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: other or unspecified
90 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2020
VEHICLE BEGINS TO SPUTTER WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON BOTH RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. WAS TOLD BY DEALER IT WAS SPARK PLUG ISSUE, SO HAD ALL SPARK PLUGS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM IS CONTINUING LESS THAN 1 YEAR LATER.
Other or unspecified, Nov 19, 2019
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH SLIGHT HESITATION AND REDUCED POWER DURING ACCELERATION. CAR WAS ON HIGHWAY WITH IN TEN MINUTES FROM HOME FROM MY RESEARCH INDICATE THIS CARE ISSUE COULD BE CAUSED FROM HYUNDAI SONATA SOFTWARE ISSUE.
Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jul 26, 2019, crash
HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A DEER, GOING 70MPH ON HIGHWAY 49. NO AIR BAGS RELEASED. AFTER TAKING CAR TO DEALERSHIP, FROM RECEIVING A LETTER OF RECALL IN THE MAIL. MOTOR WOULD SHUT DOWN WHEN REACHING 65 MPH, BEFORE TAKING CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR RECAL. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jul 12, 2019
CAR WAS IN MOTION AT ABOUT 75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT JERKED REALLY HARD THEN LOST ALL POWER, MAKING IT A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION FOR NOT ONLY MY FAMILY BUT ALSO OTHER DRIVERS. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT ALL CRAZY AND IT HASN'T STARTED SINCE THAT HAPPENED, CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE STATING IT'S A RECALL ON THE ECM.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 6, 2019
ENGINE IS MAKING WEIRD RATTLING SOUND ON ACCELERATION AND BURNING OIL TOO MUCH. PRIOR TO 3000 MILES OIL CHANGE, CHECKED DIP STICK AND INDICATED NO OIL. LOW OIL ON DASHBOARD DID NOT CAME ON. BELIEVED THAT THE ENGINE CONSUMPTION IS OUT OF LIMIT. ROUGH IDLE AND ACCELERATION HESITATION WAS NOTICE.
Other or unspecified, Mar 3, 2019
MY CAR WAS BROKEN INTO ON 3/3/2019, NOT ONLY DID MY ALARM NOT GO OFF WHEN THE WINDOW WAS SMASHED WHEN I SET MY ALARM ON THE CAR AND OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE THE CAR DID NOT GO OFF. THE POLICE OFFICER STATED THAT THIS IS A HAZARD ESPECIALLY ON A NEWER MODEL VEHICLE. THE POLICE OFFICER EVEN TESTED OUT THE ALARM WHILE THEY WERE HERE AND IT DID NOT GO OFF. I DONT UNDERSTAND AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE FIX.
Other or unspecified, Feb 14, 2019
ENGINE DYING WHILE IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY, IT HAS ALSO HAPPEN 01/28/2019
Other or unspecified, Nov 13, 2018
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GUNSHOT SOUND THEN GLASS STARTED FALLING. MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. HYUNDAI IS TRYING ALL THEY COULD TO NOT COVER THE ISSUE
Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Oct 31, 2017
ON OCTOBER 26TH MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MYSELF AND OUR 2 CHILDREN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WENT FROM GOING 45 MILES AN HOUR TO STOPPING AND THEN EVEN AFTER THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WE WE WERE GOING APPROX 5 MILES AM HOUR. OUR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AFTET APPROX 5 TO 10 MIN WE FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OVER AS THERE WERE NO PULLOFFS READILY AVAILABLE. AFTET WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD WE SHUT THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME . THE ENGINE LIGJT WAS STILL ON BUT POWER AND SPEED WERE RESTORED. WE CALLED OUR HYUNDAI DEALER ON FRI MORNING AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT DOWN ON MONDAY. THE CAR SAT ALL WEEKEND AND WAS NOT DRIVEN DUE RO FEAR OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN. I DID HOWEVER START THE CAR ON FRIDAY AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. WE BROUGHT THE CAR DOWN MON AT 9AM. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOW OFF BUT THE HYUNDAI MECHANIC SAID EVEN IF THE LIGHT WAS OFF A CODE WOULD STILL BE IN THE SYSTEM. WE RECEIVED A CALL AROUND 3PM SAYING THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT EVEN THEY DID NOT UNDER WHY NO CODE AT ALL SHOWED UP. THEY ARE KEEPING THE CAR UNTIL FRIDAY TO KEEP STARYING AND DRIVING IT TO SEE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS. MU HUSBAND DID REPORT THE ISSUE TO HYUNDAI AND THEY SAID THEY WILL INVESTIGATE. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN WITH SOMEONE DRIVING BEHIND US IT COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. VERY NERVOUS AND SCARED SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN ESPECIALLY DRIVING MY YOUND CHILDREN AROUND.
Other or unspecified, Jul 4, 2017
WHILE I WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY TRYING TO MERGE IN THE TRAFFIC USING LEFT SIGNAL AND DEPENDING ON MY CAR LANE CHANGE ASSISTANCE THAT FAILED TO DETECT THE CAR ON MY LEFT BLIND ZONE, FORCED ME TO TURN AWAY FROM THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE CAUSED BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR PASSENGER SIDE DUE TO THE STREET GUARD RAILS. THE LANE CHANGE ASSISTANCE FAILED TO DETECT CARS MANY TIMES, I WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER.
