Home › Cars › Hyundai › Sonata
Hyundai Sonata: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Hyundai Sonata problems by model year, from 11,624 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2019 (75%, 99 drivetrain complaints), 2023 (74%, 73 drivetrain complaints) and 2016 (73%, 481 drivetrain complaints). 13 of the 14 Hyundai Sonata years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 6 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2010 (18%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2010 (18%) to 2011 (43%), up 25 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2011 drew the most drivetrain complaints (1,197 of 5,485 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Hyundai Sonata year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Sonata | no elevated signal | 18% | 57 | 345 | 14/14 | 2 |
| 2011 Sonata | high | 43% | 1,197 | 3,376 | 13/14 | 14 |
| 2012 Sonata | high | 54% | 693 | 1,557 | 10/14 | 8 |
| 2013 Sonata | high | 55% | 895 | 1,910 | 9/14 | 9 |
| 2014 Sonata | very high | 63% | 375 | 747 | 6/14 | 7 |
| 2015 Sonata | very high | 69% | 740 | 1,145 | 5/14 | 9 |
| 2016 Sonata | very high | 73% | 481 | 723 | 3/14 | 6 |
| 2017 Sonata | high | 59% | 426 | 764 | 7/14 | 3 |
| 2018 Sonata | very high | 69% | 239 | 373 | 4/14 | 1 |
| 2019 Sonata | very high | 75% | 99 | 161 | 1/14 | 0 |
| 2020 Sonata | high | 49% | 91 | 194 | 12/14 | 4 |
| 2021 Sonata | high | 52% | 66 | 134 | 11/14 | 4 |
| 2022 Sonata | high | 57% | 53 | 93 | 8/14 | 3 |
| 2023 Sonata | very high | 74% | 73 | 102 | 2/14 | 2 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Hyundai Sonata years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Hyundai Sonata engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns on the Hyundai Sonata involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 39 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2014 | 14V434000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2011–2014 |
| Dec 2014 | 14V784000 | power train: axle assembly: axle shaft | 2015 |
| Sep 2015 | 15V568000 | engine | 2011–2012 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V226000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2013–2014 |
| Dec 2018 | 18V934000 | engine | 2011–2014 |
| Feb 2020 | 20V121000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2013–2014 |
| Jul 2021 | 21V524000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2021–2022 |
| May 2022 | 22V312000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2013–2014 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V746000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2021–2022 |
| Jul 2023 | 23V526000 | power train: automatic transmission: fluid/lubricant: pump | 2023 |
| Nov 2025 | 25V796000 | fuel system, gasoline | 2020–2023 |
28 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2010 | 10V070000 | latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch | 2011 |
| Sep 2010 | 10V426000 | steering: gear box: shaft sector | 2011 |
| Oct 2010 | 10V457000 | steering: gear box: shaft sector | 2011 |
| Jul 2012 | 12V352000 | air bags: side/window | 2012–2013 |
| Apr 2013 | 13V113000 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2010–2011 |
| Aug 2013 | 13V354000 | suspension: rear | 2010 |
| Jun 2014 | 14V325000 | steering | 2015 |
| Jun 2014 | 14V368000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2015 |
| Jul 2014 | 14V433000 | service brakes, hydraulic | 2011 |
| Jun 2015 | 15V414000 | seat belts: front: buckle assembly | 2015 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V629000 | suspension: front: springs: coil springs | 2011 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V678000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2015–2016 |
| Nov 2015 | 15V759000 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2011–2012 |
| Apr 2016 | 16V190000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2011 |
| Apr 2016 | 16V232000 | air bags: frontal | 2015–2016 |
| Aug 2016 | 16V615000 | air bags | 2016 |
| Oct 2016 | 16V726000 | visibility: sun/moon roof assembly | 2015–2016 |
| Dec 2016 | 16V956000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2017 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V152000 | seat belts: front: anchorage | 2011–2014 |
| Jun 2017 | 17V359000 | parking brake: indicator light | 2015–2016 |
| Oct 2017 | 17V617000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2011–2014 |
| Feb 2018 | 18V137000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2011–2013 |
| Feb 2020 | 20V122000 | equipment: other: labels | 2020 |
| Apr 2020 | 20V213000 | electrical system: software | 2020 |
| Aug 2021 | 21V619000 | latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch | 2017–2018 |
| Sep 2021 | 21V749000 | exterior lighting: turn signal | 2015–2017 |
| Dec 2021 | 21V00M000 | visibility: windshield | 2021 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V196000 | latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch | 2020 |
What the free pages leave out on the Hyundai Sonata
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Hyundai Sonata
What are the worst years for the Hyundai Sonata?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Hyundai Sonata years are the 2019 (75% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2023 (74% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2016 (73% of relevant complaints, very high). 13 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Hyundai Sonata?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Hyundai Sonata years are the 2010 (18%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Hyundai Sonata have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 5,485 of 10,050 relevant NHTSA complaints (55%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Hyundai Sonata reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 13 of 14 Hyundai Sonata years we score have an elevated complaint share and 1 do not. Pooled across those years, 55% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Hyundai Sonata?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Hyundai Sonata years we track, out of 39 in total: 22V746000 (Oct 2022, 2021–2022), 23V526000 (Jul 2023, 2023), 25V796000 (Nov 2025, 2020–2023), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.