Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Hyundai Sonata - part 2

My engine seized on the highway on my way home from work. The service department has been horrid. They lied about who the manager is. They lied about the reason behind not wanting to honor the recall. They are rude - threatened to tow my car today after I waited 6 days to hear back from them about the issue with my car and determination. Was extremely rude. Stated that they were not honoring the recall because there was obvious signs of my engine being tampered with or certain parts on my engine, but could not provide a name of the part or a serial or model number so that this could be verified. I need this addressed immediately.

See all problems of the 2012 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Engine is burning oil at an excessive rate. Burning a liter every 1,000 miles and Hyundai refuses to do anything about it.

See all problems of the 2019 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to buy back the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine before the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered a buyback. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.

High engine oil consumption 2 qts every 1k miles.

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Sudden engine failure. Compression issue, car has only 63,000 miles.

While driving around 20 mph my cars rpms will rev and my car will take off then my automatic breaks will kick on and today around [xxx] I was going under 25 mph and there was a car in-front of me and it really scared me as I went to hit the breaks my car already did. My car has done this twice now, both on residential roads. The first time I figured it could have been a me error but now I know this is something seriously wrong with my vehicle. I have had my car for years and I know my car and it never just takes off how it has been there’s always a delay when I go to accelerate. This is very concerning and I’m scared to drive my car now. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

I bought the car on [xxx] used and it’s has 165000 miles drove fine for the 30 miles as I was driving at 65miles car losing power and slightly noise out the engine getting louder as I was to push the gas pedal and the engine light started flashing suddenly car has shut down as I was rolling on the road and I lost the power of breaking luckily I was going uphill on [xxx] and I parked on the side of the road. I call the Hyundai dealership of 3810 w hillsborough Ave, tampa, FL 33614 and I explained what happened he asked me have the car lost power I said yes, is the check engine light flashing I said yes. And do I hear knock engine I said yes. The dealership check the VIN number and said it’s been warranty and we will inspect if that’s the problem we will be no charge to you with the repairs if something else we will charge you $175. I haven’t hear back I text to see the status and he told me the did test on the car and failed the test because of the issues on the engine I said okay you going to replace it he said we need to inspect inside the engine and take a photo to send over and to proof of the damage if not proof I will be responsible for the inspection time charge of $375 and I ask me of the I want to door that way which I have no choice until the dealership send over and get the proof to see the photo. Now im waiting the answer tomorrow information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Car had oil in the electrode of spark plug. Total engine failure.

My 2012 Hyundai Sonata cut off and stopped working! the vehicle locked up in the middle of a main street and would not start back up causing a very unsafe situation. There were no check engine lights on or anything at the time of the incident I immediately had the vehicle towed and inspected it has been determined that the engine is failing! upon research I found out that these engines have had recalls in the past. Carfax shows that the vehicle has been taken in for routine maintenance and oil changes when needed. I am looking to see if the engine replacement could be covered for this vehicle.

Engine consumes oil, more than 1 quart a week. Started misfiring on a trip and dealer stated that engine needs to be replaced since valve was burnt. Have 116k miles on car and have been diligent in maintenance.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Driving at 70 mph on the highway, the engine seized without warning. The car violently shuddered and rapidly decelerated in the travel lane. A fully-loaded semi-truck was directly behind me and had to swerve violently and brake hard to avoid crushing my vehicle. This created an immediate, life-threatening risk of a catastrophic, high-speed rear-end collision. The failure is with the internal engine assembly (likely connecting rod bearings) and is available for inspection. The dealer confirmed the engine failure but denied the repair. This is a known defect. The "engine oil pressure" warning light flashed and a loud engine knocking began moments before the total power loss. This is a dangerous defect that causes sudden, unpredictable stalling at highway speeds.

Sir this is not first time to make complaint I brought my car to Hyundai company after I got an appointment and they called text emailed me and the know my car information on 10/1/2025 I brought my car but they mentioned wrong VIN number and after that I came back on 10/8/2025 but when I got there to finish my recall 953 they said your car rebuild title and now my car engine I think out I don’t know but they changed the engine before and I bought the car three months ago and now I can not drive it please help me with that the car just stopped when I was driving and 124369 miles and how the rebuild car not affected by recall.

