What 157 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in

While on the highway vehicle started shaking violently, flashing engine light then service hybrid system along with every light on the dash! Car still running poorly, stiff steering very hard to slow down to get to safety! By the time I was able to pull over the engine was knocking and a burning smell was coming from the engine compartment. I popped the hood shut the car off , the exhaust manifold and converter(in one together) was so hot it was glowing! I’m thankful I was able to get to safety without it catching fire because it was on its way there! I called for a tow and sent it to the dealer where Hyundai is replacing the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11615081

While driving the car completely cut off i could not use my brakes my horn or steering wheel

NHTSA ODI 11572766

My check Hybrid system light comes on and then my car stops allowing me to drive , the gas stops working ! This happened 3 times on the highway very dangerous

NHTSA ODI 11566685

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.

NHTSA ODI 11514685

Contact was driving on city streets, received Hybrid System Warning, turn off engine alert. Car slowed to dangerous speed in heavy traffic, would only drive under electric system. Car pulled over when safe, restarted, same issue recurred. Car brought to local repair shop, where trouble code #P261F recorded- "Coolant Pump A Control Circuit Stuck On." Mechanic discussed with dealer who said it should be under warranty. Towed to Keyes Mission Hills Hyundai in Mission Hills, CA. Fault diagnosed as electric water pump. Per Mission Hills, not covered under 10 year warranty, only 5 year warranty. Car 5 years, 7 month old,19,000 miles, out of warranty. Owner notified dealer about recall campaign 16-01-020 for this specific component. Awaiting consideration for goodwill repair from Hyundai as per the TSB for the campaign.

NHTSA ODI 11459035

The parking mechanism in the transmission failed. The car was parked in my garage . The lever was in the "Park" position when the car drove backwards out of my garage and crashed into the fence. It continued driving into the street and into the neighbors yard. Two people were out walking and saw it happen. I know I did not leave my car in neutral or reverse when I parked it in my garage. When I tested this later sitting in my car, in my garage, the car immediately began moving backwards instantly, while i was still at the wheel. Had the car been in neutral or reverse at the time this incident occurred, I would have known it was moving immediately and shifted it into park right away. When this incident happened I put the car into park, and I got out of my car , I got things from my trunk and went inside the house. Then I went back to the car to get more things. This is when I witnessed it driving out of my garage backwards. I was standing on my back step. Then I ran across the street to my car and got in the drivers seat to attempt driving it back to my garage. I had to yank it out of park and then shove it back into park to get it to start correctly. Then I was able to get it running again and drove it back across the street to my house. thank God no one including myself got hurt. The possibility of this happening shook me up for days. I reported this to Hyundai and waited 3 months for them to make a determination, they said they cant prove it , that it is my word against theirs. I looked online , and saw reports of this happening to other vehicles as late as 2017 even tho the recall for this was 2011-2014. I started using the electronic parking brake because i read online that other people who have had this happen said to do it. I need to buy a new car dont feel safe in this one.

NHTSA ODI 11439193

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL (198) FROM HYUNDAI IN DEC ABOUT A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS ON MY CAR, YET THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY OR AN ESTIMATED TIME FOR A REMEDY. THIS IS TOO LONG.

NHTSA ODI 11402576

THIS VEHICLE IS A HYBRID WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT AND NO PREVIOUS ISSUES. WHILE DRIVING, IT LOST ALL ACCELERATION AND AN HEV WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT I MUST IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED AT A FAIRLY BUSY INTERSECTION AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT SLOWLY TO THE SIDE OF A ROAD TO CALL A TOW. AFTER BEING "REPAIRED" BY THE DEALER, THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER BEING "FIXED" BY THE DEALER AGAIN, THIS PROCESS REPEATED ITSELF A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AFTER NEEDING TO BE TOWED FOR A FOURTH TIME. EACH OF THE TIMES THAT THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED, IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE THE CAR MALFUNCTIONS. EACH OF THE TIMES IT HAS BEEN FIXED SO FAR, THEY HAVE INDICATED A FAULTY GENERATOR CONNECTOR AND HAVE TRIED TO REPAIR AND REPLACE IT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER THIS LATEST "FIX" I DROVE THE CAR OVER 300 MILES BEFORE THE ISSUE RETURNED. AS I SAID, WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS, THE CAR RANDOMLY LOSES ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING AND DRIFTS TO A STOP. THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON JANUARY 2ND 2021. AFTER THE DEALER FIXED A CONNECTOR, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME LATER THAT WEEK. THE SECOND INCIDENT OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON JANUARY 6TH. AGAIN THE SAME CONNECTOR WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE CAUSE AND WAS FIXED. THE THIRD INCIDENT OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON JANUARY 16TH. I AGAIN GOT TOWED, AND THE DEALER SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE CONNECTOR. THE FOURTH INCIDENT OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 21ST. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER THE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WAS THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES. I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AFTER THE SECOND AND THIRD TIME AND NOW HAVING IT HAPPEN A FOURTH TIME HAS REALLY GOT ME SCARED.

NHTSA ODI 11397364

2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID IGNITION ISSUE THE ENGINE IS RATTLING WHILE IDLING AND UNDER ACCELERATION AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON. BELIEVE IT IS AN ISSUE WITH EITHER SPARK PLUGS OR IGNITION COIL. SERVICE DEPT SAID BOTH COMPONENTS LOOKED FREE OF DAMAGE UPON INSPECTION.

