2016 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 723 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 19 involved a crash and 28 involved a fire. 19 people were injured and 1 person 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 bagsAug 24, 2016
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."
A frontal air bag that does not adequately protect the driver's neck may increase their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V615000 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
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
88 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Sep 17, 2026
Backup vision system failed. Couldn't see vision because screen was blank. Radio didn't work either. Went to dealership with the problem they said it was not covered by the warranty. Paid to have it fixed.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jun 2, 2026
Went from 65 and dropped down to 40 going up grades on the freeway. Started shaking, check engine light went on and electric battery disappeared from dash. Got to top of grade, went back to normal. Problem repeated on next grades. Car had just left dealership lot an hour prior where it was safety inspected and they said all was fine. Took back to dealership for inspection and they said that there were no codes showing for what happened and all was well with the vehicle, when obviously it was not.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 19, 2026
Car just stated making g noise went into lp.mode now saying k ock sensor
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Feb 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond or exceed 30 MPH. The contact stated that the speedometer reading was lagging. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal with more force. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the camshaft position sensor was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the starter was previously replaced due to the engine's failure to turn over while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that upon switching to Sport Mode and driving 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked and lost motive power. The contact shifted to neutral(N) and was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure could be an electrical failure or that an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 26, 2026
Engine started rough idling and knocking. Took to a mechanic who found metal particulate in the oil and the engine spun a bearing.
Electrical system, Seats, Other or unspecified, Jan 21, 2026, crash
The driver’s seat / passenger seat assembly, including seat rails, mounting brackets, and Smart Junction Box (SJB) connections if electrical adjustment was involved, completely failed during a crash. The seat lifted off the floor anchors and almost entirely came apart, including both the seat cushion (where you sit) and the backrest, leaving the occupant crushed within the collapsed seat structure, resulting in catastrophic injuries. During the crash, the seat collapsed and disassembled, exposing the occupant to extreme trauma. This caused: •Pelvic fracture •Broken femur, hip, and back •Collapsed lung and punctured liver •Foreign object from the seat mechanism punctured pelvic bone The failure directly contributed to life-threatening injuries that would not have occurred if the seat had remained securely anchored. The malfunction posed an immediate risk of death and permanent disability. Not yet reproduced under controlled conditions. The incident has been documented by police and medical personnel. The vehicle is currently in a tow yard, and we have not had access to it, but it remains available for inspection by Hyundai, NHTSA, or a qualified service center Police: Yes, crash scene documented. •Insurance: We are unsure whether the insurance company has inspected the seat. The vehicle remains in the tow yard and has not been repaired or altered. •Manufacturer (Hyundai): Not yet inspected; formal inspection requested. The vehicle and seat are preserved and ready for inspection by Hyundai, NHTSA, or other qualified representatives. There were no warning lamps, messages, or prior symptoms of seat failure. The seat functioned normally prior to the crash, and the malfunction occurred only during the impact, demonstrating a sudden and catastrophic failure under crash conditions.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 15, 2026
The shark fin antennae on top of the vehicle was ripped off in a car wash; the antennae serves to transmit radio/GPS/data to & from the vehicle which will cease to function if it the cover is removed and components damaged. Hyundai description: The shark fin antenna will receive AM, FM broadcast signals and transmit data Multiple Hyundai dealers have been contacted for quotes on replacing the antennae which they claim will cost $1500+ since the top of the roof must be removed and electronics/circuit board/cables must be replaced; it appears to be a common issue with these shark fins according to the dealers and online research. The GPS and data transfer could be a major safety factor depending on the systems affected. These shark fins need to be replaced with a more resilient system. Owners are unable to 'store' the antennae when taking it to the car wash as it is not removable or retractable. It is a design flaw. I've read that many have lost them simply driving the vehicle --not agitated using a car wash.
