2008 Hyundai Sonata Engine Problems

Bought in 2023 @ 98k miles. Have had trouble with 1.it would only start in drive, then that seems to have self corrected. 2. In drive, car would not accelerate properly, and would slow as though I was braking, but no foot on brake. Had rear brake sensor replaced, seemed better for a while. 3. Developed oil leak at 120 miles which valvoline characterized as "not serious...just keep checking it and topping it off." So, have been doing that. Today after oil change, it began running rough, lots of vibration, then the shifting problem, sluggishness, and new..smoke from under hood on driver's side. No check engine lights at all. Nothing registered as hot or overheating. Turned off car, checked oil and trans fluid, both in proper range for warm engine. Let car sit and cool for an hour. Decided I had parked too close to the propane tanks for a smoking car, so I decided to start car just to back it into a space across the lot. Car had no issues- No smoke, no jerking or vibration, no sluggishness, no phantom braking. This car has done this same thing about once every 6 months since I've had it. Changed a tire sensor, that seemed to fix it once. Stopped using cruise control altogether, that seemed to help once. My brother is an ASE certified high school auto mechanics teacher who ran his own shop for 20 years and worked on trucks for VDOT for another 7 years and he cannot diagnose it. I know it has something to do with not being in the correct gear, but it's not reliable, and I have a hard time believing it's just my vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11656826

Incident

Apr 25, 2025

MY ERVIN CEASED UP ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. IT THRU AN ENGIN ROD.THE ENGIN OIL MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING. NOW AFTER JUST BUYING THIS CAR USED, THERE ARE NO ENGINES AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. TOO MANY HAVE BLOWN UP. AND HYUNDAI SAYS THEY ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. SAME ENGIN AS THE FAILURES WITH THE FATALITIES.I AM STUCK.

NHTSA ID

11353478

Incident

Mar 25, 2020

Mileage

116,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITH THE LOW OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 236,000.

NHTSA ID

11318622

Incident

Mar 16, 2020

Mileage

236,000 mi

WAS HEADING TO WORK ON INTERSTATE 81, ENGINE MADE LOUD BOOM SOUND SCARED ME PULLED OVER BEING AFRAID TO DRIVE HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. NO ENGINE LIGHT ON. REPAIR DONE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST SAID ENGINE WAS BLOWN, OLL GOOD NO ENGINE LIGHT BUT ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER TRYING TO DO MANUALLY. MY CAR ONLY HAD 180,000 MILES ALWAYS DID BELTS AND MAINTENANCE.

NHTSA ID

11244556

Incident

Aug 14, 2019

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CROWN HYUNDAI (5301 34TH ST N, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33714, (888) 727-9161) REGARDING THE REAR BACK-UP SENSORS AND AN UNKNOWN NHTSA RECALL RELATED TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) CLUSTER. WHEN THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO UPDATE THE ECM CLUSTER, THEY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR TWELVE DAYS, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ID

11193527

Incident

Mar 22, 2019

Mileage

3,000 mi

CAR MADE A POPPING NOISE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THEN LOST ACCELERATION. THE CAR THEN BURST INTO FLAMES.

