2015 Hyundai Sonata Visibility Problems

I was driving my 2015 Hyundai Sonata approximately 35 mph after leaving the Hyundai dealership following an engine replacement when the hood unexpectedly flew completely open without warning. The hood struck the windshield, completely obstructing my forward visibility and creating an extremely dangerous situation. I was able to safely pull over without causing a collision, but the vehicle sustained extensive damage and was declared a total loss by my insurance company. During the same service visit in which the engine was replaced, the dealership recommended replacing the hood latches, but I declined that repair. Hyundai later informed me that the hood latching system was functioning properly after the engine replacement and that the vehicle passed its post-repair inspection and road test. Approximately one mile after leaving the dealership following the engine replacement, the hood unexpectedly opened while I was driving. There were no hood-ajar warnings, warning lights, or other indications that the hood was not properly secured before the incident. The sudden loss of visibility created a serious risk of a crash that could have resulted in severe injury or death. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this incident represents a significant vehicle safety issue that should be investigated.

NHTSA ID

11753510

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic sunroof detached from the vehicle. The hazard lights were activated, and the vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact attempted to close the cover and was able to close it halfway. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure reoccurred. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to close the cover, but the cover failed to close. The contact drove the vehicle while holding the sunroof cover with the other hand. The contact stated that the wind kept lifting the detached panoramic sunroof. The vehicle was taken to a collision center to reattach the panoramic sunroof. The employee removed the panoramic sunroof and placed the sunroof on the passenger seat. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (VISIBILITY). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11726826

Incident

Mar 21, 2026

I am reporting a re-failure of Safety Recall 152. The panoramic sunroof wind deflector, which was previously 'repaired' in 2017 under this recall, has failed again. The broken parts have jammed the sunroof mechanism, preventing it from closing. According to NHTSA Recall 152, this failure poses a severe safety risk as the sunroof glass can detach from the vehicle while driving. The vehicle has only 55,000 miles. Hyundai has currently refused to honor the recall remedy because the 10-year warranty expired 3 months ago, but a safety recall remedy must be permanent and effective.

NHTSA ID

11719908

Incident

Feb 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the sunroof detached from the roof of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The vehicle also experienced severe engine knocking and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. In addition, several safety features including the Lane Departure, Cruise Control, and the Forward Collision Avoidance system intermittently malfunctioned. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

NHTSA ID

11542871

Incident

Apr 1, 2023

Mileage

92,000 mi

We have a 2015 hyundai sonata with a panoramic sunroof. About 2 weeks ago we opened the sunroof and noticed the wind deflector popped up higher than normal. When we tried to close the sunroof it would not close. The deflector was sticking up and we had to push it down quickly to avoid punching our hands in the sunroof. It still did not want to close after we tried, but the sunroof was down almost all the way. We called hyundai the same day to get it looked at. We thought maybe it broke something in the process of closing because it didn't look closed 100%. They could not get us in until mid August. We were not too concerned because the sunroof was mostly closed down so rain could not get in. Today driving about 50 mph the sunroof just FLEW off the car and shattered into a million pieces in full traffic. Someone could have been seriously injured!! There was absolutely no indication that the sunroof was not secure on our vehicle otherwise we would not have drove it

NHTSA ID

11532503

Incident

Jul 15, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 47 MPH, the sunroof started to detach from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull on the sunroof to prevent sunroof from separating from the vehicle. The contact pulled over safely on the side of the roadway and the vehicle was ten taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the vehicle was experiencing a similar failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 90,086.

