Service Brakes Problems of Hyundai Sonata - part 2

I recently purchased a 2025 Hyundai Sonata. I’m writing to raise a concern regarding the height of the brake pedal in this vehicle. Both my wife and I have observed that the brake pedal seems noticeably higher than the gas pedal. This positioning requires extra effort to lift the foot during normal driving, and we are concerned that it may delay reaction time when moving from the accelerator to the brake — especially in emergency situations. I contacted the service department at the dealership to inquire if this pedal height is standard and whether any adjustment is possible. However, I have not received a response. I would appreciate it if you could confirm: is the brake pedal height in the 2025 Hyundai Sonata within your design standards? if any manufacturer-recommended adjustments or modifications could improve pedal accessibility and response time. This is a significant safety concern for my family, and I would be grateful for your prompt attention and guidance.

See all problems of the 2025 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

My 2015 Hyundai Sonata has demonstrated multiple instances of unintended acceleration and braking failure: April 20, 2024 – while idling in a drive-thru line, the vehicle suddenly lurched forward without any attempt to accelerate and crashed into the vehicle in front of me. I was unable to stop it. This resulted in the other car being totaled. I took it to a Hyundai dealership afterward, but they found no definitive cause. April 4, 2025 – my daughter was driving and attempted to stop at a red light. Despite applying the brakes, the car did not stop and continued through the intersection, striking the door of another vehicle. May 12, 2025 – today, while using cruise control set to 55 mph, the car began accelerating beyond the set speed without input. It appears the cruise control system is malfunctioning and not disengaging as expected. The vehicle currently shows no open recalls, but I found that similar issues were previously investigated under NHTSA action dp21003 for this model year. These incidents occurred months apart, but the behavior is consistent and extremely dangerous. I am requesting a formal investigation. The safety of my family and others on the road is at risk.

See all problems of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Unknown cought fire under the hood was engulfed within minutes.

See all problems of the 2012 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the abs warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the abs module had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The car has abruptly applied braking while driving. I took the car to get checked after that and I was told that there was nothing wrong except that the pads will need to be change sooner than later. I mechanic did tell me that it could be a safety issue because it was an uncontrollable. I than took the car to the Hyundai dealer for them to diagnose the car. They proposed that I change everything, including the brake pedal, which to me, sounded very fishy. One week ago, while driving, the car suddenly jammed on the brakes again. This particular time, it was also emitting smoke, either from the front or the bottom.

See all problems of the 2014 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the hybrid braking system warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two separate independent mechanics, where it was diagnosed with abs module failure. The contact was informed that the abs module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with abs module failure. The contact was informed that the abs module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact had received an unknown recall notification; however, the dealer and the manufacturer informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the check brake and "hybrid system warning safely stop - do not drive" messages were displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle went into limp mode. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and the contact replaced the hydraulic pressure units and hydraulic unit assemblies (hecu/abs modules). The contact stated that after the repairs, the failure returned approximately 30,000 miles later. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Was driving in reverse out of garage and abs brakes were applied like I hit a patch of ice stopping the car. Released when applied pressure to brake. Then while on highway going 60 miles an hour the emergency brake system went on for no reason applying pressure and red light came on the dash with a left facing arrow. System released within a few seconds but scared me and I still have to drive this car on highway.

See all problems of the 2021 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The turning signal gives the opposite signals sometimes.

In October of 2023, I was driving my 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid to the laundry mat about a quarter of a mile from my home. I stopped at a stop light and all of a sudden, a warning sound burst from my dasher board. The message stated, "hybrid warning-do not drive: check brakes". The brakes completely stopped working, the pedal was to the floor and the accelerator was stalling. After managing to get the vehicle back to my home, naturally I went to the dealership (langdale Hyundai of valdosta) and informed them of the issue. They informed me there was no issue, charged me for a diagnostic and sent me on my way. Once I provided proof of my car stopping mid-drive, they began to check wiring and such. What they told me the issue was is a hydraulic power unit. I had it replaced, still the same issue "check brakes". I only have 116k miles on this car, bought it with 72k in 2021, so I haven't driven it much. It spent 8 months in Hyundai dealership in holiday, FL for a brand-new hybrid battery in 2022. I have been looking online for anyone that knows more about this issue so I can get it resolved. It turns out there are thousands of people who are just like me. I believe this is indeed a recall issue. I believe this is an issue is an emergency issue, brakes giving out while driving is an issue that needs to be addressed. This has been happening for years, and Hyundai has not done one thing on it. It's happening with newer vehicles as well as older. Langdale Hyundai of valdosta was not much of a help at all, to be honest, I don't trust their workers at all. I believe they do nothing and charge customers for the max that they can.