NHTSA ID

11193377

Incident

Oct 19, 2017

Mileage

13,000 mi

2008 HYUNDAI SONATA 6CYL DOHC 3.3L / 152812 WATER PUMP WENT OUT. REPLACED IT. THEN WATER ENDED UP IN THE OIL THAT GOT INTO THE LIFTERS. ENDED UP GETTING ANOTHER MOTOR. THEN MY A/C STOPPED WORKING (DIDN'T BLOW COOL OR COLD AIR). CHANGED OIL AND OIL FILTER MYSELF ALONG WITH THE OIL SENSOR ( CONNECTED TO OIL FILTER SPOT) THAT WAS LEAKING BAD AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS RUNNING.I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, IN FRONT OF A LOADED 18 WHEELER, DRIVING 75 THEN MY CAR JERKED REAL HARD THEN DROPPED DOWN TO 40. I HAD TO PULL OVER ILLEGALLY TO KEEP FROM GETTING HIT BY THE TRUCK. AS I WAS CATCHING MY BREATH I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP IT MADE A WEIRD TICK NOISE. HAVEN'T HEARD THAT NOISE SINCE. WHEN I PULLED OFF IT HESITATED TO CHANGE GEARS FROM 2 TO 3. IT FINALLY CHANGED AND DID NOT COME OUT OF 3RD. GOT IT TOWED HOME. HAD MY MOMS BOYFRIEND TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. HE DROVE IT AND IT WAS FINE. NEXT MORNING STARTED CAR AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A VACUUM CLEANER. (LOW VOLUME) FINALLY IT WENT AWAY. WHEN I HEADED TO WORK, IT HESITATED AT FIRST. THE VACUUM NOISE CAME BACK AND WAS LOUDER. THEN I SPED UP TO 50, IT HARD JERKED AGAIN, AND STAYED IN 3RD GEAR. AS I WENT FURTHER LOSS POWER IN INSIDE LANE OF HIGHWAY AND CAR WAS SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD. LIKE IT DIDN'T KNOW I WAS PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. STARTED SHAKING AT AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR. PULLED OVER AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED A FRIEND TO PULL ME BACK HOME. IT WAS REVERSING FINE BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. SO I CHANGED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR (WHOLE PEDAL) THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. SO THEN I CHANGED THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP/ INJECTOR. STILL HAVE ALL PARTS BY THE WAY. THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM EITHER. PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND IT GAVE A CODE FOR ECM AND OXYGEN SENSOR. ESC LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS TPMS, WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I COULD MOVE FORWARD BUT IT WAS LIKE I WASN'T. THIS ALL STARTED IN FEBRUARY 2019

NHTSA ID

11192822

Incident

Feb 8, 2019

Mileage

152,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL TAPPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COCONUT CREEK HYUNDAI (4960 N. STATE ROAD 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 283-1002), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINE FAILED THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *DT

NHTSA ID

11182713

Incident

Feb 26, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A SMALL CAR DEALERSHIP, WHEN PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HAD A PRETTY HIGH MILEAGE HOWEVER WHEN TEST DRIVED NO SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR RAN SMOOTHLY. AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR WITH ONLY AROUND 2K MILES ADDED TO IT, WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY A KNOCKING NOISE SUDDENLY BECAME APPARENT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SINCE THERE WAS VISIBLE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11172655

Incident

Jan 17, 2019

Mileage

174,000 mi

THE ENGINE OUT OF NOWHERE BEGAN TO KNOCK (ENGINE KNOCK) AND NOBODY FROM ANY POINT OF MANAGEMENT WILL HELP ME OUT WITH THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT THEIR ENGINE AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT, NOT HELP OR ANYTHING WAS PROVIDED, THE VEHICLE HAD BEGAN KNOCKING AFTER I HAD STARTED IT UP ONE DAY AND BEGAN DRIVING IT, I NOTICED THE WARMER THE ENGINE GOT, THE LOUDER IT GOT, I TOOK IT TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND ONE OF THEM BEING A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND ONE BEING A KIA, BOTH SAID THE SAME THING

NHTSA ID

11156692

Incident

Dec 3, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING AND RATTLING NOISE, SIMILAR TO METAL ON METAL, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,500.

NHTSA ID

11140577

Incident

Oct 14, 2018

Mileage

125,500 mi

I HAVE A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA AND I HAVE WELL MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE BUT ONE DAY I HEAR A SMALL TICKING NOISE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE SPARK PLUGS SO I GOT THE FULL TUNE UP. THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CAR DIDNT WANT TO START. IVE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK. I ALSO DID RESEARCH AND A FEW OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS IN THEIR CARS. ALSO LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATAS ALSO. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY USE THE SAME ENGINES FOR THE 2008 I THINK WE ALLL SHOULD GET A FAIR PLAY

NHTSA ID

11046606

Incident

Oct 6, 2017

Mileage

35 mi

THIS ISSUE EFFECTS 2.4 LITER GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE MODEL SONATAS. METALLIC DEBRIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY REMOVED DURING MANUFACTURING OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT. IF THE DEBRIS WAS NOT COMPLETELY REMOVED, OIL FLOW MAY BE RESTRICTED THROUGH THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS, CAUSING CONNECTING ROD DAMAGE. A WORN CONNECTING ROD BEARING WILL PRODUCE A METALLIC, CYCLIC KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN THE NEED TO REBUILD OR REPLACE ENGINE. MY ENGINE FIRST FAILED OUT IN OCTOBER OF 2016 AND CAUSED ME TO REQUIRE AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. IN AUGUST 2017 THAT SAME ENGINE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAPPEN TO IT. THIS HAS BEEN 2 OF THE 2.4 CYL I-4 ENGINES HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THE EXACT SAME CARE WITH AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE ON BOTH ENGINES. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY VARIOUS COMPLAINTS REPORTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET EFFECTING THIS ENGINE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL BY HYUNDAI FOR THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE BECAUSE THE 2011 SONATA USED THE EXACT SAME ENGINES THAT ARE IN THE 2008 SONATA. THE LINK FOR THAT RECALL IS HERE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 URL: HTTPS://WWW.NHTSA.GOV/VEHICLE/2011/HYUNDAI/SONATA/4%252520DR/FWD%252520LATEST%252520RELEASE#RECALLS

