2013 Hyundai Sonata problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (524) · Steering (313) · Exterior Lighting (126)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Hyundai Sonata model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
1,101 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (9)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings 2022-05-06 · campaign 22V312000 · 215,171 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata vehicles. The low pressure fuel hose that connects the low pressure fuel pump to the direct injection fuel pump may crack over time, due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
Risk: A cracked fuel hose may leak fuel, which can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 227. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 20V-121. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 20V-121 that did not receive a replacement fuel hose will need to have this new recall remedy performed.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings 2020-02-28 · campaign 20V121000 · 216,799 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata vehicles. The low pressure fuel hose that connects the low pressure fuel pump to the direct injection fuel pump may crack over time due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
Risk: If the fuel line cracks, a fuel leak can occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the low-pressure fuel hose for damage or leaking, replacing it as necessary. If no damage or leaking is found, heat-protective tape will be installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 10, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 189. This recall has been replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-314.
Engine 2018-12-28 · campaign 18V934000 · 150,730 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak from the pipe.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's recall number for this recall is 180.
Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module 2018-02-27 · campaign 18V137000 · 580,058 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. On February 27, 2018, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that they were recalling 154,753 model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. On April 18, 2018, Hyundai expanded the recall to include an additional 425,305 model year 2012-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air ba
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install an external wire filter kit, free of charge. The recall began October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 174.
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2017-10-04 · campaign 17V617000 · 443,545 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles previously repaired under recall campaign 17V-152. The seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.
Risk: If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will again verify the connection between the seat belt linkage and the pretensioner and additionally install a warning label to prevent future seat belt linkage detachment, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 169.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine 2017-03-31 · campaign 17V226000 · 572,000 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine, replacing the engine short block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 162.
Seat Belts:front:anchorage 2017-03-08 · campaign 17V152000 · 977,778 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will inspect the connection between the seat belt linkages and the seat belt anchor pretensioners, repairing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for the recall is 160.
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2014-07-18 · campaign 14V434000 · 883,000 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, through May 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from from the shift lever pin.
Risk: If the transmission shift cable detaches, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver parks the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position and the parking brake
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, repair the connection between the shift cable and shift lever, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 123.
Air Bags:side/Window 2012-07-24 · campaign 12V352000 · 29,767 vehicles
Defect: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Hyundai Sonata passenger cars, manufactured from January 24, 2012, through June 21, 2012. The curtain side airbags on these vehicles may inflate without deployment command due to an error during manufacturing.
Risk: The curtain airbag may inflate without deployment command and increase the risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle. Additionally, an unexpected deployment would be a significant driver distraction and would limit the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai dealers will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain side airbags free of charge. This recall began on August 31, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Service bulletins (184)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Back Over Prevention: Warnings 2026-10-15 · 26-GI-004H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (pdw) sensor(s) that may trigger various dtcs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the pdw sensor(s) failing to detect nearby objects or triggering multiple false alarms. this condition may be a res
Engine 2026-10-08 · 26-EM-016H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. this bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this condition. all internal combustion engines consume some engine oil during normal operatio
Engine 2026-10-07 · 26-EM-015H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. this bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition. all internal combustion engines consume engine oil as part of normal engine operatio
Air Bags 2026-08-26 · 26-BE-022H DCS · Warranty Program/Extension
the warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use. refer to the warranty and service parts information outlined in this bulletin whenever clock spring replacement is required.
Air Bags 2026-08-25 · 26-BE-022H DN · Warranty Program/Extension
the warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use for original & subsequent owners.
Air Bags 2026-08-25 · 26-BE-022H TSB · Warranty Program/Extension
the warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use. refer to the warranty and service parts information outlined in this bulletin whenever clock spring replacement is required.
Showing the 6 most recent of 184 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-23 · Engine“recall 162 bearing water i came to a stop sign n my car died and caused the engine to kick n wen i started it it was knocking…”
2026-10-15 · Air Bags“the air bag light just came on and i know there was a recall on this. i would like to have this taken care of at the dealership for free as it was a recall.…”
2026-10-12 · Seat Belts · 🔥 fire“my 2013 sonata caught fire from the engine i was barely able to get out safely …”
2026-10-07 · Steering · 110,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 hyundai sonata. the contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the steering wheel shuddered violently, pulled towards the left or the right. the vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with technical service bulletin: 17-st-002. the contact attempted to repair t…”
2026-10-07 · Engine“2013 sonata 2.4 81,953 mi, seized on highway with fresh oil change 1 week prior, loss of power, steering/braking. happened on george washington bridge (ny/nj) with near collision. asssited by police to move vehicle out of highway. inspected by dealer (paramus hyundai) and confirmed loss of power due to engine problem. dealer denied warranty…”
2026-10-06 · Air Bags“the driver airbag light came on along with the horn not working, steering wheel buttons not working, and cruise control not working. it has been verified as the time spring not working properly. …”
2026-09-28 · Engine“factual summary * vehicle: 2013 hyundai sonata * vin: [xxx] * incident date: xxx * failure: sudden knocking noise, immediate check‑engine illumination, loss of power, and catastrophic engine failure; vehicle towed to allen turner hyundai, 6501 pensacola blvd, pensacola, fl 32505. * recall: my vin appears on hyundai’s engine recall list; the re…”
2026-09-18 · Unknown Or Other“in 2023, my hyundai sonota 2013 hybrid stopped on the freeway putting myself and others at risk. it told me to stop and pull over to a safe spot but everything locked up and i couldn't move it. i had to get a fuse replaced and it cost over $2k. 3 years later, my cars ebrake light has remained on for a few weeks, it will show a battery discharge wa…”
2026-09-10 · Fuel/Propulsion System“the safety recall (hyundai recall 227, nhtsa recall 22v-312) repair on my 2013 hyundai sonata (previously completed by a hyundai dealership prior to my purchase in april 2026) has suffered a critical mechanical failure. in may 2026, within 30 days of driving the vehicle, the recalled safety component completely failed while the vehicle was in opera…”
2026-09-09 · Engine“knock sensor has detected a failure. check engine light is flashing and the car is in limp mode.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.