After starting, got a warning stating check hybrid braking, do not drive. When going forward, brake pedal went to floor, heard heavy grinding noise and vehicle stopped accelerating. Had to use the emergency brakes to avoid an accident. Hyundai says they can’t find a problem. Now I can’t even drive it back to the dealer! did an internet search and many other hybrid owners have reported the same issue. I just want to have Hyundai buy the car back at this point. It only has a little over 50,000 miles on it.

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the parking brake light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the abs control module was faulty and needed be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 149,000.

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

I was driving and my car started beeping and the wheel jerked to the left and my car slowed down from 65mph to 20mph and almost caused me to have an accident. After I replaced the breaking module, my battery started shorting out and my car once again jerked off to the side and then slowed down abruptly from 65 mph to 20mph.

I was driving I seen smoke then full flames on my windshield and I tried to stop and put my car in park to get out but my brakes stopped working and I couldn’t get the gear in park so I opened the driver door and had to jump out of the car . I had an engine replacement a year before for it being recalled and police and firefighters were on scene after incident.

My engine block or engine has a hole in it. All of my oil came out and my vehicle shut off. My brakes as well is not hard when pressed on, so I would have to pump it till it hardened. My safety and others safety was at risk while I was driving because my vehicle was not coming to a complete stop which could have resulted in a serious or fatal accident. As well as my engine block blowing making all the oil in my vehicle leak all on the road while driving on a busy road. Yes the problem has been confirmed but I was told that my car does not fall under the cars listed with the same issue on the recall list. No it has not been inspected by the manufacturer or police or insurance rep because I am being told I have to pay out of pocket and I am not able to afford the prices being told to me for an issue that I have not caused. There were no warning lamps or anything prior to this incident. I have went to many different mechanics for a diagnostic for my vehicle but they all say my vehicle is fine or they do not know what I am talking about.

Active hydraulic booster failed while driving. 2012 with 114,000 miles on it. Brand new engine and transmission installed from prior recalls. Hyundai dealership said it was covered under anything and would cost $5k to get fixed.

On November 4, 2024 while coming to a stop in traffic, the brake pedal went to the floor without any warning. Just prior to using the brakes, there was no feeling of softness in the pedal, and no indication a low pedal situation, and there was no indicator of pending brake failure. The brake light indicator only lit when the brake pedal went to the floor. I was fortunate that I did not rear end the vehicle ahead, or more seriously had there been a jay walker, because I quickly pumped the brake pedal with what little braking I had while shifting the automatic transmission to second gear. I was able to slowly drive ten miles home in second gear while using the hand brakes. Eom.

See all problems of the 2008 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

Leaking.

See all problems of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

There is no lights at all on the brake lights but the brake light in the back window stays on all the time the dim head light only lets one side work.

I was driving as normal and twice about 3 min apart from each other my car went into emergency braking and stopped sudden. No red lights no warnings nothing. Also periodically my car dashboard lights will come on while driving filtering through all the hazard checks. Sometimes it stays on and sometimes it don't. Eventually dash goes back normal. Again all with no warning. Very scary.

I was driving down the street I went to show down by hitting my brakes they wouldn't slow down the vehicle then the car caught fire.

The driver side seat belt wont click and stay in almost half the time I drive my car… after reading other complaints its looking like this is a common thing. Within the past year ive noticed lots of times that when im going to lock my car with my fob, it wont lock and its because the passenger side lock button on the inside of door is in a stuck between lock/unlock position… resulting in me having to lean over to manually unlock the door even when I’ve unlocked my car with both the fob and inside button… all the sudden I noticed too that my speed control will not work at all and be completely unresponsive most times. It will randomly work when I try checking it on highway. Ive had so many issues with my taillights going/burning out constantly and now my headlights have gotten really dim. Im scared to drive at night now. They are much more dimmer than a cars should look like usually. Within the past week I just noticed a random big crack in the dashboard on the passenger side as well… noticed that seems to be a common thing and concern of safety with lots of others who own and drive this same vehicle… my first thought was “what if this crack will effect the airbag and make it deploy?” the crack is literally right over and above where the airbag is… plan on trying to take my car to place on okc that did the anti-theft system software update on my car… but my car has gotten so bad when driving ill be lucky if it makes it there in one piece. My car has started to shake so bad when im driving!!! almost “jumping” at times it feels like. This car has been a pretty good car but when there are multiple complaints of the same issues that continuously keep costing us money and its not because of our doing and in fact the manufacturers faulty equipment and parts that they used to make these cars… they should most definitely be doing recalls and fixing these problems at no cost!.

I believe this is the same issue as the Hyundai recall #170 (activation of the engine management system's brake pedal override feature). While pressing the accelerator, my car will stop accelerating until I let off the gas pedal and then press it again. This is an intermittent issue and unrelated to any fuel delivery system. I confirmed it was a brake pedal issue because my brake lights would not turn off and I could shift out of park without my foot being on the brake pedal. I feel like this could be a pretty big issue for properly signally drivers behind me as well as when I’m trying to drive in heavy or speedy traffic, e. G. , merging onto or within interstate traffic.

