2011 Hyundai Sonata Problems

Intermittent and sudden loss of power steering nearly caused an accident for both of sons when each one was driving on two separate occasions this past week. "EPS" and traction control warning lights both illuminate on the dash when steering goes out. Sometimes the codes will clear themselves out after restarting the vehicle, but not always. Had it inspected by an independent service center and they cleared out the codes with their scanner. Steering worked fine for a few days afterwards, but then suddenly lost power steering again yesterday. It is very dangerous to drive and it is very unpredictable. I see that there was a recall for this issue for certain manufacture dates for 2011 Hyundai Sonata, but mine was not part of the recall. I believe that it should be part of that recall before someone dies or is injured.

I purchased fgis car from a used car dealership, for over $6,000.00 , which is not a ton of money, but plenty enough to not have instant issues. Since my purchase in june 30, 2026, i have already had all of these issues occur. There is white smoke coming from the left tail pipe, it is sluggish when you push on the gas, there is black soot constantly on my rims that is extreamly hard to remove, the high pressure fuel pump jas failed, I can tell because the oil is higher then it was when o had the oil freshly changed, and it smells of gasoline.inside the oil. The exhaust has stron smell of gasoline. My steering wheel has a loud clinking noise everytime I go over a speed bump on pull into my driveway. Just so many items consistently needing repair or replacement, even though I just had the fuel system cleaned, the oil changed, and filters, and.oil filter too. I checked to see if any of my issues are covered by a recall warranty, because they all are recalled items for my car year, make, and model, but apparently Hyunfai is only covering these dangerous recall items for ul to 10 years. These items shkuld be covered longer, because my carfax states that at least one of these recalled items had already been changed in 2018, and is already broken again!! Hyundai should have covered these extreamly high wear out car parts for a longer period of time, or for the life of the vehicle, if every 5 years your replacing a $1000.00 part, not including labor, like the (HPFP) I was quoted by auto zone for over that price point!! "Ridiculous"! Another item is the air bag cover on the driver side windows area, of the body frame it is loose and keeps un-clipping, i am afraid that it is going to possibly just go off and kill me or something!! Very disappointed right now, that i cannot get any of these recalled items replaced by the manufacturer!!

I test drove the vehicle at an auction, watched several other people test drive the vehicle. Before the auction I test drove it one more time and put my obd scan tool on it to make sure there were no hidden codes or problems. I won the bid,and picked up the vehicle. I drove it approximately 6 miles from the auction and the falshing engine light popped on. I immediately pulled over in heavy freeway traffic. Put my scan tool on it and found out the knock sensor had triggered. The vehicle was shaking and making a terrible racket. It was inoperable in the worst possible spot on Highway 51 during rush hour traffic. I managed to slowing coast down the offramp and roll into a parking lot. I then called Purdy Hyundai and spoke with a service advisor and provided the VIN#. He (Vue Kue) informed me that the vehicle qualified for the recall and warranty work based on exactly that issue. I had the vehicle towed to the Purdy dealership on July 8th 2026. I was told today that it was unlikely that Hyundai would honor the recall because I did not have service records of a vehicle I had owned for 6 miles of driving. I filed a complaint with Hyundai corporate. Claim#43010067 and awaiting the reconciliation of this situation. Of which they appear to to be avoiding.

Rod bearing issue due to particles in engine causing engine to not accelerate as normal and jerk when goes over 10 MPH can’t exceed 50 miles causing safety issues and knocking/clicking noise took it to Hyundai and was informed it is apart of the recall but wont replace engine my vehicle has ALL the same issues as the Hyundai recall but my VIN isn’t registered on the site for recall on carfax it shows a pattern of the previous owners being car in for maintenance and engine issues but engine never being replace under recall

I was heading to work when suddenly smoke started pouring from the air conditioning vents, and the ABS and traction control warning lights came on. I hit the brakes to pull over, only to realize I had lost braking power. I managed to steer to the side of the road as carefully as possible and bring the car to a stop—despite having no brakes and a fire burning under the hood. I tried downshifting to slow the vehicle, but the transmission didn't respond, and the cabin began filling with smoke. Once I stopped, there was nothing I could do to extinguish the fire, as the car was completely consumed within seconds. It was a fire in the engine bay; I lost the brakes, and the ABS and traction control lights lit up. I assume it was a critical failure in the braking system, most likely involving the ABS module.

Randomly all controls on my steering wheel (I.e. cruise control, volume for sound, Bluetooth phone controls etc) just stopped working. Now I cannot control the radio, phone or even toggle to see mpg, mileage driven, use cruise control etc. I read there was an extended warranty regarding this issue and my vehicle was or is affected. However it has since expired and upon contacting local dealership they did not even have the parts for that recall.

