2010 Hyundai Sonata Body & structure Problems

External Handles made of plastic continue to break and do not allow access to open car doors

NHTSA ID

11699964

Incident

Nov 8, 2025

I have several recalls on my vehicle and the dealership only scrub and they did not replace the crossmember and other parts. I need help to see if this is OK

NHTSA ID

11524560

Incident

May 22, 2022

IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF/BROKEN. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT (SEPT 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF THE CAR WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT (NOV 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE REMAINED ON THE CAR BUT BROKE SO THAT IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. BOTH INCIDENCES OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE DOOR HANDLES BROKE; I DID NOT USE EXCESSIVE FORCE NOR WAS THERE ANY INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THESE INCIDENCES.

NHTSA ID

11372556

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

LAST MONTH, THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT WAS BROKEN. WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN MY DOOR, IT DID NOT OPEN. THAT IS IN THE PICTURE ATTACHED. ON SATURDAY, I OPENED MY DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE IN MY HAND. NOW I HAVE ONLY TOW DOORS THAT I CAN OPEN. I LOOKED ONLINE AND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE HYUNDAI SONATA. I FEEL LIKE CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS BECAUSE THIS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR WAS PARKED. I AM GOING TO HYUNDAI TO GET THIS REPAIRED BECAUSE I AM SCARED THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN MY CAR IF ALL THE HANDLES GETS LIKE THIS.

NHTSA ID

11354899

Incident

Sep 12, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

DRIVER'S EXTERIOR DOOR LATCH BROKE INTO TWO WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DOOR WITH HAND TO ENTER THE CAR. THE DOOR HAD BEEN UNLOCKED VIA REMOTE CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11349720

Incident

Aug 2, 2020

Mileage

57,482 mi

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD, WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN TO 20 MHP THE CARD JERKS, HARD DOWNSHIFT FROM 3RD TO 2ND, AND RPM INCREASE BY SEVERAL HUNDRED RPS. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION WARMS UP, ISSUE MOSTLY GOES AWAY. ISSUE STARTED THIS YEAR. SECOND ISSUE IS THE WHITE PAINT EASILY COMES OFF ALL OVER THE CAR, EVEN JUST FROM HOSING THE CAR WITH WATER. ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. ITS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE CAR PAYMENT. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE ISSUE BEFORE, HOWEVER I SEE ALOT OF OWNERS WITH WHITE COLOR HAVE THIS ISSUE. SUSPENSION SEEMS TO BE VERY HARD WHILE GOING OVER ANY BUMPS. FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO SUSPENSIONS MECHANISMS AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11348953

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE (EXTERIOR) BROKEN - FEBRUARY 2020. ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN ON THIS CAR BETWEEN 2015-2020! HYUNDAI PAID FOR THE FIRST 1 BUT FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD TOLD ME, ESSENTIALLY, "TOO BAD, DOOR HANDLES BREAK." APPARENTLY THEY DO ON 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA'S AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES BROKE ON MY CAR. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. I EXPECT HYUNDAI TO COVER THIS ONE. THE CAR HAS 66K MILES ON IT. IT DOES NOT GET HEAVY USE. THE FIRST 5 YEARS, I TOOK PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WORK, THEN STARTED WORKING FROM HOME. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE HANDLES TO BREAK. THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE GOT NORMAL USE; NOTHING EXCESSIVE OR UNUSUAL.

NHTSA ID

11338763

Incident

Feb 19, 2020

Mileage

65,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2016 AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY 1 DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF, SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD 1 MORE TO COME OFF AND 1 IS JUST HANGING ON SO I DO NOT TOUCH IT. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. I AM CONSTANTLY CLIMBING OVER MY SEATS OR ATTEMPTING TO OPEN FROM ANOTHER DOOR JUST TO GET INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN I HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN CAR SEATS IN THE BACK. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING DOOR HANDLES AND THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE DO NOT MATCH CAR COLOR. AFTER SEARCHING I SEE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE I PURCHASED MY CAR. I CAN NOT HONESTLY RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE FOR THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET INSIDE JUST TO TEST DRIVE AND THE DOOR HANDLE MIGHT POSSIBLY COME OFF. THE CAR RUNS FINE BUT I WOULD LIKE IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENTS FOR DOOR HANDLES SO THAT I CAN GET INSIDE THE CAR CORRECTLY AND WITHOUT HAVING TO CLIMB OVER OTHER SEATS ESPECIALLY IN THE RAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330752

