RoadVitals

2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Jun 28, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
44%
of 27 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Jun 28, 2024

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. Several unknow warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rod bearings and observed metal shavings inside the short block. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 134,000.

NHTSA ID
11597490
Incident
Oct 15, 2023
Mileage
134,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving onto an on-ramp at an unknown speed, an abnormal knocking noise was heard. The vehicle was able to accelerate to approximately 40 MPH. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven home and then to a dealer. While at the dealer, the failure was diagnosed as a piston failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine), and the VIN was included in the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired under the recall. The contact stated that the dealer provided the test results to the manufacturer. The contact stated that the recall repairs were denied by the manufacturer due to negligent maintenance. The contact stated that he had owned the vehicle for 3-weeks. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

NHTSA ID
11501288
Incident
Dec 27, 2022
Mileage
116,000 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 2, 2019

I WAS DRIVING 20 MPH STRAIGHT DOWN A FLAT RESIDENTAL STREET. A LOUD DASH ALARM SOUNDED IN MY 2014 HYUNDAI SONADA HYBRID. THE DASH DISPLAYED "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING, SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE" . BELOW THE WARNING A YELLOW CAUTION TRIANGLE DISPLAYED. I ATTEMPTED TO GIVE THE VEHICLE GAS, SO I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT HAD NO POWER. A BLINKING GREEN "READY" LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED. THE ECO GUIDE DISPLAY WAS MOVING UP AND DOWN FROM THE TOP TO BOTTOM. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND BEGAN BRAKING. THE BRAKES FELT MUSHY AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND WAS THE ENGINE WAS REVVING UP AND DOWN BUT LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GEAR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS, I LOST THE POWER STEERING AND THE IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I AGAIN TRIED BRAKING BUT THE BRAKES JUST FELT MUSHY AND WERE NOT STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I CONTINUED COASTING DOWN THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED I SHUT IT OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE GREEN "READY" LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE DASH AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN ON BUT NOT START AGAIN. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE PUSH ME TO THE CURBSIDE. THE BRAKES WERE VERY MUSHY AND ALMOST NON-EXISTENT. I AGAIN USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. I NOTIFIED MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER AND ADVISED I WOULD BE TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THEM. I HAD JUST CAME OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAD THIS HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. IT WAS LITERALLY TERRIFYING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE THE WAY THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF AN ISSUE AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO REACT ONCE THE WARNING SYMBOL WAS DISPLAYED.

NHTSA ID
11217433
Incident
Jun 1, 2019
Mileage
79,684 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 12, 2019

WHILE IN MOTION GOING 60MPH, VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND THEN AN ALARM SOUNDED ALONG WITH A WARNING DISPLAYED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SCREEN STATING "HYBRID SAFETY WARNING. PULL OVER AND DO NOT DRIVE." THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE AND CAME TO A STOP. HAD TO RESTART THE CAR. THE SAME WARNING HAPPENED AGAIN THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE IN MOTION GOING 50MPH. HAD TO GET OUT OF THE ROADWAY AND RESTART THE CAR. HYUNDAI REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY (TOOK ABOUT 5 MONTHS). UPON RECEIVING VEHICLE BACK, THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST 10 MINS OF DRIVING IT (ISSUE NOT FIXED). IT IS BACK AT THE HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AWAITING REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
11186237
Incident
Oct 6, 2018
Mileage
56,500 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 19, 2019

2 TIMES THE ENGINE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION DUE TO HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE. A SIMPLE FUSE FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM WENT OUT AND TURNED OFF ALL POWER. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. OTHER HYBRID VEHICLES HAVE A SAFETY FEATURE THAT WHEN THE HYBRID SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING THE GASOLINE ENGINE WILL STILL BE IN FULL OPERATION. EVERYTIME THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON IT KILLS THE WHOLE CAR. I GOT STUCK ON AN EXPRESSWAY AND WAS PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN THIS DID NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE 2 MOTORS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON EACH OTHER. HAVING THE GASOLINE ENGINE CONTINUE TO RUN AND BE ABLE TO POWER THE CAR IN A HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE WILL SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. I AM NOT SURE WHY THIS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT BY LAW TO HAVE THIS SAFETY FEATURE

NHTSA ID
11170917
Incident
Jan 10, 2017
Mileage
99,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 6, 2019

WHILE DRIVING CAR SYSTEM WARNING CAME ON TO" SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE". WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP CAR. COULD NOT RESTART IT. HAD IT TOWED THEN CHANGED BATTERY WHICH WAS LOW. TRIED TO RESTART AND DID NOT TURN ON UNTIL 3RD TIME STARTING. LET ENGINE RUN FOR ABOUT 10 MIN AND WARNING CAME BACK ON.