Other or unspecified, Jul 3, 2017
SUNROOF RECALL. I GAVE HAD A TOTAL OF THREE ISSUES WITH THE SUNROOF OF MY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING THIS LAST TIME ON THE HIGHWAY THE WIND NET POPPED UP AND MY ENTIRE SUNROOF FLEW OFF OF MY CAR. THE FIRST TIME THE WIND NET FLEW UP (FEB 2017), SECOND TIME THE WIND NET BLEW UP AGAIN (MAY 2017) AND FINALLY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND THE WIND NET BLEW UP AND TOOK THE ENTIRE SUNROOF WITH IT ALL WHILE DRIVING. MY CAR JUST TURNED 1 YR OLD ON MAY 2017.
Other or unspecified, Jun 28, 2017
MY 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA MISFIRE SOMETIMES AT STARTING. HERE IS A LITTLE DESCRIPTION. TODAY JUNE 28 2016 I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED IT WAS RUNNING A LITTLE HARDER MAKING AN UNUSUAL SOUND AS I ENGAGED THE REVERSE THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACK SLOWLY AND CHECKING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL AND STOP. IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS MISFIRED AND IS RUNNING ROUGH. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE AND STARTED ONE MORE TIME AND THIS TIME THE VEHICLE STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THIS SAME ISSUE HAS HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH AGO AS I WAS LIVING THE LIBRARY.
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 12, 2017
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE. A CLICK NOISE IS ALWAYS COMING WHEN WE HIT THE BRAKE TILL THE END. ALWAYS HAPPENING OBSERVING FROM PAST 2 MONTHS. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS WHEN WE HIT THE BRAKE AND AND HOLD THE SHIFT KNOB IT IS MAKING TICK TICK NOISE. ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN I SHOWED TO THE MECHANIC THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NORMAL BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO IT FOR FREE OF CHARGE. HYUNDAI GIVES WARRANTY BUT THE DEALERS NEGLECT TO DO. I AM GETTING A MILEAGE OF AVERAGE 10 MILES IF I EVEN MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 45-50 MPH. IF I PUT 14 GALLONS OF GAS I GET HARDLY 225 MILES AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND I CHANGE THE OIL BEFORE THE SERVICE INTERVAL.
Seat belts, Other or unspecified, Dec 16, 2016
SAFETY ISSUE: ON SUNDAY, DEC 4, 2016 AT 4:45PM WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, I -55 SOUTH, NEAR KEDZIE, OUR 5YR OLD CHILD, WHO WAS IN THE BACKSEAT ON PASSENGER SIDE, IN HER CAR BOOSTER SEAT REPORTED THAT THE CAR SEAT WAS AROUND HER NECK. SHE WAS IN THE REAR WITH ANOTHER CHILD. I, [XXX], UNBUCKLED MY SEAT BEAT AND TURNED AROUND TO FIND THAT THE CAR SEAT WAS TIGHTENED AROUND HER NECK COMPLETELY UNABLE TO LOOSEN WITH LITTLE ROOM FOR HER TO BREATH. I PLACED MY TWO FINGERS, B/T HER NECK AND SEATBELT. MY HUSBAND, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE PLACED HIS TWO FINGERS BETWEEN HER NECK AND SEAT BELT. ANYTIME WE TOUCHED THE SEAT BELT IT RETRACTED TIGHTER, WE HAD TO INSTRUCT MY DAUGHTER TO NOT MOVED AND CONTINUED TO SECURE HER AIRWAY AND DID NOT TOUCH THE SEATBELT. I CALLED 911 AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FLAG PEOPLE ON THE EXPRESSWAY DOWN TO HELP. WE ASKED IF HE HAD SCISSORS OR KNIFE TO CUT THE SEAT BELT OFF. THE PASSERBY/MOTORIST IN A WHITE FORD PICK-UP, HAD A SPORTING KNIFE AND ON FIRST TRY COULD NOT CUT THE SEATBELT OFF. ON THE SECOND TRY HE WAS ABLE TO CUT THE SEAT BELT OFF. THE SEAT BELT WAS FOUND TO BE UNBUCKLED. MY DAUGHTER SAID SHE DID NOT UNBUCKLE THE SEAT BELT AND DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS DOING THAT. SHE STATED HER DRESS WAS UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF SEATBELT. THE SEAT BELT WAS FOUND TO BE AROUND HER NECK IN THE FASHION OF THE CANCER RIBBON SIGN. CAR WAS NEW WITH 4500 MILES ON IT. CAR TAKEN BACK TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP, MONDAY, DEC 5. 2016, FILED COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI SAFETY TEAM AT 714-965-3316 WITH REP. [XXX]. [XXX]. AT LATER DATE SAID SAFETY TEAM FOUND NOTHING AND SEAT WORK PROPERLY. ON FRIDAY, DEC. 16TH CALLED MAINTENANCE AT DEALERSHIP WHO SAID HYUNDAI SAFETY ENGINEER HAD NOT SEEN THE CAR AND WERE WAITING TO HEAR BACK. NO WORK OR ENGINEER INSPECTION HAS BEEN DONE ON CAR PER [XXX] IN MAINTENANCE UP TO 12/16/16. CASE #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Electrical system, Wheels, Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2016
TPMS INDICATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THERE IS AN ISSUE AND THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE BUT THE CAR SHOWS THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRES.