HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID · model year

2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID

43 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016HYUNDAISONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID carries 43 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID is engine with 18 filings, followed by electrical system (12) and unknown or other (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2016 SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

43
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

43 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE18
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
POWER TRAIN3
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2

Recalls (2)

21V74900024/09/2021

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activat

18V16600012/03/2018

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.

Recent Complaints

20230627ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the “Check Hybrid System - Turn Off Engine” message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the vehicle decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but the failure could not be duplicated; however, the contact stated that he provided diagnostic test data to the technician that displayed error codes however, the failure could not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

20230627HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the “Check Hybrid System - Turn Off Engine” message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the vehicle decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but the failure could not be duplicated; however, the contact stated that he provided diagnostic test data to the technician that displayed error codes however, the failure could not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

20230330ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving. Car was at dealer shop multiple times with no repair, was told we don't see active error message or they can't re-create the error. however scan show P261F error. Open Ticket with Hyundai #21018148 while car at the dealers for weeks at the time. each time told check engine got back on but not the message they are looking for.

20230330ENGINE

While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving. Car was at dealer shop multiple times with no repair, was told we don't see active error message or they can't re-create the error. however scan show P261F error. Open Ticket with Hyundai #21018148 while car at the dealers for weeks at the time. each time told check engine got back on but not the message they are looking for.

20230330POWER TRAIN

While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving. Car was at dealer shop multiple times with no repair, was told we don't see active error message or they can't re-create the error. however scan show P261F error. Open Ticket with Hyundai #21018148 while car at the dealers for weeks at the time. each time told check engine got back on but not the message they are looking for.

20230106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving the hybrid system warning light comes on and says to check hybrid system, vehicle goes into limp mode will not accelerate over 25 mph and codes need to be cleared before vehicle van be driven. This has caused me to almost have several accidents. The vehicle slows down and gives no warning prior to this occurring. It has started happening more frequently vehicle currently has 85k miles.

20230106ENGINE

While driving the hybrid system warning light comes on and says to check hybrid system, vehicle goes into limp mode will not accelerate over 25 mph and codes need to be cleared before vehicle van be driven. This has caused me to almost have several accidents. The vehicle slows down and gives no warning prior to this occurring. It has started happening more frequently vehicle currently has 85k miles.

20221020ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH or faster in Hybrid Mode, the vehicle stalled. The HEV error warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was also illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and disengaged the HEV Mode for the vehicle to restart and function as intended. The failure occurred three times. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer however, the mechanics were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

20221020HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH or faster in Hybrid Mode, the vehicle stalled. The HEV error warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was also illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and disengaged the HEV Mode for the vehicle to restart and function as intended. The failure occurred three times. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer however, the mechanics were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

20220811ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2016 plug in hybrid Sonata repeatedly inidcates that there is "high system temperature switching to hybrid mode." This first happened on my first long trip in the car in 10/21 and has happened repeatedly since. This happens at all temperatures, including moderate temperatures (mid 70s). It seems to happen randomly, such as when battery has several miles of charge left in it, when it is fully discharged, and repeatedly when the car is already running in hybrid mode, which a driver could interpret means that the engine is about to shut down, as I did on a long trip. I have taken it to two separate dealers, and the only thing they did was replace the fuel pump, which did not solve the problem. In addition, the battery life has reduced greatly, despite the fact that I always fully discharge and recharge the batter. As you can see from the attached Hyundai forum comments, this appears to be a prevalent problem for this make and model car and no relief from the manufacturer appears

20220706HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while the vehicle was approaching a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact stated he manually pushed the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The contact went back with his trailer and trailered the vehicle to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the Hybrid control unit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20220418ENGINE

In January of 2022, my vehicle experienced a complete power loss while driving to work, leaving the car coasting down the road. A Check Hybrid System warning came up on the dashboard, along with several other warning lights, including Check Engine. Luckily, I was able to pull over without an accident occurring. Once stopped, the vehicle did restart and got me to and back from work. A diagnosis effort made at a local Hyundai dealership was unsuccessful as they could not replicate the problem and found no error codes in the auto's CPU system. I continued to drive the vehicle, hoping it was a one time deal, but since then, the identical situation has occurred three more times. I was extremely lucky that I had been in a position to safely pull off to the side of the road. The car has not been driven since March 19, 2022. After researching this scenario online, it appears to be the exact situation reflected in the Hyundai Recall campaign 175 from 2018, where the dealership remove the origi

20220302UNKNOWN OR OTHER

This is a plug-in hybrid. Charging light on the dash blinks red indicating there is an issue (per manual). Also blinks while driving. Should be green. Still charges. Taken to two Hyundai dealerships. Computer produces no codes. Dealership does not know how to proceed. Safety concern is it’s unknown if battery is dangerous to charge? Is it dangerous to drive? How does a car indicate a problem but then give no codes.

20201221ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OFF THE ROADWAY WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A BYSTANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TUSTIN HYUNDAI (16 AUTO CENTER DRIVE, TUSTIN, CA 92782, (714) 647-2000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE COMMUNICATION WIRE BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED 2 YEARS LATER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

Mileage: 18,000

20190615ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

HEV ENGINIE ERORR

Mileage: 44,363

20190615ENGINE

HEV ENGINIE ERORR

Mileage: 44,363

20181120UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE PLUG OF THE ELECTRICAL CHARGER FOR THE BATTERY OF MY PLUG -IN CAR OVERHEATED AND BURNED THE SURGE PROTECTOR THAT IT WAS PLUGGED INTO.

Mileage: 32,235

20181102ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

"TAKATA RECALL" AUGUST 25TH THE CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO SOME HIGH WATER AND WAS PARKED BY A GAS STATION NEAR GREEN ROAD AND ALDEAN WESTFIELD R. THE CAR WAS UNDERWATER FROM THE FRONT END. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR MULTIPLE TIMES FOR REPAIR. FROM WARRANTY ISSUES TO FLOOD REPAIR, BOTH CAN'T GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR STOPS AND COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF HYBRID MALFUNCTION. WE DONT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS, THE DEALERSHIP HAS COPYS OF ALL REPARS.

Mileage: 30,000

20181102UNKNOWN OR OTHER

"TAKATA RECALL" AUGUST 25TH THE CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO SOME HIGH WATER AND WAS PARKED BY A GAS STATION NEAR GREEN ROAD AND ALDEAN WESTFIELD R. THE CAR WAS UNDERWATER FROM THE FRONT END. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR MULTIPLE TIMES FOR REPAIR. FROM WARRANTY ISSUES TO FLOOD REPAIR, BOTH CAN'T GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR STOPS AND COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF HYBRID MALFUNCTION. WE DONT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS, THE DEALERSHIP HAS COPYS OF ALL REPARS.

Mileage: 30,000

20180821ENGINE

HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES. NOW IT IS NOT OPERABLE. CAR WAS CHECKED BY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE 3 DAYS AGO. THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS AT THE TIME OF SERVICE, THEY DID NOT PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK HOME SAFELY, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER IN THE EVENING, IT GAVE WARNINGS. CAR IS NOT OPERABLE.

Mileage: 8,550

Compare 2016HYUNDAISONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID have?
The 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID has 43 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID?
Yes, the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID?
The most-complained component for the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID is ENGINE with 18 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. 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.