2020 Hyundai Sonata Problems

Car was taken to dealership for inspection. Upon inspection, it was determined that the fuel tank had expanded and pushed towards the heat shield, and expanded upward pushing up the back seats of vehicle. It was determined to not safe to drive. Manufacturer contacted me and offered a buyback. Upon their offer of a buyback, it was determined that I would owe the manufacturer approximately $2,000. I have requested that they fix it, and they have refused to give me the paperwork I requested about the car's condition and fixability. I am in the process of negotiating and am filing this complaint for the record.

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the family inside the vehicle, a strong gasoline odor was inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was lowering quickly. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact became aware of gasoline gushing heavily out of the vehicle onto the ground. Two months prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer due to an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the recall repair was not performed because the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was determined that the gas valve was not properly fixed. The abnormal sound in the rear of the vehicle was due to the fuel expansion, which caused the tank to rupture and melt. The melting caused the fuel pump to expand and melt, causing structural damage to the body of the vehicle. The structural expansion caused the rear passenger seats to raise up. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.

A/C blower motor fan would stop working. Happened twice within less than a year apart. Upon further inspection, multi fuse wiring overheated and melted, ruining fuse and making A/C stop working during 100+ temperatures outside. Apparently this is a well known issue with this make and model Sonata. Electrical failure.

I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a recurring, unresolved electrical defect in my 2020 Hyundai Sonata SEL. The vehicle fails to recognize when the ignition is switched off, leaving core vehicle systems active and causing severe parasitic battery drain that leaves the car immobilized. ​Description of the Problem: ​False "On" Status: After parking, turning off the engine, and exiting the vehicle, the car continues to register as though the ignition is still active/on (accessories, cluster, or vehicle network remain awake). ​ Severe Parasitic Draw: Because the vehicle fails to shut down its electrical circuits, the 12-volt battery repeatedly discharges overnight or while parked for short durations. ​Battery Replacement Did Not Resolve Issue: The 12-volt battery was replaced with a brand-new unit to eliminate typical wear, yet the drain and false "on" behavior persisted immediately. ​ Frequency: The vehicle frequently fails to start, requiring constant jump-starts or roadside assistance to operate. ​Safety Hazard: This defect creates a direct safety risk by repeatedly stranding the driver without warning in public locations, traffic stops, or remote areas. In addition, an electrical system that fails to enter a sleep state creates a potential hazard for component overheating, failure of electronic security and locking systems, or total electrical failure while attempting to restart or operate auxiliary safety equipment. Other Hyundai owners have reported identical issues where the body control modules or ignition logic fail to power down. ​Corrective Action Requested: I request that the NHTSA investigate this electrical shutdown defect across the 2020 Hyundai Sonata model year to identify whether a faulty Body Control Module (BCM), smart key receiver, or ignition switch relay requires a safety recall and software or hardware remediation. Battery replaced on 09/04/2026 Car inspected/diagnosed by Hyundai Dealership on 09/03/2026

The A/C evaporator core and the core seal needs replacing on 2020 Hyundai Sonata. Car is 6 years old. I already have a confirmed diagnosis with a PPM refrigerant leak tester at the condensate drain line The diagnosis is 100% confirmed. The evaporator is leaking heavily—we pulled 274 PPM at the drain tube and 177 PPM inside the cabin behind the glove box so refrigerent has been leaking out of the vents. My wife and I were getting headaches for no reason. Our AC has failed and this problem was discovered as the issue and I am paying out of pocket to fix something that should not have failed and has leaked out refrigerent.

My vehicle while driving, it is jerking and shaking. When I come to a stop, the cars rpms go up and down while the car is shaking. When I pressed the gas pedal to accelerate the car will not accelerate as normal and the car jerks as I’m driving it. The RPMs rev up and down without any pressure placed on the gas pedal. The check engine light came on.The miles per hour only allows me to put one digit. I wanted to clarify that the problem is occurring anywhere between 0 mph to 65 mph when these the car jerks and shakes and the RPMs go up and down without me pressure on the gas pedal.

Parking malfunction. Parked, running car moved itself to reverse and backed up a driveway crossing a dirt road and hitting a fence and post. This car could have hit and severely injured anyone who was in the path while it was reversing on its own. Car was in reverse and all parking sensors were blaring when the car was found minutes later.

The reverse camera only shows a black screen and will put drivers in danger while not being able to see behind them while reversing. This needs to be recalled and repaired. Especially in situations where a person is reversing out of a driveway onto a major/busy road. Sometimes it works, but a lot of the time it is just a black screen with the green, yellow, and red lines to indicate how far your wheel is turned. But it doesn’t allow you to actually SEE where you’re backing up into or the cars coming from either side of you while trying to back out. It’s very dangerous and it seems to a be manufacturer’s defect that needs to be addressed by the company itself, since they’re the ones who made and installed the product incorrectly.

I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a recurring, unresolved electrical defect in my 2020 Hyundai Sonata SEL. The vehicle fails to recognize when the ignition is switched off, leaving core vehicle systems active and causing severe parasitic battery drain that leaves the car immobilized. ​Description of the Problem: ​False "On" Status: After parking, turning off the engine, and exiting the vehicle, the car continues to register as though the ignition is still active/on (accessories, cluster, or vehicle network remain awake). ​ Severe Parasitic Draw: Because the vehicle fails to shut down its electrical circuits, the 12-volt battery repeatedly discharges overnight or while parked for short durations. ​Battery Replacement Did Not Resolve Issue: The 12-volt battery was replaced with a brand-new unit to eliminate typical wear, yet the drain and false "on" behavior persisted immediately. ​ Frequency: The vehicle frequently fails to start, requiring constant jump-starts or roadside assistance to operate. ​Safety Hazard: This defect creates a direct safety risk by repeatedly stranding the driver without warning in public locations, traffic stops, or remote areas. In addition, an electrical system that fails to enter a sleep state creates a potential hazard for component overheating, failure of electronic security and locking systems, or total electrical failure while attempting to restart or operate auxiliary safety equipment. Other Hyundai owners have reported identical issues where the body control modules or ignition logic fail to power down. ​Corrective Action Requested: I request that the NHTSA investigate this electrical shutdown defect across the 2020 Hyundai Sonata model year to identify whether a faulty Body Control Module (BCM), smart key receiver, or ignition switch relay requires a safety recall and software or hardware remediation. Battery replaced on 09/04/2026 Car inspected/diagnosed by Hyundai Dealership on 09/03/2026

My vehicle while driving, it is jerking and shaking. When I come to a stop, the cars rpms go up and down while the car is shaking. When I pressed the gas pedal to accelerate the car will not accelerate as normal and the car jerks as I’m driving it. The RPMs rev up and down without any pressure placed on the gas pedal. The check engine light came on.The miles per hour only allows me to put one digit. I wanted to clarify that the problem is occurring anywhere between 0 mph to 65 mph when these the car jerks and shakes and the RPMs go up and down without me pressure on the gas pedal.

The driver's power seat track master assembly (Part#88500-L0030) on my 2020 Hyundai Sonata suffered a catastrophic structural failure while operating. The black plastic bracket housing and aligning the electric drive motor fractured. This caused the motor to pull out of alignment, twisting the driver's seat violently sideways and permanently jamming the tracking rails. This is a chronic, repeat safety component failure on this specific VIN. The original factory seat track assembly suffered an identical mechanical failure and was replaced by warranty on 10/3/2023 at 46,369 miles. This second factory replacement unit failed in exactly the same manner on 8/13/2026 at 82,271 miles-lasting only 35,902 miles under normal operating conditions. I weigh 95 pounds. A driver's seat structurally shifting sideways dynamically presents an immediate, severe crash hazard. It instantly alters driver ergonomics, compromises the structural crash-anchoring performance of the seat frame, and potentially restricts pedal access to the brake and accelerator. The manufacturer is actively denying product liability by classifying internal structural breakages of shielded components beneath the cushion as user "damage" rather than an engineering or climate-related material defect. This tracking component must be formally investigated for systemic failure patterns to prevent accidents.

