general problems of the 2014 Hyundai Sonata - part 1

I had gotten an engine back in 2021 because of a recall, and now the newer engine is burning all my oil up.

I had recall 162 - engine replacement completed in 2024 , now I have fuel leak at high pressure fuel pump, the pump that is a component of the engine has now failed which was installed during the engine replacement which can cause a major fire.

While driving with my family on a busy freeway at approximately 70 mph, our vehicle suddenly displayed a loud, urgent warning: “hybrid system warning – safely stop and do not drive!” at the same moment, the car lost the ability to accelerate without any prior signs of trouble. We were extremely fortunate to have enough momentum to coast to the shoulder and shut the vehicle off, unsure of how serious the issue might be. Being stranded without warning on a high?speed highway put my entire family in a dangerous situation. After a few minutes, we restarted the car to see if we could at least get it off the freeway. The warning had disappeared, and the vehicle drove normally, allowing us to take back roads home. The lack of any prior symptoms makes this even more concerning. Losing acceleration at highway speeds with no warning is a major safety hazard. We took the vehicle to a dealership immediately, but because the warning light was no longer active, they were unable to diagnose the problem. A few days later, the same warning appeared again—this time only a couple minutes from home. I turned around immediately for safety, parked the car, and once again the warning disappeared as soon as the vehicle was shut off. At this point, we have a car sitting in our driveway that we do not feel safe driving. The dealership cannot identify or repair the issue unless the warning is active, & even then, they cannot guarantee that a diagnostic code will appear. After researching this problem online, it’s clear that many other Hyundai owners are experiencing the same issue, often spending thousands of dollars without a definitive fix. Despite how common & dangerous this problem appears to be, there are no recalls & no consistent guidance from dealerships. This situation is unacceptable from a safety standpoint. A vehicle that can suddenly lose power at highway speeds—with no warning and no reliable way to diagnose the cause—poses a serious risk to everyone and needs to be investigated.

My 2014 Hyundai Sonata experienced a p1326 engine fault code, which activates the knock sensor system due to engine bearing wear. This condition is directly related to Hyundai’s safety recall 17v226 (theta ii engine). The Hyundai dealership submitted my case to Hyundai corporate, and Hyundai denied the repair solely because my vehicle has over 150,000 miles. A manufacturer cannot refuse a federal recall repair due to mileage, and Hyundai’s engine recall has no mileage or time limit. The denial places me in an unsafe situation, as the recall defect can cause engine seizure or stalling while driving. I am requesting NHTSA intervention.

The vehicle experienced a sudden engine failure and loss of power while traveling at freeway speed. Two days earlier, the vehicle had been taken to an authorized dealership for factory recall service. During that visit, concerns were raised about known engine issues associated with this model, but the vehicle was returned to service. While driving on the freeway, the engine abruptly stalled without warning, causing immediate loss of propulsion and power. This created a dangerous situation in moving traffic, requiring rapid maneuvering to avoid a collision and safely exit traffic lanes. The vehicle became inoperable and could not be restarted. The failed component appears to be the engine or related internal engine system. The vehicle was towed back to the dealership following the incident and has remained inoperable since that time. The vehicle is currently available for inspection. The failure placed the driver at significant risk due to the sudden loss of power at highway speed. No collision occurred, but the risk of serious injury or death was present. The problem has not been reproduced because the vehicle has remained disabled since the incident. The dealership and manufacturer have inspected the vehicle after the failure. The manufacturer is reviewing the incident under an internal process. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms indicating imminent engine failure before the stall. The failure occurred suddenly and without advance notice.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was started. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with turbo charger failure. The contact was informed that the turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

This motor had a recall. Campaign t3g- Sonata yfa 2. 4l theta ii. 1 month after an oil change at the mechanic the car started making noises. Took it right to the mechanic who said there was no oil and that there was a recall on this motor for this reason. Immediately took it to the Hyundai dealership located in centereach NY. The employee who helped us was not a help. Took days and days to even get the paperwork in for the recall. Did not communicate with us unless we called him. Then eventually just said it was denied. Took weeks to get the proof from them. Completely frustrating. We submitted all proof of oil changes and maintenance and it was denied saying engine neglect! we are struggling to keep up with bills and now cannot get to work because of this. We have 2 toddlers and he is a volunteer firefighter and emt in centereach. He works full time at stony brook hospital and is in school full time with rotations in the hospital for paramedic class. This is insane to be treated this way.