NHTSA ID

11020163

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

98,500 mi

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING POWER STEERING. MOMENTUM AND STRUGGLE STEERING ALLOWED ME TO MOVE FROM CENTER LANE TO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD SAFELY. INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE LEAKY HEAD COVER GASKET THAT SLOWLY LEAKED ONTO THE ALTERNATOR. HAD IT TOWED TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO LATER INFORMED ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. HE DID VERIFY THAT WAS OIL IN THE ENGINE AT THE TIME. THE CAR WAS NOT EVEN 10 YRS OLD AND PURCHASED BRAND NEW.

NHTSA ID

11019972

Incident

Apr 10, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED FOR THE DRIVER SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND TURNED OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000. ...UPDATED 06/13/17 *BF UPDATED 10/11/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10980808

Incident

Mar 24, 2017

Mileage

141,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PREMATURE FAILURE WITH THE MOTOR, THERE WAS NO OIL LEAN AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING A HIGH VOLUME OF OIL EVERY 30 DAYS. THE OIL AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHT RANDOMLY FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE TO DETERMINE A SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE MANUFACTURER MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10979381

Incident

Dec 27, 2015

Mileage

30,000 mi

ENGINE SEIZED AT AROUND 124000 WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE REPLACED WITH A USED MOTOR AND NOW I BELIEVE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO BLOW AGAIN AT THE SAME MILEAGE. I HAVE USED ONLY MOBIL ONE SYNTHETIC OIL IN BOTH MOTORS.

NHTSA ID

10972350

Incident

Apr 12, 2016

Mileage

124,000 mi

LOUD KNOCKING SOUND FROM UNDER HOOD. GETS LOUDER AS ENGINE HEATS. UNSAFE TO DRIVE

NHTSA ID

10971426

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

116,630 mi

ON THE 3.3L ENGINE THERE IS A FAULT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT CAUSES OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING PREMATURE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. IF THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING THIS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE SUCH AS THE VERACRUZ AND A RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED. FOR SOME REASON THE RECALL DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE SONATA AS IT SHOULD. THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE VERACRUZ RECALL INVOLVING THE SAME ENGINE. "HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY (HYUNDAI) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2012 VERACRUZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 26, 2006, THROUGH JULY 24, 2012. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AN OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK VALVE COVER GASKET. IF THERE IS A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF OIL DROPPED ONTO THE ALTERNATOR, THE ALTERNATOR WILL BE DAMAGED CAUSING THE CHARGING SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE." MY ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED TWICE NOW, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT IT EASILY COULD HAVE GONE BAD ON ME AS I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC. ONCE MY ALTERNATOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY MY BATTERY DIED I WAS LEFT WITHOUT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WITHOUT LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS OF MY SITUATIONS.

NHTSA ID

10970794

Incident

Mar 6, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING LOUDLY, SLOWING DOWN AND IDLING ROUGH. I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT REMAIN RUNNING IN IDLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND INSPECTED AT THE HOUSE AND THE VALVES ARE BAD. IT HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, LIGHTS OR GAUGES COMING ON OR PRIOR NOISE. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 45-50 TO WORK WHEN THIS HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. 179,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES SINCE I HAD THE VEHICLE. I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE WITH 60,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937487

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

179,000 mi

ENGINE CONTROL MODULE(ECM) FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, REQUIRING EXTENSIVE REPAIRS. MAY HAVE ALSO CAUSED BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, BRAKE SWITCH, CONDENSER FAN, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL.

