2019 Hyundai Sonata Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 85,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

My car's engine is burning oil. I have maintained service of oil changes and fluids, etc. since I purchased my car. It is not that old in my opinion.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 58 MPH. The contact retrieved DTC: P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System) at O'Reilly Auto Parts and stated…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 90,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 2,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

Safety Concern, Damage to Windshield During Manufacturer Recall Repair (Z05) My vehicle was brought to an authorized Hyundai dealership on January 14, 2026 for a manufacturer-directed paint recall repair (Campaign Z05), which required removal and reinstallation of the windshield as part of the procedure. The repair was originally…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at night, the low-beam headlights were dim. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the inadequate illumination, the contact was forced to use the high beam headlights while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 23,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The low-pressure fuel pump module assembly, located directly beneath the rear passenger seat cushion, experienced a plastic housing failure. A stress fracture on the upper plastic fuel outlet nipple caused raw liquid gasoline to actively weep and pool on top of the module inside the passenger cabin. This component is retained and…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Vehicle stalled in traffic due to recall defect. Manufacturer recall remedy is delayed beyond reasonable timeframe, creating ongoing safety exposure.Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Newly leased vehicle. Within the first two weeks and less than 300 miles the vehicle failed to start on two different days in the morning. The brake pedal was hard and car would not start. After more than 5 attempts it finally started. It was parked in the garage. Vehicle has been at the service department for 3 days and have not been…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 250 miles

I wanted to report the failure of my rear camera and/or the electrical circuit that is tied to it. It's my understanding that Hyundai has issued multiple recalls across different years/vehicles for issues in this area. My 2019 Sonata is NOT included in those current recalls. I was without my vehicle for a week and was charged over $1600…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The air bag light suddenly illuminated when turning on my car. My car has around 60k miles. It was previously repaired a few times for a power steering faliure while driving making it hard to stear. I believe that this latest failure is due to a failure of the stearing wheel clock spring or another SRS module. failure.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 15 MPH in a residential area, another vehicle coming from the left side tried to pass the contact into oncoming traffic, as the contact's husband was trying to slow down to make a U-turn. As a result, the other driver's vehicle then crashed…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 100,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

2019 Hyundai Sonata Sport. (Original owner). Problem: Transmission. [XXX] (9,912 miles). Lack of power, vehicle did not move when trying to merge onto freeway. Very unsafe. Also, hesitation and jerking. [XXX] (10,619 miles). Lack of power, hesitation, jerking. Hyundai tech performed TSB, TCU updates, ECU update for knock sensor…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The transmission in my vehicle makes a whine when shifting at about 35-40 miles per hour. No other car I ever drove made that noise. Hyundai has replaced the transmission 3 times and they still could not fix it. After the third replacement they said it's normal and that other Sonatas make that noise. That cannot be true. They did not…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Parts named most: Body (7).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The exterior paint of my white 2019 Hyundai sonata has been peeling continuously in different places since 2023 when I bought it. The Hyundai dealer is aware of this problem but refuses to recall or give compensation for this problem.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The paint of my 2019 Pearl White Sonata is peeling off on the hood. I see that there was an extended warranty extension on the same car of 2017 and 2018. I would like to know why not including 2019 of the same color on the same car.Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

after the car is driven for a while in warm weather, the steering can feel sticky after doing a slight turn doing more than 30 MPH. It takes extra force to return the steering wheel to the straight/neutral position. It acts as though the steering wheel is stuck in this slight turn position. The problem is intermittent but does create a…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Steering will stay stuck in left or right position when turned slightly, a couple of inches. The wheel has to be jerked back to center. Vehicle will not go back to center. No lane assist of any kind are on. Excessive tire wear. Consistent issue especially when it’s hot weather. Steering wheel tilts to left when brought to centerz Cannot…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Automatic Emergency Braking Blind Spot Warning/Blind Spot Detection Forward Collision Warning Antilock Brake System/ABS Lane Departure Warning Lane keeping Assistance I bought this vehicle last month from a dealer and two days later all the warning lights start popping up on the dashboard so I contacted the dealer and told them what was…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I respectfully submit the following additional information.In connection with this matter, the dealer in question asserted in writing that I "should have refused to participate" in the manufacturer-authorized "Z05 Service Campaign", a measure designed to prevent potential damage, and characterized the program as nothing more than "free…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Driver's side seatbelt retraction mechanism failed without warning. Intentionally brought car to dealer ASAP since it was close to 100,000 miles pointed out. This was serious safety defect dealer refused to repair under warranty.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Drivers side seat belt strap does not retract back when removed and has faulty latch which sometimes pops out. Dealer told us that because the car had over 60,000 miles on it that we would be responsible for payment to replace the pretensions and other internal parts plus the latch. This car was bought new in 2019 and had only been…Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Automatic Emergency Braking Blind Spot Warning/Blind Spot Detection Forward Collision Warning Antilock Brake System/ABS Lane Departure Warning Lane keeping Assistance I bought this vehicle last month from a dealer and two days later all the warning lights start popping up on the dashboard so I contacted the dealer and told them what was…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Everything was displayed in red on the front screen, it was automatically parked, and the steering wheel did not move. This happened late March/02/2024 last Saturday night, so I called AAA twice and had them toward to my house. March/04/2024 I called AAA on Monday and had my car toward to hyundai service. They gave me a $199.95 bill for…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 153,400 miles

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Starting in July 2023 I have noticed that the oil consumption for my car is racing through the engine. I barely make it 1000 miles before the oil is completely gone. After 2 local oil changes - I decided to take it to the Hyundai dealer where I purchased the car. This was in October - I have brought my car in 4 times for 1000 mile oil…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Unknown. This has happened a couple times now. I am driving and the HEV light, engine light and battery light turn on, car won’t brake properly and almost cause me to hit other cars and will shut off on its own on the highway. It will accelerate on its own even when trying to brake. Extremely dangerous.Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Ecm, p0303, yes, not yet, no, cel light before the car was brought to the dealership, 2019 Hyundai Sonata SE, 2.4L Theta II GDI. Perryville Hyundai IL refused applicable TSB in writing 5/4/26 despite active P0303 misfire, fuel-in-oil smell, crankcase pressure. I have Photos prove falsified multi-point inspection: 1.0 inch (.0833') wheel…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

I own a 2019 Hyundai Sonata with an original manufacturer set of 205/65 R16 95H Kumho Solus TA31 tires on it. I noticed around a month ago that all 4 of the tires have cracks in between the treads, mostly on the outer and inner treads of the 4 tread areas. These cracks are all around and significant. I am afraid to drive on them. I have…Owner complaint, filed 2024