Hyundai · Sonata · 2016
6
Recalls
706
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata has 6 recalls and 706 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: engine (311 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
10.5% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Sonata and Genesis vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the warning light to indicate that the parking brake is applied may intermittently not illuminate in the dash due to corrosion in the switch.
Remedy Status
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 164.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the sunroof wind deflector, the sunroof panel on the affected vehicles may detach while driving.
Remedy Status
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 152.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 28, 2016 through April 12, 2016. The affected vehicles have a driver-side frontal air bag that may not adequately protect the driver's neck from injury in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Status
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 148.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.
Remedy Status
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to August 21, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with an Antilock Braking System (ABS) warning light intended to warn the driver if there is an ABS malfunction. In the event of an ABS malfunction, the Brake System warning light will illuminate, but the ABS warning light will not illuminate. Since the vehicles have ABS malfunction lights that do not illuminate, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Remedy Status
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 134.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
Remedy Status
Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
While driving my car with no warning light or any type of sound just cut off engine while driving. I was on busy highway going slightly uphill and was almost rear ended causing car behind me to swerve to avoid hitting me swerving to other lane and almost colliding into another car. I was able to get to middle divider almost but back end of my car sticking out in #2 lane. I was stuck in car for about 10 minutes then got across Street to sidewalk. There was no warning, no smoke etc prior to engine cutting off. Everything still works lights, a/c, radio etc . Engine tries to turn over but then slowly dies out like a battery issue however I have a 2 year old battery and when I charge it or try to jump start it it doesn't start also everything else powers on. I have had it stall 2 times before on L.A. freeway in which I somehow was able to cross over 4 lanes coasting to side of freeway. And at that time was sideswipped by another vehicle to front of car and car kept going and I really didn't have time to think about that while just trying to maneuver safely to side of freeway. The 1 and 2nd time it stalled it did restart after about 10 min. But this 3rd time it hasn't started again. The most recent incident was4/15/26. Another issue is the massive amounts of oil it consumes. I put in 2 quarts a week . But there is never oil leaking on driveway or anywhere its parked so where is oil going. I've had it checked several times and they said that these cars burn through oil and I also told Hyundai dealer about both issue and nothing was ever done. My s Check engine came on and I took in to shop and picked it up after paying alot of money and light was off but about a week later on. Took it back and pick up and lights off running good another couple thousand again. And on and off just randomly and auto mechanic shop said I would need to take to hyundai dealer to see whats happening. Called and told them never heard back. I have more pic of repairs but couldn't load more
Our Car is 2016 with 97000 miles with engine failure. Previous driving noticed the Engine will slow down suddenly at times. Preston Hyundai Dealer says bad engine cylinder $6000 is a fire hazzard and needs new engine. I see Hyundai sold 199000 2016 Sonatas and replaced 129000 bad engines. They gave a 120000 mile warranty to the 2016 cars. Hyundai said my car in not on the recall list so they will not pay for an engine. The dealer said the engine rods look okay. An engine should last longer than 97000 miles! Please help! [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] My INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
*Engine failure-needs a new engine *The car turned off while I was driving it on the freeway, I managed to steer the car to the shoulder, almost caused an extremely dangerous accident due to traffic and speed limit. *Took it to a Hyundai dealership in Irving, TX 3x about 3 years about excessive oil consumption, they ignored the requests for a solution. I stopped going to the dealership due to time constraints, and them not wanting to acknowledge the issue. The engine was consuming 2-3 quarts every 2 weeks. Finally the engine gave out last week. Car has around 153k miles but the issue started when the vehicle had around 100k miles . * Engine oil would turn on sometimes for a short time. I had several mechanics inspect the vehicle and all would tell me that it was just oil consumption due to a known issue with Hyundai engines.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor inside the vehicle, with an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that oil was blowing out of the top of the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,100.
I have a car covered by the Theta II Settlement. Engine, fuel system. Metal shavings found in oil and oil is diluted with fuel and oil if overfilled 1 inch above full mark on dipstick upon pickup from dealership. The vehicle is available for inspection at my residence; however, it is currently grounded as a known safety hazard. The vehicle is exhibiting symptoms of imminent engine failure (audible knocking, P0011 code, and oil dilution). Despite being shown evidence of this(photo and video of oil overfill and watery viscosity) , the manufacturer instructed me to continue operating the vehicle, placing myself, and other drivers at risk of a high-speed collision or vehicle fire. The symptoms (P0011 code and engine noise) were confirmed by an independent mechanic on March 25th 2026. However, during the official Bearing Clearance Test (BCT), the dealership intentionally overfilled the engine oil by 3 quarts (documented via photograph) to muffle mechanical noise and artificially pass the diagnostic and issued a pass on all inspections despite the oil hazard. Hyundai Corporate Case Manager Nikulmar Dhabi has admitted on record that the dealer was out of compliance by "being outside the standard notification time" yet they refuse to provide a safety-compliant remedy. Warning Symptoms & Appearance: Symptoms first appeared months ago when I repeatedly got a P0011 code, however On march 24th 2026 I received an engine light with a P0011 and the car going into limp mode while i drove. Warning signs included a persistent Check Engine Light (P0011) and audible metallic knocking. Upon checking the oil myself after the dealer "inspected" it, I discovered the oil was 3 quarts over the "Full" line, which is a deceptive practice used to mask rod bearing failure.