NHTSA ID
11165515
Incident
Jan 4, 2019
Mileage
129,759 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 1, 2017

I BOUGHT MY USED CAR SEPTEMBER 1 IT'S A 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID, WITH A LITTLE OVER 61000 MILES ON IT, I HAD TO EVACUATE FROM A HURRICANE ABOUT WEEK AFTER THAT, WHEN I RETURNED I CHECKED THE OIL ON MY CAR THERE WAS NO OIL SHOWING ON THE STICK THE OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID ENGINE OIL DRAIN BOLT WASHER HAD CRACK IN IT, THEY PUT OIL IN AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I HAD TO GO OUT OF TOWN THIS PAST WEEK AND ON THE WAY BACK I CHECKED THE OIL IT WAS ABOUT A QUART AND A HALF LOW I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASK THE SERVICE MANAGER WHAT TYPE OF OIL THEY USED WAS IT SYNTHETIC OR REGULAR OIL SHE WENT AND ASK THE MECHANIC SHE CAME BACK AND SAID DO NOT PUT OIL IN IT BECAUSE IT WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY I ASK HER HOW THAT WOULD VOID IT, SHE DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME AND I GOT KINDA MAD CAUSE THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT OIL TO PUT IN IT, THEN I DROVE TO THE NEXT REST AREA A CHECKED IT AGAIN THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE STICK I TRIED TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP THEY WOULD NEVER ANSWER THE PHONE I GUESS THEY HAD CALLER ID , SO I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND TOOK IT TO THE CLOSET HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP THEY PUT IT ON THE RACK THE UNDER BELLY WAS CLEAN THERE HAD BEEN NO LEAK, HE THEN TOOK OFF THE OIL CAP AND THERE WAS SO MUCH SLUDGE BUILD UP HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS TORCHED NO WAY IT COULD BE FIX, I ASK WAY THE OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, HE SAID BECAUSE OF ALL THE SLUDGE IN THERE, HE SAID THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD

NHTSA ID
11030760
Incident
Sep 15, 2017
ElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 20, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE FAILED TO START ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS AND RADIO WERE ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED WHEN PLACED IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HYUNDAI OF COLUMBIA (1370 NASHVILLE HWY, COLUMBIA, TN 38401). THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE A FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE BATTERY BE CHANGED. THE BATTERY WAS CHANGED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID
11024655
Incident
Sep 15, 2016
Mileage
36,000 mi
BrakesEngineExterior lighting
Filed Sep 15, 2017
Crash reported

EL CARRO TRYNA CUANDO VOY DE REVERSA Y CUANDO ESTOY AN STOP EL CARRO TIEMBLA Y LOS BRAKES YA SE LOS CAMBIE Y SIEMPRE ME HACE RUIDO..

NHTSA ID
11023696
Incident
Jun 16, 2017
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed May 11, 2016

HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING HAS COME ON FOUR TIMES, CAR SHUTS OFF INSTANTLY, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A CITY STREET, THE SECOND TIME WAS A THE DEALERSHIP WHEN PICKING UP THE CAR AFTER REPAIR, THE THREE TIME WAS IN A PARKING LOT, AND THE FOURTH TIME WAS ON THE INTERSTATE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. CAR IS NOT SAFE. ASKED FOR A REPLACEMENT WITH NO RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ID
10864489
Incident
Apr 23, 2016
Mileage
27,739 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 4, 2015

MY 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID STARTS OFF VERY SLOWLY WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC AND THEN LAUNCHES FORWARD ONCE THE GAS MOTOR STARTS. MY CONCERN IS THAT I'M GOING TO GET REAR ENDED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF THE SLOW START OR I'LL LOSE CONTROL AS IT LAUNCHES FORWARD. EITHER WAY, I DON'T FEEL SAFE. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM SAID THAT IT'S "NORMAL" AND THAT "ALL HYBRIDS PERFORM THAT WAY". I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS IS NOT TRUE. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP AND CONTINUE TO IGNORE MY COMPLAINTS. THIS VEHICLE, I BELIEVE, IS UNSAFE FOR ME, MY FAMILY, AND FOR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I WOULDN'T DRIVE IT, BUT I HAVE NO OTHER CAR AND I NEED TO GET TO WORK.

NHTSA ID
10746042
Incident
Jun 2, 2014
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 22, 2014

AFTER JUST TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, THIS SONATA HYBRID WOULDN'T START (FOR THE SECOND TIME). HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER 15 DAYS (TOTAL SO FAR FOR BOTH INCIDENTS) THE DEALERSHIP STILL HAS NO IDEA WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT OR HOW TO FIX IT. IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10627349
Incident
Aug 13, 2014
Mileage
3,113 mi

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .