Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Hyundai Sonata Hybrid - part 1

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai sonata. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the malfunction indicator and coolant temperature warning lights illuminated, and the engine overheated and shuddered abnormally. There was smoke and an abnormal ticking sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v651000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The vehicle experiences sudden, complete electrical power loss while driving at speed on highways and city streets or on the parking. All digital displays turn off, the engine shuts down, and power-assisted steering and braking are instantly lost without prior warning, presenting an extreme collision risk. The issue first occurred in August 2025 at approximately 48,000 miles and was taken to an authorized Hyundai dealer in michigan for warranty repair. The dealer held the vehicle for over 30 days but failed to correct the defect. The identical power failure has continued and recently escalated to daily occurrences. A second Hyundai dealer (pacifico Hyundai, philadelphia, PA) diagnosed an intermittent open circuit in the engine wiring harness but Hyundai motor America refuses to repair the vehicle under warranty, claiming 'outside influence' without providing evidence. Driving a hybrid vehicle that randomly cuts all power in live traffic is a life-threatening safety hazard. Hyundai motor America has failed to rectify this critical safety defect.

See all problems of the 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle, and while inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that there was a puddle of oil on the ground underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a nearby Ford dealer, where it was diagnosed with camshaft and engine failure. The contact was informed that the camshaft and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of technical service bulletin: 22-em-006h-2. The contact was advised to tow the vehicle to a Hyundai dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to an alternate dealer where the failure was confirmed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The contact was informed that the repair was denied because of the previous owner's negligence with maintenance of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 120,744.

See all problems of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The primary failure is in the engine/powertrain system and knock sensor detection system (ksds), causing 6 identical sudden engine stalls (obd-ii code p1326) from 09/2000 to 06/2026. Additionally, severe excessive oil consumption was documented during 2 of these diagnostic visits, showing deep-seated engine issues. The vehicle and all records are available for inspection at the Hyundai dealer. Safety was severely threatened on 6 occasions. The vehicle abruptly stalled at 60+ mph in active highway traffic, forcing an immediate engine shutdown. This left me with highly impaired steering and braking control in fast-moving traffic, creating an imminent risk of high-speed rear-end collisions and jeopardizing my life and others. The primary stalling defect and p1326 code were confirmed 6 separate times by the authorized Hyundai dealership. The secondary excessive oil consumption issue was also formally confirmed by the dealer during 2 of those visits. Despite multiple dealership-confirmed diagnoses, no permanent repair has been achieved. The vehicle has been inspected during all 6 visits by dealership technicians. For the current (6th) visit, the dealer could not resolve the recurring defect and formally contacted Hyundai corporate technical support for expert analysis, which is currently ongoing. Except for the first visit, the pattern is identical: the car stalls, the dealer clears codes/replaces ksds, and it stalls again within 3 weeks. Notably, during the 4th visit, they replaced the intake manifold. Now, on this 6th visit, they demand I pay to replace that same part again. This proves they cannot diagnose the root engine failure and are only applying useless, temporary fixes. Prior to all 6 stalls, the flashing check engine / hybrid warning light triggered on the dashboard. This critical ksds alert was followed within seconds by a total loss of motive power. Also, a history of rapid engine oil depletion and low-oil alerts was documented in 2 of the diagnostics.

See all problems of the 2019 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

See attached document for complaint.

Driving at 78 mph and "check hybrid system" came on, engine and all throttle/electrical shut off and did not regain power. Had to sit for 5-10mins and vehicle eventually regained power after resetting battery and had no issues.

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption with an abnormal burning odor. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and an oil consumption test was performed. The contact was informed that the vehicle passed the inspection. While driving later, the vehicle stalled and was taken back to the dealer, where it was determined that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil, and several dtc including the knock sensor detection system (ksds) were found. The contact stated that while driving or reversing at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered, made abnormal rattling sounds, entered hev lock mode, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle occasionally came to a complete stop in the middle of the road and had to be pushed out of the roadway. On other occasions, the driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed after stalling. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated before the vehicle entered hev lock mode, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where several tests, including bearing clearance tests and unknown repairs, were performed; however, the failure persisted. During the final service visit, the dealer diagnosed the vehicle with engine wear and tear and fractured pistons. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the service manager informed the contact that there was no guarantee that replacing the engine or catalytic converter would resolve the failure due to severe engine damage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered loaner vehicle assistance on several occasions; however, coverage for the engine replacement was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, the message "shut down" was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and declined to cover the repair under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 140,600.

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to the rod bearings failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under an unknown recall due to the mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 183,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into limp mode with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai sonata. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 60 mph, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over to inspect the vehicle. Upon checking under the hood, the contact noticed that the coolant level was low. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the engine had overheated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph and making a left turn, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound. The contact stated that upon pulling into an apartment complex parking lot, the contact noticed that there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately parked and exited the vehicle. The contact stated that upon opening the hood, the contact noticed a small fire and was able to extinguish the fire with a water bottle. The contact was able to push the vehicle into a parking space with the assistance of her son. There was no injury sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that a fluid leak from an unknown hose had caused the fire, and there was a hole in the engine block. The contact also stated that there was a puddle of fluid on the ground. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v651000(service brakes, hydraulic), which the contact related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,395.

