2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the “Check Hybrid System - Turn Off Engine” message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the vehicle decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but the failure could not be duplicated; however, the contact stated that he provided diagnostic test data to the technician that displayed error codes however, the failure could not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11529173

Incident

Apr 12, 2023

Mileage

65,000 mi

While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving. Car was at dealer shop multiple times with no repair, was told we don't see active error message or they can't re-create the error. however scan show P261F error. Open Ticket with Hyundai #21018148 while car at the dealers for weeks at the time. each time told check engine got back on but not the message they are looking for.

NHTSA ID

11514685

Incident

Nov 15, 2022

While driving the hybrid system warning light comes on and says to check hybrid system, vehicle goes into limp mode will not accelerate over 25 mph and codes need to be cleared before vehicle van be driven. This has caused me to almost have several accidents. The vehicle slows down and gives no warning prior to this occurring. It has started happening more frequently vehicle currently has 85k miles.

NHTSA ID

11500417

Incident

Jan 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH or faster in Hybrid Mode, the vehicle stalled. The HEV error warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was also illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and disengaged the HEV Mode for the vehicle to restart and function as intended. The failure occurred three times. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer however, the mechanics were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ID

11490124

Incident

Oct 10, 2022

Mileage

66,000 mi

My 2016 plug in hybrid Sonata repeatedly inidcates that there is "high system temperature switching to hybrid mode." This first happened on my first long trip in the car in 10/21 and has happened repeatedly since. This happens at all temperatures, including moderate temperatures (mid 70s). It seems to happen randomly, such as when battery has several miles of charge left in it, when it is fully discharged, and repeatedly when the car is already running in hybrid mode, which a driver could interpret means that the engine is about to shut down, as I did on a long trip. I have taken it to two separate dealers, and the only thing they did was replace the fuel pump, which did not solve the problem. In addition, the battery life has reduced greatly, despite the fact that I always fully discharge and recharge the batter. As you can see from the attached Hyundai forum comments, this appears to be a prevalent problem for this make and model car and no relief from the manufacturer appears to be on the horizon.

NHTSA ID

11478763

Incident

Oct 5, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while the vehicle was approaching a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact stated he manually pushed the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The contact went back with his trailer and trailered the vehicle to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the Hybrid control unit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11472475

Incident

Jun 11, 2022

Mileage

120,000 mi

In January of 2022, my vehicle experienced a complete power loss while driving to work, leaving the car coasting down the road. A Check Hybrid System warning came up on the dashboard, along with several other warning lights, including Check Engine. Luckily, I was able to pull over without an accident occurring. Once stopped, the vehicle did restart and got me to and back from work. A diagnosis effort made at a local Hyundai dealership was unsuccessful as they could not replicate the problem and found no error codes in the auto's CPU system. I continued to drive the vehicle, hoping it was a one time deal, but since then, the identical situation has occurred three more times. I was extremely lucky that I had been in a position to safely pull off to the side of the road. The car has not been driven since March 19, 2022. After researching this scenario online, it appears to be the exact situation reflected in the Hyundai Recall campaign 175 from 2018, where the dealership remove the original VPD module and replace it with a Battery Management System (BMS) that contains an Overvoltage Protection Device (OPD). The recall is said to have been done on my vehicle, but the exact situation has reoccurred. Every time time the car lost power, it was preceded by a shuttering feel in the car, an alarm would go off and the propulsion system would just shut down and the Check Hybrid light would come on. Hyundai's only response has been to drive the car until it fails again (can you believe that?) and bring it in again for diagnosis. Even if that were to be done, the technicians and others on the road, would then be put at risk, as well, if they drove the vehicle in an attempt to get it to fail. I am the second owner of this car and the recall was supposedly done prior to my purchase. I now wonder if the dealer knew of the problem and that is why it was $2K below KBB. I cannot safely drive the car and can't sell it without loss once this safety issue is revealed. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11461197

Incident

Jan 20, 2022

This is a plug-in hybrid. Charging light on the dash blinks red indicating there is an issue (per manual). Also blinks while driving. Should be green. Still charges. Taken to two Hyundai dealerships. Computer produces no codes. Dealership does not know how to proceed. Safety concern is it’s unknown if battery is dangerous to charge? Is it dangerous to drive? How does a car indicate a problem but then give no codes.