Brake system warning, puts car in limp mode on freeway nearly causing rear end collisions.

Fault code in the automatic braking system c24020 c17410 white body paint bubbling and peeling off the car for no reason. Passenger door roof frame and trunk. Hood previously repaired.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata 🔎.

On July 29, 2024, my 2012 Hyundai Sonata hybrid was parked in our driveway. About 10 minutes later an engine fire started that consumed the car. The local fire departmemt put out the fire but the car was totaled. The fire also destroyed a storage shed and some windows were damaged. The car was taken to the Hyundai dealer for servicing when the engine light came on on March of 2024. The car was left for a few days with the dealer. The NHTSA recall number 23v651000 was not repaired during that service call.

Abs control unit/pump is leaking. I was told it's not covered under warranty or recall. Local mechanic states they can't repair it because the part has to be properly programed at the dealership. I've spoken with other Hyundai owners and they have had the same issue.

I have had this car for 2 years (13k miles). . . . Intermittently the car stops short when backing up. This has happened at least 15-20 times, backing out of my garage. It also happened twice backing out of a parking space. The most recent incident was driving on the hwy at 70mph and the emergency brake warning light came on causing the car to swerve, stop for a few seconds. Needless to say this was very scary. I am attaching a link with the same or similar complaints: [xxx] I have been in touch with corporate. The car is currently at the dealer ship and has been for 2 weeks. They are trying to duplicate the problem, but it is so intermittent, I doubt they will find anything. I was told they have to keep it for 30 days, then. . . . I don't know what the next step is. I love this car, but no longer feel safe in it. Please advise how you can help. 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 🔎.

At 40,000 miles the transmission is already jerking, shifting hard into gear and downshifting hard .

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle veered to the right. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the brake rotors were modified, and the failure was corrected. Additionally, while driving at speeds over 65 mph, the front driver’s side of the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Emergency brake started engaging while the car is in motion. Usually, 10-15 minutes after starting the car. We were told the hydraulik brake booster pump needs to be replaced. The car is at only 60k miles.

The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, a pedestrian alerted him that the vehicle was on fire.   the contact noticed that the rear portion and driver side of the vehicle was on fire.   while traveling around a curve the brakes became inoperable the contact jumped out of the vehicle. He contact sustained injuries to his left shoulder and leg and medical attention was provided.   there were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle continued to roll as it was burning.   the vehicle crashed into a dirt mound at the end of a hill. The fire department was on the scene to extinguish the fire. There were four gallons of fuel on the ground. The vehicle was towed to tow lot. There was no police report fire or air bag deployment. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total lost. The failure mileage was approximately 105, 000.

Lost all braking ability while driving. Had towed to a shop and they were finally able to recreate the issue. There are no error codes indicated when they hook up to a computer. Have bled brakes and still not fixed. They are telling me they've done all they can do.

In April 2023, I purchased a 2015 Hyundai Sonata eco from carvana with 56,000 miles. By may 2023, the mileage was around 72,000. While driving from south houston to north houston on may 22nd, 2023, the car loudly popped as I exited the highway around 5:00 pm cst. I noticed smoke coming from the rear and parked in a construction zone near a convenience store. Upon inspection, the vehicle stopped working, and I saw a significant fluid leak underneath. A bystander alerted me to flames from the bottom and under the hood. I called 911, and the fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries or property damage. I later discovered that specific 2011–2015 Hyundai models had been recalled due to fire risk (NHTSA 23v-651000), but this did not include the Hyundai Sonata eco. The recall was due to the anti-lock brake system (abs) module leaking brake fluid internally, potentially causing an electrical short and leading to a fire. I have photos and videos documenting the incident. Following the incident, I filed a claim with travelers insurance, and on may 28th, 2023, the vehicle was declared a total loss. While I appreciate their offer of ~$13,000, it is insufficient to cover the remaining loan balance of approximately $17,300. I am worried about the financial impact and potential danger I face due to this malfunction. The lack of information highlights the need for better consumer education. I am now looking into options to cover the remaining loan balance, acquire a new vehicle, and, most importantly, advocate for improved driver education regarding this defect.

While I was driving after picking up my daughters from school the car start giving me a hybrid system warning and a brake message on the dash with brakes not working properly so I stop and get the car tow to my mechanic it was scary since I have my 2 daughter with me my mechanic said the problem is the hecu and needs replacement he tell me there is a recall #251 I call the dealer but they said only cover a fuse no the actual defected part that doesn't make sense I seen a lot of complain of this part going bad hopefully Hyundai do something to make right and fix the actual problem and dont put life on risk like happen to me and my daughters.