Car was taken to dealership for inspection. Upon inspection, it was determined that the fuel tank had expanded and pushed towards the heat shield, and expanded upward pushing up the back seats of vehicle. It was determined to not safe to drive. Manufacturer contacted me and offered a buyback. Upon their offer of a buyback, it was determined that I would owe the manufacturer approximately $2,000. I have requested that they fix it, and they have refused to give me the paperwork I requested about the car's condition and fixability. I am in the process of negotiating and am filing this complaint for the record.

Car was taken to dealership for inspection. Upon inspection, it was determined that the fuel tank had expanded and pushed towards the heat shield, and expanded upward pushing up the back seats of vehicle. It was determined to not safe to drive. Manufacturer contacted me and offered a buyback. Upon their offer of a buyback, it was determined that I would owe the manufacturer approximately $2,000. I have requested that they fix it, and they have refused to give me the paperwork I requested about the car's condition and fixability. I am in the process of negotiating and am filing this complaint for the record.

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the family inside the vehicle, a strong gasoline odor was inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was lowering quickly. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact became aware of gasoline gushing heavily out of the vehicle onto the ground. Two months prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer due to an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the recall repair was not performed because the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was determined that the gas valve was not properly fixed. The abnormal sound in the rear of the vehicle was due to the fuel expansion, which caused the tank to rupture and melt. The melting caused the fuel pump to expand and melt, causing structural damage to the body of the vehicle. The structural expansion caused the rear passenger seats to raise up. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.

Blower motor malfunction at night. Smelled something burning. Extremely hot and humid outside. Windows fogged up inside which greatly reduced visibility. Checked the multifuse which controls the ABS, oil pump, cooling fan, & Blower. I discovered a burnt connection on one of the terminals for the blower. This is a huge safety and fire risk and needs to be addressed ASAP!!!! Upon my research, I’m finding several Hyundai Sonata vehicles having this same exact issue. Kia vehicles are being recalled for this same exact issue. Why isn’t the Hyundai Sonata??

Wiring harness under fuse box is not making a consistent connection and is causing the blower amp to overheat and disconnect. When this happen, cabin air doesn’t blow and the front and rear defrost stops working. The only way to make the blower engage is by removing the fuse box cover and tapping the 30 amp fuse things. I’ve taken my car to the dealership for this specific problem 5 separate times, and it was supposed to be corrected. Due to this poor connection, I am now about $1200 into repairs / replacing parts that aren’t the root cause. I am not taking my car back to the dealership for a 6th time to have it “fixed” but the service guy looked me in the face and said “you should trade it. We see this issue all the time in sonatas and elantras. It won’t be fixed”. I’ve replaced the blower motor, had the Freon charged, this is one of the vehicles with the exploding gas tank, and I’ve already paid to replace gaskets.

So I was driving down the highway and I went to pass a car, (I never get close when passing) I was probably at least a quarter mile away from the car I was passing. I have every safety feature turned off, as I have, since buying the car almost 2 years ago. All of a sudden, I’m not sure if my sensor was off or what, but I’m assuming it thought I was too close to that car and it just started swerving all over the highway. I went left/right 4 times before I was finally able to regain control, I couldn’t couter-act the swerves, nor could I hold my steering wheel straight to stop them. Luckily there were very few people on the highway as it was early in the morning. Had the time of day been different, I probably wouldn’t be here today, and some others probably wouldn’t be either, at least lots of injuries I’m sure. It hasn’t been confirmed, i don’t even know how to do that honestly, I was the only one in the car. I didn’t call anyone/say anything until right now because I was already running late for work, I was shaken up but I just called my parents and they said to look up recalls/file a report, which it seems like this is how I do it? There were no warning signs, nothing, I was driving for already about 30 minutes and everything was fine, never had any issue like this ever before. Like I said I’ve had this car for almost 2 years and she has been an absolute dream, aside from this mishap. But now I am very terrified to drive it, i don’t know what happened honestly, I don’t know what could have caused it, but this is why I hate smart cars. My safety was put at risk by what I assume was a safety feature malfunction of some kind.