I purchased fgis car from a used car dealership, for over $6,000.00 , which is not a ton of money, but plenty enough to not have instant issues. Since my purchase in june 30, 2026, i have already had all of these issues occur. There is white smoke coming from the left tail pipe, it is sluggish when you push on the gas, there is black soot constantly on my rims that is extreamly hard to remove, the high pressure fuel pump jas failed, I can tell because the oil is higher then it was when o had the oil freshly changed, and it smells of gasoline.inside the oil. The exhaust has stron smell of gasoline. My steering wheel has a loud clinking noise everytime I go over a speed bump on pull into my driveway. Just so many items consistently needing repair or replacement, even though I just had the fuel system cleaned, the oil changed, and filters, and.oil filter too. I checked to see if any of my issues are covered by a recall warranty, because they all are recalled items for my car year, make, and model, but apparently Hyunfai is only covering these dangerous recall items for ul to 10 years. These items shkuld be covered longer, because my carfax states that at least one of these recalled items had already been changed in 2018, and is already broken again!! Hyundai should have covered these extreamly high wear out car parts for a longer period of time, or for the life of the vehicle, if every 5 years your replacing a $1000.00 part, not including labor, like the (HPFP) I was quoted by auto zone for over that price point!! "Ridiculous"! Another item is the air bag cover on the driver side windows area, of the body frame it is loose and keeps un-clipping, i am afraid that it is going to possibly just go off and kill me or something!! Very disappointed right now, that i cannot get any of these recalled items replaced by the manufacturer!!

The clock spring went bad causing failure of horn and all buttons on the steering wheel including cruise control. It also caused the airbag light to illuminate.

On my 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS, both rear tail lights have melted to the point that the lightbulbs cannot be extracted and the brake and tail lights no longer work. When I looked into this, I found out this is a common issue on 2011 Hyundai Sonatas. It is almost always caused by excessive heat from the standard incandescent bulbs, which damages the wiring harness and deforms the plastic housing. When I called the closest Hyundai dealer (in Chico, California), they told me the warranty had expired last year and that I should have received a notice about it after I obtained ownership of the car in March 2025 (a little over a year ago). However, I did not receive a notice about this. Since the tail lights do not work properly as a result of this problem, it is a safety issue as it could cause an accident. It should be a recall repair instead of a warranty that expires. My car is still well under the 200,000 mile limit that was set on the extended warranty, but they're refusing to honor that because of the warranty being expired.

I bought this car from someone in April of 2024 and the person who i bought it from said everything was perfectly fine, they brought it to the Hyundai dealership and according to the mechanic there the engine was fine….i have taken care of the engine since i bought the car, kept up with oil changes and everything….until a few days ago when the whole thing ceased up on me while driving down the road to my sons school. I wasnt going fast either, the speed limit is 40mph where i was when it happened, but I’m glad i have quick reflexes because otherwise we would have wrecked the car. Everything shut off on me and now its knocking. There is alot of metal shavings in my oil and my mechanic tried to drain it a few times to get the debris out of the oil but it does no good.

I was heading to work when suddenly smoke started pouring from the air conditioning vents, and the ABS and traction control warning lights came on. I hit the brakes to pull over, only to realize I had lost braking power. I managed to steer to the side of the road as carefully as possible and bring the car to a stop—despite having no brakes and a fire burning under the hood. I tried downshifting to slow the vehicle, but the transmission didn't respond, and the cabin began filling with smoke. Once I stopped, there was nothing I could do to extinguish the fire, as the car was completely consumed within seconds. It was a fire in the engine bay; I lost the brakes, and the ABS and traction control lights lit up. I assume it was a critical failure in the braking system, most likely involving the ABS module.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power, an alarm sounded for the braking system, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. After originally paying out-of-pocket for an ABS module at the dealer and was informed that the engine needed to be repaired and the brakes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the residence where an independent mechanic repaired the vehicle. There was a recall for the ABS module and the contact returned to the dealer, and the dealer confirmed that the independent mechanic had correctly installed the part. The dealer performed the official recall repair and refused to reimburse the contact for the previous expenses. Three months later, the braking system failed again. The contact stated that the vehicle temporarily returned to normal after a restart, but the failure worsened and required a return trip to the dealer for another repair. In January 2026, the failure recurred for a third time with a loud squealing sound. The dealer was not notified of the third failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