NHTSA ID

11514798

Incident

Mar 24, 2023

Mileage

90,086 mi

The bug guard/wind deflector has become detached (AGAIN) on my panoramic sunroof while driving on the freeway. It puts myself & passengers as well as other people driving on the freeway in danger as there is a known issue that the detached bug guard/wind deflector is what causes detaching window panels or shattered sunroof panels. I took my vehicle to the Dealership in Salt Lake City, UT for a repair on the bug guard and was told since it had been repaired before through the original recall, they would not repair it again. (the fix is loctite super glue). I asked about my warranty on the panoramic sunroof and they told me that it only covers the glass and I would need to pay $160.00 for the diagnosis of the detached bug guard. - which can be seen by opening the sunroof. I spoke with the service manager of the dealership as the simple fix of super glue is much less expensive than fixing my glass and he told me it since the repair had already been made on the original recall that they would do nothing if the glass wasn't broken. There was no warning lamp or other symptoms, it just suddenly became detached while driving on the freeway.

NHTSA ID

11493638

Incident

Nov 14, 2022

The contact's son owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 45 MPH, the sunroof detached and landed on the road. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver retrieved the sunroof and placed it in the trunk of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the panoramic roof to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (Visibility) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11491139

Incident

Aug 7, 2022

Mileage

70,000 mi

Paint peeled off hood, initially causing a distraction while driving, while it fluttered, then when departing the hood it stuck to the windshield causing a visibility issue before using the wipers to remove it. Dealer said it's a known issue with this paint color, but said the warranty period was over.

NHTSA ID

11488910

Incident

Sep 14, 2022

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, he noticed that the sunroof was inoperable. The contact stated there were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of a failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (Visibility). The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

NHTSA ID

11472542

Incident

Jul 4, 2022

Mileage

83,000 mi

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the panoramic sunroof detached from the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the wind defector bonding had failed to cause the failure. The contact was informed that the sunroof and assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (Visibility). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 52,000.

NHTSA ID

11467983

Incident

May 8, 2022

Mileage

52,000 mi

I was driving on I 205 N (Portland, OR), at a speed of around 65 MPH, when I hear a loud pop. Wasn't sure what happened, and first thing I thought was that somebody fired at my car... I realized that the air entering the car was coming from the sunroof area, and hearing the sound of shattered glass moving on the piece of material that separates the sunroof from the interior I realized that the problem comes from there. So I got out at the next exit, stopped in a WINCO parking lot and started assessing the damage and cleaning/ vacuuming the glass.

NHTSA ID

11467974

Incident

May 24, 2022

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the sunroof wind deflector detached and blew off the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the wind deflector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V726000 (Visibility). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

NHTSA ID

11466461

Incident

Apr 29, 2022

Mileage

83,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY SUNROOF CLOSED AND THE WHOLE THING CAME DETACHED. THE WINDOW SHATTERED. AND PART OF THE PIECE THAT HOLDS IT FELL OFF. I SEE A RECALL PREVIOUS FOR THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11441276

Incident

Nov 20, 2021

The contact's boyfriend owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 mph, the moon roof detached from the assembly and shattered behind the vehicle without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where they informed her that vehicle was not under warranty nor recall. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

NHTSA ID

11425184

Incident

Jun 16, 2021

Mileage

66,000 mi

While commuting to work on a rainy evening, the wiper blade appeared suddenly to become loose and quickly became fully detached due to the motion of my windshield wipers. It was flung from my car and could not be retrieved. The replacement wiper blades (driver and passenger side) were attached by a licensed mechanic, and they both seemed to function properly after installation until the failure occurred. The passenger side wiper blade remained connected. It had been replaced simultaneously along with the driver side blade; therefore they each sustained the same wear and relative minimal usage following their application before the critical incident. It was disturbing to have a piece of equipment necessary for the safe operation of a vehicle suddenly fail while the car was in motion, and during rainy weather conditions. There was no reason to suspect this would occur. I am hoping that reports such as this will help to put an appropriate degree of pressure on private companies to ensure they are selling products which are dependable rather than which compromise the integrity of valuable property and personal safety. The images I am including merely provide evidence of the product's purchase and support my claim of the failure. The photos of my windshield were taken upon reentering my vehicle after my overnight work shift. They show a faint line devoid of condensation, created by the bare metal windshield wiper having scraped against my windshield after the blade was disconnected.

