as the car loses power without warning. I was fortunate to be near an exit when it happened and able to safely get off the highway, but that was just luck. The manual indicates that a hybrid system warning means that the car can potentially go on fire.

- Larchmont, NY, USA

problem #6

Oct 012022

Sonata

  • miles
The dates are backwards because of the most serious incident which put my safety at risk. On October 3, 2022, while driving on a busy interstate, in rush hour traffic all of a sudden my car began to stall, there was a rattling/knocking sound emitting from the car, I lost power, could not accelerate and my check engine light began to flash. This leads me to believe it was an engine malfunction or failure involving the engine after viewing various ?online complaints. This was a safety risk not only to myself but to others because there is a posted speed limit that must be maintained on major highways. Other drivers began honking their horns, which added more fear to the anxiety I was already experiencing. In retrospect, had a car not realized I had slowed could have hit my car, which could have resulted in fatal injuries to my infant son and I. There was a recall service campaign update 953, which is related to the knock sensor detection system, which was performed on my car in February 2020. Furthermore, on October 1, 2022 while driving a red oil lamp began to flash on my car. I pulled over on the side of the road, called my personal mechanic who then informed me to get someone to bring oil before driving from the location. Once my friend brought the oil, it took 5 quarts before the light stopped blinking and I was able to drive home. The next day, I saw what appeared to be dark colored oil on ground where my car was parked overnight. Subsequently, I took the car to inspect the leak, because Hyundai informed me nothing would be covered because I was just outside of my 60,000 mile warranty. While at the mechanic it was found that I had an oil leak emitting from a crack in my oil pan. Again, my personal mechanic advised I take my car to the dealer, which I had the car towed on October 5, still waiting for a response on the status of my car(10/8/2022) from Hyundai while paying for a rental out of my own pocket.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #5

Jul 282022

Sonata

  • miles
My vehicle was stolen from in front of my home. The "alarm" did not sound or go off at all. The area where my key should enter was removed, vandalized, and then an iphone charger was used to start my car via a USB port that is located somewhere within that area. Apparently, this is a tictok trend that has been in the works for a while and targets Hyundais.Yet, there has been no response from Hyundai to recall Sonatas or Elantras to remedy this issue. Now I am being forced to pay for repairs on a vehicle that was used for illegal activities and again have to place my family in. I do not feel safe in this situation and I am most likely privy to fall victim again until this issue is resolved.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #4

Jul 192020

Sonata

  • 13,000 miles
Exhaust tip under right rear bumper extends past end of bumper. A few weeks ago someone burned their leg while accessing the trunk. Yesterday, a separate person was also burned from same exhaust tip from standing close to bumper to access the trunk. We had 2016 Sonata for 4 years and never experienced burns from similar exhaust tip. Car was parked on level driveway. Car was warmed up from recent drive and turned off.

- Wayne, PA, USA

problem #3

Jul 202019

Sonata

  • 5,768 miles
I purchased a 2019 Sonata demo vehicle with 5,020 miles in June 2019. I removed the temporary tag and replaced with permanent tag on July 16. On July 20, while driving on the expressway at approximately 65mph, the engine overheating alert came on and the temperature gauge was on hot. I pulled over on the side of the expressway and waited for hours (in nearly 100 degree summer heat) to have a new vehicle towed to the dealership. The service department advised me that the water pump malfunctioned and caused the belt to tear. The service department could not provide a reason for why the water pump/belt malfunctioned on a new vehicle. The water pump and the belt were replaced after the service department had my vehicle for a about a week. The service department advised me that I should not have any further issues with the vehicle. The repairs were completed on 7/29/19. On August 16, I took my vehicle back to the dealership because it appears that the replaced/new belt is splitting/tearing. The service department advised me that there is nothing wrong with the belt, however, there is clearly visible evidence that the new belt is splitting also. I have attached a photo of the vehicle prior to the repairs; a photo of the new belt that is currently splitting; the original service repair document and the document of the service department advising me that nothing is wrong with the new belt. From the photo, you can clearly see that the new/replaced belt is splitting also and it is just a matter of time before the engine will overheat again and I will be on the side of the road waiting for a tow. Again, the service department did not have an explanation as to what caused the water pump/belt to malfunction and now they are denying that there is an issue with the replaced belt.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #2

Jun 192019

Sonata

  • 11,000 miles
2019 Sonata 2.0T with just over 11K miles on it began to suddenly studder and want to stall at low RPM or at the stop. Obdii error code P0302. Dealership said cylinder 2 had little to no compression and needed repair. Could barely limp vehicle to dealership and smell the unburned fuel being ported out of the exhaust.

- Grovetown, GA, USA

problem #1

Apr 142019

Sonata

  • 2,786 miles
I have lease this car since 1/16/2019 until 4/14/19. Start first with lower the speed and power just a little bit. Then 4/14/19 the car lower the speed by itself, start shaking up, limp, shows the engine light and the speed control ligh in conjunction with slippery control ligh then stay at "temporary engine protection mode" lossing speed and cant drive safely. Just park the car at the safe parking lot to tow at the nearest Hyundai dealer for inspection O repair. It can be dangerous for others drivers. When I get the report of the issue and receipt I will submit soon as possible. If any recall happen.

- Waterbury, CT, USA

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