There are 31 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2004 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The front subframe has a hole in it it rusted for some reason and upon research there was a recall on this particular issue but now there isn’t one. I went to two dealerships and they informed me that Hyundai had recalls on this issue that’s why I’m confused on why when I search by my VIN there isn’t any open recalls. Just because they isn’t any open recalls on this doesn’t mean that people aren’t still experiencing this issue.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT THE LOCAL DEALER FAULKNER HYUNDAI (11500 ROOSEVELT BLVD, PHILADELPHIA) FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE K-FRAME HAD SUSTAINED SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
WORN REAR TIRES PROMPTED PURCHASE OF NEW TIRES. TIRE TECHNICIANS NOTED THAT THE FRAME WAS CRACKED AND THAT THE VEHICE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BOTH REAR TIRES ARE IN JEOPARDY BUT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE IS BY FAR THE WORSE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAKING ODD NOISES ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AND SOME VIBRATION AT SPWEDS OVER 40MPH. FORTUNATELY THE THE TIRES DIDN'T FALL OFF WHILE IN MOTION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERE CORROSION AND PERFORATION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE DUE TO RUST WHILE BEING DRIVEN. PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED TOW TRUCK. OPERATOR TOLD ME TO LOOK UP SONATA RECALLS BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE ONE. IT WAS RECALL # 09V124000. CALLED LOCAL DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES IN TWO DAYS ALWAYS GOING TO ANSWERING MACHINE. THIRD DAY DROVE TO DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. TOW GUY SAID EVERY TIME IT IT WAS MOVED MORE DAMAGE WOULD BE DONE. HE DIDN'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY. DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T PICK IT UP. TOW GUY CALLED ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND HE BROUGHT IT THERE (8/20/16) FIVE DAYS AFTER THE BREAKDOWN. AFTER 5 DAYS SECOND DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A RECALL ITEM AND SAID TO CALL HYUNDAI AMERICA. BEGAN DISCUSSIONS WITH HYUNDAI AMERICA- MANY CALLS- AND AFTER OVER 60 DAYS THEY DECIDED IT WAS BETWEEN THE DEALERSHIP AND SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT OF HYUNDAI AMERICA AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. DEALERSHIP GAVE ME ANOTHER # TO CALL BUT THAT # HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF MY CASE. THE EXPENSE OF BEING WITHOUT THE CAR HAS BEEN QUITE DRAINING. CASE # WITH HYUNDAI AMERICA IS 9566309. I WOULD LIKE THE CAR COMPLETELY REPAIRED BUT CAN'T GET ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING. THANKS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS INTERNAL CORROSION ON THE FRONT SUBFRAME AND THE SEAL WAS DETERIORATING. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL TO ADDRESS THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO REPAIR SOLUTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE A FUEL LINE WAS BEING REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED A HOLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS PREMATURE RUSTING ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH PROGRESSED OVER TIME IN THE FRONT AND THE REAR. THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC FOUND HOLES, EXTENSIVE RUST, AND CORROSION TO THE POINT THAT THE FRAME COULD FRACTURE. THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE CHROME PLATING ON THE INTERIOR DOOR LATCHES IS PEELING OFF CAUSING PASSENGERS TO CUT THEIR HANDS/FINGERS WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
WHEN HAVING MY CAR ALIGNED, A TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT SUBFRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH. SUPPOSEDLY HYUNDAI FIXED THIS 5 YEARS AGO, WITH ONE OF TWO FIXES: EITHER REPLACEMENT OR DRILLING DRAINAGE HOLES AND APPLY A RUST PROTECTOR. ONE CAN SEE A HOLE DRILLED ON THE LEFT SUBFRAME BUT NOT THE RIGHT SIDE. BESIDES MY CAR, ONE HAS TO ASK: DID HYUNDAI REALLY DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS SITUATION OR DID THEY ACT LIKE THEY DID? A CAR RUSTING THROUGH THE FRAME IN FIVE YEARS IS UNHEARD OF, AND I FEAR OTHERS MIGHT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. HYUNDAI DOES NOT WANT TO TALK TO ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BECAME FRACTURED WHILE THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCESS THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,954.
THIN COATING OF CHROME PEELED/BROKE OFF CAUSING RAZOR SHARP EDGE. MY HAND WAS LACERATED ON THIS HANDLE. *TR
PAINT IS FALLING OFF AROUND THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS RARELY USED AND THIS IS THE WORST SIDE OF IT. VEHICLES ARE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE MULTIPLE COATS OF PAINT AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH MANY OF THE 2004 SONATA MODELS, I HAVE NOTICED MANY OF THE SAME MODEL CARS AROUND TOWN WITH PEELING PAINT AROUND THE DOOR HANDLES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BARELY OVER 100K MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DISCOVERED INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 124,000.
THE CHROME ON THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES ARE CRACKING & PEELING. I HAVE CUT MY FINGER TWICE NOW ON THE SHARP EDGES. ALSO, THE PAINT IS COMING OFF THE MOLDING AROUND THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. *TR *JS
THE INTERNAL FLOOR ON DRIVER SIDE SHOWS OBVIOUS EROSION FROM NORMAL SALT EXPOSURE IN THE WINTER. DEALER IGNORED MY COMPLAINT OF THE EROSION WHEN I WENT TO ADDRESS ANOTHER RECALL REGARDING SALT EROSION. ME AND A FAMILY MEMBER RECEIVED CUTS ON THE FINGER FROM PEELING COVERING ON INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. PAINT NEAR EXTERIOR HANDLES SCRATCHES EASILY AND EVENTUALLY REVEALS THE COLOR OF THE SECOND LAYER OF PAINT WHICH IS A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT COLOR FROM THE CAR'S EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR. *TR
INTERIOR CHROME DOOR HANDLE CRACK, CAUSING THE CHROME PLATING TO SEPARATE. AFTER SEPARATION THE HANDLE BECOMES EXTREMELY SHARP AND CUT MY HAND.
CHROME IS PEELING OFF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES CAUSING CUTS TO HANDS/FINGERS ON MY 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 31 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026