2011 Hyundai Sonata Complaint Log

While driving and making a turn lights on the dashboard flashed and car died had it towed to local auto shop. They told me the vehicle engine had seized and there was potentially a recall on the engine had it towed now to the dealer they said there wasn't a recall but could have an extended warranty they charged me $400 to have the engine taken apart and take pictures to send to Hyundai which then in turn denied the warranty due to sludge so I sent them the maintenance reports for the vehicle which has passed inspection every year of vehicle. Rented a car for 2 weeks then have since gone without a car because they denied the claim. Waited another week it is now been over 3 weeks at this point for them to tell me they denied it again I've only had the car eight months and bought it at a dealer not a private sale which it was serviced before I took the vehicle. Have now had been without a car for over a month and I'm out almost $1000 plus the vehicle for nothing. Why certain cars recalled of the same year and others not when there are this many complaints on the engine and probably many more not reported

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact’s mother stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the EPS control unit replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V190000 (Steering). The vehicle was then repaired but continued to experience the same symptoms. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

Air bag lights have come on. Unsure of what the exact issue is until I bring it to the shop.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS. The contact stated while driving at 20 mph and making a turn, all warning lights started flashing and the vehicle began to make an abnormal knocking noise. The contact was able to safely stop the vehicle as he noticed that smoke was coming from under the vehicle. The smoke stopped on its own as the engine was turned off. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the ECM cluster update (Software) which contributed to the engine failure. The contact stated that the dealer informed him that the engine also needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired as the dealer said that the engine replacement was not covered under warranty. The contact stated that the failure was related to a manufacturer warranty recall number: 953. The manufacturer was informed of the failure however no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000. The contact stated the dealer provided a vehicle service credit check but the contact is asking is this supposed to be compensation for a new vehicle, pay off the credit or some type of settlement?

I was driving my 2011 Hyundai Sonata home from work when without warning my car started making a rattling noise and slowing down. I was able to get out of traffic and luckily maneuver my car into the parking lot of a mechanic before it completely shut down. I tried multiple times to restart it and it would not turn over. I started checking things under the hood and when checking my oil noticed it was completely empty. Where did all my oil go? After being inspected by the mechanic he notified me that my engine had seized up and that it is a known issue with this year and model. I then had it towed to the dealership where it is still sitting to be looked at. It’s been a week of me being out of work due to not having a vehicle. When I asked about the known issue they stated that my VIN number is not listed as part of those affected. There were literally no warning lights until that morning when the engine light and oil light came on while I was coasting into the parking lot of the mechanic. If it would have been a busier part of the day I could have been in a serious accident. I am still without a vehicle waiting on the dealership to look at my car.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that he purchased the vehicle last year with a new engine at 189,000 miles. Recently, the contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle began to stall, and an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, he had the vehicle towed to a dealer where the engine was disassembled to diagnose the cause of the failure. The dealer requested the maintenance records for the vehicle; based on his available maintenance records, the dealer determined that the failure was caused by poor maintenance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred him to another dealer for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

November 2021 I was coming home from work when the engine started making a horrible noise. I limped the vehicle home and contacted Hyundai and was told to bring the vehicle in to the dealership. It was stated that Hyundai had closed the campaign on the knock sensor the week before bringing it in, but they would try. About a month later the dealership called and said that I needed to come get the car due to they were selling the dealership lot. I towed it there and towed it home and have continued to peruse actions to correct the lifetime warranty that is offered due to shavings left in the engine when manufactured. Found another recall that said my vehicle is affected by this recall and to scheduled a service appointment. When delivering the car back off yesterday at the new dealership that took over, I was informed that the recall would probably fail due to another recall that had never been preformed, which is a recall that I had never been presented with by mail or communication of any sort. This was in the middle of the global pandemic when the world was shut down, and I have never been presented with any recalls from Hyundai. They may have sent notification through the US POSTAL SERVICE, but never came in to my possession, knowledge or mailbox. The contact stated Hyundai refused to proceed with the recall on the vehicle due to the fact that contact had done his own oil changes. The contact is requesting assistance to get Hyundai to honor their obligation.

Had took it and called servals times to dealer complaining that something is wrong with the engine all they said is get a new car even thou was still making payments and told me warranty was not covered. After waiting a year later asked again and said warranty was covered due to the recall but when I took ot they denied my engine replaced saying I caused the head gasket to be replaced. Explaining the car showed no signs of over heating and just shut off once I got off the exit.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the dome light failed to deactivate and remained illuminated. The contact then stated that he had to manually deactivate to turn the light off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.

