How the 2023 compares
Too new to judge fully
It has been on the road 3 years, so complaints are still coming in. So far it has fewer than a typical older Sonata year, which is normal for a newer car. The area owners report most so far is the fuel system, which half of owners reported by about 65,000 miles.
Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Sonata years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The most reported problem area is the fuel system (44, 50% of complaints), followed by the engine and cooling and the transmission and drivetrain. That ranks 12th of 13 Sonata years from 2012 to 2024 for complaints. It has 2 recalls.
Complaints88filed with NHTSA
Recalls2for this model year
Crashes50 injuries reported
Fires0reported in complaints
2 of these complaints came from Utah owners.
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Start my car searchMost reported problems
Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2023 Hyundai Sonata before you buy.
Fuel system
44 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 65,000 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 contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15-40 MPH, the vehicle was sputtering and shaking abnormally. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V796000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); but the VIN was not under recall. The dealer was…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 86,500 miles
Was driving and stopped at a stoplight. When I went to drive it started sputtering and if I wouldn’t have driven into a gas station, it would’ve given out in the middle of the road. It wouldn’t let me switch to drive or reverse , only neutral or park. It threw a code P0301, cylinder 1 misfire. Had to get it towed. Now I have to get my…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Engine and cooling
30 complaintsStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy
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
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Overheated" displayed. The contact checked the Hyundai app, but it showed no failure. The contact's wife drove to their son's residence, who inspected and discovered that there was no coolant in the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 18,500 miles
My car was having an issue where it was losing all the coolant, causing my engine to overheat twice while driving down the highway. Unfortunately I couldn't find a leak anywhere and there was no fluid leaking in my garage. I lost an entire reservoir of coolant overnight. After taking my car to the dealership to get repaired, I was told…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Transmission and drivetrain
17 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy
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
Transmission problems began around 60,000 miles (but we didn’t know what it was), jerking and hesitation, that worsened over time. We took the vehicle in (November 2025 ),at around 109,000 miles at which time they couldn’t find anything. I took it back in December and they recommended the spark plugs. We took the car back again in March…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission shifted into neutral(N) and failed to shift into park or drive on three occasions. The vehicle was restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was shifted into drive, and the contact continued driving. The…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 50 miles
Electrical system
12 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy
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
2023 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 1.6 T. Battery discharged within 10 days while parked. This problem is well known to dealership. The dealership has to jump start cars and start them frequently on the dealership lot. It is impossible to park this model car at an airport or parking lot for more than a couple of days and maintain a battery…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Battery Management System completely exhausting the 12V battery resulting in the car acting as if it has no power. When this happens, you can't unlock the door or open the trunk. On two separate occasions, I have encountered a complete loss of power in my Sonata Hybrid, preventing me from unlocking the trunk or doors upon returning from…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Driver assist systems
11 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy
Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (5).