2020 Sonata......Steering wheel has started to make a raspy, rubbing noise when turned. When researching this problem on U tube, it is apparently a fairly common problem with Hyundai vehicles. The fix requires that a bearing in the steering be replaced. If not replaced I would imagine that the bearing would eventually seize up and the car could not be steered. I checked with local dealership and they were not aware of the problem and couldn't tell me if it would be covered by my warranty. I only have 9500 miles on the vehicle.

It was smoking from the engine, I immediately stopped the vehicle. My safety was put at risk immediately while being in the vehicle when the air bags deployed hitting me in the face and causing my face to swell. The safety of others was put at risk due to others being right next to me and putting others at risk of engine blowing up. Yes, the vehicle has been inspected by police. There were no warning signs on the vehicle.

I was driving Home from work and I fell a sleep behind the wheel and Hit a park car. The police report states that my impact speed was 50mph. My insurance company is very concerned that my Air Bags or sensors are defective and that I contact you immediately. Due to the damage and impact of the accident.

Parking malfunction. Parked, running car moved itself to reverse and backed up a driveway crossing a dirt road and hitting a fence and post. This car could have hit and severely injured anyone who was in the path while it was reversing on its own. Car was in reverse and all parking sensors were blaring when the car was found minutes later.

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the front of the vehicle was wobbling. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rotors needed to be resurfaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000.

So I was driving down the highway and I went to pass a car, (I never get close when passing) I was probably at least a quarter mile away from the car I was passing. I have every safety feature turned off, as I have, since buying the car almost 2 years ago. All of a sudden, I’m not sure if my sensor was off or what, but I’m assuming it thought I was too close to that car and it just started swerving all over the highway. I went left/right 4 times before I was finally able to regain control, I couldn’t couter-act the swerves, nor could I hold my steering wheel straight to stop them. Luckily there were very few people on the highway as it was early in the morning. Had the time of day been different, I probably wouldn’t be here today, and some others probably wouldn’t be either, at least lots of injuries I’m sure. It hasn’t been confirmed, i don’t even know how to do that honestly, I was the only one in the car. I didn’t call anyone/say anything until right now because I was already running late for work, I was shaken up but I just called my parents and they said to look up recalls/file a report, which it seems like this is how I do it? There were no warning signs, nothing, I was driving for already about 30 minutes and everything was fine, never had any issue like this ever before. Like I said I’ve had this car for almost 2 years and she has been an absolute dream, aside from this mishap. But now I am very terrified to drive it, i don’t know what happened honestly, I don’t know what could have caused it, but this is why I hate smart cars. My safety was put at risk by what I assume was a safety feature malfunction of some kind.

I have the Chicco Fit360 and the magnetic chest clip is no longer magnetic it was coming apart with little to no movement. I would buckle the chest clip and then move it to put it in position and it would come apart. I know this is a common problem with this particular car seat and something needs to be done before a child dies or gets seriously injured because the chest clip comes apart while driving!

My vehicle is missing it's third brake light. We have confirmed that it was forgotten during manufacturing. The dealer won't cover it. They say call corporate. Corporate says dealer has to fix it. In the mean time I'm pulled over for improper equipment, and brake light being out. It's a serious safety issue, covered by federal law. They quoted over $1000 to have it fixed at my expense.

I took my vehicle into the dealership when it was under 12,000 miles for another issue and mentioned a problem with the headlight on the right fogging up with moisture. I was immediately told that this had to be seen with their eyes because light cost more than $1,000. It has continued for over 1 1/2 years. Early this month, I took a picture at night and in the morning. The service manager wanted to add another hoop; can you get a picture of the water in it? The water is droplets on the light, decreasing visibility on the road. Pictures are attached. There is one picture that shows the left headlight with no issue.

The seat belt latches do not latch or will spontaneously unlatch. This has been a problem for about 4 years. I have checked for recalls and not seen any for my car. I will check with the dealer but have tried vacuuming the latches without effect. I have never experienced anything like this in any previous vehicle. The warning buzzer lets me know when the seatbelt unlatches, but I seriously doubt the belt would hold in case of an accident.