While driving the car and accelerating the car literally stalled going down the street. I came to a complete stop it had died. No power or anything. I thought it was the starter but it wasn’t brand new starter. Come to find out the engine stalled. Lifted the hood nothing but burnt smelled and smoke. I’ve been catching [XXX] with this car. Helpppp me! It’s toooo many of us to be going through the same [XXX] thing and no ANSWERS! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled, almost causing a collision. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with engine failure from a damaged connecting rod and metal shavings in the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer denied the engine replacement because the vehicle had a salvage title. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under Manufacturer Recall Number: 132 (GDI Engine Inspection/Replacement). The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

When fuel tank is quarter full, car shuts down when i make complete stops like on traffic lights or when turning. i have to turn it completely off and have gear on park and restart it

2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE STALLING. THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN A 3 MONTH PERIOD THE VEHICLE HAD A RAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND STALLING. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED OVER 12 TIMES IN A 2 MILE TRIP. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CONSUMER INQUIRED ABOUT ANY RECALLS.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while her husband was attempting to shift from drive to reverse, the gear shifter seized in the drive. The contact stated that the shifter cable had detached. The contact's husband informed the contact that a pin was missing from the shifter cable. The contact's husband opened the hood and shifted the gear manually with someone seated in the driver’s seat. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle to their residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 15V-568. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, AS THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THERE WAS METALLIC DEBRIS IN THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT. THIS CAUSED THE ROD BEARINGS TO BE RESTRICTED OF OIL FLOW AND CAUSED MY ROD BEARINGS TO BE DAMAGED. THE ENGINE FAILED.

While driving, the engine suddenly stalled, causing my vehicle to roll to a stop in moving traffic. This put myself at risk, along with other drivers. There was no prior warning.

I was driving my car regularly one day and out of nowhere my car just shut off. When I started it back up I heard a knocking noise and it got louder as I went faster. So I pulled over and checked to see where the sound was coming from and it came from the engine. So when I started the car back up, on the way home the car was hesitating to move right and kept jerking. I also noticed the engine light and engine oil light came one so I went to go check it out. When I did the shop said the engine is blown and that there are recalls on my type of car. When I searched to see if there was I found out my car had none. But the exact same thing that happens to those cars happened to mine.

THE CAR CUT OFF WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. NO LETTER WAS SEND TO ME FROM THE DVM STATING THAT I HAD A RECALL AND MY CAR JUST CUT OFF ON ME AND THE DEALERSHIP TELLING ME I HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET TO PAY FOR ENGINE THAT I NO KNOWLEGE ABOUT AT ALL OF THE SOFTWARE UPDATE

on my 2011 hyundai sonata BOTH of my brake light bulbs and wiring caught fire and started smoking from the inside of my trunk. I have notified Hyundai of this and they refused to do anything about it even though it is an EXTREMELY dangerous issue that hyundai should fix free of charge!!!!! Now i have no brake lights on my vehicle because of this !!!!!!

UNKNOWN....Dome lights got switched and the car wouldnt turn back on after that.. Thought it was the alternator so a brand new one got put in it... Wasnt it.... Thought it was the battery terminal so got a brand new 1 of those... Not it.... Without the key being in the center console faub the car doesnt have power at all..... Car just wont start at all now.... So Really Unsure with what going on

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder #4 had failed causing the engine to seize. The engine was replaced with a used engine. The engine was replaced at approximately 109,000 miles. The contact stated that while driving for approximately 45 minutes, the contact noticed that the vehicle would not exceed 60 MPH. The check engine warning light started flashing. The contact continued to drive the vehicle to a rest stop. After being parked for a while and then restarting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle then failed to exceed 45 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had seized due to a lack of engine oil. The contact stated that the engine oil had been changed approximately 2 weeks prior to the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure due to a defective rod bearing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine). The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 89,060.

My daughter and a passenger were driving our car at night October 3, 2021and the entire car suddenly and without notice began shaking and convulsing, became non responsive and all the electrical components and the engine went dead including inside lights, brakes, power steering and lighting system. It was nighttime and the traffic was medium but she was able to ease the vehicle onto the shoulder without incident but had a few close calls as drivers eased around her. They could have been severely injured by the traffic as it attempted to get past her on this narrow two lane road. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had blown, was seized and locked up. He also mentioned that there is a recall for the 2011 Sonata and numerous problems such as this have been reported. We had no idea there was a recall on this vehicle. We are very concerned and upset that this incident could have caused severe injury to our daughter, her friend and other drivers around her. There were no prior notifications or signals with the car having any problems prior to this incident.

As I was driving the vehicle, I had just exited off of the highway and onto a ramp and as I tried to accelerate the speed back to the speed limit my vehicle made a knocking sound and stalled at about 40mph. It would not speed up and as I kept driving to attempt to get home we could hear different sounds coming from the engine. I made it home as the vehicle seemed to be ready to complete shut off but didn't. I took it into Hyundai and they said it could be the turbo, but were unsure. They state there are no recalls on the vehicle, but it seems that this is a common issue for others with the same vehicle. The engine is not good and I cannot drive my vehicle safely.