The engine failed in my 2014 Hyundai Sonata for the 2nd time while driving in evening traffic on a major interstate with my elderly father in the car with me. The engine completely shut down while in mid drive on the interstate with no power. The engine and oil lamp indicators immediately came on right before the engine lost power on the interstate. This caused my safety and the safety of my father to be put at risk by not being able to have any power while in the lane of evening traffic. My vehicle was towed to the nearby Hyundai dealership, modern Hyundai of concord, where their service department conducted inspection of the engine issue and where it was kept for 4 months with no repairs made per the orders of Hyundai motor America. Hyundai motor America refused to honor their own warranty to replace the engine (engine in need of replacement for the 2nd time).

Engine failure. After taking my Hyundai listed above in for repairs to the air conditioning not working properly and while in custody of jeff's automotive service, here in sterling, IL 61081, the engine suddenly died out while they were test driving the car. They were able to jump start it once, and then it died out again while driving it. This time the car could not be restarted by all means possible. Being in the shop, other possible causes were checked and not one of them worked. The engine is completely dead. After checking for possible causes online it was found that a recall for the very same engine failure had been done back in 2017/2018. \n" + 'for unknown reasons, I was never notified nor did I ever received such notice. Now at this time, we have contacted a local dealer and they state that because the auto had not been taken in for the recall repairs, it no longer "qualifies" for free repairs and any repairs would have to be paid for. Upon checking the NHTSA website, it states that there are no time limits on the repairs. I was going to contact national Hyundai corp to inquire about it, but decided instead to file a complaint with you. 'the question is my car still eligible for the recall repairs under the hyndai mfg recall #162 'of March 31, 2017? recall number 17v2260000??? given the fact that I did not receive their notification if indeed, one was sent, and I was totally unaware of this recall???. I sincerely\n' + 'believe that under the laws and procedures, I should still be eligible for this recall repair of\n' + 'their faulty engine failure in my automobile listed above. \n' + 'therefore I am at this time requesting an investigation and a decision before I make any attempts to contact Hyundai mfg directly. Also as part of my inquiries I spoke to the service department of schimmer Hyundai in peru, IL the closest dealer to me, and after checking the VIN number I was to.

Hello, I brought my 2014 Hyundai Sonata (approx. 73,000 miles) to an authorized Hyundai dealership (motorworld Hyundai, wilkes-barre, PA) on August 4, 2025, for recall 162 (NHTSA 17v-226) due to audible engine knocking. I reported the noise when dropping off the vehicle. The dealer claimed the engine passed the inspection but did not provide any documentation confirming that the required bearing test was performed. They said the issue might be from the top of the engine (possibly the timing chain) and wanted to charge $800 to disassemble the engine, with a repair estimate of $2,900. The reason they wanted to disassemble the engine is because after an initial diagnosis for $160 they discovered the noise is not from the timing chain. Besides, it would be extremely unusual for the issue to be a timing chain at 73k. I later learned from Hyundai customer care that the recall still shows as “incomplete” in their system, meaning the inspection was never properly submitted. I'm conerned that the recall was not properly performed or submitted (why does it still show "incomplete" if they insepcted it and it passed?) and that the symptoms may still indicate the exact defect covered under recall 162 (rod bearing knock), I believe I was denied proper remedy (in a less polite way - I think they flat out lied to me about the real issue) and I was pressured toward expensive non-recall repairs without conclusive diagnosis. My understanding is that getting a diagnosis for a timing chain shouldn't cost anywhere near $800. I am requesting NHTSA review this situation to ensure Hyundai fulfills its federally mandated recall obligation. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the connecting rod bearings, resulting in damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened for repair assistance. The contact was later informed that the assistance request was denied on the grounds of poor maintenance history. The contact stated was not the owner of the vehicle during the time cited by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 136,000.

