2016 Hyundai Sonata Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 31, 2026 · Filed: November 1, 2026

I was driving the car and heard a clunk, when I made a turn the rear wheel sounded weird, when I got out of the car the wheel looked closer to the car and was shifted outwards some.

Incident: October 29, 2026 · Filed: October 29, 2026

I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding severe vehicle instability, structural safety risks, and dealership workmanship negligence following a federal safety recall engine replacement. My vehicle received a new engine block under a federal campaign at a local dealership. Immediately upon picking up the vehicle, the front suspension developed a severe, heavy mechanical knocking and bumping noise over road surfaces under 20 mph, making the vehicle structurally unstable and hazardous to drive. To perform this engine swap, technicians were physically required to drop the front subframe framework and disconnect the lower suspension linkages and steering column components. The dealership is actively trying to deflect safety accountability for an assembly error. They issued a new estimate attempting to charge me over $3,200 to replace the entire front strut and rear shock assembly, claiming it is a 'pre-existing wear-and-tear' issue due to mileage. However, I hold the dealership's official Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection report from when the car was first dropped off for the engine failure three weeks prior. In that mandatory baseline safety report, their own technician thoroughly checked the under-carriage and officially marked my 'Shock Absorbers / Suspension' and 'Steering Gear Box / Linkage and Boots' as PASSED with green checkmarks. This objective paper trail proves the front chassis was tight, silent, and structurally safe before the repair. The safety hazard was introduced solely during the dealership's engine reassembly. The Service Manager explicitly refused to step out of his office to address this safety complaint, and the dealership released a compromised, structurally unsafe vehicle to a consumer. I request a formal federal safety investigation into this branch's safety compliance regarding recall implementation.

Incident: April 20, 2026 · Filed: October 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while getting an oil change, the contact was informed that the oil pan was empty. The contact could not recall seeing leaks or making changes to the oil change routine. An independent mechanic informed the contact of an engine recall regarding excessive oil consumption. The contact was referred to the dealer. The contact had the oil inspected twice more and was informed of low oil levels on each occasion, but there were no leaks or burning oil odors. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that no open recall was associated with the VIN. The dealer replaced several sensors; however, the contact was unable to specify which sensors were replaced. The dealer stated that the vehicle needed to be driven until the next oil service, at which point the oil would be changed and the engine sealed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to file a safety complaint. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, and a case was escalated. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Incident: June 20, 2026 · Filed: October 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. While the contact's daughter was driving 55 MPH, the engine seized. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while the contact's two minor grandchildren were inside the vehicle during the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was informed about the eligibility for the extended warranty under Campaign 953. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the extended warranty because the Campaign 953 was not completed. The failure mileage was approximately 60,436.

Incident: October 3, 2026 · Filed: October 4, 2026

While driving on the freeway, the check engine light started flashing and the gas pedal became useless. This put the driver and the passenger of the car in massive danger as they could no longer accelerate on the freeway. Luckily, they were able to get off the freeway without causing an accident. Upon reading the code at an auto shop, they discovered that it was P1326 or a knock sensor issue. This malfunction caused the car to go into limp mode and put the passengers in serious danger. Several calls to the Hyundai Service Center were made yesterday (Saturday, October 3rd). However, not one was ever answered. They hope to be able to get the car to the dealership's service center as soon as possible, but the earliest appointment online is multiple weeks away. This same car was recently at the dealership service center for an internal engine oil consumption problem and thoroughly inspected. The car is up to date on all software and recalls. Even though a valve cover replacement fixed the oil consumption issue, the owners are now having even worse issues. This is the only car for a married couple who are both working and going to college full-time. This issue has been a severe complication to their scheduling, and they were put in harm's way on the freeway.

Incident: January 1, 2025 · Filed: September 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.

Incident: September 15, 2026 · Filed: September 15, 2026

I am concerned that the engine may seize or stall without warning while driving, creating a risk of crash, injury, or death. The Theta II engine defect is known to cause engine seizure, stalling, and fire. Hyundai has denied warranty coverage based on mileage and second-owner status — both of which are explicitly prohibited as denial grounds under the Settlement — leaving me driving an unsafe vehicle.

Incident: August 7, 2026 · Filed: September 15, 2026

The vehicle experienced a Theta II engine failure at under 57,830 miles while driving on northbound [XXX] near the [XXX] Parkway U-turn in [XXX]. The engine made a loud noise and lost power. I was able to coast to the far right side of the U-turn under the bridge. I called HERO (Austin's emergency roadside assistance). They responded, determined it was not a battery issue, and pushed the vehicle to the Southern Leisure Spa parking lot on the southbound side of the road. The vehicle was then towed. The vehicle is equipped with the KSDS (Knock Sensor Detection System) software update, installed as part of Hyundai's remedy for this known defect. Despite KSDS being installed, the engine failed due to connecting rod bearing wear, consistent with the documented Theta II defect. A Hyundai dealership confirmed KSDS was installed but denied the warranty claim, citing maintenance records. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The Theta II engine defect has been the subject of prior NHTSA investigations and Hyundai recalls. This complaint is filed to document another failure of the same defect in a vehicle with the manufacturer's remedy installed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: August 20, 2026 · Filed: September 3, 2026

The car died while going 70 on a highway with no warning signs. The car completely shut off and will not turn over or move at all.

Incident: July 27, 2026 · Filed: August 25, 2026

Component & Inspection: Vehicle engine suffered connecting rod bearing failure and entered restricted P1326 "Limp Home Mode" (max 2,000 RPM). The vehicle is grounded and available for inspection at Bud Clary Hyundai in [XXX].Safety Risk: Sudden, unexpected loss of power occurred while driving, placing me and other drivers at immediate risk on public roads due to the vehicle's inability to maintain normal traffic speed or safely accelerate.Dealer & Corporate Confirmation: Active P1326 engine code is confirmed. Car has been held for 14 days. The franchise is violating federal settlement rules by explicitly refusing to execute the mandatory, free mechanical Bearing Clearance Test (BCT) unless I pay out-of-pocket fees.Inspection & Corporate Compliance Failure: Car was brought to the dealer on XXX. The service manager admitted in writing that they are withholding safety diagnostics to protect shop labor hours due to an automated computer flag regarding a clerical title brand discrepancy. Hyundai Corporate is actively enabling this violation; my case manager refuses to issue a manual compliance override for the safety test and is violating federal settlement terms by withholding my contractually mandated alternative transportation.Warning Lamps & Symptoms: Flashing Check Engine Light and limp home mode triggered instantly and unexpectedly on XXX. There were zero warning symptoms, messages, or abnormal noises prior to that date INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)