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

Vehicle: 2012 Hyundai Sonata Incident Date: August 14, 2024 Location: [XXX] Description of the Problem: The vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic fire without warning while in normal use. There were no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms before the incident. The failure appears to have originated from the electrical system and/or engine (exact cause UNKNOWN), which resulted in the vehicle igniting unexpectedly. Safety Risk: This failure created an immediate and life-threatening safety hazard to all occupants. The vehicle caught fire suddenly, leaving no time to react or prevent injury. There was no crash or external cause associated with this fire. The incident required emergency response from Butts County Fire and Emergency Services, who generated an official report. Injuries and Trauma: My son suffered burn injuries to his fingers, requiring emergency medical treatment. There is neurological damage to the fingertips, indicating lasting physical injury. In addition, my son experienced significant psychological trauma due to sudden exposure to a life-threatening vehicle fire, including acute emotional distress during the incident and ongoing fear associated with vehicle safety. This demonstrates the extreme danger posed by a sudden, unpreventable vehicle fire. Inspection / Confirmation: The incident was documented by Butts County Fire and Emergency Services. At this time, manufacturer inspection is UNKNOWN, dealer inspection is UNKNOWN, and insurance inspection is UNKNOWN. Warning Signs Prior to Failure: There were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the fire. The failure occurred suddenly and without notice. Defect Pattern Concern: This incident is consistent with known issues involving Hyundai Sonata vehicles, including engine and electrical system failures and reports of vehicle fires. This complaint is submitted to request a formal investigation. Prior Hyundai fire defects reported for this model. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11729048

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving to her residence at unknown speeds, the vehicle suddenly caught fire while making a U-turn. The brakes and emergency brake were inoperable. The seatbelt was inoperable. The driver jumped out of the window. A pedestrian attempted to alert her of the fire. The vehicle exploded after exiting the vehicle. The contact sustained an injury to her leg, but no medical attention was provided. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. There was no report of a crash or airbag deployment. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000. The vehicle was auctioned off by the towing company.

NHTSA ODI 11702697

My engine seized on the highway on my way home from work. The service department has been horrid. They lied about who the manager is. They lied about the reason behind not wanting to honor the recall. They are rude - threatened to tow my car today after I waited 6 days to hear back from them about the issue with my car and determination. Was extremely rude. Stated that they were not honoring the recall because there was obvious signs of my engine being tampered with or certain parts on my engine, but could not provide a name of the part or a serial or model number so that this could be verified. I need this addressed immediately.

NHTSA ODI 11695169

Driving came to a stop ,light turned green made a U-turn to go to the gas station heard a pop noise smoke came from inside the car tried stopping it but the brake pedal sunk into the ground pressed my emergency brake it was seized wouldn’t go down (never had that issue my brakes always work ) I smelled brake fluid and seen the abs light on the dash then the power started to go out and my girlfriend almost got trapped in the car

NHTSA ODI 11691470

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

NHTSA ODI 11680813

Butts County Fire and Emergency Services made a report about the car catching on fire. There was an electrical problem and/or the engine caught on fire. My son’s fingers got burned and he was taking to the emergency room. Further neurological damage done to all of his finger tips. No warning car just blew up in fire. My son’s fingers could have died during the car fire.

NHTSA ODI 11666360

On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], my [XXX] Daughter was using my car to go to work. When she called us and informed my husband that the car did not start. At that point he asked to video call him so that he can visually see what was going on. She was directed to turn on the car again at and that point, the car started then smoke was noticed from coming out of the hood. My daughter managed to open the hood where flames emerged from the center of the engine. She then ran in the house to get a fire extinguisher and managed to put it out and it reignited. She then made a second attempt with another fire extinguisher where it briefly subsided and then grew larger. At that point the fire dept arrived and successfully extinguished the fire and deemed the car totaled after the Fire Marshall carefully inspected the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11654369

Unknown Cought fire under the hood was engulfed within minutes

NHTSA ODI 11652424

Received Hyundai recall 251 the end of 2023. Car taken to Hyundai dealer in March 2024 and dealer could not make the repairs on the recall. The end of July, the car caught fire (engine fire) when the car was parked for 10 minutes. Car and adjacent structure was destroyed.