Incident

Mar 18, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

DOOR HANDLES FALL OFF. THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. I HAVE NOW LOST TWO MORE HANDLES WHICH AT 58$ A PIECE, I AM BECOMING FRUSTRATED THAT I CANNOT GET IN MY CAR QUICKLY GOD FORBID SOMETHING HAPPENS, NOR GET TO MY BABY IN THE BACK SEAT QUICKLY AS I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS, RUN AROUND THE VEHICLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. I HAVE SEEN 2011 HYUNDAI SONATAS RECALL THE HANDLES, HOWEVER MINE IS A 2010 AND THIS SHOULD BE REPLACED BY HYUNDAI AS IT HAS BECOME A NUISANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327393

Incident

Jun 4, 2020

Mileage

111,232 mi

CAR PURCHASED JUNE 2016. 17,000 MI. THREE MONTHS LATER THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. WITHIN SIX MONTHS THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE HANDLE FELL OFF THEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. HYUNDAI WANTS $350.00 FOR EACH HANDLE. I CAN NO LONGER HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR IT IS UNSAFE. MY FEAR IS MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE WILL FALL OFF. I AM 70 AND TOO OLD TO CLIMB THRU THE TRUNK. IF THIS ISN'T A RECALL IT SHOULD BE. I CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB IF NECESSARY. THE CAR WAS PARKED WHEN THE HANDLES FELL OFF.

NHTSA ID

11307904

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

Mileage

17,000 mi

DOOR HANDLES EASILY SNAPPED OFF AND SENSOR WENT OUT FUEL TANK. THIS HAPPENING ON ALL CARS I HAVE 5 CO WORKERS SAME VEHICLES ALL HAVE SAME PROMBLEM THIS SHOULD BE FIXED WE CANT ENTER IN REAR OF CAR WITHOUT GETTING IN FRONT TO OPEN BOTH BACK DOORS

NHTSA ID

11287158

Incident

Dec 4, 2019

THE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM IS ERRATIC. IN ADDITION THE WINDOW UP AND DOWN MECHANISM WORKS INCONSISTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

11268047

Incident

Feb 5, 2019

Mileage

86,000 mi

DOOR HANDLES CCS ME RIGHT OFF. HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THEM

NHTSA ID

11268045

Incident

Feb 6, 2019

Mileage

86,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THREE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BRAKE OFF THE DOOR ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.. THE ENTIRE HANDLE BROKE OFF UPON GETTING TO GET INTO THE CAR. ONE HANDLE BROKE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, THE OTHER TWO BROKE ON MAY 5, 2019. AND JUNE 22, 2019.

NHTSA ID

11222315

Incident

Jun 22, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 3 DOOR HANDLES, TRANSMISSION, LICK SEAT BELT, SUNROOF MOTOR, SINCE BUYING THIS CAR. IT IS 9 YEARS OLD AND THE SEALS ON THE DOORS ARE GOING BAD. AIR AND PESTS ARE GETTING IN THE CAR. AND THE NOISE LEVEL IS HORRIBLE. I WAS TOLD 2 WEEKS AGO THAT THE RATTLING I KEEP HEARING IS THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS AND FRAME AND WILL COST ABOUT $1000 TO FIX. CAR WAS OK UNTIL IT JUST HOT 100000 MILE MARK.

