2020 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Fuel/propulsion system is the leading concern among 178 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 19th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 5 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 4 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasolineNov 18, 2025
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve. The fuel tank assembly will be inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. Additionally, dealers will inspect and update the engine control unit software. All repairs will be performed as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 286. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 19, 2025.
Campaign 25V796000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, trunk lid, latchMar 28, 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata and Sonata Hybrid, and 2019 Genesis G70 vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect the trunk latch and replace the trunk latch base, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 221/010G.
Campaign 22V196000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareApr 9, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Nexo and Sonata vehicles. The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) software may fail to prevent vehicle movement upon detection of an RSPA system malfunction.
Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RSPA software, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 191.
Campaign 20V213000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsFeb 28, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata vehicles produced between October 22, 2019 and February 13, 2020. The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual state an incorrect tire size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The incorrect tire information may mislead the vehicle owner to install the wrong tire size, potentially affecting vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers over the tire pressure label and in the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 190.
Campaign 20V122000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
178 reports, newest first.
Seats, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 17, 2024
An independent service center advise us that the gas tank had expanded which could have put my family at risk if exploding or catched on fired. This happend on June 15th 2024 while driving, a sudden explosion coming from the back of the car was heard. Little after the explosion like sound we perceived as if air was coming through the back as if we had a window rolled down. When pulled to check, i notice that the back seat was popped up. No warning on the car was giving prior to the incident. Will take car to Hyundai dealership to have it inspect by them and have a solution.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 12, 2024
I was driving on the interstate when I heard a click from the back of the car. The gas gauge started to move downward as if I was losing gasoline. It eventually stopped and started moving back up, past where it was when it started decreasing. A little bit later the check engine light came on and the car started driving very sluggishly. I took the car into the Hyundai dealer and they found that the backseat was clicked out of place and a sensor was unplugged. This issue has since occurred multiple times. The back seat will pop out of place, the gas gauge will move beyond the gas that is in the tank, and finally the check engine light will come on and reduce the performance of the vehicle. The gas tank appears to be swelling and pushing up against the back seat which is causing it to pop. I had my girlfriend drive the car while I sat in the backseat and I could actually feeling something moving underneath the backseat. I have since gotten in contact with other sonata owners who have had the same thing happen with their vehicles. In other cases the backseat has exploded and flown completely off of the gas tank. I am very nervous to drive my car and think Hyundai should recall these vehicles before someone gets hurt.
Fuel/propulsion system, May 29, 2024
Summary: The gas tank on this vehicle blew up/expanded rapidly to the point it could have erupted into a gasoline vapor fireball, killing the occupants of the vehicle or others. According to two Hyundai dealers, a failure in a check valve and the vehicle ECU programming caused pressurized air from the engine to be pumped into the gas tank, causing it to expand to the point of explosively popping out all of the sheet metal under the back seat. One Hyundai dealer service technician described the vehicle as, quote, 'a ticking time bomb'. There was no check engine light or warning at the time of this explosive event, although one occurred later. Hyundai has not offered to repair this vehicle. Please note that this potentially deadly issue is already well known to Hyundai/Kia. The Sonata has a sister vehicle from Kia that is the same vehicle platform called the K5. Kia issued a service campaign to address this extremely dangerous issue in April (TSB: SC288 K5 (DL3a) April 2024) which reads in part: "The subject vehicles may experience fuel tank swelling due to an issue with the PCSV check valve, which results in pressurized air to flow into the fuel tank." In addition, at last check an investigative reporter in Charlotte, NC has identified numerous Hyundai and Kia vehicles in which this has occurred. There's likely far more people who have already had this occur, and potentially thousands or hundreds of thousands of vehicles with this potentially deadly condition. (See: wsoctv.***/news/local/kia-acknowledges-gas-tanks-swelling-suddenly-offers-free-fix) As stated above, Hyundai has not offered to fix my vehicle. Please immediately take steps to force the manufacturer to remedy this extremely dangerous condition for all affected owners before someone is injured or killed.