NHTSA ODI 11621419

My daughter had her car towed to the Hyundai dealership because of engine failure. Upon inspection we learned that there was a recall on the engine. We had to wait a few weeks so that the dealership could get approval and authorization to replace the engine. Finally after 3 or so weeks we got a courtesy car to drive. After about 4 weeks our car was finally ready to pick up so we took the courtesy car back and picked up our car. After about 4 months or so maybe my daughter went to her friends house one afternoon and her and her friend left in the friends car. They had been gone maybe 10 minutes or so and her friends neighbor called her friend and said that her car was on fire and they had already called the fire department but the car was engulfed in flames and before the fire department could get to it the whole car burnt to the ground. Nothing left but the shell of the car. The fire marshal said that the source of the fire was under the hood. Thats where the fire ignited he said. Luckily no one was injured or hurt. But this is after I had the recall motor put in. It was super scary and very upsetting because no one seems like they want to help us either.

NHTSA ODI 11618821

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.

NHTSA ODI 11606002

Airbag clock springs module malfunction disabling emergency deployment of the driver’s side airbag in the event of a collision. My 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0 Turbo with 93,336 miles on it, ending seized up going at highway speed causing instant and complete loss of power. Smoke started coming out from under the front engine compartment hood making me think the car was on fire. Trying to get the car manuvered off the highway and over to the right side of the road I was almost involved in a collision with other traffic. I was scared almost to death. Hyundai Motor America is now refusing to repair my vehicle even though it is covered under their extend warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11595043

On the morning of April 15, 2024, at around 6 a.m., our 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid unexpectedly caught fire and exploded in front of our house. This incident occurred shortly after I started the car and left it to warm up. Smoke and flames emerged from under the hood, quickly escalating until the front of the vehicle exploded, shattering the windows and extensively damaging the driver and passenger sides. Previously, we had noticed a fuel odor emanating from the hood, which we suspected was related to a known fuel recall issue. We brought the vehicle to the manufacturer's attention, hoping for a resolution under the recall. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not address the fuel smell as part of the recall services and instead billed us for unrelated repairs. This oversight on their part raises serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the recall process and the manufacturer's accountability in ensuring the safety of their vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11593275

I noticed a clicking noise when pressing and releasing the brake pedal that had not been there before. I started hearing that sound 3-5 days ago. After driving to pick up food I noticed smoke coming from the engine area then the car burst into flames. The fire depress called a they put out the fire.

NHTSA ODI 11561959

While driving, the engine abruptly seized up and stopped without any warning. This was a replacement engine from a previous recall. The transmission warning light had illuminated the previous day, after which the car began to hesitate when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear but otherwise drove normally. When the engine seized up, every warning light illuminated on the dashboard. The car still had full battery power but the engine would not turn over or make any response when the key was turned. After placing the car in neutral and pushing it several blocks, the engine began to smoke. The smoke progressively and quickly worsened until fire was visible under the hood in the engine compartment. The engine compartment was then engulfed in fire which spread to the front of the passenger compartment. The car had to be extinguished by the local volunteer fire department.

NHTSA ODI 11547453

This is a 2012 sonata hybrid. The vehicle popped under the hood when my wife was driving to visit her father. My son opened the hood and fire started shooting out from next to the exhaust manifold. The car was just into Gurnee Hyundai for service. They had the car for a month and a half. I still don't think that they did anything when they had it. Anyway, the car burnt completely to the ground in the front engine area. I already contacted Hyundai America, and, even Hyundai and South Korea. This happened on September 8th. I have pictures, I also have the warranty individual who inspected the car before the dealer worked on it, or I have the warranty information. They have the documentation.

