Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2006 Hyundai Sonata
NHTSA data on file today
The 2006 Hyundai Sonata has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,047 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #18V026000 ABS Module May Short Circuit NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V354000 Crossmember Corrosion may cause Loose Control Arm NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V280000 STOP LAMP SWITCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V122000 STOP LAMP SWITCH ASSEMBLY NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V161000 AIR BAG SUPPRESSION & ACTIVATION/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08E021000 FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06V234000 SUNVISOR AIR BAG WARNING LABEL NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06V180000 IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED HEADLAMPS/TURN SIGNAL LENS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #05V377000 FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER/SEAT BELT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #05V316000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL/OVERSENSITIVE PROGRAM NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 435 complaints
- Visibility 156 complaints
- Seat Belts 102 complaints
- Electrical System 86 complaints
- Suspension 86 complaints
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 57 complaints
Of the 1,047 complaints on file, 43 report a crash and 9 a fire; across all 1,047 complaints, owners report 38 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2006 Hyundai Sonata has significant issues with air bags, suspension, brakes, and electrical systems. Numerous recalls highlight systemic reliability concerns, particularly in safety-related components.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| air bags | 70,000–100,000 miles | $500–$1,200 | very common |
| suspension | 60,000–90,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| brake system | 50,000–80,000 miles | $150–$500 | common |
| electrical system | 50,000–100,000 miles | $200–$700 | occasional |
| visibility system | 65,000–95,000 miles | $100–$300 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil and filter changes
- brake pad replacements
- tire rotations
- timing belt replacement
- coolant flush
- transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- air bag light on
- noisy suspension
- brake warning lights
- blinking headlights
- unresponsive ESC
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2006 Hyundai Sonata at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.