My engine has a knock and the dealership told me that they would not fix it due to "lack of maintanence" but I tried explaining to them that I was unable to get proof because oreily and auto zone were unable to get me receipts on old purchases.

The vehicle experienced engine stalling and rough running. We discovered it had an open engine recall related to known defects in the theta ii engine. We dropped the vehicle off at a Hyundai dealership (Hyundai napleton) on July 1st, 2025 for recall repair, following instructions from acv auctions. After holding the vehicle for over three weeks, Hyundai napleton informed us they could not perform the recall due to their internal policy against working on dealer-owned vehicles. This directly contradicts the purpose of a federally mandated safety recall, which is supposed to apply regardless of ownership. On July 23, 2025, we received a call from Hyundai motor America, stating they would not approve the recall repair because the vehicle had been declared a total loss. This is entirely false—the vehicle has never been declared a total loss by any insurance company or official source. It appears Hyundai motor America and the dealership are passing responsibility back and forth, providing conflicting and inaccurate information, while the vehicle sits unrepaired and inoperable. This behavior delays a federally mandated repair, puts consumers at risk, and reflects serious breakdowns in how Hyundai handles recall compliance. We need NHTSA’s help to investigate and enforce the proper handling of this safety recall. Vehicle VIN: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Dear sir/madam, I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous incident involving my Hyundai Sonata hybrid (VIN: [xxx] ) and Hyundai motor America’s failure to fully correct the issue. Incident summary: while driving on the freeway, the vehicle suddenly displayed the following alarming warnings: “hybrid system warning! safely stop and do not drive” “check charging system” immediately after these messages appeared, the car lost all power and shut down in the middle of the road. I had my two young children (ages xxx and xxx) in the car, making the situation extremely unsafe and traumatic. The vehicle lost all mobility and provided no opportunity to safely pull over. After contacting Hyundai corporate multiple times, a case manager was eventually assigned to my case. At Hyundai’s request, I towed the vehicle to autonation Hyundai valencia for diagnostic evaluation. The dealership diagnosed the issue as error code p0a78, indicating a transmission failure. Hyundai corporate offered to cover 60% of the repair cost, leaving me responsible for the remaining 40%—an amount that exceeds the current value of the vehicle. This proposed resolution is not reasonable considering the severity of the safety risk and the vehicle’s low mileage. My primary concern is that this is an extremely dangerous defect, as the vehicle loses all power without warning, leaving the driver unable to move the car to a safe location. Requested actions: a formal investigation into the safety and reliability of Hyundai’s hybrid systems, specifically in 2014 Sonata hybrid vehicles. A determination of whether this defect qualifies under Hyundai’s warranty or federal safety defect regulations. Full compensation from Hyundai corporate to cover 100% of the repair costs to correct this serious safety issue. Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter. I look forward to your prompt response and appropriate action. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5.

Engine light is blinking and put safety of my family in danger. I called the close huyndai dealer also I have a case number. However, it takes forever for them to answer. I only have this car. I am driver and this how I make living. I have no choice in driving this recall vehicle and kill my self and my family. No body care!.

My engine seized and I lost power. This is the second engine this has happened to. I was given a extended warranty, but Hyundai is refusing to pay for a new engine. The mechanic advised me they are replacing engines three times a week. Mine was denied even though my engine only has 76,000 miles and my warranty is still good. This engine problem should be a new recall since the same problem is still occurring. The engine light did come on blinking. When I took it to the dealer. They knew the problem before looking at my engine since so many others need to have thiers replaced. The dealership confirmed I need a new engine. They made me send in my oil changes. They were upset I didn't have any oil receipts for my previous engine even thought it was replaced at a Hyundai dealership the first time. Consumers should not have to replace two engines. This is a safety concern with it losing power so quickly.