Fuel/propulsion system, May 27, 2024
The fuel tank under the backseat expanded forcing the backseat up and causing the muffler to scrape the ground. The expansion of the fuel tank could have exploded due to extreme pressure. Vandergriff Hyundai in Arlington, TX has inspected the vehicle and confirmed component failures in the fuel system. The vehicle has been inspected and currently in the process of being repaired at the dealership. The check engine light was illuminated to warn of component failures approximately six weeks ago.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, May 26, 2024
Vechile shut down completely on the highway, engine's been replaced twice, Catalytic converter, Turbo was replaced three times, Battery oxygen sensors, timing belt all have been replaced, Along with my wireless charger and Both heaterhouses and splash guard. I recently had my vehicle SERVICED Thirty five hundred miles after NEW engine install The dealership serviced my car didn't reset my service indicator 3 weeks later, my vehicle without warning said Engine overheated, so I pulled over immediately that display went off. My actual thermostat stayed under the center line in between cold and hot. I contacted the dealership and got my vehicle into BE inspected At that time, they said my coolant level was low and both heapeer. Hoses needed to be replaced and my engine needed to be flushed and refilled. I had those services completed. I picked up my car 5/24 it was OK on 5/25 My service indicator pop back on and at that time it was counting 58 days, so even after I brought it to the dealership's attention, they failed to reset it again. So I googled how to reset the service interval and did it myself. And about thirty minutes later, I was driving my car started shaking excessively And Woodin's accelerate, over 20 miles per hour in traffic. I had to put on my hazard lights and get me and my grandson to a safe place so that I could contact the dealership regarding this matter and they stated there was nothing they could do I had to wait until Tuesday I have put in a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, as well as consumer affairs. And also the county attorney's office for. Consumer fraud. This vehicle was misrepresented at the time of sale. It has countless safety issues. I need assistance
Exterior lighting, May 2, 2024
My vehicle is missing it's third brake light. We have confirmed that it was forgotten during manufacturing. The dealer won't cover it. They say call corporate. Corporate says dealer has to fix it. In the mean time I'm pulled over for improper equipment, and brake light being out. It's a serious safety issue, covered by federal law. They quoted over $1000 to have it fixed at my expense.
Power train, Apr 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the shift assists malfunction warning light illuminated. The contact turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 14, 2024
While driving at about 45mph a warning flashed on my dash. I couldn't read it before it disappeared, but it was something about front collision., contact dealer. the car immediately lost all power. Everything was still running, but I had no acceleration. I had to back down a busy road into a vacant lot. I had just come off of the highway when this happened, if I had still been driving on the Highway, I would have been hit by a car from behind, since there was no warning at all. The car was towed to a Hyundai dealership. After a diagnosis, it was said to be the Throttle body. I had to wait for the repair because the part was on back order. I was told that there was another car there waiting on the same part. I am afraid to drive the car now, even though the repair was made. I feel this is a safety hazard, and that someone could be injured or killed because of this issue with the car.
Other or unspecified, Jan 30, 2024
UNKNOWN
Other or unspecified, Jan 10, 2024
A lot of these models have wind coming through the door making a whistling noise, it’s very distracting to drivers and multiple people complaining about it online.
Engine, Dec 21, 2023
In May of 2023 my check engine light came on. Took the car to the dealer and the diagnosis was that the egr cooler was the culprit so they replaced it and everything was fine until 12/21/2023. I am driving on the highway and suddenly I hear a loud alarm and upon checking my instrument cluster I see a warning for engine overheating, the heat was on but suddenly the smell of something burning covered the entire cabin of the vehicle. I had to pull over to the side in the middle of a busy highway in freezing conditions and shut my engine down to avoid further damage. I believe the egr cooler has failed once again inly this time leading to a more terrifying experience. My car was towed to the dealership but I am worried for myself and others with similar vehicles I would not like anyone to experience what I did. I have seen multiple online forums with people complaining about the same situation. Mileage was around 57,900 miles when this occured. I bought the car with 30,000 miles as a certified preowned model. I kindly request for a recall for affected sonatas manufactured from the year 2020 to ensure our safety on the road. If it was not for warranty I would not be able to pay for the repairs
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 27, 2023, crash
I was driving Home from work and I fell a sleep behind the wheel and Hit a park car. The police report states that my impact speed was 50mph. My insurance company is very concerned that my Air Bags or sensors are defective and that I contact you immediately. Due to the damage and impact of the accident.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Sep 27, 2023
Defrost doesn’t work because harness melted and blew a fuse
Seats, Sep 20, 2023
While exiting the vehicle there was a loud pop from under the drivers seat. Upon inspection the left front weld attaching the drivers seat to the positioning bar to raise and lower the seat bottom had failed and separated completely. This causes the front seat bottom to sit at an angle and not fully attached to the structure of the car, causing a severe safety issue in the event of an accident as the driver is not properly aligned for the airbag, the seat belt no longer aligns correctly on the body, and there is a greater risk of full seat detachment in a collision or while simply driving.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Sep 19, 2023
Sunroof shattered/exploded for no known reason while driving. Resulted in glass falling towards cabin of vehicle as well as loud bang.