NHTSA ID

11418000

Incident

May 8, 2021

HEAD LIGHTS RANDOMLY GO OFF WHILE DRIVING AND DO NOT COME BACK ON A LOT OF THE TIME.THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING A LOT AS OF 48000 MILES AND DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIND REASON.

NHTSA ID

11365898

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

48,000 mi

1. WIPERS DON'T STOP MOVING EVEN IF SWITCHED OFF AND EVEN IF ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. 2. PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOESN'T LATCH 3. CRACKING NOISE WHEN MAKING TURNS *TR

NHTSA ID

11321367

Incident

Apr 5, 2017

WHILE DRIVING ON A SECONDARY HIGHWAY, THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE RELEASED AND SLAMMED INTO THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11317702

Incident

Feb 17, 2020

Mileage

78,000 mi

PANORAMIC ROOF WIND DEFLECTOR TORE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEBRIS SCATTERED ON HIGHWAY AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BEHIND OUR VEHICLE AS OTHERS ATTEMPTED TO AVOID IT. WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE THE UNIT WHILE HOLDING ALL OF THE COMPONENTS DOWN IN THE TRACK/HOUSING. A HYUNDAI TECHNICIAN REPORTED THE ISSUE WAS A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND WE'D BE CHARGED $1200 TO REPAIR IT. LOOKING AT PREVIOUS RECALLS, OUR VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE AFFECTED ALTHOUGH OUR SPECIFIC VIN DOESN'T SHOW THIS AS A DOCUMENTED ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, NOW THE GLASS 'CHATTERS' WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11216979

Incident

Apr 26, 2019

Mileage

73,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE SUN ROOF. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SEAL AROUND THE SUN ROOF WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VAN HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 1301 S INTERSTATE 35E, CARROLLTON, TX 75006, (372) 437-8334) AND THE ENTIRE SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HUFFINES HYUNDAI PLANO (LOCATED AT 909 COIT RD, PLANO, TX 75075, (972) 867-5000) WHERE THE ENTIRE SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 11438240. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ID

11193632

Incident

May 10, 2017

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SUN ROOF DETACHED FROM THE FRAMING WITHOUT WARNING. NAPLETON HYUNDAI GLENVIEW (1620 WAUKEGAN RD, GLENVIEW, IL 60025, (847) 729-8900) INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A RESPONSE TIMEFRAME. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW-UP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11110318

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

40,000 mi

LEFT BRAKE CALIPER STUCK WEARING OUT BRAKE PAD COMPLETELY. HEADLIGHTS SO DIM THEY DON'T LIGHT ROADWAY. WINDSHIELD UNUSUAL HAZY APPEARANCE CAUSING UNCLEAR FRONT VIEW. ALL PROBLEMS DURING ANY CONDITION ON ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11083357

Incident

Mar 14, 2016

Mileage

39,000 mi

PUT BLINKER ON FOR RIGHT HAND TURN, MADE THE TURN, WHEN THE BLINDER STALK (WHICH ALSO CONTAINS HEADLIGHT CONTROLS) RETURNED TO HOME POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED MY LIGHTS HAD SWITCHED OFF. MY LIGHT KNOB REMAINED IN AUTO, WITH THE COMPUTER THOUGHT I TURNED THEM OFF. THIS WAS AT NIGHT. I COULD NOT SEE WHEN MY LIGHTS TURNED OFF. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO BE IN MOTION AND HAVE YOUR LIGHTS CUT OUT!!! THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FREQUENTLY NOW, GETTING WORSE. IT'S OBVIOUSLY A BAD CONNECTION WITHIN THE BLINKER STALK, CAUSING THE LIGHT MODE TO CHANGE ON ITS OWN WHEN TURNING.

NHTSA ID

10945352

Incident

Jan 15, 2017

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V726000 (VISIBILITY). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10935635

Incident

Dec 2, 2016