NHTSA ID

10919315

Incident

Sep 29, 2016

Mileage

118,000 mi

ON JULY 19, 2016 AT OR ABOUT 1500 HOURS, I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE TO GET SOME FOOD, ON THE WAY OUT MY APARTMENT COMPLEX, I BELIEVE MY HYUNDAI SONATA 2008 ALLOWED ME TO GO ABOUT TWO BLOCKS DOWN FROM WHERE I LIVE TO SHUT OFF IN THE STREET RIGHT BEFORE I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN. I ALSO REMEMBER HEARING TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF, WHILE DRIVING I HEARD THIS KNOCKING SOUND IN MY ENGINE, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEW STARTER THAT WAS REPLACED BUT THEN A DAY OR TWO LATER IT STOP MAKING THAT KNOCKING NOISE. I CALLED AROUND TO FIND ANSWERS NO ONE HAD A CLUE TO WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THIS VEHICLE. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING JUST FINE UNTIL JULY 16, 2016. I HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE APRIL 17, 2009 AND I CAN'T NOT BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE HAS A MAJOR ISSUE LIKE THIS AT POINT AND TIME. I COULD DEAL WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICES BUT ON THIS FLIP SIDED COIN; NOT HAVING A VEHICLE TO CRANK OR ONE THAT JUST SHUTS OFF WITH OUT ANY ENGINE LIGHTS OR WARNING IS A COMPLETE MYSTERY FOR ME, BUT I THINK IT IS TIME HYUNDAI GIVE ME SOME ANSWERS TO THIS PROBLEM... LETS ALSO BE CLEAR THERE WAS OIL AND GAS IN THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME OF VEHICLE IN MOTION SHUT OFF.

NHTSA ID

10888023

Incident

Jul 16, 2016

Mileage

131,189 mi

UPON STARTING THE CAR, I HEARD A HIGH-PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ENGINE THAT INCREASED IN VOLUME AND INTENSITY AS I ACCELERATED (IN TOWN), AND THEN I OBSERVED TWO PUFFS OF SMOKE OR STEAM ARISE FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AT A NEARBY MECHANIC, WHO OBSERVED THAT THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK VALVE COVER WAS LEAKING OIL. THE WHINE, WHICH GRADUALLY WENT AWAY, MAY HAVE BEEN OIL GETTING ONTO THE ALTERNATOR BELT. FORTUNATELY, WE SEEM TO HAVE CAUGHT THIS IN TIME, AS THE ALTERNATOR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED, BUT IT EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN, AS THE EDGE OF THE VALVE COVER HANGS DIRECTLY OVER THE ALTERNATOR IN THE 3.3L V6 ENGINE. THE LEAK MAY HAVE BEEN MORE OF A "SWEAT" FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME; ONLY THE WHINE ALERTED ME TO ANYTHING BEING WRONG, AND MAY HAVE BEEN A SIGN THE LEAK WAS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE VALVE COVER GASKET. WHAT IS FRUSTRATING IS THAT HYUNDAI HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, ON THE VERY SAME ENGINE I BELIEVE, FOR THEIR VERA CRUZ MODELS, BUT NOT THEIR SONATAS FOR THE SAME YEARS. THEY SHOULD RECALL THE SONATAS WITH THIS ENGINE AS WELL, AS THE ALTERNATOR CAN BE DESTROYED IF THIS ISN'T CAUGHT AND FIXED.

NHTSA ID

10873309

Incident

May 26, 2016

Mileage

72,300 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER THE RADIO SHUT OFF. NEXT MOST OF THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON , THE ENGINE WOULD NOT MAKE POWER/ACCELERATE, AND THE BRAKING SEEMED WEAK/JERKY. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AS SOON AS I COULD. NOW ALL DASH LIGHTS WERE ON/BLINKING AND THE RADIO, SUNROOF, WINDOWS ETC WOULD NOT WORK. THINKING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE I LEFT IT RUNNING TO INVESTIGATE. NEXT THING I KNOW THE CAR IS OVERHEATING EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE ISN'T SHOWING IT. STEAM EVERYWHERE AND THE OVERFLOW POPPED THE CAP OFF. SHUT THE CAR OFF. ONCE THE CAR COOLED I WAS ABLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. OIL HAS BEEN DRIPPING ON TO THE ALTERNATOR FROM A LEAK IN THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THIS KILLED THE ALTERNATOR WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE CONTROL/BRAKING/ACCELERATION ISSUES ONE IT WAS ON BATTERY ONLY. I'M ASSUMING THE FAN WAS NOT COOLING EITHER WHICH RESULTED IN THE OVERHEATING.

NHTSA ID

10861393

Incident

Apr 25, 2016

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR BECAME INOPERABLE AND FAILED TO OPEN USING THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10852975

Incident

Apr 1, 2011

Mileage

40,000 mi