RoadVitals

2016 Hyundai Azera

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Jul 14, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 6, 2021
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Azera, most frequently naming the airbags, steering and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 73 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags318.8%
  • Steering318.8%
  • Engine318.8%
  • Electrical212.5%
  • Driver assistance16.3%
  • Brakes16.3%
  • Powertrain (other)16.3%
  • Body & structure16.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

Aug 6, 2021
348,158 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
The risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 208View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jul 14, 2026

Hello, my car was parked at home and as I turned the engine on, I noticed the red light 'oil pressure' on the dashboard. I checked the oil level and it was very low. On the same day I purchases 2 quarts of oil to keep it at a safe level. The next day I checked the dip stick again and much oil was loss. I was very concerned and finally was able to make an appointment to my mechanic shop for inspection which led to an appointment for a fix on 3/6/2025. The problem was a defective OEM oil pressure switch. This warranty of the oil pressure switch is covered by KIA under WTY026 Warranty Extension for 15 years/150000 miles for the same 3.3L GDI engine as my 2016 Hyundai Azera. Since Hyundai is the parent company of Kia I feel Hyundai should honor this warranty by reimburse me for the cost of bill.

NHTSA ID
11750314
Incident
Mar 3, 2025
Filed Jul 5, 2026
Fire reported

On XXX while my daughter was driving this car on [XXX] outside of [XXX], the car caught fire and within minutes was engulfed in flames. My daughter and her boyfriend only had enough time to pull off the road and get out. The entire vehicle burnt to the ground. My daughter and boyfriend were minutes from burning to death in this car with no advanced warning or notification. The fire seems to have started near the gas filler cap. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11748334
Incident
Jul 2, 2026
Engine
Filed Apr 13, 2026

Engine overheating without Engine light or any other safety alerts until Engine finally failed

NHTSA ID
11730726
Incident
Apr 9, 2026
Engine
Filed Nov 17, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Azera. The contact stated that the heating system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to two Goodyear Auto Repair Shops, where it was diagnosed with a head gasket leak. One of the Goodyear facilities replaced the thermostat and the radiator. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, a message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was leaking because the head gasket bolts had melted. The dealer sent the vehicle to a machine shop, where the engine was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption, and the contact noticed a burning odor coming from the vehicle and oil leaking underneath the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test, and the vehicle could be eligible for goodwill assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ID
11699903
Incident
Nov 17, 2023
Mileage
109,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Sep 27, 2023

Moonroof- I opened my moonroof and when I tried to close it, the sunshade would not retract - it is hanging - causing me not to be able to see the back window when looking through my rear view mirror. I brought to a body shop and they said it is a design flaw. Now they want $1,800 to fix it!

NHTSA ID
11546841
Incident
Sep 17, 2023
Airbags
Filed Aug 16, 2022

Air Bag light came on while driving. After getting it checked, the technician stated that the air bag module went out and was erased. A new module would need to be ordered and the old one replaced. repair was not done as the cost was expensive and I don't believe that I should pay for something that is a safety equipment issue, This should be under a lifetime warranty. Currently driving the vehicle without working air bags. Has not been reported to the manufacturer. Light first appeared in February of 2022.

NHTSA ID
11479563
Incident
Aug 16, 2022
Body & structure
Filed Jun 25, 2022

While driving on the interstate, the panoramic sunroof exploded. Pieces of glass flew off my car. The explosive sound was very loud and startling, but I was able to maintain control of my vehicle. Vehicles behind me were potentially impacted by flying pieces of glass. I took my vehicle directly to the dealer, (Nalley Hyundai) who confirmed the glass shattered. There was no evidence of any foreign object impacting the glass. There were no warnings lights, messages or any other symptoms of an impending issue. Reported to Hyundai USA, Case # 19935493.

NHTSA ID
11470979
Incident
Jun 25, 2022
Filed May 4, 2022
1 injury reported

The hydraulic hood lifting "hinges" did not hold the hood up. When I raised the hood to fill the window washer container, the hood fell, unhindered, on my left wrist, as I was taking the cap off of the filling tube. 2 seconds later it could have been my head as I would have been over the washer reservoir opening. The hand was very bruised, and the wrist was cut. (really hurt) Went to the dealer & he said this was the first Azera they had heard of with the problem but had seen several Sonatas with this problem. I believe the hydraulic lifters are the same, so perhaps the problem affects both models.

NHTSA ID
11463370
Incident
Apr 29, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

Z01 Letter

AIR BAGS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Certain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2013 – 2019 model year Santa Fe, and 2012 – 2017 model year Veloster vehicles may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may be set. At Hyundai, we are committed to providing vehicles of outstanding quality and value. In an effort to meet this commitment, the warranty coverage for the Occupant Classification System (OCS)/Occupant Detection System (ODS) under these conditions has been extended to 18 years/unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use (whichever occurs first) and is valid for original and subsequent owners.

26-BE-011H TSB

AIR BAGS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage of the sensor for the Occupant Classification System (OCS) / Occupant Detection System (ODS) to 18 years/unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use (whichever occurs first) and is valid for original and subsequent owners. Refer to the warranty and parts information outlilned in this bulletin. This bulletin contains the procedure to inspect for the airbag warning light and DTC(s), replace the OCS (ODS) unit or wire harness, reset the OCS (ODS), and initialize the power seat module (if applicable). This TSB also contains the procedure to replace the OCS (ODS) mat if DTCs exist after replacement of the OCS (ODS) wire harness.

26-BE-011H DN

AIR BAGS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage of the sensor for the Occupant Classification System (OCS) / Occupant Detection System (ODS) to 18 years/unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use (whichever occurs first) and is valid for original and subsequent owners. Refer to the warranty and parts information outlined in this bulletin.

DTN DCS

AIR BAGS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.

DTN DL

AIR BAGS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.

25-BD-012H TSB

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Hyundai Azera by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2017121039.6
2016Viewing151059.5
2015911
2014471143.5
20131122151.1
2012742149.7
2011203152.4
2010831
2009265157.7
2008697157.7
20071319255.9
20061886153.7
2005010

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.