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving to her residence at unknown speeds, the vehicle suddenly caught fire while making a u-turn. The brakes and emergency brake were inoperable. The seatbelt was inoperable. The driver jumped out of the window. A pedestrian attempted to alert her of the fire. The vehicle exploded after exiting the vehicle. The contact sustained an injury to her leg, but no medical attention was provided. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. There was no report of a crash or airbag deployment. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000. The vehicle was auctioned off by the towing company.

The problem with my vehicle is a failure of internal engine components, specifically a known defect in the piston rings of the Hyundai theta ii engine. This failure causes excessive oil consumption, which is burned internally. The internal engine components have failed, leading to a widely documented defect in the Hyundai theta ii engine. The primary symptom, which began to get serious around 80,000 miles, is the constant need to add oil to the engine every two weeks. If I do not do this, the low oil warning light illuminates on the dashboard, serving as a continuous alert of the problem. This failure was officially confirmed by an authorized Hyundai dealership. About two weeks ago, they first documented that there were no external leaks on the vehicle. When I returned because the oil had been consumed again, they performed a new diagnostic, for which I paid over $300, that confirmed the engine is burning oil internally. The dealership, acting as the manufacturer's representative, is the only entity that has formally inspected the vehicle. The situation places my safety and the safety of others at serious risk. First, the oil consumption can lead to a sudden and catastrophic engine failure, resulting in a loss of power and control of the vehicle while in transit. More alarmingly, the guidance I received from Hyundai staff was to simply "wait for the engine to stop working or start making a lot of noise. " as someone who depends on the car for a daily commute, following this dangerous recommendation is an unacceptable risk.

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!.

See all problems of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Was driving on the interstate, and took the exit I needed. Upon exiting before coming up to stop light, noticed check engine light flashing, and couldn't accelerate. Rpms were bouncing when I tried to accelerate. Pulled off onto side of road, called mechanically inclined friend who came with an obd2 sensor, and it was showing a p132600 code for knock signal range performance, with an audible knocking sound, and engine vibration while on in idle. Got the code cleared so we could drive the car the 3 miles I needed to go to get to where I was going, 2 miles in, the engine light came back on and vehicle went back into limp mode. Called aaa and got the car to an in network mechanic shop for carvana, whom I bought the car through a month prior. Proceeded to do an oil sample test and found it to be full of metal shavings. Said engine would need to be fully replaced. Vehicle is currently still at mechanic until silverrock gets the claim and will see if the engine replacement is covered under warranty. Certified automotive inc. [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Car keep cutting off and fuel injection is not right.

Driving came to a stop ,light turned green made a u-turn to go to the gas station heard a pop noise smoke came from inside the car tried stopping it but the brake pedal sunk into the ground pressed my emergency brake it was seized wouldn’t go down (never had that issue my brakes always work ) I smelled brake fluid and seen the abs light on the dash then the power started to go out and my girlfriend almost got trapped in the car.

My vehicle suffered a sudden engine failure that Hyundai confirmed was caused by a recall defect. Hyundai replaced the engine but is refusing to reimburse several necessary expenses incurred solely because of the recall-related failure. There was no warning lamps or messages prior to failure. Expenses: monthly loan payment while car unusable – $242. 55 (refused) first tow: highway ? old ox – $160. 00 (refused) second tow: old ox ? alexandria Hyundai – $170. 00 third tow: alexandria Hyundai ? exxon – $200. 00 fourth tow: exxon ? fitzgerald Hyundai – $205. 00 alexandria Hyundai inspection – $199. 99 (refused) old ox diagnostic fee – $539. 24 (refused) rental car 10/4–10/8 – $208. 90 rental car 10/29–11/1 – $151. 00 total requested: $2,076. 68 total refused: $1,141. 78 Hyundai claims the initial tow isn’t covered because it wasn’t to a Hyundai dealer, that independent diagnostics “don’t qualify,” that a Hyundai dealer’s inspection fee is not reimbursable because dealers are “separate entities,” and that my loan payment is not covered. These denials contradict Hyundai’s recall guidance and the requirement to reimburse reasonable and necessary costs caused by a recalled defect. This engine failure also placed me in real danger. The engine died suddenly at highway speed, leaving me stranded in an unsafe location with no control over the tow provider. Hyundai corporate then instructed me to bring the car to alexandria Hyundai, creating the clear impression those fees would be reimbursed. I relied on their guidance in good faith, and only after following their instructions did they refuse reimbursement. I feel misled, financially harmed, and exposed to unnecessary risk. Due to Hyundai’s conduct and selective denial of valid recall-related expenses, I am preparing to escalate this matter civilly and pursue punitive damages in addition to reimbursement. I request NHTSA’s assistance, as Hyundai’s actions appear inconsistent with recall obligations. Thanks, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informat.