NHTSA ODI 11378282

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT BEEPS AND COMES ON. THE MESSAGE REQUEST TO TURN ENGINE OFF. THE GAS ENGINE SOMETIMES WILL CUT THE POWER TO THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSS POWER ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11374244

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THE 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID WENT OUT ON THE CAR OCT 31, 2019. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR, WHEN SHE LOST DRIVABILITY OF THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO, SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK IT ON A SIDE STREET. SHE RESTARTED THE CAR BUT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, WHEN SCANNED, INDICATING OF A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE OCT 31, 2019 WITH NO ETA OF WHEN A NEW TRANSMISSION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE CAR. AT THIS POINT I CAN NOT SALE THE CAR BECAUSE IT NEEDS A TRANSMISSION. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO GIVE A DATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO TIME FRAME WHEN THEY WILL GET A TRANSMISSION FROM HYUNDAI.

NHTSA ODI 11289249

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROPERLY RETRACT AND LOOSEN WHEN NECESSARY. THE SEAT BELTS RESTRICTED THE BREATHING AND BODIES OF THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WHEN THE SEAT BELTS WERE SECURED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LUNGED, JERKED, AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE WAS MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE ECO AND CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTIONS WERE ACTIVATED. ECKERT HYUNDAI, INC. (4011 S INTERSTATE 35, DENTON, TX 76210, (940) 243-6200) STATED THAT THE ECO AND CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTIONS FAILED AND PROVIDED AN INTERIM REPAIR OF DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY TO CLEAR THE ECU AND ECM CODES, WHICH AFFECTED THE TRANSMISSION. ANOTHER DEALER (JAMES WOOD HYUNDAI, 2110 US-287, DECATUR, TX 76234, (940) 627-4600) ASKED THE FIRST DEALER TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO GENERATE THE CODES. THE SECOND DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE ECO FUNCTION ACTIVATED. BOTH DEALERS STATED THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, IT MAY BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11172744

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.

NHTSA ODI 11121258

MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 16,500. ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, CAR SHUT DOWN WITH ALARM INFORMATION AND INTO A CONTROLLED GLIDE, NOT ALLOWING ACCELERATION. AFTER ALMOST BEING RUN INTO I WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND PER DIRECTIONS, SHUT OFF MOTOR. WAS ABLE TO RESTART. WENT THREE MILES TO MY DESTINATION AND CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. THEY DID NOT KNOW THE PROBLEM, AND AFTER TWO DAYS I GOT THE CAR RETURNED. THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND THE DEFECT. GOING HOME THAT EVENING AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT EIGHT MILES AND AGAIN ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, THE CAR AGAIN DID THE SAME THING ON THE FREEWAY. AGAIN STARTING IT, THE CAR WENT ANOTHER FIVE MILES ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT AGAIN HAPPENED. THREE TIMES, SAME THING!!! (MUCH LIKE WHAT I READ ABOUT THE PRIUS TWO DAYS AGO.) NO LONGER FEELING THE CAR WAS SAFE IN THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DODGE VEHICLES ON A FREEWAY WHEN A CAR SHUTS DOWN THREE TIMES, I TRADED IT IN. ALL I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 11091598

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE PHEV WARNING ILLUMINATED AND THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL PROPULSION. IT REFUSED TO ENGAGE THE GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MOTOR TO MOVE OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED HYBRID BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI 11044785

ABRUPT AND TOTAL LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE AT OR NEAR HIGH RPM SHIFT POINTS. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE RELIABLY REPRODUCED BY "FLOORING IT" (ALL THE WAY, INCLUDING KICKDOWN) AND NOT LETTING GO - AS IF ONE IS EXECUTING A PASSING MANEUVER. THE POWER LOSS WILL OCCUR AT THE NEXT SHIFT POINT AFTER KICK DOWN, AND WILL NOT BE CLEARED UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED AND RE-APPLIED - OR AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 SECONDS AFTER THE OCCURRENCE IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT RELEASE THE PEDAL. IN CASES WHERE THE PEDAL IS NOT RELEASED AFTER THE POWER LOSS, THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE SUDDENLY AFTER THE CONDITION HAS CLEARED AND REPEAT THE BEHAVIOR DESCRIBED ABOVE. THIS BEHAVIOR CAN BE REPRODUCED IN ANY DRIVE PROGRAM MODE (ECO, NORMAL, SPORT,) AND IN BOTH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL SHIFT SELECTION MODES, AND IS ESPECIALLY PREVALENT AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH WHERE SUDDEN FULL THROTTLE COMMAND CAUSES KICKDOWN. THE DRIVETRAIN SHOULD RESPOND RELIABLY WHEN IT IS COMMANDED FULL-THROTTLE. A SUDDEN POWER LOSS AT A SHIFT POINT DURING A FULL THROTTLE MANEUVER IS UNSAFE: (1) IT DISORIENTATES THE DRIVER AND; (2) CAUSES UN-COMMANDED, UNEXPECTED, AND RAPID CHANGES IN DRIVING FORCE, WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION, FRICTION, AND REACTION FORCES WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI 10994531