2015 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,144 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 34 involved a crash and 48 involved a fire. 32 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, turn signalSep 24, 2021
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.
A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V749000 on NHTSA.gov
Parking brake, indicator lightJun 5, 2017
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.
If the parking brake indicator is not illuminated when the parking brake is applied, the driver may operate the vehicle with the parking brake partially engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 17V359000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, sun/moon roof assemblyOct 11, 2016
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.
If the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V726000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalApr 21, 2016
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.
An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 16V232000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelOct 20, 2015
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."
If the driver is alerted there is a brake system malfunction, but not specifically with the ABS system, the driver may operate the vehicle unaware that the vehicle's brakes may lock up during hard braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 15V678000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, buckle assemblyJun 30, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015 Sonata vehicles manufactured April 25, 2014, to December 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.
If the front passenger seat belt cannot be latched, an occupant sitting in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the front passenger seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 130.
Campaign 15V414000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftDec 9, 2014
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 1.6 liter model year 2015 Sonata vehicles manufactured August 29, 2014, to October 28, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect left axle shaft which may result in the shaft separating from the transaxle differential.
If the left axle shaft separates from the transaxle, the vehicle may stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, a separated axle shaft may allow the vehicle to roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Hyundai will notify owners, dealers will inspect and replace the axle shaft, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 126.
Campaign 14V784000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperDo not drive until repairedJun 24, 2014
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015 Sonata vehicles manufactured April 25, 2014, through June 16, 2014. Due to a manufacturing error, one or both of the front brake calipers may fracture.
If a brake caliper fractures, brake effectiveness would be reduced, lengthening to distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai contacted the affected owners on June 19, 2014 and instructed them not to drive their vehicles. Hyundai dealers will replace the affected brake calipers, free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 120.
Campaign 14V368000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringDo not drive until repairedJun 12, 2014
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 2, 2014, through May 23, 2014. A poor connection within the vehicle's wiring harness may result in a reduction of steering assist from the vehicle's motor driven power steering system or the inability to move the vehicle's shifter from the Park position.
The reduction of power steering assist can increase the steering effort needed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai notified dealers to suspend sales of affected Sonata vehicles and has published recall bulletin 14-01-024 providing a service procedure to repair the affected vehicles. On June 7, 2014 Hyundai began to contact the affected retail customers. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 119.
Campaign 14V325000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
167 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 6, 2026
1.) Following Hyundai's 9C2 Campaign update for the ECU that was completed back on May 27th, 2026, my 2015 Sonata went into limp mode [solid check engine light present] while I was accelerating up an on-ramp on the 2nd drive cycle since the update was performed. I was already far away from the dealership so I was forced to limp it to my local shop that I regularly use to have it checked out. It was confirmed that the code on the vehicle was P200A for intake manifold runners. Since the update was for smog regulation, the code was cleared in order to see if it would come back. Since then, it has not, however the vehicle continues to have one persistent problem. The RPMs will dramatically dip and then surge back upwards while the car is coasting (no gas and no brake applied). 70% of the time, you can feel the car violently jerk as it appears to try and correct itself. 2.) I've brought this car to multiple dealerships, have a case open with corporate and have also found that this is a systemic issue with this specific update in these cars. All and all, nothing has been done. I'm repeatedly turned away over and over again because their techs are only permitted to look into it once they have hard evidence of a fault. In this case, that would be a dashboard light. I'm told that I may only return if the check engine light comes back, which as I mentioned previously, posed a HUGE safety risk to myself the first time it appeared. If I can only go 55mph down the highway, I am at risk of being rear-ended or struck in some way. 3.) The problem has not been reproduced by the dealer as they will not test drive it to see the dip and spike. However, the code was still pending for awhile in the vehicle before it cleared it on its own, so that was acknowledged by at least one place. 4.) Vehicle has not been inspected by anyone but a dealership and local mechanic. 5.) No other signs prior to the vehicle limping out on me other than some acceleration concerns on May 27th, 2026.
Electrical system, Jul 16, 2026
This vehicle had a recall, 201, for the smart junction box. This was due to the blinkers not working properly. The software update was performed, however, the problem still exists. This was due to the smart junction box. Now, aside from the blinker issue, the ac stays on when the engine is turned off, lights come on by themselves, the media screen goes randomly into night mode, daylight running lights are constantly in night mode, smart junction box failure. I have not taken this to a mechanic as of yet, the dealership is aware, and I opened a case with Hyundai case #42940056, however, I have not received a call from my service advisor or Hyundai. They offered to do diagnostics, but, if these problems are not about the safety recall, I would have to pay $350 for diagnostics, unless I get the problem fixed by them. This car has 66k miles with a new engine installed at 59400 miles! At this point, I have the car parked, battery disconnected, and looking for the most efficient way to fix the problem, which must be performed by specialized equipment.