I test drove the vehicle at an auction, watched several other people test drive the vehicle. Before the auction I test drove it one more time and put my obd scan tool on it to make sure there were no hidden codes or problems. I won the bid,and picked up the vehicle. I drove it approximately 6 miles from the auction and the falshing engine light popped on. I immediately pulled over in heavy freeway traffic. Put my scan tool on it and found out the knock sensor had triggered. The vehicle was shaking and making a terrible racket. It was inoperable in the worst possible spot on Highway 51 during rush hour traffic. I managed to slowing coast down the offramp and roll into a parking lot. I then called Purdy Hyundai and spoke with a service advisor and provided the VIN#. He (Vue Kue) informed me that the vehicle qualified for the recall and warranty work based on exactly that issue. I had the vehicle towed to the Purdy dealership on July 8th 2026. I was told today that it was unlikely that Hyundai would honor the recall because I did not have service records of a vehicle I had owned for 6 miles of driving. I filed a complaint with Hyundai corporate. Claim#43010067 and awaiting the reconciliation of this situation. Of which they appear to to be avoiding.

Randomly all controls on my steering wheel (I.e. cruise control, volume for sound, Bluetooth phone controls etc) just stopped working. Now I cannot control the radio, phone or even toggle to see mpg, mileage driven, use cruise control etc. I read there was an extended warranty regarding this issue and my vehicle was or is affected. However it has since expired and upon contacting local dealership they did not even have the parts for that recall.

Good day, please note that most of my communication with Hyundai has been over the phone. I sent one an email shortly after the event, and after following up on the phone, I received this following string separately. I can forward you more along the way, but Hyundai is in possession of the call recordings. I was hoping they would cover my repairs, my engine had a lifetime warranty, but during this process I learned that there was a recall for this car that I was never aware of as the new owner. I needed a software update to get any repairs covered. Please reach out to me for more info!

The affected component is the engine/rod bearing (Theta II 2.4L). My 2011 Hyundai Sonata stalled and the engine locked up twice in live traffic (March 2025 and July 2025). The vehicle is available for inspection if needed. This created a serious safety risk to me and others on the road, as the stall occurred on [XXX] at highway speeds. This failure could have been catastrophic had it happened on the DC/Baltimore Beltway or another high-traffic roadway. Hyundai’s system shows Recall 132 was marked complete at very low mileage (around 32,000 miles), but my vehicle later developed oil consumption and stalling consistent with rod bearing failure. Capitol Heights Hyundai noted a warranty pre-authorization (PA) in March 2025 and told me Hyundai needed my mailing address “for the claim,” but later said it was a typo and that no record exists. The dealership charged me for a diagnostic but did not inspect the vehicle for rod bearing failure, despite symptoms consistent with Recall 132. Annapolis Hyundai, where the car was purchased as a CPO, has admitted they have no documentation that Recall 132 was ever performed (no repair order, mileage, or technician notes). Yet Hyundai’s system shows Recall 132 marked “complete.” Without proof that the KSDS software or bearing inspection was done, I belive this recall should be considered open. Hyundai Consumer Affairs has stated that I must pay for towing and diagnosis before they will investigate, with possible reimbursement later. This conflicts with federal law (49 U.S.C. § 30120), which requires recall diagnosis and repair at no cost to the consumer. Prior to the failures, my vehicle had a history of oil consumption and “no oil on dipstick” findings, which are known precursors to rod bearing failure. No warning lamps appeared before the stalls. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance in requiring Hyundai to provide documentation or reopen Recall 132 and perform a no-cost inspection/repair to ensure this vehicle is safe to operate INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF

I started to get engine knocking noises about 6 months after the purchase of the used car. This knocking noise began to increase in frequency as I pressed my foot on the accelerator and the car would not accelerate when I pressed my foot on the gas pedal. Then the car would shut down in the middle of traffic. After waiting about 30 -45 mins, I would try to start the car again and would start and initially run as long as I drove less than 20 miles/hour the knocking noise level would decrease but if I went above 15 - 20 mph the car would shut down. The check engine light and engine oil light would come on. So I would check the engine oil level oil using the dip stick and it showed oil levels were ok. On October 10 2023 while driving to Walmart the engine turned off and would not start after waiting over 1 hour and I was stuck in the mall entrance road. A concerned driver with his passengers pushed the car to a Walmart parking spot where it is currently at. In addition, the traction light kept coming on and I paid the Hyundai dealership $2,800 to repair to keep the car from drifting to the left and to get the light off.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started swerving in the lane to the right and the left. The contact heard an abnormal thumping noise from underneath the floorboard. The contact stated that the power steering and brakes functioned as needed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear cross member needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V354000 (Suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 162,000.