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 29, 2025
Oil pressure sensor failure caused oil to leak into the injector harness damaging components and engine shutdown. Because this was a sudden engine shutdown and safety-related loss of motive power caused by an oil pressure sensor failure this presents a safety risk
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Dec 21, 2025
Vehicle stalled while driving
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 17, 2025
The vehicle experienced an engine and power train failure while driving on the highway, resulting in sudden loss of power. The electrical system also failed after the dealer visit, causing the battery to die every morning. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My car suddenly lost power on the highway and would not accelerate, forcing me to pull over on the shoulder with traffic moving around me. This created a serious risk of a rear-end collision or crash. Additionally, after the dealer visit, the electrical system began failing and the vehicle has been completely dead every morning, leaving me stranded with a child and unable to reliably start the car. The problem has not been reproduced because the check engine code cleared itself after the incident; however, the symptoms absolutely remain. The dealer refused to diagnose the loss-of-power event because the code was cleared, and they returned the vehicle to me with a dead battery. The electrical issue (car dying every morning) has been happening consistently since the dealer visit. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership immediately after the incident, but they refused to diagnose the loss of power due to the code being cleared. A mobile mechanic scanned the code at my home before the tow, but the code disappeared afterward. The electrical failure began after the dealer visit and has not been properly inspected by Hyundai. Yes. While driving on the highway, the check engine light came on and the car immediately lost power and would not accelerate. After the dealer visit, the car has been completely dead every morning and requires a jump to start. These symptoms began on the same day as the highway incident and continued after Hyundai serviced the vehicle.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 5, 2025
Pushed acceleration at traffic light to cross and turn into neighborhood, car started beeping frantically, 'check hev system' flashed on dash as well as 'turn off engine' while car decelerated to 1-3 mph. Battery meter bar on left side of dash completely depleted showing no battery power supply at all. Turned vehicle off for a few minutes then restarted. Put the vehicle in drive gear and same warnings appear, car doesn't even accelerate when gas pedal is pressed fully, stays at 1-3 mph crawl. Vehicle stalls out after 30 seconds, vehicle turns on but cannot start.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V749000 ( EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Electrical system, May 12, 2025
Tengo este sonata ya 3 años a solo un mes de haberlo comprado empezó con los problemas de check hybrid system todo el tiempo el mecánico no sabe que pasa con eso además siempre cuando se enciende esa luz no se puede manejar el carro y le dice que tengo que apagarlo
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jan 18, 2025
While driving, the vehicle's engine light will randomly turn on and when it does, the car will lose power; meaning, when this occurs, and I press the accelerator pedal, it does not put out the normal, expected amount of acceleration. This problem will persist until I pull over, turn off the vehicle, and turn it back on. However, this does not always fix the issue. Sometimes, when I turn the car off and turn it back on, the check engine light will still be on and I will still encounter the issue. When I brought my vehicle into my local Hyundai dealership, they had the car for 3 days, and when I called to ask what was wrong with it or what they did to fix it, they told me they could not recreate the problem and therefore, did not do anything to the vehicle. So now, I'm at an impasse where this problem is not able to be recreated, thus, unable to get it fixed, but I don't feel completely safe to drive long distances. I also own a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that experienced the same type of issue, and that engine was recalled.
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 16, 2025
My car burns through approximately 1qt of oil every 500 miles or less. There is a known oil consumption issue and I have left multiple messages with Key Hyundai of Milford CT and do not receive a call back. Additionally today I was driving 25mph and my car was reading 4000rpm and then completely locked and shut down I was stuck in the middle of the road.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 28, 2024
Vehicle suddenly shuts down while driving. This has happened several times and has cost lengthy repairs and towing fees but still keeps doing the same thing. After it shuts down once the car is reset it will work again for a little while and do the same thing over again.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 30, 2024
While driving (speed doesn’t matter, highway or city streets) the check hybrid system turn off engine message/code comes on. When u turn off the car and wait for a period of time the it’s not there anymore but the check engine light stays on and the car drive normal until the code comes back up. When the message comes up the engine loses power and and the car just slows down until the car is turned off. This is a safety hazard when you’re driving on a freeway and especially a freeway with no shoulder to pull over on or going through a read light with no speed. The car just does it periodically and when u take it to the dealership they say they can’t duplicate the problem. When all u do is hook a computer up and look for a code when the problem arises while driving you’re never going to find the issue. No the dealer hasn’t reproduced the problem because they didn’t drive the car just leaving it to sit up and checking codes doesn’t bring the problem to light. They wasn’t any warning signal or codes before this but not code p2600 and code p0401 are coming up. Spending $2000 for a part that will can’t be ordered anywhere but from the dealership and the problem still exist is not being logical. So many online reviews have the same problem and not one person has found out the problem from changing the electric water pump to transmission to the engine the warning sign still come back after some time. Me not being the 1st owner and the car out of warranty due to mileage is just robbing folks blinds with no solution.