Vehicle speed control, Aug 27, 2023
malfunction cause unanticipated acceleration in sport driving mode.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 30, 2023
Tonight on 7/29/2023 after driving between 5-10 miles at night with very light traffic, my dashboard flashed a message telling me "Forward Safety system disabled. Radar blocked." After receiving this message and it clearing from the digital instrument cluster, a small triangle appeared with a exclamation mark. After driving between 1 to 5 miles further down the interstate the triangle cleared from the screen. There is no damage to the grill, or sensor, and no indication of mechanical issues as I was driving down the road. The grill and sensor both also have little to no dirt as I routinely wash my car each weekI have read through multiple other comments like me stating nothing whatsoever is on the front grill that could be obstructing the sensor. And like the other complaints, if there is no warning light, there is no code stored!
Power train, Engine, Jul 17, 2023
Engine leaks oil. I went to the dealer and they blamed the other Hyundai dealer saying they stripped out the drain bolt. After all the back and forth they told me they will replace the drain pan. I scheduled to have the car dropped off and wasn’t given a loaner. When I went to pick up the car they told me the ac bolt and bracket are broken and to come on Monday but the drain pan has been replaced. I went home and the car continued to leak oil and when I went back to the dealer and called them out they came up with every excuse in the books. Bolt is stripped, impact to pan, and so on. Long story short I went to fix the oil pan and they damaged the ac bolt so instead of telling me to come back to do everything they said they did the drain pan but the bolt would have to be done another day. I am waiting on a loaner car as I waisted a whole day without a car and the issue wasn’t fixed. I have a receipt showing the work was done but it never was. The dealer is dishonest and unprofessional. Not sure how they get away with this. They need to be held accountable.
Other or unspecified, Jun 19, 2023
Hyundai updated the software for the display and made the font smaller which makes it difficult to read and a safety issue especially when driving at night. I contacted Hyundai and they say that if it is not in the owners manual there is nothing they can do. I have tried to explain to them it is a software issue that came about when their software engineers updated the software and it makes this a safety issue and they have no way to revert back to previous versions.
Structure, May 18, 2023
Exterior paint is peeling and stripping. Hood, doors, front and rear bumper, side skirts, and front lip.
Other or unspecified, Apr 18, 2023
Paint on hood of car is peeling off, down to bare metal
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 9, 2023
While driving my cars a light starting blinking and my engine light came on and the car lost power This has happened on at least 3 occasions and I had to pull over upon starting the car after a few hours all returned to normal I reported this to dealer and they could not find a problem
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Dec 17, 2022
I took my vehicle into the dealership when it was under 12,000 miles for another issue and mentioned a problem with the headlight on the right fogging up with moisture. I was immediately told that this had to be seen with their eyes because light cost more than $1,000. It has continued for over 1 1/2 years. Early this month, I took a picture at night and in the morning. The service manager wanted to add another hoop; can you get a picture of the water in it? The water is droplets on the light, decreasing visibility on the road. Pictures are attached. There is one picture that shows the left headlight with no issue.
Engine, Structure, Oct 19, 2022
2020 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO GRINDING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER STATED UPON INSPECTION BY TOYOTA, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE UNDERSHIELD HAD COME LOOSE AND DRAGGING.
Steering, Oct 6, 2022
2020 Sonata......Steering wheel has started to make a raspy, rubbing noise when turned. When researching this problem on U tube, it is apparently a fairly common problem with Hyundai vehicles. The fix requires that a bearing in the steering be replaced. If not replaced I would imagine that the bearing would eventually seize up and the car could not be steered. I checked with local dealership and they were not aware of the problem and couldn't tell me if it would be covered by my warranty. I only have 9500 miles on the vehicle.