NHTSA ID

11454948

Incident

Jan 3, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OFF THE ROADWAY WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A BYSTANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TUSTIN HYUNDAI (16 AUTO CENTER DRIVE, TUSTIN, CA 92782, (714) 647-2000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE COMMUNICATION WIRE BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED 2 YEARS LATER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11384407

Incident

Oct 23, 2018

Mileage

18,000 mi

HEV ENGINIE ERORR

NHTSA ID

11220241

Incident

May 22, 2019

Mileage

44,363 mi

THE PLUG OF THE ELECTRICAL CHARGER FOR THE BATTERY OF MY PLUG -IN CAR OVERHEATED AND BURNED THE SURGE PROTECTOR THAT IT WAS PLUGGED INTO.

NHTSA ID

11152996

Incident

Nov 20, 2018

Mileage

32,235 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" AUGUST 25TH THE CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO SOME HIGH WATER AND WAS PARKED BY A GAS STATION NEAR GREEN ROAD AND ALDEAN WESTFIELD R. THE CAR WAS UNDERWATER FROM THE FRONT END. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR MULTIPLE TIMES FOR REPAIR. FROM WARRANTY ISSUES TO FLOOD REPAIR, BOTH CAN'T GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR STOPS AND COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF HYBRID MALFUNCTION. WE DONT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS, THE DEALERSHIP HAS COPYS OF ALL REPARS.

NHTSA ID

11144863

Incident

Aug 25, 2017

Mileage

30,000 mi

HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES. NOW IT IS NOT OPERABLE. CAR WAS CHECKED BY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE 3 DAYS AGO. THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS AT THE TIME OF SERVICE, THEY DID NOT PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK HOME SAFELY, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER IN THE EVENING, IT GAVE WARNINGS. CAR IS NOT OPERABLE.

NHTSA ID

11121258

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

Mileage

8,550 mi

I WAS GOING ABOUT 70 MPH IN FULL ELECTRIC MODE AND THE CAR REMOVED ALL POWER FROM MY GAS PEDAL, THERE WAS LOTS OF DINGING SOUNDS AND THE DASH SAID "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, TURN YOUR CAR OFF". LUCKILY I WAS ALREADY TO THE FAR RIGHT SO I COULD JUST PULL TOT HE SHOULDER AND STOP THE CAR, THE BREAKS AND STEERING WERE STILL WORKING. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOPING THE MARCH 2018 RECALL IS THE FIX. I HAD TO CALL AAA, ALL BLUE LINK CAPABILITIES STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. 2016 PLUGIN WITH ABOUT 25,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11099959

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

Mileage

25,000 mi

THIS IS 4TH TIME THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON IN LAST 7,000 MILES OF DRIVING. HYUNDAI CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES SO FAR BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING AND SINCE THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY MUST BUY THE CAR BACK. ONE OUT OF THE FOUR TIMES, THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED ON THE ROAD PUTTING LIVES ON THE LINE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED EARLIER (REF: HYUNDAI CASE #111109600, NHTSA COMPLAIN #11080680) BUT NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN BY EITHER HYUNDAI OR NAHTSA. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD AND CAN NOT BE FIXED AFTER THREE TRIES WITHIN A YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11093231

Incident

May 10, 2018

Mileage

25,650 mi

ENGINE/ELECTRICAL SHUT DOWN OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE AT HIGH SPEED IN TRAFFIC MAY 2017 NARROWLY MISSED BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, RELAY WAS REPLACED. WORKED FOR AWHILE. NOW (APRIL 2018) BACK IN SHOP FOR SAME PROBLEM - ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT START HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALER. CHECKED RECALLS, FOUND THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT NO REMEDY FOR IT. WOULD APPRECIATE A BUY BACK PLEASE. CAN'T SELL IT OR TRADE IT KNOWING IT IS DANGEROUS. CASE #10258851