Car burning oil and engine started knocking no warning lights ever came on prior to knocking noise. Brought to mechanic and engine has failed. Vehicle has less that 130,000 miles on it.
code P1326 unable to accelerate, drive past 1st gear and knocking noise in engine area engine could stall out or lock up if problem is not fixed 3/14/2026- started engine light blinking warning light also code p1326 has had recalls for this particular car brand
Engine siezed
i took my car in for an oil change and the tech wouldn’t even take my money because he said the car was a safety issue and it needed to be taken to a hyundai dealership ASAP as he has seen the engine fail or blow up on this model before. on the way to the dealer the engine completely seized in the middle of the road forcing us to stop traffic on the busy road and push it in a near by parking lot.
This complaint is NOT related to the existing recall associated with this vehicle. The vehicle is experiencing a serious loss of power and acceleration issue. The car is unable to accelerate past approximately 60 mph. When pressing the accelerator fully, the vehicle does not respond or increase speed. While attempting to accelerate, the engine RPM increases and then suddenly drops repeatedly, causing the vehicle to struggle to maintain speed. This behavior is consistent and occurs during normal driving conditions. This creates a dangerous situation, especially when merging onto highways or attempting to accelerate in traffic, as the vehicle cannot respond when needed. The issue has occurred multiple times and makes the vehicle unsafe and unreliable to operate.
I am submitting this complaint regarding Hyundai Motor America’s denial of my request for engine replacement assistance. I own a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with approximately 106,000 miles. The vehicle experienced sudden engine failure while driving which put my daughter, in danger and is now inoperable. I still have a remaining loan balance, and the cost to replace the engine is significant. I am the second owner of this vehicle. Prior to my ownership, it was a government vehicle. Hyundai requested maintenance records from before I purchased the vehicle; however, I do not have access to those records, as they were not provided at the time of purchase. Since owning the vehicle, I have maintained it responsibly and submitted all available maintenance records from my period of ownership outside of work issued directly to the state. My request for assistance was denied based on a determination of “exceptional maintenance neglect.” I respectfully dispute/ disputed this conclusion. I do not believe the engine failure was due to neglect, and I was not provided with clear documentation or evidence supporting this determination.
Vehicle started then stalled requiring tow. No initial illumination of warning lamps or messages. Findings upon inspection by independent service center: multiple cylinder misfires (P030100, P030300, P030400, P030200, P030000) and excessive debris buildup on vvt sensor screen. Car uses excess oil- a minimum of 3 qts per 600 miles. No warning lamps or messages occur when car is excessively low on oil.
The failure involves the engine, which has seized (locked up) and is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle became unsafe when it stopped operating in traffic, creating a potential hazard to myself and others due to the sudden loss of power and inability to move the vehicle. The issue has been confirmed by both a dealership and an independent service center, both of which determined that the engine has failed and requires repair or replacement. The vehicle has also been inspected by the manufacturer as part of the claim process. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or indicators before the failure occurred.
I contact the Hyundai dealer about my 2016 Hyundai sonata. for all I know those vehicles have recalls with engine failure/stalling due to premature rod bearing wear, fire risks from malfunctioning electric oil pumps. My car is having those exact problems with the abs lights being on and is also have problems with the VVT sprocket. And the oil I called Hyundai and they said my vehicle only has a recall with the JUNCTION BOX. But my car is unable to go over 60. And is unsafe to drive and the recalls with that type of model car is the same recalls I am having and soon as I've bought the car and had it for some time i am starting to have those problems so I would like to know what’s going on because it is unsafe and I can’t even drive my vehicle I also have a blinking check engine light. I’ve wanted to report this now incase risk of a fire because I’ve did my research and realize these cars that have these type of problems are known for catching on fire.
I began braking and the brakes locked up. Braking to the floor and the car would not stop resulting in a car crash
Engine failure, cylinder 4 is swimming on oil.
Both rear doors will not open. The door locks stopped functioning so we are not able to open and close both rear back doors. In addition, the right rear door window stopped rolling up and down.
My 2016 Hyundai Sonata (2.0T/2.4L engine) has been experiencing loss of motive power and severe engine stumbling at stoplights, creating an unreasonable risk of a crash in traffic. The Check Engine light is on with DTC P0010. Upon inspection, the internal oil seal plug at the intake camshaft E-CVVT has become unseated, causing an active oil leak. This matches the exact defect and symptoms (elevated idle of 1,200–1,400 RPM and power reduction) described in Hyundai Service Campaign TX3 (TSB 15-01-022-1). While that campaign only applied to 2015 models, my 2016 vehicle has suffered the identical failure. I am requesting that this safety-related defect be investigated for 2016 models to prevent potential engine fires from oil leaks or accidents from sudden power loss
I was involved in a low-speed collision at a residential intersection after stopping at a stop sign and beginning to proceed. Going under 5 mph, I braked immediately, but contact occurred. Despite relatively minor front-end damage, the driver steering wheel airbag and driver knee airbag deployed. The passenger front airbag did not deploy, and no side or curtain airbags deployed. There was no significant intrusion into the engine compartment or passenger cabin. I am submitting this report due to concern that the driver airbags deployed in a low-speed impact that did not appear severe enough to warrant deployment. Pictures attached
Engine started rough idling and knocking. Took to a mechanic who found metal particulate in the oil and the engine spun a bearing.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata has 6 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 706 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata.
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata are engine (311 reports), unknown or other (37 reports), steering (24 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 6 recalls on record for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.