See all problems of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 🔎.

Idle and warning to not drive, 2025 very subtle cut off now full warning.

The contact's son owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled a burning odor on the interior of the vehicle, after which he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was not aware of the diagnostic report. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 21v727000 (engine); the VIN was included, and parts were available. The contact also stated that the vehicle had a salvage title. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to exit the highway; however, the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that prior to the engine failure, the engine had been replaced two years prior. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the low battery warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact heard a rattling sound coming from the engine before the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed hybrid system and that the hybrid system needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the transmission was not the original transmission, and the cooler was damaged. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

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The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check hybrid system warning light illuminated. In addition, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was serviced by a dealer two months ago and repaired under technical service bulletin: t6g. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred after driving the vehicle for 500 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed engine and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,300.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that after his daughter started the vehicle, the vehicle began to knock and shake violently, and his daughter smelled a burning odor within the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the connecting rod bearings inside the engine had worn prematurely, requiring the replacement of the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 21v727000 (engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "check hybrid system, turn off the engine" was displayed, and the vehicle was shaking while decelerating. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with the technical service bulletin: 198. The technical service bulletin was completed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the same dealer where it was diagnosed with a drained battery and catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the same dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. Several unknow warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rod bearings and observed metal shavings inside the short block. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 134,000.

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The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that his wife was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the mechanic retrieved various codes from the engine, and p1326 for the engine knock code and informed his wife that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and performed a bearing clearance test and replaced the knock sensor. The dealer determined that the engine did not need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 21v727000 (engine). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil warning light intermittently illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle made an abnormal sound while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the oil level was extremely low. The mechanic advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for the engine to be inspected. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with bearing wear in the engine. The dealer informed the contact that repairs would be covered under warranty. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,661.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 60 mph and taking an exit, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power relay assembly and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle started but failed to move. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB number: 20-01-003h. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v651000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 145,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate up a hill, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, after which attempts to restart and jumpstart the vehicle failed. The hybrid system warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and later towed to an independent mechanic, who determined the engine failure was due to metal shavings present in the engine's oil. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA campaign number 20v746000 (engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the message "pull over. Stop the vehicle" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle became drivable after waiting 30 minutes to an hour. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while reversing and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked, made an abnormally loud sound, and failed to respond. The contact shifted into park(p) and shifted back into reverse(r), and the vehicle jerked and responded. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with low oil and engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v746000 (engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,036.

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving onto an on-ramp at an unknown speed, an abnormal knocking noise was heard. The vehicle was able to accelerate to approximately 40 mph. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven home and then to a dealer. While at the dealer, the failure was diagnosed as a piston failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 20v746000 (engine), and the VIN was included in the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired under the recall. The contact stated that the dealer provided the test results to the manufacturer. The contact stated that the recall repairs were denied by the manufacturer due to negligent maintenance. The contact stated that he had owned the vehicle for 3-weeks. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 - 65 mph, the red engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who informed her the vehicle was working as designed. While driving on another occasion, the check engine warning light and the hybrid system shutdown and turn off engine message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the same local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the computer chip was faulty. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on another occasion the check engine warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The hybrid electric vehicle (hev) system in my 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid limited malfunctioned. On three separate occasions, the hev warning light illuminated while I was driving on the highway, followed by a sudden loss of power. The vehicle stalled and stopped running, leaving it inoperable. The incidents occurred in approximately August 2022, November 2023, and February 2026. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Each incident occurred while driving on a highway. The vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled in moving traffic, creating a significant safety hazard. I was forced to attempt to move the vehicle out of active traffic lanes while other vehicles were traveling at highway speeds. The unexpected loss of propulsion increased the risk of a crash, serious injury, or death to myself, my passengers, and other motorists. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership after each incident. However, the dealership did not provide an explanation for the hev warning light, loss of power, or stalling condition. To my knowledge, no permanent repair was identified, and the problem recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership following each towing event. The vehicle was towed after each incident because it was not safe to drive. To my knowledge, Hyundai did not provide a definitive cause for the failures. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives in connection with.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking and hesitated during acceleration with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,800.

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 - 65 mph, the battery warning light illuminated. The charging system failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the system needed to be reprogramed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced fuel cap and performed other tests on the engine. The check engine warning light disappeared however, two weeks later the warning light returned. The dealer was contacted and a message was left. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 134,298.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, a message indicating a vehicle failure was displayed and the coolant temperature warning light illuminated. The contact stated that as she was veering to the side of the road, she saw white smoke rising up in the rear of the vehicle through the rearview mirror. Another driver also notified the contact of the white smoke. The contact stated that she parked the vehicle and opened the hood but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact remained on the side of the road where she was awaiting for the vehicle to be towed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 116,495.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai sonata. The contact stated while driving at 70 mph, the oil pressure warning light illuminated and the vehicle started losing motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond and jolted. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact continued to drive at a slower speed however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving to her residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the failure was associated to manufacturer recall number: 198. However, the dealer informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.