NHTSA ID

11088803

Incident

Apr 14, 2018

Mileage

37,000 mi

MY CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE DASH READ "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE". IT SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE CARPOOL LANE. THERE WAS NO WARNING, JUST SHUT RIGHT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO SAFETY UNTIL AAA CAME TO TOW ME AWAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP. IT TURNED ON BUT COULDN'T START THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11084582

Incident

Apr 9, 2018

Mileage

38,175 mi

WARNING LIGHT SAYING "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" COMES ON AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START IF THE CAR IS PARKED. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO PULL OVER AT A SAFE LOCATION. IT HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES SO FAR, TWICE UNDER 18,000 MILES AND ONCE AT 24,600 MILES. THE DEALER IS NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND GIVES IT BACK TO ME AFTER SOME TWEAKING TO GET RID OF THE WARNING LIGHT. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAIN WITH HYUNDAI (CASE # 11109600) REGARDING THIS. THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP AND I WILL NOT EITHER DRIVE OR RIDE IN THIS CAR EVER. I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED IN ANYTHING LESS THAN A COMPLETE BUY BACK. I AM ASKING NHTSA TO FORCE A RECALL AND HAVE THEM FIX THE PROBLEM WITH CONFIDENCE OR DO BUY BACKS. IT'S A DEATH TRAP AND CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIST ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11080680

Incident

Mar 19, 2018

Mileage

24,600 mi

ON 1/7/2018 WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID WITH APPROXIMATELY 41,100 MILES IN IT TO LOS ANGELES, CA WITH MY 82 YEAR OLD FATHER ON OXYGEN FROM SAN JOSE WHICH IS ABOUT 370 MILES AWAY ON HIGHWAY I5 WITH THE SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH. WHEN WE EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEM. WHILE EXITING TO OUR DESTINATION ON HIGHWAY 118 DE SOTO EXIT, THE ENGINE HAD SLOWED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION AND BARELY TURNED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR SAFELY .WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR AND DASHBOARD HAD INDICATED TO CHECK HEV . SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO START THE CAR, TO NO SUCCESS. LIGHTS WILL COME ON DASHBOARD, STILL ABLE TO CONNECT TO BLUELINK TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUT THERE WAS A LONG WAIT BEFORE A CUSTOMER SERVICE ANSWERED UNTIL THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED AND STALLED. WE WERE STRANDED WITH AN 82 YEAR OLD MAN WHO HAS RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND WE HAVE FINALLY CALLED AN UBER TO HIS HOME BEFORE OXYGEN RUNS OUT. ROAD ASSISTANCE FINALLY CAME AFTER 2 HOURS OF WAITING AND THE CAR WAS FINALLY TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER IN WOODLAND HILLS 20539 VENTURA BLVD WOODLAND HILLS .THE CAR IS BEING SERVICED AND HAS NO UPDATE YET. I CALLED HYUNDAI USA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-855 671 3059 THIS AM 1/8/2018 AND CLAIMED THERE HAS BEEN NO REPORT OF RECALL TO THIS SORT OF PROBLEM AND HAS THEREFORE GAVE ME A REFERENCE CASE #10911352 .

NHTSA ID

11061171

Incident

Jan 7, 2018

Mileage

41,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT 68 MPH IN HOV LANE, HYBRID SYSTEM ALERT LIGHT UP AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND LUCKY ABLE TO DIRECT THE CAR TO RIGHT SIDE AND STOP AND WAIT FOR TOWING. THIS HAPPEN DURING TRAFFIC WAS SLIGHTLY JAM SO ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN OTHER CARS ARE SLOWING DOWN IN REGULAR LANE. CANNOT IMAGINE IF THERE IS NO TRAFFIC JAM, HIGH POTENTIAL TO GET INTO ACCIDENT AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. WITH THE DEALER FOR FIVE DAYS AND THEY CANNOT PINPOINT THE EXACT PROBLEM AND KEEP ON SAYING IS SLIGHT PROBLEM. HOW CAN THIS BE SLIGHT PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN?? NEED TO HAVE MAJOR RECALL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I HOPE THIS WILL BE ADDRESS AND RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GET INTO MAJOR INJURY OR LOST OF LIFE.