NHTSA ODI 11546769

The car engine has seized while I was driving. Engine started smoking up and car won’t start

NHTSA ODI 11533943

ENGINE FIRE “RECALL” -ENGINE FIRE / ALREADY HAD A FIRE INVESTIGATOR INSPECT MY VEHICLE - MY SAFETY WAS AT RISK , IM NOT HURT PHYSICALLY, BUT IM EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIZED ,PTSD - THE PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED BY HYUNDAI . VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY HYUNDAI’s INSPECTOR & MERCURY INSURANCE INSPECTOR. They said there was a leak in my engine which they had replaced the long block of my engine do to an engine recall . They replaced that in 2020. -NO WARNING LIGHTS On 01/03/23 I was at a stop light, I started to smell gas in my car , then I saw white smoke , i then looked at my gauges to see if there was any warning lights were on but there wasn’t . My heat temperature was normal . As I looked up I noticed black smoke started coming from my vehicle . I quickly shut off my car but that didn’t help stop the smoke . I literally got out of my vehicle rite before flames engulfed my vehicle . I immediately called 911 . & then contacted my insurance & Hyundai

NHTSA ODI 11506539

My car started on fire while being stopped at a signal light

NHTSA ODI 11500239

2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ENGINE STALLING, KNOCKING, FAILURE, FIRE AND OTHER SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11474050

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the engine started smoking. The vehicle was overheated and the vehicle flap and cooling warning light message displayed. The contact was able to pull over safely and exit the family out. There were 4 passengers, the wife, and 3 children. The entire vehicle was destroyed and engulfed in flame. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the wrecking yard. There was a police report. There were minor injuries to the wife and 1 daughter. The contact related the fire to NHTSA Campaign Number 20V746000 (Engine). The approximate failure mileage was 2,000

NHTSA ODI 11464813

On March 19th I was involved in wreck where the other driver was at fault. The lady t-boned me on my driver's side. Airbags never deployed so my head smashed Into the window leaving me with a concussionand spinal injury. My usually working horn failed as well. I would also like to mention that I have only had this car a year. I was also told it was never in a wreck and had 1 owner. Nope. A week after I got it, I was driving and my engine seized while I was doing 70mph. The steering stopped working, but somehow managed to pull off to the side. i had to stay in my car because of the busy highway. It was 100+ weather and my windows wouldn't work. I sat there for 2 hours. Took the car to a shop just to find out about the engine recall that I believe my car wasn't apart of, but should have been. Fought with Hyundai for them to fix it then lost my job because I was denied a loaner car while waiting. 2 months later they finally fix it. Now the breaks do a weird grinding thing a lot, my shifter slips out of place, the steering column wobbles, the engine is constantly making a disturbing noise and is sluggish, it has trouble shifting when accelerating. I have had the car rapidly accelerate instead of slow down when stopping at a stop sign or light. I only got it to stop after stomping the breaks repeatedly while throwing it in park and turning the car off all at the same time. Emergency break and traction control light come on a lot. It's throwing a high speed can bus code, but only sometimes. My gas mileage has went down to 16-18 mpg. Oil changes are necessary every month. AND my taillights burn out every 1 to 2 months. Now I have 4 traffic tickets. And that was all BEFORE the wreck. Hyundai refuses to call me back after they reluctantly fixed the first recall.

NHTSA ODI 11463181

As I was driving on the highway, my car engine stalled and all the interior dashboard lights came on. I was unable to accelerate although all other features of my car worked (steering, brakes, radio, bluetooth, etc...). I was barely able to get off the highway safely as the highway I was on had no shoulder that was safely accessible. Luckily, I was in the far right lane already which allowed me to exit the highway. I was just barely able to exit the highway and move to the middle and far right lane of the service road before my car came to a complete stop. I attempted to turn my car off and back on without success. At this point, I could start to smell burning of something and knew I needed to exit the car immediately, however, I was unable to do so due to traffic on the driver side of my car. I noticed smoke coming from my engine which prompted to me to jump out of the car without continuing to pay attention to the traffic that was passing me. I called 911 to alert them of my car impeding traffic, potentially causing another wreck, and the potential that my car may be on fire. After making those statements to dispatch, flames shot forward from my hood and I was able to move away from my car. The fire department arrived on scene but not before the flames had reached 12+ feet as they were taller than the fire truck. The firefighters were able to put out the flames. My car engine was completely melted from the fire. At this point, the dealership, insurance agent or any other representative has determined a cause of the fire or has looked at my car. No warning lights to indicate a malfunction was visible prior to the incident. No noises or engine malfunctions were noted prior to the incident.

NHTSA ODI 11458496

2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT SHUT OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A CURB. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE WAS BENT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION PERTAINING TO ANY RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI 11449242

Smoke started coming from the engine and then caught fire

NHTSA ODI 11436754