While I was driving in the access road I heard a pop and my car started making. A weird noise just for me to get out my car and my tire wasn’t straight it was dislocated I bought the car in april

My vehicle has an excessive oil consumption issue that started approximately in September 2021 after I got an oil change and had to put more oil in it after about 2 months when the oil change light went off. I have taken the vehicle to 2 different mechanics and they are unable to find an oil leak. There has been no oil leaking on the ground, no burning smell, no smoke showing, but the oil is somehow being consumed rapidly. The check oil light has not gone off since. I literally have to check the oil level every 2-3 weeks to check the levels. I got another oil change in February 2022 and have had to put 12 quarts in since that time. In July 2022 my car started driving funny with low power issues and the check engine light came on. I had the spark plugs and coil packs replaced. Now I'm dealing with low power on inclines and the catalytic converter now needs to be replaced. The mechanic believes it's due to the excessive oil consumption issue. It's my understanding that several Hyundais have been recalled due to excessive oil consumption issues.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start after several attempts. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who did not diagnose the vehicle but advised the contact that the failure was related to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that her vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine). The vehicle was towed to the dealer who advised the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle had remained at the dealer since October. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to provide a rental car which required the contact to have a credit card, but she did not have one. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. Parts distribution disconnect. Consumer was contacted by dealer recalls for the repairs were completed. When consumer visited the website on March 27th to verify on any recalls on my vehicle in which there was one still showing not completed.

My daughter was headed to work this morning. She said that the car started making a noise and it got worse on the interstate. The warning lights came on and the acceleration was lost. Thank God she was able to pull off the interstate without getting hit. The car stalled and wouldn’t move. I called Geico to get the car towed. The mechanic said that the car shook when he started it. He inspected the car and said that it’s a rod in the engine. My daughter could have been seriously hurt. I didn’t realize that this was a recall

All of the light wither short out or burn out all the time. I always have an out tail light . I’ve bought replacements at the dealer as well as auto zone. I have noticed many people also have this problem. We get tickets in California for this and half time I don’t even know it’s our because I just changed it 2 months ago. This is not normal and I have all of me receipts and could potentially get someone rear ended they short out it’s very strange !!!

all of a sudden heard engine knock, engine light came on and entire engine seized as i was pulling over to park because i was concerned for safety.

Air bag warning light came on while driving 9/16/2021(no collision or impact involved; no one in passenger seat). Mileage is about 110k. Have read a number of other owner complaints with similar information. Recall is not open; apparently already fixed, but clearly something is wrong. Concerned about non-deployment of air bags in the event of an accident.

My engine keeps making a knocking sound. When I am driving it will reduce speed, and begins to idle while already driving. Which concerns me that these same issues occurred on my same year, make and model on my vehicle and some how Hyundai dealership will tell me that my car does not have a recall. 470,000 cars of the same year make, and model went in for exactly what my car is doing.

The rear crossmember bolt snapped off on the passenger side with no warning. It caused the rear passenger complete wheel assembly to breakaway and fold backwards.

2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE SAFETY RECALL.

No airbags deployed upon result of hitting a COW at 50mph. Airbags didnt deploy. Waiting to be overlooked by insurance adjuster. Highway patrol overlooked vehicle while filing a report. None.

Engine knocking. If engine would’ve turned off it could have caused an accident. Yes, problem has been reproduced. Component has been inspected by dealer. No, warnings.

This car had an open recall fixed a few years ago for EPS (electrical power steering). It is now same issue occurred and has ruined the starter. Mechanic can’t even turn it on to fix EPS. Hyundai is refusing to pay for starter. It’s due to their faulty EPS system!! So, the car can’t even be diagnosed for the EPS because of the bad starter. It’s extremely hard to drive and to turn because of EPS recall. It is not safe. They said they’d fix it since it was associated with previous recall now they are denying to pay for it. Hyundai case is 18735488. I have escalated the case with Hyundai but no one ever reached out to me. The car is just sitting at the Hyundai mechanic shop until they respond and pay for their faulty parts.

We just noticed a clunking/clicking sound when driving the vehicle over a bump. We took the car to the dealership to check it out and was advised that the steering column needed a replacement and that it's a known issue with the Sonata especially the 2011.

When I’m driving out of nowhere it will only go 20 miles an hour and I can put the gas petal to the floor it hesitates My shifter will get stuck in park and my brake lights stay on even when it’s in park

Start losing speed cutting back overheating AC stop function then smoke from good and cut out Had it towed and seek what the problem is This occur on 08/24/2021 just purchase on July 7,2021 from dealer in Auto Land of Thornburg paid cash

Airbag light is on.