NHTSA ID

11209465

Incident

Mar 15, 2013

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALLACE HYUNDAI (3801 SE FEDERAL HWY, STUART, FL) ALL 4 OF THE DOOR HANDLES WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON ALL FOUR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. *BF *JB

NHTSA ID

11206074

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER & PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES. HAD TO GET SWITCH TO OPEN GAS TANK REPAIRED. WHEN FUELING CAR, PUMP CONTINUESLY STOPS WHEN TANK IS NOT FULL.

NHTSA ID

11202685

Incident

Jul 11, 2018

Mileage

89,000 mi

WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 2010, A DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS. HYUNDAI REPLACED IT FREE OF CHARGE. FAST FORWARD TO 2019. CAR HAS ONLY 45,000 MILES AND IN THE SPAN OF 2 WEEKS, THE EXTERIOR REAR RIGHT PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLES CAME OFF. THIS OCCURRED WHEN OPENING THE DOORS. WHILE WE HAVE A 10 YEAR/100,000 WARRANTY, HYUNDAI WILL NOT HONOR REPLACING THE DEFECT. ESTIMATED REPAIRS ARE NEAR $500. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE INOPERABLE AND REQUIRING DRIVER TO CLIMB INTO CAR. WE SEE MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH HYUNDAI FOR NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE OF RELIABILITY AND TRUST AND WENT ON TO PURCHASE 2 MORE HYUNDAI VEHICLES. WE KEEP OUR CARS FOR A LONG TIME - UP TO 200,000 MILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD HANDLES FALL OFF.

NHTSA ID

11195397

Incident

Apr 7, 2019

TAKATA RECALL...I HAVE A COMPLAINT ON THE PAINT ON MY CAR. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH PAINT ON A CAR LIKE THIS ONE. IT SEEMED TO BE SO CHEAP THAT EVEN A STICKING TAPE WILL RIP OFF THE PAINT.

NHTSA ID

11192280

Incident

Feb 5, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" SONATA DOOR HANDLES BREAK FOR NO REASON. IN AN EMERGENCY, FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO EVACUATE PASSENGERS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 3 OF MY 4 DOORS: CAR IS PARKED. I UNLOCK CAR WITH KEY IN DOOR. I PUSH UNLOCK BUTTON. DOORS UNLOCK. PASSENGER USES OUTSIDE HANDLE, BUT HANDLE DOES NOT RESPOND. DOOR HANDLE IS BROKEN INSIDE THE DOOR.CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENS. NO ONE HAS JERKED THE HANDLE OR PULLED ON IT ROUGHLY WHEN IT BROKE. IN ALL THREE INSTANCES A SIMPLE LIFT ON THE HANDLE AND IT BROKE.

NHTSA ID

11174405

Incident

Dec 15, 2018

Mileage

101,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLES FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS BECOMING LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW HANDLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.*BF .. *TR *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11164743

Incident

Dec 20, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

HYUNDAI SONATA 2010 - THE FRONT, DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. A STANDARD AMOUNT OF DOOR OPENING FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED WITH A WEAKENED OR DEFECTIVE CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE OPENING MECHANISM INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THIS IS THE SECOND DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT HAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, WITHOUT WARNING LEAVING ONLY 2 FUNCTIONAL DOOR HANDLES ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11144555

Incident

Oct 29, 2018

Mileage

84,000 mi

HYUNDAI SONATA 2010 - THE REAR, DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN FRONT OF A HOUSE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. A STANDARD AMOUNT OF DOOR OPENING FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED WITH A WEAKENED OR DEFECTIVE CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE OPENING MECHANISM INSIDE OF THE DOOR.

NHTSA ID

11144552

Incident

Mar 10, 2017

Mileage

74,000 mi

PLASTIC EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BREAK, COME LOOSE, AND THEN CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR. 3 DOOR HANDLES NOW.

NHTSA ID

11143534

Incident

Oct 27, 2018

Mileage

45,000 mi

WENT TO OPEN OUTSIDE PASSENGER BACK DOOR - OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. WENT TO OPEN OUTSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR - OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF.

NHTSA ID

11141483

Incident

Oct 19, 2018