Electrical system, Mar 10, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The vehicle was a private sale. The vehicle was purchased on March 1, 2026. The mileage at the time of the purchase was 41,486. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the odometer mileage was last reported at 223,718. The seller was not made aware of the discrepancy.
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 4, 2026, fire
I was driving on the highway and the engine shut off but everything else remained on. I drifted to the breakdown lane and turned the car off. It would not start again and the car began acting up by turning lights on and off, telling me to check the tire pressure, and not unlocking the doors. I then saw some very light smoke from the engine compartment. I popped the hood and looked and saw a glow on the bottom side of the engine area. Then the car just went up in flames.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jan 19, 2026
My 2015 Sonata will stall out dropping speeds to 12-24 when i slightly merge, when I turn ect. Then it won’t accelerate for what seems like 10 minutes realistically 2 minutes maybe 3 Then will slowly regain speed. I’ve almost wrecked twice Share care with daughter and she’s been victim to it way way more. This is scary and Hyundai won’t stay behind their product Local dealership won’t fix recalls so we have to go over 120 miles for repairs. The recall isn’t even for transmission engine
Electrical system, Wheels, Engine, Dec 16, 2025
i've had my 2015 hyundai sonata now for A year. i took it to the hyundai place to have recalls on the security fixed. and told them about the valve cover gasket leaking. they said they fixed it. however every since i took it to the dealership i have had nothing but problems. my car makes a rattling noise when i accelerate, i smell a strong gas smell occasionally at random times but always while driving. my driver brake light has never worked, my driver headlight keeps blowing, my airbag light is now coming on randomly, my car has a bag vibration while going down the road, when i let off the gas it stops and i have replaced tires and still it won't go away no matter what i have done to fix it , and there has been many times after i return home the smell of something burning as off something is on fire is coming from my car. i have even been in panick thinking something today home was on fire but the smell was coming from my car. and others have even stated they smelled it as well. i've already taken out two loans to fix the valve cover gasket and the fuel pump filter, i can not keep taking out loans to fix problems that appears to be problems from the manufacturer and same problems others have had due to malfunctioning issues. i have children that ride in my car, i would hate for someone to get hurt or worse bc of manufacturing problems. then hyundai would have a bigger problem on their hands.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 2, 2025
My 2015 Hyundai Sonata has a defective engine. The motor failed unexpectedly even though the car has low usage and has always been maintained properly. I was informed that many Hyundai engines from these years came with manufacturing issues, and mine appears to be one of them.
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 27, 2025, fire
While I was driving at approximately 55mph, a loud clank happened and the car stalled, and smoke started pouring out of the hood and through the vents into the cabin, and I was leaving burning pieces behind on the road. I pulled over, ran to the back to get my dogs out of their crash tested kennels in the backseat, and both rear doors & passenger front door were locked. I ran up front to unlock them, and the unlock button did not work. I tried the unlock on the keys and it did not work. Due to having a recommended crash safe kennel set up it was not possible to crawl into the back to open it from the inside. My dogs were trapped in a car that was filled with smoke and on fire for over 2 minutes while I debated breaking the windows. I managed to fish a wire into the back to unlock and pull the door open from the inside of the back doors. The car stopped burning but was still smoking for several minutes after & I was able to clear the smoke to make it safe for my dogs to wait for a tow. When the mechanic looked at it he said the engine blew up due to the rod shattering into the block, destroying the entire engine and spilling oil which lit on fire. Mechanic recommended I contact Hyundai for engine replacement as this was a known issue with other 2015 Hyundai sonatas which were recalled due to risk of a defect rod knock causing the rod to shatter causing high speed stalling. Hyundai says my engine was not included in that specific recall. I included photo of the shattered rod which fell out when the mechanic lifted the vehicle
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 22, 2025
The engine light started to come on and go off and when I got the codes ran, it said something along the line of misfire. I had the spark plugs changed and I kept regular maintenance done on oil changes and tune ups. Now my engine is knocking and the vehicle is in limp mode.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Sep 20, 2025
The rubber stopper for the brake light switch on the brake pedal deteriorated and fell apart. This resulted in the brake lights remaining on constantly, cruise control being disabled, and low battery voltage.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2025, fire
On [XXX], my 2015 Hyundai Sonata experienced a sudden and complete loss of power while driving at highway speed on [XXX] in Sarasota, FL. There were no warning lights, error messages, or abnormal performance indicators prior to the failure. Within minutes of losing power, smoke began to enter the cabin, followed by visible flames from the engine compartment. I pulled over, exited the vehicle, and called 911. The fire fully engulfed the vehicle and destroyed personal property inside, including my late father’s ashes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) The incident caused significant emotional distress and has resulted in a PTSD diagnosis. The sudden nature of the failure and rapid spread of the fire suggest a critical defect in the vehicle’s engine or related components. I believe this represents a serious safety hazard to other Hyundai owners and the public. Documentation, photographs, and insurance/fire reports are available.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 11, 2025
I have contacted the guy that sold me the car he Refused to fix the recall which is my motor I need Something done , Hyundai won’t Honor their Recall .