Electrical system, Apr 6, 2024
FOR A YEAR THE RADIO WOULD NOT WORK OR PLAY AT TIMES OR YOU HEARD AUDIO BUT ABSOLUTELY NO VISUAL SCREEN AS FAR AS THE CHANNEL YOUR ON ETC. ALSO, THE SAME SCREEN FOR BACKUP CAMERA THE DEALER TOLD ME ON PHONE, ON THE FACE OF RADIO THERE IS A TINY PIN HOLE USE A PEN DEPRESS IT AND IT WILL REBOOT THE SYSTEM I DID AND IT WORKED. HOWEVER, AS TIME WENT ON IT STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY NOW THE RADIO OR SCREEN COMPLETELY DO NOT WORK INCLUDING BACK UP CAMERA. FINALLY, TODAY OFFICIALLY HAD FUSE CHECKED WHICH IS GOOD. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BACK UP CAMERA PERIOD OR RADIO OR SCREEN DISPLAY OF ANY KIND. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE BUT NOW A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 50 THOUSAND MILES RIDICULOUS
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Feb 7, 2024, fire
On February 6, around 3:46am, parked my vehicle on the driveway I noticed a smell like smoke, I looked at my dashboard but nothing was on, no warnings, so I entered my house a few minutes later Possibly 4 I heard a noise look outside from my window an noticed my car was on fire, immediately called 911 car garage door also cut on fire and the vehicle next to it. I m requesting an investigation Police report 24-031575, my vehicle was towed by insurance company Start Casualty claim # 2024-90001577.
Electrical system, Jan 28, 2024
The hood open sensor is displaying that the hood is open when it's been closed and is latched.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V749000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 17, 2023
I am having electrical issues with my 2016 Hyundai Sonata plus the other recalls. It started as issues with the lights on the driver side. I have replaced several bulbs and the entire light even and still have issues with the lights working properly. Now the issue is the battery, alternator or the starter. The starter had to be replaced as I was advised by Hyundai dealership when my engine had to be replaced, per recall. I had to purchase a starter, that was three times the amount at the dealership because the one that is manufactured in the auto stores is not correct, so it should not be the starter as it is only 1 to 2 years old. I have had the alternator replaced as well as 2 batteries and I’m still having issues. It cut off completely while driving on more than 1 occasion. There was no warning, no power steering, gear lock, no lights & no power so I could not move and almost had a major accident. It is definitely a safety hazard even after the repairs, it has happened again! My vehicle is currently not working because the new battery will not hold a charge and they both have been replaced. I’ve been having other electronic type issues with this vehicle. My information center has not worked for the past 8 months or so! I reported this to Hyundai and they agreed that it could be a part of a previous recall, and advised me to go to the dealership to have it repaired. The dealership refuses because they don’t have required information to show it as a Current recall and want to charge me half the price of a new car to repair. I am not the only one experience this as my research has led me to several other Hyundai owners experiencing the same issues. It is not fair that they cannot be corrected as these are things that are none of consumer fault & should have been high demands to proper repair or recall being a major safety issue as it can cause a horrific accident! Shame on Hyundai for putting their Hyundai customers at risk & through so much chaos!
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Oct 16, 2023, fire
My husband (Scott) was driving the car on Florida highway 408 eastbound approaching the exit 21 on 10/12/2023 around 8 am. Scott heard something pop suddenly and saw fire shooting out from both sides of the car in the rearview mirrors. Upon noticing the fire, he tried to slow down to pull over the car, but brakes failed (went to the floor). A police officer on the road happened to see the fire so he drove next to my husband's car and Scott yelled at officer that he had no brakes. The officer went ahead of Scott to help Scott's car slow down. When approaching uphill slopes by the exit, Scott was finally able to use the emergency brakes to come to a complete stop. The fire engine came right away and put out the fire which took over 20 minutes. My husband is handicapped and him walking away from such car catastrophic fire unharmed was near miracle. Two weeks before the fire, I happened to take the car in for checkup at Greenway Hyundai Orlando and the 2.5 hour inspection found nothing wrong with my car. I wanted my car checked because my car stalled briefly pulling out of a parking space a few days earlier.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 3, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, other drivers started beeping the horn and shouting that the vehicle was on fire. The contact immediately veered to the side of the road. The contact then noticed flames under the front end of the vehicle, near the engine location. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the fire was extinguished independently. There was no injury sustained. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to her son-in-law's repair shop, where it remained. There was no police report filed. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a repair fee would be charged for the engine replacement. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 20, 2023
Car stalled check engine light came on took to auto zone said a engine problem