What 1,551 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hev

VEHICLE STALLS/DIES WHILE DRIVING. IT STALLED 2 TIMES BUT WHEN I PULLED OVER, IT WOULD START RIGHT AWAY. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE IT HOME, IT STALLED FOR A THIRD TIME AND WHILE PULLING OVER IT STARTED SMOKING SO BAD I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THERE IS AN ENGINE RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT DEALER IS GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HOW HYUNDAI HAS HANDLED THE INCIDENT THAT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD OFF BEEN DEADLY.

NHTSA ODI 11246464

DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, WILL DOWN SHIFT AND DRASTICALLY LOSE SPEED WHILE IN BLUE MODE. NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY KIND. NO APPARENT ISSUE AT LOWER SPEEDS. ENGINE DOES NOT REV UP HIGH BECAUSE OF REV LIMITS. DROPS FROM 6 GEAR DOWN TO 4 GEAR QUICKLY LOOSING SPEED. LEADING TO IMPEDANCE OF TRAFFIC FLOW. A COUPLE OF TIME THIS HAPPENED WHEN MERGING ON TO INTERSTATE. HAD TO RIDE ON SIDE TO NEXT EXIT. I HAVE LEARNED IF I GO INTO SPORT SHIFT MODE I DO NOT EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. I HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, BUT UNABLE TO REPEAT ISSUE ON TEST DRIVE. THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND CLEARED SOME HISTORY CODES BUT IT DID NOT HELP. AGAIN THIS HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY.

NHTSA ODI 11245382

ENGINE FAILURE: I OWN A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. ON JULY 2, 2019, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE FAR LEFT LANE, DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. IT THEN STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY OCCURRENCE ESPECIALLY TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY. BUT FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY CROSS OVER, SAFELY GET OFF AT THE NEAREST EXIT, AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON THE CAR (INCLUDING THE ENGINE LIGHT) AND I DETECTED A SLIGHT BURNING ODOR (BUT NO FIRE). I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT STALLED AGAIN AND EVENTUALLY WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WASN'T REPAIRED BUT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP (256 NORTH FRANKLIN ST, HEMPSTEAD, NY) FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FOLLOWING RECALLS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MY VEHICLE: RECALL# 17V226000 (ENGINE), AND #15V568000 (ENGINE). AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE THE VEHICLE HAD OIL IN THE TANK AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 88,000 MILES ON IT WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE AFFECTED THE ENGINE AT ALL. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT BY REPORTING THIS INCIDENT, IT WILL ASSIST THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE ENGINE IN MY VEHICLE AS STATED IN THE RECALL AND THEREBY PREVENTING THIS FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS INCIDENT AND WOULDN'T WANT TO EVER SUBJECT MYSELF OR MY FAMILY (WHO ALSO RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE) TO A TERRIBLE INCIDENT SUCH AS THIS OR WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11229483

MY CAR'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP FOR DIAGNOSING. THE CODE P1326 CAME UP AND NOBODY CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. MY CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND TAKE A MINUTE TO SHIFT GEARS AND DRIVE PROPERLY. THERE HAS BEEN OPEN COMMUNICATION ON THE ISSUE BY OTHER PEOPLE.

NHTSA ODI 11228909

LAST NIGHT AFTER PARKING, MY BREAK LIGHTS REMAINED LIT. MY FATHER AND I BOTH CHECKED EITHER ANYTHING INSIDE WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE EMERGENCY BREAK WAS NOT ENGAGED. I DROVE ABOUT 20 MILES TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING (LIGHTS STILL ON). PARKED AT WORK, LIGHTS STAYED ON. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE AROUND 50 MPH. CAR BRAKED/DECELERATED INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. I EXITED HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY AND PULLED INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM ABLE TO PULL THE LEVER TO CHANGE INTO R/N/D WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE DOWN (YOU SHOULD HAVE TO PRESS BREAK FIRST BEFORE SWITCHING). I KNOW THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE FOR ELANTRAS AND SONATAS AT SOME POINT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT INCLUDED MY CARS YEAR. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY RECALL THINGS, IT SEEMS MAYBE HYUNDAI JUST MAKES FAULTY PRODUCTS. 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. 78,000 MILES. TRACTION LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING THIS AM, BUT PERHAPS UNRELATED AS IT WAS FOGGY AND SO MAYBE SLIPPERY?