I purchased fgis car from a used car dealership, for over $6,000.00 , which is not a ton of money, but plenty enough to not have instant issues. Since my purchase in june 30, 2026, i have already had all of these issues occur. There is white smoke coming from the left tail pipe, it is sluggish when you push on the gas, there is black soot constantly on my rims that is extreamly hard to remove, the high pressure fuel pump jas failed, I can tell because the oil is higher then it was when o had the oil freshly changed, and it smells of gasoline.inside the oil. The exhaust has stron smell of gasoline. My steering wheel has a loud clinking noise everytime I go over a speed bump on pull into my driveway. Just so many items consistently needing repair or replacement, even though I just had the fuel system cleaned, the oil changed, and filters, and.oil filter too. I checked to see if any of my issues are covered by a recall warranty, because they all are recalled items for my car year, make, and model, but apparently Hyunfai is only covering these dangerous recall items for ul to 10 years. These items shkuld be covered longer, because my carfax states that at least one of these recalled items had already been changed in 2018, and is already broken again!! Hyundai should have covered these extreamly high wear out car parts for a longer period of time, or for the life of the vehicle, if every 5 years your replacing a $1000.00 part, not including labor, like the (HPFP) I was quoted by auto zone for over that price point!! "Ridiculous"! Another item is the air bag cover on the driver side windows area, of the body frame it is loose and keeps un-clipping, i am afraid that it is going to possibly just go off and kill me or something!! Very disappointed right now, that i cannot get any of these recalled items replaced by the manufacturer!!

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds on four occasions. During the first occasion, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the low-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but approximately a year later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the contact was advised to contact a dealer for assistance. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the high-pressure fuel pump and electrical wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

My car will randomly shut off while I’m driving. My seatbelt comes undone My door has opened while I was driving down the highway.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated while attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel seized, and the electrical system became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) nor 18V137000 (Seat Belts, Air Bags). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

My car was broken into and they broke off my door handle and took out ignition parts, a police report was done

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, an inspection revealed that the rear frame of the vehicle, located near the passenger’s side, was severely corroded. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 148,757.

Came completely apart and came out by the chest area

After doing some research, I am now aware that there was a recall 20V-746 or 21V-727 that my car was affected by & was never notified about. On 6/2/2022, I was driving and just exited the freeway. Smoke started coming out of the passengers side of the engine. Cars were honking at me & flames started coming out as I drove into a parking lot. I was terrified as my life was at risk & felt fortunate that this did not happen on the freeway. I feel lucky to have been able to escape this life threatening experience. There is now an open claim with my insurance. I had brake lights changed at Frank Hyundai on 4/08/2022 in National City, CA where they also ran a diagnostic check on the car. There was never mention of a recall & my car was cleared of any issues. In addition to the photos I have attached, I also have videos that I am not able to upload.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the dome light failed to deactivate and remained illuminated. The contact then stated that he had to manually deactivate to turn the light off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the exterior door lock button was no longer operative. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the battery and key fob of the vehicle were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V070000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,800.

P205 65 R16 Blizzak tires were purchased in December 2023, online and I had them installed same week. I spoke to the employee who stated as long as I rotated the tires at 5,000 miles, I can drive them all year. I went to Discount tires on Saturday to have my tires checked since I was sliding in the rain. The employee told me my front tires were at a 1 and 2, while the back tires are at 9 and 10. She told me to talk to the front desk about the tires. I went in and asked about the warranty I had purchased. The employee told me it does not apply and that I would need to replace the tires. I explained to him that the car doesn't even have 5,000 miles on it since the purchase of the tires and how did the front wear so quickly? I only started using the car more in March. He also told me it could be the alignment. I had that fixed 2 years ago and the car doesnt pull left or right. He stated that the tires will bald if being driven in over 40 degree temps. I have in the past used winter tires all year and never experienced this. These tires never made it to 5,000 miles. They should not be worn so badly in the front, that this had now cause my back breaks to grind. Not only do I have to buy 4 new tires, since I can't keep the back on there, but I have to eventually get new back brakes, that aren't even 2 years old. These tires should not be on anyone's cars if they wear this quickly.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRES, SIZE: P205/65R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE HAD SEVERAL RIPS IN THE TREAD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

I was driving on the interstate when all of a sudden I heard a loud noise that terrified me. I quickly realized the glass of my sunroof was gone. There were no warning signs at all and the sunroof was not open when this happened. After inspection it was clear that only the glass was missing and no other parts of the sunroof assembly. I called Hyundai and was told I could bring it in but it would be an out of pocket expense and would be at least a week before they could get to it. I wasn't sure of the date so I put today's date. N

All the electrical on the drivers side conti ues to fail. The blinker on the driver side only works if the headlights are on and the brake/blinker lights constantly go out even though the bulbs are fine.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 10/07/14*LJ UPDATED 3/16/2015*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER SEIZED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.