My 2016 Hyundai Sonata (VIN: [xxx] ) had its engine replaced under recall campaign 20v746000 in March / April 2024 at Hyundai of round rock, TX. In October 2025, less than 18 months later and at 97,000 miles, the replacement engine failed again. Hyundai has refused further repair, citing an expired recall warranty. This raises serious safety and reliability concerns, as a recall engine should not fail this soon. Engine failure while driving could result in a stall or crash risk. Please investigate whether Hyundai’s recall replacement engines are defective and if extended coverage is warranted for affected consumers. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

At 70712 miles cylinder 4 suffered a catastrophic internal failure. The vehicle also had excessive oil consumption and the dealer just told us to keep adding oil as there was nothing they could do. The vehicle must have had a manufacturing defect.

It has oil consumption issues.

Unknown. 2018 Hyundai Sonata engine has failed. Only purchased the vehicle in December 2024, and the engine is defective. There is much information, via research, indicating that Hyundai is aware of the engine issues with this year vehicle, but are unwilling to make amends. Vehicle has 100,189 miles.

My car is needing an oil change almost every 3 weeks at this point. Mechanics say there is no leak and there may be a recall for gdi engines that are burning oil very fast. This is a reoccurring problem and would love to find out if I can get this recalled like I seen other 2017 Hyundai Sonatas.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

I am the proud owner of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata this is my 3rd Sonata; we love it due to the worry free long last and warranty. Never had any issues through the years until last night ([xxx]). When getting off from work 6:15pm heading home for about 30 mins. I was driving my car approximately 35 mph when I went to turn a corner suddenly, my car started sputtering, knocking sound and failed to accelerate having traffic behind me not to cause an accident I put my hazard flashers on, and I lean over to the right on grass. Puzzled and scared saying to myself “ what the hecks” what’s going on. The car parked on the side was having hard time staying on and shut down. I then went and opened the hood to check to make sure nothing was in my engine causing it, everything looked normal except, the smell of oil has a burnt smell to it which means in technical terms it has thrown a rod and bent valves and smell of burned electric. Finally, we called aaa, they advised their busy and it will be about 2 hrs. So, I sat there to wait for aaa. As I sat in my car waiting, I started researching online. I currently do not have any recalls or ever got any notice. I came across there is an active class action lawsuit going on for the rod bearing going out in these models and years. After some time, I called aaa back to get an eta, they told us they were extremely busy, it would be about another 45 mins. At that time another tow company pulled up and asked if we needed a tow, we didn’t want to wait longer for aaa to get home so decided to have it towed home … totally cost $175. Today I am trying to contact Hyundai to see what we going to do regarding my car and praying it can get fixed on this recall that I had no idea and thanks god, I turned it off my car could start a fire & burned up. I never got notice about recalls for my engine and it’s sad Hyundai does contact owners ahead to let them know about this problem, think about it we are talking about lives. Thank you for taking information redacted pursuant to the freedom of info.

While driving home from work after 7?pm on the 215?nb freeway, the oil warning light suddenly illuminated, and the vehicle immediately lost engine power. Within seconds, the engine shut off completely, leaving me unable to accelerate or safely maneuver. I was forced to coast across lanes with no power, creating a significant risk of collision and nearly resulting in a rear-end accident. After the incident, I performed a crankshaft rotation test, which the engine failed, confirming that the crankshaft would not turn. I also verified that the timing chain remained intact. The vehicle has since been inspected by Hyundai technicians, who confirmed the engine failure under service campaign 953. Hyundai further communicated via email that my vehicle is eligible under the txxi theta engine settlement agreement and expressed a willingness to discuss my recent engine concerns and the details of the settlement.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled and failed to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was restarted. The check warning light was occasionally illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the recall repair was denied. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the waste gasket, timing belt, and battery needed to be replaced, and a coolant flush needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised by the local dealer that, due to the mileage and year of the vehicle; the recall repairs could not be redeemed. The contact stated that rental reimbursement was denied. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

Knock sensor has gone bad.