NHTSA ODI 11222962

WHILE DRIVING AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR IT ACTS AS IF ITS NOT GETTING ANY GAS, SO WHEN I REMOVE MY FOOT AND REPRESS IT, IT MOVES RIGHT ALONG. IT HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. NOW, I EXITED THE CAR AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON.

NHTSA ODI 11217300

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITH THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT DOES THE SAME THING WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL BE DRIVING 50MPH AND I'LL HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND MY RPM AND SPEED WILL DROP. IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS THEN RE PRESS IT, IT RE ENGAGES AND ACCELERATES AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11207664

AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE WILL RETURN TO IDLE WITHOUT MOVING THE GAS PEDAL. IT WILL DO THE SAME THING WHEN USING CRUISE. PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL WILL RE-ENGAGE THE ENGINE. IT ACTS AS IF YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING ACTS NORMAL (LIGHTS, POWER STEERING ETC). THIS STARTED IN MID MARCH 2019. IT IS BECOMING A DAILY ISSUE. . MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I TOOK IT TO MY HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. IT DID NOT DO IT FOR THEM. THEY SAID IT SHOWED NO CODES. I KEEP VERY GOOD CARE OF MY SONATA. IT HAS 180,000. MY DEALER IS NOLLER HYUNDAI TOPEKA KS.

NHTSA ODI 11195804

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE, THE CONTACT HAD TO RELEASE AND DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUICKLY. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. VICTORVILLE HYUNDAI (14821 PALMADALE RD A, VICTORVILLE, CA 92392) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ODI 11192200

HAD MOTOR REPLACED FROM A PREVIOUS RECALL, 4DAYS AFTER THIS FIX I NOTICED A ROUGH IDLE. WENT TO NUMEROUS SHOPS INCLD DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT RECALL WAS DONE AND ANY OTHER REPAIRS WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET. PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED FROM ROUGH IDLE AND ENGINE NOISE TO POOR ACCELERATION AND MISTIMED BOOSTS. AS IN WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAY CAR DOESNT ACCELERATE VERY FAST VERY LONG DELAY BEFORE BOOST INTIATES. ONCE AT DESIRED SPEED WHEN SLOWING DOWN CAR BOOSTS WITHOUT PRESSURE TO ACCELERTATOR!!! NOW THAT WINTER HAS ARRIVED, SPORADICALLY ON COLD START CAR IDLES EVEN ROUGHER AND SOUNDS AS IF IT WITH SHUT OFF. WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAR IDLES ROUGH THEN SHUTS OFF!! NO POWER STEERING! NO LIGHTS ! NO POWER! THIS HAPPENED WHILST CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IN MOTION! I TRY TO AVOID HWYS AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING WHEN I CAN AS IM SCARED TO DEATH OF THIS CAR. I PURCHASED IT USED IN DEC2017 11 DAYS LATER INTIAL ISSUES BEGAN WITH CAR LOOSING POWER. NOW AFTER ISSUE WAS "FIXED" BY REPLACEMENT MOTOR SAME INTERMEDIATE LOST OF POWER ISSUES AGAIN BUT WITH THE ADDED BOOSTING ISSUE AS WELL NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11160859

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A CURB AND A HANDICAP SIGN. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN REVERSE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. FAIRFAX HYUNDAI (10925 FAIRFAX BLVD, FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA 22030, (703) 352-0444) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND REQUESTED THAT A TEST DRIVE BE CONDUCTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY REPAIR SHOP TO BE EVALUATED FOR THE DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11141846

TAKATA RECALL WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE GAS THE CAR STALLS THEN DRIVES . WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE BACK TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT. I TOOK MY CAR TO HYUNDAI MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THESE AND THE AIR BAGS CHECKED OUT AND STILL THEY DIDN'T FIX NOTHING. WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR I HAD TOTAKE IT TO HYUNDAI BC IT SMELLED LIKE SMOKE THEY FIXED IT BUT NOW WHEN U TURN ON THE AIR THE CAR DON'T EXCEL THE WAY IT DOES WHEN THE HEAT IS ONE