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jun 20, 2025
The car has had an electrical issue ever since taking to to get a recall around may of 2023. It will randomly brake and shift the transmission badly while downshifting. I feel as if my make and model falls under the theta II campaign they had to replace certain engines for having a knocking rod be fault and release shaving into the engine causing it to misfire. Not only that but the electrical issue is completely random it happens atleast once or twice a week. It had began ever since I took it for a recall, and when I took it back they found no issue and left food in the back of my car and the chairs leaned back. This was the Fontana Hyundai dealership
Electrical system, Jun 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a black screen. In addition, the contact stated several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that an unknown recall repair for the ECM software update was performed; however, the software update failed to fix the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the dealer for four months without being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Jun 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her son was driving the vehicle at approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the driver pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated after the driver turned off and restarted the vehicle several times, the steering wheel responded as needed. The contact stated that the message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the loss of power steering assist was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V325000(Steering, Electrical System). The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the electric power steering assist motor and unknown related parts needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V325000(Steering, Electrical System); however, the dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 10, 2025
My steering rack had to be replaced at less than 55,000 miles. I asked the dealer if this was covered under warranty and they said no. I was charged $4,800 for this repair. I contacted Hyundai USA and they refused to cover the repair. I then realized that I had received a letter from Hyundai stating my car had the extended warranty of 15 years/150m miles for this exact repair. I am on the phone with Hyundai now and they are still refusing to cover this repair, even though they sent me the letter stating my car has this extended warranty. My car is available for inspection upon request. Yes, my safety and the safety of others was put at risk, my power steering would intermittently go out while turning. Yes, my car was inspected twice, once in 2023 and again in May of 2025. Repairs were done in May. I was told this was not covered under warranty but I have an extended warranty from Hyundai for this exact problem. That extended warranty is for 15 years/150m miles. Yes, the occurrence in 2025 threw a code of C168708 - CAN time out VSM (MDPS) and C1814 - CAN message failure SAS.
Electrical system, May 10, 2025
MI AUTO NO ENCIENDE Y NO DETECTA LA LLAVE SIMPLEMEM NTE NO FUNCIONA NADA NO PUEDO ARRANCARLO
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 19, 2025
I was driving and when turning into a parking lot, I accelerated and the vehicle stalled. It did not go suddenly when accelerating. A couple days later, I use a code reader and have a code listed as P1326. So I take it for a diagnostic at a local shop and I am told it is the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). I was advised to take it to a Hyundai dealer because often these vehicles have manufacture warranty since there’s recalls. There have been some vehicles under this recall Hyundai put out as Service Campaign 966 or 982. They have had vehicles deal with this sensor issue before. Hence why there is a campaign issued. I review to see if there are any recalls on my vehicle and tare none but there are other models listed for this particular issue for Hyundai vehicles. My vehicle was driving fine and it’s fairly new. Low miles then suddenly this happened without warning. I believe it is a recall issue for this model as well.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 14, 2025
On 03/14 I was driving down the road the with the sunroof open the wind flap suddenly went to flying making a loud sound I pulled over and saw that it was loose and hanging I went to press the button to attempt to close it and it semi closed. I went and had it looked at and was told that it was broken and could not be closed and needed to be replaced I was told it was a common issue with Hyundais and to contact the company
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 27, 2025
Power steering failed, car diagnosed with code C2412 & Hyundai refuses to take accountability
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 11, 2025
For about a month now the power steering was going in and out and then just the other day, the power steering went completely out, I am now having it towed to the dealership today 02/11/2025. I've also had oil consumption problems to the point where there is only 1 quart of oil left in the engine when getting the oil changed, had the combustion cleaning done and no help. Hyundai said no to a new engine, car only has 102,000 miles on it, only 10 years old and Hyundai hasn't helped a bit, said that I would have to come out of pocket but I ended up having to spend $600 on the cleaning, which is absurd.
Electrical system, Dec 17, 2024
The Charging system malfunctioned twice. The car is available for inspection upon request. I am not sure if it may put me at risk but it does give the directive to stop the car. I have taken the car to Hyundai the first day it malfunctioned and explained the charging system malfunction. Hyundai only completed any known recalls. My car has never had any warning lights to come on until the charging system began to malfunction.
Electrical system, Dec 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the traction control and ABS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle later failed to restart. The contact stated that the engine had previously been replaced. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the starter solenoid needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V107000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Electrical system, Structure, Dec 5, 2024
Unknown I pulled up to a gas station filled up my car coming back frome work like usual i finish I take off not even 1 mile and it started lacking the batteries got drained and it turned off I try to turn it back on and all it does is give me a message telling me to check charging system
Electrical system, Nov 25, 2024
They try to use a fob key 3-4 time and it won’t sink in and my door is having problems locking without it