2010 Hyundai Sonata

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Structure is the leading concern among 345 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 345

Of the 2010 reports, 19 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 19 people were injured and 2 people died.

Primary concernStructure164 reports · 48% of complaints
Owner complaints345Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship2 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Structure164
  2. Other or unspecified36
  3. Service brakes30
  4. Engine29
  5. Power train21
  6. Air bags20
  7. Electrical system16
  8. Steering15

Recalls and investigations

  1. Suspension, rearAug 12, 2013

    Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt and water can enter portions of the rear crossmember, leading to corrosion of the crossmember steel. This may lead to detachment of one of the rear control arms.

    Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 113.

    Campaign 13V354000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 1, 2013

    Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

    Campaign 13V113000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: structure

164 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Structure, Nov 25, 2013

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLES BECAME BECAME DISENGAGED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

  2. Structure, Nov 23, 2013

    I AM FILING A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE DOOR HANDLES ON HYUNDAI VEHICLES. I DRIVE A HYUNDAI SONATA AND HAVE HAD THE DOOR HANDLE BREAK OFF THREE SEPARATE TIMES IN MY HAND. WHEN I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO GET FIXED, I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, THEY REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME STYLE HANDLE AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. MY CONCERN WITH THIS, BESIDES THAT IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE COMPANY, IS THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD IN A CARSEAT IN MY CAR WITH ME ALMOST ALWAYS. IF THE DOOR HANDLES CONTINUE TO BREAK OFF, THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO ENTER THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE AND SHE IS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR IN HER CARSEAT. *TR

  3. Structure, Nov 22, 2013

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLES BECAME FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

  4. Structure, Nov 21, 2013

    PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF- NO ACCIDENT OR OUTSIDE IMPACT. *TR

  5. Structure, Nov 19, 2013

    I WENT TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR AND THE HANDLE CAME OFF. APPEARS TO BE BROKEN SINCE I'M BEING TOLD BY HYUNDAI GURNEE SERVICE THAT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

  6. Structure, Nov 14, 2013

    THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF. SEE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS ON LINE WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. *TR

  7. Structure, Sep 17, 2013

    THE SECOND EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. *TR

  8. Structure, Latches/locks/linkages, Sep 5, 2013

    ON SUNDAY 9/1, I CAME OUT OF CHURCH AND COULD NOT OPEN MY PASSENGER BACK DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY SON TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 9/4 WHERE I GET MY SERVICE DONE, HE WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $80 TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT, BUT THEY WOULD DEDUCT THE $80 FROM THE PRICE OF REPAIR, I DID NOT GET IT FIXED, LOW AND BEHOLD ON 9/4 AFTER GETTING OFF WORK I WENT INTO THE STORE, CAME OUT AND MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, VERY DANGEROUS, IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ME OUT NOR MY GRANDSON OUT WHO SIT BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT, HE IS 5. WHAT CAN I DO IF I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THE DOORS REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. SEEMS LIKE A VERY BAD SAFETY ISSUE TO ME AND THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD FIX THIS AT NO EXPENSE TO ME, SEEMS LIKE A RECALL TO ME. *JB

  9. Structure, Wheels, Aug 23, 2013

    MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE ORIGINAL BLACK STEEL WHEELS ON MY VEHICLE HAVE RUSTED. I AM SURPRISED THAT A VEHICLE WILL SUFFER RUST ON ITS WHEELS AFTER SO SHORT A PERIOD OF TIME. NO I DO NOT DRIVE ONTO OR NEAR A BEACH. MY CAR DID NOT SUFFER SEA WATER DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE SANDY. THE BLACK PAINT ON MY WHEELS IS NOW A RUSTY BROWN. IS THERE ANY SAFETY RECALL REGARDING THESE WHEELS? PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANKYOU *TR

  10. Structure, Aug 15, 2013

    I PURCHASED A USED 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS.ONE YEAR AGO WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT. IN THIS TIME I HAVE HAD 3 DIFFERENT PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES BREAK OFF WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE CAR DOORS. EACH INCIDENT COSTING ME $200.00. FOR A TOTAL OF $600.00. WITH NO REIMBURSEMENT FROM HYUNDAI. THEY SAID IT WASN'T A PROBLEM AND WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. *TR

  11. Structure, Aug 15, 2013

    BOTH DOOR HANDLES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF MY 2010 ARE BROKEN. WENT TO OPEN DOOR AND LATCHES GAVE AWAY. *TR

  12. Structure, Jul 2, 2013

    I HAVE HAD TWO OTHER DOOR HANDLES SERVICED PRIOR TO THIS ONE. THE DRIVERS DOOR IS THE ONE BROKEN THIS TIME. THE OTHER TWO WERE THE BACK DOOR HANDLES. THIS HAS ALL BEEN WITHIN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I COULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD ONE. BUT THREE! THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, NO RECALLS AND IT HAD BEEN A RENTAL CAR THROUGH THE ENTERPRISE CORP. ALSO, I HAD NOT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO BE SERVICED AT A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP... THAT I WAS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE. I HAVE READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HAD A CAR FAX REPORT DONE AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED. WE ONLY SAW A FEW MINOR SERVICES. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE CAR FAX REPORT TO INDICATE A RENTAL CAR OR ABUSIVE ACTIONS OF THOSE LEASING OR RENTING THE VEHICLE. HE SAYS PEOPLE CAN BE ROUGH ON DOOR HANDLES. I SAID I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL USED CARS AND TRUCKS. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE DOOR HANDLES COME OFF EVEN AFTER 12-14 YEARS OF DRIVING THEM. I THINK THEY SHOULD FIX THERE VEHICLES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

  13. Structure, Jun 5, 2013, crash, fire

    I BOUGHT THE CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. THE CAR IS A 2010 SONATA. SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. THE DEALER COVERED THE FIRST ON BUT I HAD TO PAY THE OTHER 2. BECAUSE I DRIVE LONG DISTANCES AND MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WHAT DOES HIGH MILEAGE HAVE TO DO WITH DOOR HANDLES. *TR

  14. Structure, Mar 10, 2013

    SINCE AUGUST 2010, I HAVE HAD THREE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BRAKE OFF. THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURE DEFAULT. ONE BREAKING IS BELIEVABLE. BUT, THREE IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR