2021 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 134 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 22nd highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 7 involved a crash. 13 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
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 6, 2022
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Campaign 22V746000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshieldDec 28, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Campaign 21V00M000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsJul 9, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.
Campaign 21V524000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
134 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 5, 2023, crash
Vehicle in front of me stopped. Six car lengths between us. I applied brakes, nothing, I even put my left foot on top of my right foot. There was plenty of time to stop but brake peddle wouldn’t go down, Felt like it was locked. Automatic Brake Sensor didn’t work either. Still waiting for inspection from manufacturer , 3 weeks. Never had any problems prior to this, After accident my warning came on about front collision failure .
Visibility, Mar 22, 2023
The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the sunroof suddenly fractured. The contact stated that there was no external cause to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact decided to trade the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,300.
Steering, Electrical system, Mar 14, 2023
After 9 months of ownership, on at least five (5) instances, the car has the following things happen at the same time: 1) all warning lights on the dashboard activate, 2) the battery discharge warning light activates, a loss of power steering, no speedometer, no cameras (rear or front), no AC, and all the safety functions are disabled including but not limited to: Forward Collision Warning, Parking Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Warning. Yes, the car is available for inspection upon request. Safety is at risk by the loss of power steering and the deactivation of all safety functions. After each instance, the car has gone back to the manufacturer's dealer for inspection, they believed it might be an electrical issue after scanning for fault codes, but after 5 times, the dealer has not yet diagnosed the issue.
Engine, Mar 11, 2023
My 2021 Sonata has 32,000 miles & it broke down in the middle of the road. My safety & my daughters safety were at risk. We could have been hit or killed. There were no warning lights. It had to be towed. Repair shop reports the transmission is no good. This vehicle should not have transmission issues. Hyundai will not even cover a rental car. The dealership can’t even work on it for 1-2 weeks. I work & have kids. I need a vehicle. The car breaking down in the middle of the road with no warning is dangerous.
Fuel/propulsion system, Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 27, 2023
My car barely has 11,000 miles and just the other day it had about 20miles left of gas but as I was driving on the road it started to feel and seem like it was about to die on me, Also the front Wipers are not well restrained with the vehicle you can tell by the way it moves when Wipers are on....Also most of the Signals be It if something is in front of me and the signal goes off BUT THERES NOTHING THERE ...ALSO WHEN IM BACKING UP SOMETIMES the car itself will Force stop as if something is in the way ...BUT AGAIN NOTHING IS THERE AT ALL ...IT HAPPENS EVERY FEW DAYS ....I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR ..AND REALLY THINKING IT WAS WORST MISTAKE W ALL THESE ISSUES ALREADY
Electrical system, Jan 30, 2023
My vehicle is trending in theft, car was leased to me from Napelton in Lansing IL sept 2022. The first attempt of theft/break in UIC area Dec 10, second attempt in west Chicago area Jan 29. Both times I just cried and shut down. With having to contact the police awaiting the report process in middle of Chicago Winter left me cold and in terrible distress! This is a new vehicle for me which ultimately has caused me so much stress, anxiety, and frustration. I tried to trade it in but because of this nationwide issue that I was not aware of until the first incident! Still the theft numbers continue to rise! I am being told my cars value has depreciated from 25k to 15k which is not fair, and if I abandon this vehicle it will fall hard in my credit and ruin my chances moving forward with another vehicle!! With no where to turn and In dyer need of a reliable vehicle as I work and university student, having to constantly repair the windows after random theft attempts is a major safety hazard and for concerns of what can happen in a worst case scenario. I really need this issue to be addressed so that I can freely live my everyday life and not worry if I am leaving class or work that my car will not be there, or if my windows will be busted. I hope reaching out can help me get this vehicle traded in at a fair value!
Structure, Visibility, Jan 25, 2023
As I was driving down the road I heard what sounded like a gunshot and glass shattering. Upon getting to my destination I found that my panoramic sunroof had shattered outward.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 28, 2022
*The front sunroof panel exploded toward while the car was running, but in the driveway in park. *Our safety was compromised by the shattered tempered glass falling into the car. *The problem was noted at the dealer, who stated they had not seen this happen before and believed it to be from a rock chip. *The roof has been inspected by the service department at the dealer, and pictures taken by them and by me. It has been reported to the manufacturer. *No problems noted prior to the “explosion”. Sitting in my car on a cold 27F morning, I started the car and turned on the front and rear defrosters and the heater. There was a light dusting of frost on the car. About a minute after I started the car, I heard a loud bang above me. When I opened the sunroof cover to see what the noise was, tempered glass shards fell in on me. When I got out of the car to see what had happened, the roof appeared to be exploded outward in circle about 10” across, although most of the sunroof glass was “crazed”. The car was not moving, had not had time to get warm, inside, there was no tree or other environmental hazard close to drop on the roof.
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 8, 2022
I leased a 2021 Sonata, and the Car has been a nightmare. My Car has been serviced by the dealership twice for a steering wheel that will not stop making noises. I am very concerned for my safety in this Car. The Wheel becomes hard to move. Also, last year, the Car was in the shop for four months while the forward collision sign needed to be fixed. The Car stopped twice. I am terrified to drive this car; it only has 9,200 miles.
Power train, Dec 3, 2022
Car transmission seemed to make a "clunking" sound when selecting gear from park. The car would not accelerate, the throttle seemed to be stuck and the transmission would try to downshift, but the car was not picking up speed. I eventually pulled off the road into a parking lot and turned the car off. I then restarted the car and it seemed to clear the problem, but no warning lights ever came on, and no error codes were displayed on the instrument cluster.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 10, 2022
Oct 12: Engine stalled exiting I95 in Kittery Maine. Engine light flashed but did not stay on. Was able to get to safe place but car would not go more than 15mph. Hampton Huyndai reported mis-fire but stated it cleared on its own. Oct 17th: Engine stalled on highway ramp to I495, nearly causing me to be rear ended by other vehicles. Car would not go more than 15 mph. Engine light stayed on. Towed car to Key Salem Hyundai, defective injectors, warrantee repair. Oct 23rd: Car stalls on I93, was able to take immediate exit and turn engine off. Engine light flashed but did not stay on. Took car in to Salem dealership on Oct 24th, no code found. Oct 25th: Car stalls again on city street. Light stays on, Salem dealership replaces cat. convrtr between Oct 26th through Nov 4th. Nov 9th: Car stalls again on city street. Light stays on, currently in Salem dealership. This is a safety issue, in two cases already this car has nearly gotten me in an accident on the highway. I am seeking arbitration for replacement. I am scared to drive this vehicle. I will have a third invoice pending this next repair.
Power train, Engine, Nov 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and turn off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle started operating as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission and engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. A case was filed. The failure mileage was 2,700.
Power train, Oct 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train); however, parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the vehicle would delay while starting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed but no issues were found. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 and informed the contact that a recall notification would be mailed to him in December. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Oct 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormally loud sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that they were awaiting approval from the manufacturer to perform the repair. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to Manufacturer Recall Number: 236 (Power Train) included with the VIN; however, he had not yet received notification. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 8, 2022
UNKNOWN
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 22, 2022
Since we purchased this brand new vehicle, we have had in the dealership service department at a minimum of 5 times for same issue. The vehicle accelerates while stopped at a light so we have to put it in neutral to keep it from accelerating. Once we take out of Neutral and release the break, the vehicle accelerates rapidly without stepping on the gas pedal. The computer system always comes on warning that we need to take to dealership because there are engine problems. Then it goes off and comes on again. We have contacted Hyundai to file a complaint and it has gone no where. We have taken it to Hyundai dealership in Tucson and they keep replacing parts per Hyundai manufacturer service tech reps. per same Egr codes. We are taking the vehicle to the dealership again today 9/22/22 because it started again around 9/1/22 and we have been waiting for a loaner car again from Dealership for same problems. Meawhile, being forced to drive it due to only owning 1vehicle. Hyundai Manufacturer has continued to have dealership change out parts and this keeps happening. The vehicle has just over 25K miles on it to date. The first time we had it in the dealership for this problem was on 4/6/22. We have almost rearended several vehicles and are scared to death to drive this vehicle. It is a safety hazard. We purchased the 2021 Sonata vehicle brand new on 11/24/21 along with the lifetime parts and labor warranty. It had 15 miles on it. We also traded our 2018 Hyundai ELantra. We paid off the 2021 Sonata completely in 2021. The total cost of this transaction was $34,294.74.We have also followed all the Maintenance requirements. It is urgent that this complaint is investigated as soon as possible and Hyundai Manufacturer take responsibility now before someone gets killed. The vehicle is obviously a dangerous manufactured vehicle.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Sep 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, he smelled an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that they could duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer, Wayne Hyundai Parts and Service (1244 NJ-23, Wayne, NJ 07470) who could not duplicate the failure. The failure persisted. The contact stated that after driving the vehicle, his entire body had a strong fuel odor. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to another dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Power train, Jul 29, 2022
My transmission went bad on my new car. Didn’t have my car for 4 month August 12 2021
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Jul 15, 2022
Unknown
Visibility, May 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00M000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Other or unspecified, Apr 25, 2022
We received a letter back in Dec 2021 about a recall for our windshield that Hyundai was aware of but there was no fix available. It states that if in a crash it could be real bad because the adhesive on the windshield. However i don't think it should take almost 5 months for a serious recall like this.
Air bags, Mar 11, 2022, crash
I turned on a highway and had gotten my car up to 45 mph when a deer came out of nowhere and I slammed into it hard back on January 12th. The car only suffered cosmetic damage thankfully, but the air bags did not deploy. I have since then found out that the front air bag crash sensors are in a spot where they are practically useless unless you hit something pretty high up and destroy the headlights in the process. In my opinion, this is a serious safety issue, and when I contacted Hyundai about it, all they told me was to go to the dealership for inspection. I have pictures showing that the crash sensors are located at and not where they should be, and if you open the hood, the wiring for the sensors is right in your face. I still have high anxiety knowing that if I get into another accident, they may not deploy due to their location. At least the car is still drivable and no structural damage or alignment issues are there. As you can see in the pictures the sensors are close to where the hood closes at the top support bar.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 30, 2022
Recall on my vehicle states there is still no remedy after one month.
Other or unspecified, Jan 20, 2022
I have had my 2021 Hyundai Sonata LES for less than a year and am already having problems with the front windshield. There is “air nose” coming through the windshield when I drive above 55 MPH. There has been recalls for this problem on some 2020-2021 Hyundai vehicles. The 2021 Sonata is one of them. However, when I look up to see if there is any recalls with my VIN number, it shows no recalls. I know my windshield is defective or wasn’t properly installed.
Other or unspecified, Jan 7, 2022
Hello The car shut off on the freeway while driving. The display lit up light a Xmas tree including the forward collision warning. I though this was an isolated incident. It has happened now numerous times. The car even braked on its own then shut off while turning in the middle of a busy intersection. There are several reports of very similar symptoms on Edmonds under reviews. This car is dangerous. I have contacted Hyundai twice now.