2010 Hyundai Sonata problems
What owners reported to NHTSA, at what mileage, and every safety recall for this model year.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports. NHTSA does not confirm each one.
- No denominator: popular cars get more complaints. Counts are not failure rates; a best-seller will show more reports than a rare model.
Most reported problems
Complaints by component. One complaint can name more than one component, so these add up to more than 345.
When problems show up
Reports by odometer reading at the time of the problem, top components. Each bar is a 25,000-mile band, labeled by where it starts (0 = 0–25k miles). Reports without mileage are left out.
Structure
Unknown or other
Engine
Safety recalls (2)
Recalls that cover the 2010 Hyundai Sonata. Some apply only to certain trims or build dates. This page cannot tell whether a specific car's recall work was done.
Check a specific VIN's open recalls on nhtsa.gov
Suspension › rear
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles…
Full recall text and remedy
Summary: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt and water can enter portions of the rear crossmember, leading to corrosion of the crossmember steel. This may lead to detachment of one of the rear control arms.
Consequence: Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 113.
Exterior lighting › brake lights › switch
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra…
Full recall text and remedy
Summary: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Questions to ask the seller
Any rust, frame damage, or body repairs? Look underneath and ask whether the car has been in an accident.
164 owner complaints mention the body or structure, half of the reports with mileage are between 53,000 and 89,000 miles.
Has the engine had any repairs, oil leaks, or check-engine lights? Ask for the invoices and listen for knocking or ticking on a cold start.
29 owner complaints mention the engine, half of the reports with mileage are between 39,400 and 94,750 miles.
When were the brakes last serviced? On the test drive, check for pulsing, grinding, a soft pedal, or ABS warnings.
28 owner complaints mention the brakes, half of the reports with mileage are between 47,250 and 87,089 miles.
Has the transmission been serviced or repaired? On the test drive, watch for slipping, delayed engagement, or harsh shifts.
21 owner complaints mention the transmission or drivetrain, half of the reports with mileage are between 10,125 and 90,031 miles.
Has the airbag warning light ever stayed on? Was any airbag replaced after a crash?
20 owner complaints mention the air bags, half of the reports with mileage are between 13,750 and 94,310 miles.
Has the open recall work been done? Ask for dealer service records, and check the VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year.
Other Hyundai Sonata years
Owner complaints per model year (2010–2022). Older cars have had more time to collect reports.
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