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2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

185 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.14 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical20V746000

Engine

damaged engine can raises the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 198.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.

Serious21V749000

Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal

turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.

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 activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Serious21V619000

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch

person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy & full details

Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Serious16V726000

Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

If the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 152.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the sunroof wind deflector, the sunroof panel on the affected vehicles may detach while driving.

Serious16V232000

Air Bags:Frontal

air bag that does not inflate raises the risk of injury.

Remedy & full details

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.

Complaint volume

185 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
4Fires
1Injuries
0Deaths

Across 185 complaints. Severity Index 0.14.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine72 · 39%Electrical System33 · 18%Unknown Or Other19 · 10%Power Train13 · 7%Exterior Lighting7 · 4%Service Brakes7 · 4%Fuel/Propulsion System7 · 4%Visibility · Sun/Moon Roo…4
  1. Engine — 72 reports
  2. Electrical System — 33 reports
  3. Unknown Or Other — 19 reports
  4. Power Train — 13 reports
  5. Exterior Lighting — 7 reports
  6. Service Brakes — 7 reports
  7. Fuel/Propulsion System — 7 reports
  8. Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 4 reports
  9. Vehicle Speed Control — 4 reports
  10. Structure:Body — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2011 (6) · 2012 (6) · 2013 (4) · 2014 (3) · 2015 (4) · 2016 · 2017 (3) · 2018 (1) · 2019 · 2020 (1) · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.