Well my break lights keep burning out the whole harness and light part were the bulbs go burns and melted the harness completely on both sides I have had to replace them twice for both break lights The satellite antenna on the roof of the car is completely out and doesn’t get a signal The key keeps getting stuck in the ignition where the battery had to be disconnected to remove it

The contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Sonata The contact stated that while driving, the accelerator pedal locked up and the transmission was slipping. Smoke was detected and fire emerging from the engine. The check engine warning indicator light was illuminated. There were no reported injuries. A Police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The failure mileage was 187,479. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that after the vehicle was stopped at a red light, the contact depressed on the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle did not accelerator properly. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to the transmission, but the vehicle was not fully diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the mechanic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,700.

My eps light came on in my car and my car wouldn’t steer and just shut off

The contact's father owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his father was attempting to make a turn, the electric power steering failed, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed as a steering column failure. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,181.

I would like to report a serious Safety Hazard. Hyundai Motor America replaced my 2011 Sonata's defective engine in January 2020. The new engine turned off on its own approximately 20 times without the "Check Engine" light turning on between August 2021 and January 2022. The "Check Engine" light did not turn on until January 24, 2022. I had my car towed to El Cajon Hyundai in August 2021 after the engine turned off on its own while my car was traveling more than 40 MPH. El Cajon Hyundai could not diagnose the cause of the problem in August 2021 because the "Check Engine" light never turned on each time the engine turned off on its own. I had to work when the non-flashing “Check Engine” light finally turned for three days starting on January 24, 2021. The engine turned off on its own approximately 20 more times from January 27, 2021 until July 22, 2022 without the “Check Engine” light turning on. The “Check Engine” light finally turned on again on July 22, 2022, but it was not for Crankshaft Position Sensor. I told the mechanic what my Sonata has been doing since August 2021 after he initially could not diagnose the problem. The mechanic checked the computer again and he was able to locate the Check Engine Light message for the Crankshaft Position Sensor that occurred on January 24, 2022. I paid El Cajon Hyundai $593.71 on July 25, 2022 and July 29, 2022 to replace the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Unfortunately, my car turned off on its own again on July 30, 2022 and August 13, 2022 after the new Crankshaft Position Sensor was installed. My 2011 Hyundai Sonata has been posing a serious safety hazard for me each time I turn the engine on since early August 2021. Hyundai Motor America is ethically and financially responsible for ensuring that my 2011 Sonata is safe to drive. I am also concern that this serious safety hazard may be impacting other Hyundai owners.

2011 sonata limited This car engine was recalled on year 2016 and I visit Hyundai dealer to get recall service on April 27, 2016 (campaign 132). The dealer said this car did not any problem. I visited Hyundai dealers 18 times since the recall service, Campaign132 for related problems. Each visit, I request to check engine condition, and the dealer said it is O.K. One of issues was heavy oil consumption. My car consumed 1 Q for every 1500 miles. So I requested oil consumption test, and the dealer said "No problem and normal condition” I drove the 2011 sonata limited on freeway on Jul, 31 2021. Driving speed was around 70 miles/H. The car engine suddenly stopped without any unusual sign. When Engine stop, all type of warning lights on and I cannot fully control its steering wheel because it was very stiff to control and even it against my will. I was lucky because other drivers recognized the situation let me move off from high way 101. I towed this car to local mechanic and they diagnose as “engine seized and will not turn” I towed the car to local Hyundai dealer and wait 5 business days for their own diagnostic. The dealers have chance to know the problem. I do not know already they know but did not say to me or realty they did not know. One thing is very sure that this car originally designed to use conventional oil, but Hyundai USA order to each dealer put synthetic motor oil when they performed campaign 132 and 162. I found out this situation from “Recall 132 Dealer Best Practice Guide” issued June 23, 2017. I put conventional oil several for several oil changes after the recall service because they did not mention that synthetic oil was recommended after recall 132. Already Hyundai admitted the engine has problem, but they hide the way to best maintenance to its consumer.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but declined the engine replacement since the mileage did not match the title mileage. The manufacturer informed the contact to park the vehicle as it was not safe to drive. The failure mileage was 234,875.

I wash driving my car to work I was running approximately 40 mph when I went to turn a corner all of a sudden my car shut down. I do work as a mechanic but due to my car being still under warranty I elected to have it taken to a dealership. I do know there is an active class action lawsuit going on for the rod bearing going out in these models and years. I currently do not have any recalls on my car. Before my engine locked up I was having a small ticking noise in my motor that started two days prior. When the car seized up I checked all fluids and did find that my oil has a burnt smell to it which means in technical terms it has thrown a rod and bent valves. I am getting no answers and am now being left with no vehicle.