2019 Hyundai Sonata Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: January 5, 2026 · Filed: October 4, 2026

My car's engine is burning oil. I have maintained service of oil changes and fluids, etc. since I purchased my car. It is not that old in my opinion.

Incident: September 10, 2026 · Filed: September 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 58 MPH. The contact retrieved DTC: P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System) at O'Reilly Auto Parts and stated that the knock sensor had previously been replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Incident: July 1, 2026 · Filed: September 5, 2026

The low-pressure fuel pump module assembly, located directly beneath the rear passenger seat cushion, experienced a plastic housing failure. A stress fracture on the upper plastic fuel outlet nipple caused raw liquid gasoline to actively weep and pool on top of the module inside the passenger cabin. This component is retained and available for inspection upon request. RISK TO SAFETY: Raw liquid gasoline pooling inside the interior passenger compartment creates an severe, immediate fire and explosion hazard. Additionally, vehicle occupants were exposed to toxic fuel vapors while driving. INSPECTION & DEALER CONFIRMATION: An authorized Hyundai dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed raw fuel leaking at the top of the fuel pump module assembly. This exact module had previously been removed and disassembled during a 2024 manufacturer recall service to replace the internal fuel filter and tank seal. Stress applied to the plastic fittings during that recall service appears to have caused the plastic top-hat to fracture over time under line pressure. Hyundai Corporate was notified of the safety hazard and prior recall history, but refused assistance. WARNING SYMPTOMS: The failure began with a strong, persistent fuel odor inside the vehicle cabin. No dashboard warning lights, check engine lights, or diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) triggered prior to or during the failure. SUMMARY: A stress-fractured plastic fuel pump housing allowed raw fuel to pool in the passenger cabin following a prior manufacturer recall repair involving the disassembly of the same component.

Incident: July 1, 2026 · Filed: August 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced severe overheating and excessive oil consumption. The contact also stated that there was a misfire in the engine even though the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced. Due to the failure, the vehicle could not be driven with the air conditioning activated. Additionally, the engine was knocking and shaking abnormally, causing an oil leak and a smoke odor due to the oil burning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where an engine replacement was recommended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Incident: July 7, 2026 · Filed: August 18, 2026

The oil is low, went to get looked at by another mechanic besides Dealer cause they want to hit you over the head with prices. Was told car burning oil. Took to dealer for Oil Consumption Test. Had to pay for oil change. Came back a little before 1,000 miles and car failed. They charging me 900.00 for next step because I can’t find ALL the oil changes. I just don’t get it, if this is a known issue with this model engine why do I have to pay.

Incident: January 26, 2026 · Filed: August 13, 2026

On January 26, 2026, my 2019 Hyundai Sonata SEL suddenly became inoperable overnight. The vehicle had been operating normally with no warning signs—no check-engine or oil-pressure light, abnormal engine noise, overheating, loss of power, or other indication of an impending failure. The following morning, the engine would not start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic on January 28, 2026, who determined that the engine was locked/seized. On February 11, 2026, it was towed to Wayne Hyundai for further diagnosis. The vehicle had only 51,533 miles and had received Hyundai’s Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) update. Hyundai denied warranty coverage, citing engine sludge, despite my providing a complete service history after resubmiting the missing receipts I had previously misplaced. My primary concern is safety, not the warranty dispute. A sudden engine seizure without warning could cause an unexpected loss of propulsion or create a dangerous situation if the engine fails while the vehicle is being driven. This concerns me because Hyundai Theta II engines have previously been associated with engine seizure and stalling, including issues addressed through The Hyundai Theta II Engine Settlement: and subsequent litigation involving certain 2019 Sonata vehicles. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether a continuing or insufficiently addressed engine defect exists in affected 2019 Hyundai Sonata vehicles, particularly sudden engine seizure/no-start failures occurring without warning. I also ask NHTSA to examine whether existing recalls, campaigns, software updates, warranty extensions, and other remedies adequately protect owners when an engine fails suddenly before the KSDS system provides a warning.

Incident: July 31, 2026 · Filed: August 5, 2026

Vehicle stalled in traffic due to recall defect. Manufacturer recall remedy is delayed beyond reasonable timeframe, creating ongoing safety exposure.

Incident: July 16, 2026 · Filed: July 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, smoke started coming from the hood and the vehicle was pulled over into a parking space. While opening the hood, the contact saw that fire was coming from the top of the engine. The contact stated that the fire consumed the front of the vehicle, including the windshield and the dashboard. The smoke coming from the vehicle was dark gray and turned black afterwards. The contact called 911, and the Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries reported. A vehicle parked next to the vehicle was damaged by the flames. The contact's vehicle was not inspected or officially deemed a total loss. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where an oil change had been performed prior to the failure. The mechanic stated that there might have been a high-pressure fuel valve on top of the engine that possibly caused a gas leak, which started the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 172,000.

Incident: July 10, 2026 · Filed: July 16, 2026

Driver's side seatbelt retraction mechanism failed without warning. Intentionally brought car to dealer ASAP since it was close to 100,000 miles pointed out. This was serious safety defect dealer refused to repair under warranty.

Incident: July 2, 2026 · Filed: July 2, 2026

The air bag light suddenly illuminated when turning on my car. My car has around 60k miles. It was previously repaired a few times for a power steering faliure while driving making it hard to stear. I believe that this latest failure is due to a failure of the stearing wheel clock spring or another SRS module. failure.