When I was trying to accelerate, my gas pedal just wasn't responding at all and the engine, oil, and battery light all came on. When that happened my car shut down and I coasted to a stop.

While driving my 2014 Hyundai Sonata on [xxx], the engine suddenly stalled without warning. I was in motion on a public road when the vehicle lost power, forcing me to safely pull over. There were no warning lights, check engine lights, or prior signs of engine trouble before the failure occurred. I had the vehicle towed to a certified Hyundai dealership (norm reeves Hyundai superstore in cerritos), where I was told the engine failed due to rod bearing failure caused by oil starvation. The dealership stated that the engine needed to be replaced. However, I have maintained the vehicle regularly, with consistent oil changes and maintenance, and I have documentation to prove this. Despite this, Hyundai has refused assistance and claims "exceptional maintenance neglect" without showing inspection photos or detailed evidence. This engine failure fits the exact pattern of a known engine defect already under recall for similar Hyundai models and engines, including issues with oil passages and rod bearings that lead to sudden engine failure. These vehicles have been involved in class-action lawsuits and recall campaigns for this reason. This sudden failure put my safety and that of others at risk, as the engine lost power in traffic without any prior warning. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether this issue is part of the broader defect already under recall, and whether Hyundai is avoiding responsibility by misclassifying valid cases. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving on the highway, the engine of my 2014 Hyundai Sonata suddenly seized without any prior warning. There were no preceding symptoms such as warning lights, unusual noises, or performance issues that might have indicated an impending failure. At the time of the engine seizure, I also lost power steering and power brakes, which severely compromised my ability to control the vehicle and led to a dangerous situation in fast-moving traffic. I later discovered that vehicles equipped with the theta ii engine have experienced similar issues, suggesting a potential safety-related defect. I am reporting this incident as a serious safety concern and request that NHTSA investigate this matter further.

Just purchased the sedan and took it to a shop to get checked reason for the doing was because vehicle felt a lil rough after getting the vehicle checked they came to the conclusion that the motor had seized.

Misfiring cylinder.

Due to a recall Hyundai promised a lifetime extended warranty on the engine of my 2014 Hyundai Sonata concerning a defect in the engine manufacturing. We're as metal shavings can cause rod bearings to wear out causing what is known as engine knocking noise. Well my engine is knocking, and I was told by a license certified mechanic that it's my rod bearings & that the engine is fixing to throw a rod. This is covered under the extended lifetime warranty. When I called Hyundai they said we aren't going to fix the issue because the vehicle has a salvaged title. I had a consumer rear ended me years ago, there insurance company totaled out my car which was not totaled. Only minor rear damage. I ended up keeping the car and it drove fine, no engine damage due to the wreck on rear end damage. This shouldn't stop my rights to a new engine which Hyundai promised during a lifetime extension of the engine. This is considered unfair deceptive trade practice act violation.

While driving down the road the car died. Now it will not start.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the sound was persistent. The vehicle was driven to a local restaurant parking lot. The contact stated that the vehicle had stalled several times. The contact was afraid to drive the vehicle because of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that in November 2024, the vehicle was taken to the dealer and several unknown recall repairs were performed. The contact stated that the failure began shortly after the recall repairs were performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

I was driving the car to take to emissions because the car was recently purchased and as I was driving the car turned off and doesn’t turn back on.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption, and the low oil pressure warning light failed to illuminate as needed. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle at the gas station, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact checked the oil level and became aware that there was no oil in the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was dark smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, where the contact became aware that there was no oil in the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer advised the contact to check the oil level daily. The dealer informed the contact that the engine replacement was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

Oct 24th, 2024 on highway had accelerated to 75, all of a sudden, car experienced mechanical shutdown, engine light came on would go fast slow down, felt like braking down, engine light was solid, had to get very slowly somehow into the brake down lane. Turned the car off, waited long time. . . Got advice to try to power car back on because was night and was dangerous lane. Car started, drove very slowly home with hazard lights on. Next incident (that I was on hgwy) Nov 24th, 2024 went from 65 to work up to 80mph, the car lights went on for engine, slowing down,no control of the speed, no accelerating, lights, made to pull over. . . Turn car off. . . Waiting 15 minutes, drove in break down lane, was only 7-8 minutes from my house off highway.