We bought the car 9/27 was told the car past the dealer inspections. The cars oil was checked and I am sure it was changed and all prior to us. We drove it home and she has drove it to school. On 10/15 my husband did a routine oil check and it was over 2 qts low. He did a complete oil change and changed the pcv valve and as of yesterday it has used another 1 gt. This car was just bought 8900 and now I am assuming it needs rebuilt or new engine. I would like for this to be reimbursed. This is outrageous. When we reported the prob it had 149000 miles on it and hydunai gives to 150000. I need this issue to be fixed.

I was driving (i4 highway) when my car suddenly stalled, causing engine failure and almost putting my life at risk, causing an accident. This car has a factory recall for engine damage. I took it to the dealer, and Hyundai refuses to accept the engine repair because the title is rebuilt. The car has no damage to its original engine and is ready to be replaced. They don’t want to assume responsibility.

1. Description of safety problem: my vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure while driving, resulting in a complete loss of power and severe engine knocking. This is a known safety defect related to the theta ii engine (specifically, connecting rod bearing failure, often referred to as the ksds defect) that poses a severe risk of stalling and engine fire. The failure rendered the vehicle inoperable and unsafe. 2. Manufacturer's failure to honor safety recalls & warranty: despite this being a known, documented defect covered by Hyundai's own technical service bulletin (22-em-00h-1-1) and the txxi class action settlement—which provides a "limited lifetime warranty" for this issue—Hyundai motor America has repeatedly and wrongfully denied my warranty claim. Furthermore, I discovered through Hyundai's official campaign portal that my specific VIN had multiple unperformed safety and service campaigns, including critical engine control module (ecm) updates (campaign #953) designed to monitor and prevent this exact type of engine failure. Hyundai's failure to ensure these critical updates were performed constitutes negligence and directly contributed to the safety failure I experienced. 3. Evidence of manufacturer bad faith: I have obtained documented proof that Hyundai has approved and performed zero-cost engine replacements for the identical defect on vehicles with mileage exceeding 180,000 miles. This proves that my denial is arbitrary, discriminatory, and demonstrates a pattern of bad faith in applying their safety-related warranty extensions. 4. Escalating consequences: due to Hyundai's refusal to honor its warranty, the dealership has now threatened a mechanic's lien and is charging $50 per day in storage fees. The manufacturer's failure to address a known safety defect is now causing active financial harm. 5. Requested action: I urge the NHTSA investigate Hyundai motor America's systemic failure to honor the safety warranties and complete.

Component/system failed - engine – connecting rod bearing wear resulting in complete engine seizure. - engine is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk - engine seizure occurred while my mechanic was driving, causing a complete loss of motive power. Created immediate risk of crash due to inability to accelerate or control vehicle. Hazard to driver, passengers, and others on the road. Reproduction/confirmation failure matches known defect described in recall 17v226000: premature bearing wear leading to engine seizure. Maintenance records confirm proper service; dealership denied repair citing “owner negligence,” which is inconsistent with the recall symptoms. Inspection engine has not been repaired or replaced by manufacturer. Vehicle was inspected by dealership service tech who determined failure was caused by negligence (text denial received). Spoke with customer service and they confirmed denial. Full maintenance records available for inspection. Hyundai requested service records - we were not able to find all service records, as some have closed, and some have files for 400 days only (jiffy lube). Warning lamps / symptoms no warning lamps illuminated prior to failure. Engine knocking and oil pressure loss were observed immediately before seizure. Failure was sudden and catastrophic. Additional information / assessment vehicle: 2013 Hyundai Sonata, VIN [xxx] . Recall 17v226000 identifies bearing wear that may result in engine seizure. Failure is consistent with the recall defect, regardless of warranty expiration. Manufacturer has refused to perform required recall inspection or repair, citing improper negligence. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Came off the highway to a stop sign went turn and the engine just seized and would not start no matter what I did. Had to have it towed to my house. Safety risk was just off the road so I did not get hit. Police stop and told me to get a tow truck. And no warning signs at all.