PlainCars

Hyundai · vehicle model

Hyundai Sonata

21,712 NHTSA complaints and 120 safety recalls across model years 1987–2025.

Complaints
21,712
Recalls
120
Model years
38

The verdict

The Hyundai Sonata pairs above-average complaint volume with 120 recalls (heavily recalled).

0th pctile
complaint volume, US models
120
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Hyundai Sonata vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

21,712 Higher than most more complaints than 99%+ of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The Hyundai Sonata appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 21,712 consumer safety complaints and 120 recall campaigns across 38 model years (1987–2025). That averages roughly 571 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 37 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2025 10
2024 54
2023 117
2022 118
2021 143
2020 229
2019 177
2018 507
2017 956
2016 946
2015 1596
2014 1060
2013 2592
2012 2246
2011 4587
2010 415
2009 610
2008 552
2007 905
2006 1422
2005 217
2004 285
2003 247
2002 407
2001 293
2000 378
1999 187
1998 68
1997 74
1996 37
1995 93
1994 7
1993 46
1992 43
1991 41
1990 25
1989 18
1987 4

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 7,592 in 2017-2021 to 5,312 in 2022-2026, a fall of 30% . That is the 51th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

55
’95
86
’96
32
’97
49
’98
68
’99
97
’00
100
’01
140
’02
111
’03
142
’04
123
’05
152
’06
136
’07
365
’08
399
’09
675
’10
765
’11
554
’12
847
’13
1072
’14
1291
’15
1549
’16
1499
’17
1587
’18
1906
’19
1448
’20
1152
’21
1485
’22
1430
’23
1093
’24
1110
’25
194
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare Hyundai Sonata to Similar Vehicles

Hyundai Sonata vs Jeep Wrangler → Hyundai Sonata vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500 → Hyundai Sonata vs Jeep Cherokee → Hyundai Sonata vs Toyota Camry →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

PE24021 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2024-08-07

Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch
DP24001 Defect Petition Closed 2024-02-08

3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
AQ23002 Audit Query Open 2023-11-17

Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
PE23011 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2023-06-08

Loss of Motive Power
RQ22005 Recall Query Closed 2022-12-02

Windshield Wiper Failure
DP22003 Defect Petition Closed 2022-09-12

Loss of Motive Power
RQ22003 Recall Query Closed 2022-08-08

Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
EA21003 Engineering Analysis Closed 2021-12-22

Engine Fires
DP21003 Defect Petition Closed 2021-11-12

Throttle control system vulnerabilities
PE19003 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2019-03-29

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

View all 37 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Hyundai Sonata?▼
The Hyundai Sonata has received 21,712 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1987 to 2025, with 120 recalls. That averages about 571 complaints per model year.
What years of Hyundai Sonata are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Hyundai Sonata from 1987 to 2025 (38 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Hyundai Sonata have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Hyundai Sonata model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Hyundai Sonata complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the Hyundai Sonata are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Hyundai Sonata has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Hyundai Sonata totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.