There was no warning, engine seized on main hwy at night driving approximately 45mph. Couldn’t even pull off to the side. My child and I were stuck on a main road with no warning anything was wrong. Car stopped driving completely. This was my forth engine. Hyundai has always replaced it. 4 in 27k miles. This time they denied it.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into limp mode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who retrieved dtc code p1326 for the knock sensor detection system (ksds). The dealer performed a software update, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for an oil consumption test, which the vehicle failed. The contact had an independent mechanic replace the knock sensor and spark plugs; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power and the contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The instrument panel was illuminated with several unknown warning lights. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. Three months later, on November 11th, 2024, while driving approximately 40 - 45 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated with a message indicating a failure with the variable valve timing solenoid. An independent mechanic confirmed that the variable valve timing solenoid was the cause of the failure, and the contact replaced the part himself. The following day after being idle at a stop light, the contact attempted to accelerate, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was restarted; however, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact used an obd machine to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved fault codes for an oil pressure failure which caused the engine failure. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,326.

I was driving at a higher rate of speed 50 mph in the center of 3 laned road no warning or indicator lights were on in my vehicle when the engine without warning blew and stopped working. Again no check engine lights were on no warnings were given. It shut down and would no longer accelerate or drive. We almost caused several accidents as this was a very busy roadway.

The vehicle suddenly spiked in rpms, and suffered from a rattling noise. The following day after taking it to a known skilled service location, they advised to contact the dealership due to two open recalls. They found zero oil in the vehicle as well as issues with the valve seals. They then put the blame on the customer and did not acknowledge the engine recall that states clear problems with oil and engine valves resulting in a loss of oil and a failure in monitoring systems. At no time did the oil light show on the dash and there was no oil in the driveway where the vehicle has been parked. They advised us to contact the company for assistance. After doing so, the dealership, and Hyundai themselves have refused to acknowledge the engine issues or repair the car under the two known open recalls. We have spoke with reps from both the dealership and the company an have received no assistance in reclaiming confidence in the vehicle or Hyundai as a whole. This happened in September 2024 and there is no resolution in sight here in December. How a customer can be expected to repair at their own cost during a known recall with a class action lawsuit is ludicrous.

I got a 2014 Hyundai Sonata in may of 2023. In the beginning of September 2024, I was driving down the road on a highway and a knocking sound began as well as grinding. The car then immediately lost all power which could’ve resulted in a serious accident like death or injury to me or others. I found out about the engine recall right after for the class action lawsuit for Hyundai. They told me I was good under the extended warranty. I was told that I needed to get the odometer branding fixed on the title before they would honor the recall. I did that and received the clean title in the beginning of November. The car was at a garage where they agreed that the car had premature worn engine bearings and had failed. The car went to a dealership in the beginning of November. Then I was told I needed more information like the clean title, bill of sale, and a statement. I provided all 3. After that I was told I needed to send receipts of my maintenance to the car. I also did that. I send every several documents. The dealership had told me my claim was denied due to “maintenance neglect” and “not enough maintenance documentation. ” I then had the dealership reopen the claim and sent all of the prior maintenance records on the vehicle from the owner before me. I am told it is declined still for the same reason which makes no sense. I sent 35 documents to them. I was told today that they will not fix it and I was wished the best of luck. I did not have the car at the time of the recall and only had it for a year and a couple months. The car has been sitting for 4 months while I am paying insurance on it at the dealership to get the engine recall repaired.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 mph, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that in April 2024 an engine inspection was performed under NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling) by the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the engine had passed the inspection and the recall was closed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

Car stalled at 65 mph and went in to limp mode. Knocking noise came from under right side of engine. Car is not drivable at this time. Sounds like a rod thrown and there are metal shaving in oil.