NHTSA ID

11058626

Incident

Dec 30, 2017

Mileage

26,200 mi

CAR IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER WHO INDICATED THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ENGINE REPAIRS NEEDED AND WILL TAKE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS WHEN THEY IDENTIFY PROBLEM. CAR HAS 11,700 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF ROAD SO NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11055967

Incident

Dec 15, 2017

Mileage

11,700 mi

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE PHEV WARNING ILLUMINATED AND THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL PROPULSION. IT REFUSED TO ENGAGE THE GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MOTOR TO MOVE OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED HYBRID BATTERY.

NHTSA ID

11044785

Incident

Oct 8, 2017

Mileage

21,000 mi

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I HAVE HAD THE YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO ISSUES RELATED TO PERFORMANCE NOTED, I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY GARAGE TO DIAGNOSE. THE DIAGNOSIS DID NOT FIND ANY ISSUE, BUT MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE GAS COVER CAP. LO AND BEHOLD, BOTH TIMES, REMOVING THE CAP AND REPLACING SEEMED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AND THE YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. QUITE ANNOYING AS DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO KEEP CHECKING IF LIGHT COMES ON INCORRECTLY AND NOT ADDRESS IF THERE WAS INDEED A PROBLEM TO CORRECT.

NHTSA ID

11031772

Incident

Sep 25, 2017

Mileage

9,500 mi

MY SONATA PHEV HAD HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE WITHIN A SPAN OF 1.5 MONTHS. IT'S BEEN HARDLY 1.5 YEARS SINCE I HAD BOUGHT THIS CAR. IN BOTH CASES THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING COMES UP AND ENGINE LOOSES TOTAL POWER. THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY 405 FREEWAY AND WAS LEFT ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO POWER ON THE ENGINE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM TO FACE WITH. WITH WHATEVER POWER WAS LEFT, WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE RAMP ON THE RIGHT. STOPPING ANYWHERE IN 405 FREEWAY IS ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS, EVEN ON THE SHOULDER (MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING COPS HAS BEEN REAR ENDED). THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED IT WAS ON A 3 LANE LOCAL PARKWAY STILL DANGEROUS AS I AM LEFT WITH NO POWER TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN BOTH CASES.THE DEALERSHIP TOOK 1 MONTH TO FIX THE CAR THE 1ST TIME. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE POWER RELAY ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM SOUTH KOREA. IT RAN FOR CLOSE TO 1.5 MONTHS AND AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING AND IT'S BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE POWER RELAY HAS GONE AGAIN AND HYUNDAI NOW WANTS TO SEE IF REPLACING THE HYBRID BATTERY WILL FIX IT. AS OF TODAY AFTER 18 DAYS THE CAR IS STILL IN THE SERVICE CENTRE.

NHTSA ID

11024125

Incident

Jun 26, 2017

Mileage

32,284 mi

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT CHARGE THE HYBRID BATTERY WHEN PROPERLY PLUGGED IN, WITH EITHER 110V OR 220V PLUG. THIS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY AND HYUNDAI REPAIRED IT WITH A PART COSTING AROUND $2,000 THEY TOLD ME (IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND COST ME NOTHING). HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP CONTINUALLY SINCE JULY 7, 2017 (31 DAYS!) THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IN MY GARAGE. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED IN THE PAST (NOT CHARGING OVERNIGHT), BUT NEVER STAYED A PROBLEM--I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO CHARGE USUALLY THE VERY NEXT DAY. THIS CURRENT PROBLEM BEGAN AROUND JULY 3, AND I TRIED TO GET IT TO CHARGE EVERY DAY UNTIL I TOOK IT IN FOR HYUNDAI SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

11013127

Incident

Jul 7, 2017

Mileage

16,700 mi