NHTSA ODI 11140274

AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES ON HIGHWAY, MY 2012 SONATA HYBRID WILL START TO JUMP AND BUCK. IT SLOWLY LOSES POWER AND WHEN IT REACHES LOWER SPEEDS (UNDER 40 MPH) AS I TRY TO ACCELERATE IT WILL FEEL LIKE IT'S TRYING TO CATCH THE NEXT GEAR BUT WON'T. I WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE POWER SO I HAVE TO TRY TO LEAVE HIGHWAY OR PULL OVER, WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS ON A HIGH SPEED ROAD. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES SINCE AUGUST 2018. JUST TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP BUT FIRST TWO TIMES THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE PROBLEM WHILE TEST DRIVING IT AND ALL DIAGNOSIS INDICATED THE CAR IS FINE. I SEE IN SOME WEB SITES THAT OTHER USERS NATION-WIDE HAVE HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM BUT WITH NO RESOLUTION AT HAND. THIS IS A VERY CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST RUN INTO ME AS MY CAR LOST POWER AND SPEED RAPIDLY AND STARTED TO BUCK/STUTTER.

NHTSA ODI 11132911

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INITIATE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE HIGHWAY ONLY THE ON/OFF BUTTON WILL WORK, SHOW WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CRUISE LIGHT ON THE DASH CONSOLE. THE SET AND RESUME BUTTONS WILL ONLY WORK APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE TIME AND THE CANCEL BUTTON NEVER WORKS. WHEN THE SYSTEM IS ALLOWING ME TO SET IT THE ONLY WAY TO DISENGAGE IT IS VIA THE BRAKE.

NHTSA ODI 11111107

WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE, THE CAR RANDOMLY LOSES POWER, HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF, ENTIRE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, THEN AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS, POWERS BACK ON. THE LIGHTS, ENGINE, EVERYTHING TURNS OFF. ALSO, WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE, CRUISE CONTROL AND STABILITY DO NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAYS AND CITY STREETS. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE TWO NEAREST DEALERS AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE. GENERALLY, THIS HAPPENS WHEN BRAKING, USING TURN SIGNALS, CHANGING TO HI BEAM/LOW BEAM, BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11105323

I'VE HAD THIS SMALL PROBLEM WITH IT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING HAS IT CLICKING SOUND LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL I DRIVE MY CAR OCCASIONALLY AT SOMETIMES I FEAR THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN WITH IT I MIGHT LOSE CONTROL OR SOMETHING MY BREAK INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL SO I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT SO I DIDN'T NOTICE THERE WAS A COUPLE RECALLS ON THAT MY PHONE NUMBER IS [XXX] OR [XXX] YOU CAN ASK TO SPEAK FOR [XXX] OR [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11100670

I SCANNED AND I GOT THIS C1202 AND ALSO P0087

NHTSA ODI 11084439

SPEED CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. NOW DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES BUT BECAUSE IT'S INTERMITTENT THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE.

NHTSA ODI 11064959

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH BAY HYUNDAI (20433 HAWTHORNE BLVD, TORRENCE, CA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND FUEL PUMP WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE MODIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,052.

NHTSA ODI 11024206

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE AIR BAG AND ESC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED. AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE SIMPLY A NOTICE THAT AIR BAG WAS NOT ENABLED. NO PROBABLE PROBLEM! THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,580. *TR*JB

NHTSA ODI 11015244

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A CLICKING SOUND WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM BURKE HYUNDAI (1424 5TH AVE N A, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203), BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,700.

NHTSA ODI 10992318

TURBO ACULATOR GONE BAD. ALSO RECALL# 160 SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED THE LAST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN NHTSA WEBSITE SHOWS INCOMPLETE. THE TURBO ISSUE WAS DISCOVERED BY FIRESTONE GAVE CODE TO HYUNDAI; NOW I'M TOLD THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE SAID IT'S GETTING NO POWER SINCE LAST NIGHT. $633 IN REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 10984558

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT RESULTED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,656.

NHTSA ODI 10948916

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 SONATA (PURCHASED AT FREEMAN HYUNDAI IN IRVING, TX) IT STARTED TO HAVE LOOSE STEERING THEN STARTED TO HESITATE FREQUENTLY. WHILE DRIVING IT STARTED TO HESITATE AND A CYCLIC KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE ENSUED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE STEERING WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. WAS ALSO TOLD THE OIL HAD METAL SHAVINGS WHICH WAS EFFECTING THE MOTOR. THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE OIL CHANGES WERE NOT DONE BY THEM. ANY SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN MY CAR STALLING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

NHTSA ODI 10913728

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL PAN. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

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