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
Reported this previously, but more information was gathered, thanks to collision mechanic who guessed immediately when he heard 2023 hybrid Sonata - he said "they're notorious for it." Was at a stand still in a parking space/lot I know well. Cautious driver, watch my speed, very aware of other drivers, quick reaction time. Incident mid…Owner complaint, filed 2026
During snow and icing conditions the forward collision radar in the logo gets covered up and becomes inoperable. This at the very time that we most need forward collision warning. It would helpful if there was electric deicing in the unit, much like the rear view side mirrors.Owner complaint, filed 2024
Brakes and stability control
4 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy
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
Since I have had the car, I would have to check my invoices for exact mileages, I have changed my brakes 4 times now. I only have 40k miles on the vehicle. This is very bizarre to me since I have owned a 2020 Hyundai sonata SEL convenience prior to this and never once changed the brakes. I have also changed my rotors once, resurfaced…Owner complaint, filed 2024
While driving at highway speeds, the emergency brake system will apply and alert me. It’s happened twice now in the last 3 weeks. I’ve experienced a random loss of power while driving on the highway with no check engine light on the dashboard. Lastly, at lower speeds the car will randomly jerk while accelerating with no lights on the…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Cruise control and acceleration
4 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy
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
My concern is a potential unintended acceleration forward as. I was. parking vechicle. Sudden burst of speed, went thru shrubbery and off a 2 foot wall. Felt as if we were taking off a runway in a plane. Car went nose up over the wall and then dropped into a neighbor yard digging a divot, ripping rear left fender and bumper with some…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Car was parked, full stop, doors shut, seatbelt on. Foot on brake. Car then seemed to lurch forward by itself forward hitting parking cement block. Put in reverse to back away and car stayed still...then I tapped the gas again to back up and insted vehicle plowed forward.instead.of reverse ...went over the parking block and hit concrete…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Body, doors and structure
4 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy
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
My 2023 hyundai sonata limited has an issue where water enters the rear left door and gets trapped between the lower door seals. Water pours out when the door is opened. A google review of "sonata rear door leak" shows this is a wide spread issue with this door and car model. If this were to occur in a northern climate the door would…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Recall 286 my vehicle suffered from this causing heat module failure misfire in cylinder 2 and high pressure in gas tank. Sports Hyundai had previously done a 180 day repair under recall 9b1 for an expanded gas tank after the repair the car suffered from the updated recall 286 . I brang to the dealership 4 times with check engine and…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Steering
2 complaintsLoss of power steering assist, wandering, play in the wheel and noises when turning.What to check before you buy
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
1. All safety features related to the back up camera, EPS, Traction Control, Lane Assist, Active Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam, Forward Collision Avoidance and more. 2. Loss of all safety features and then sudden restoration of EPS would cause swerve into oncoming lanes or into neighboring lanes and/or ditches. 3. Yes the problem…Owner complaint, filed 2026
On two separate occasions, one at @9500 miles and the next at @19,000 miles the car engine started shaking and lost all power while driving. Unable to steer car. Both times towed to dealer and they say it needs new spark plugs and need to clean cylinders. They do not know root cause of problem and have not done any testing of the engine…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Lights, wipers and visibility
2 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy
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
When left turn signal is selected blinker nor camera comes on and at times it does work. Constantly in and out never steady. This never happened with the right turn signal only the leftOwner complaint, filed 2026
Instrument cluster lighting is too bright even on lowest setting. Combined with poor side visibility from headlamps it is easy to hit object or pedestrians when turning on unlit areas. Have run over a curb three times and damaged two wheels because they can't be seen from the overly bright instrument lighting at night.Owner complaint, filed 2024
Suspension
1 complaintClunks over bumps, broken springs, worn struts and uneven tire wear.What to check before you buy
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
The brake rotors are faulty and become warped at 9k mile I now have 27k and are extremely warped causing braking issues at higher speeds. I have been waiting over two months for new rotors from the dealer with no word as to when they will arrive. If the vehicle is left un-driven for a couple days the rotors will become rusted. Even the…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Air bags
1 complaintAir bag warning lights, air bags that did not deploy, and inflator recalls.What to check before you buy
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 contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the rear passenger’s and rear driver's side doors were leaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure.…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 140 miles
Seats and seat belts
1 complaintBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy
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
Hello, I have Hyundai Sonata 2023. The fuel tank of this car is expanded on [XXX]. I have never heard about this issue to any cars. I took my car to dealership they said they don’t know why this happened and they said they cannot fix it, my car at the dealership more than a month. I have created a case with Hyundai corporate office in…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Hyundai Sonata complaints by year
Compare the 2023 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.
Compare with similar 2023 midsize cars
Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.
| Car | Vs. its other years | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Hyundai Sonata | Too new to judge | 2 |
| 2023 Toyota Camry | Too new to judge | 2 |
| 2023 Honda Accord | Too new to judge | 5 |
| 2023 Nissan Altima | Too new to judge | 0 |
2023 Hyundai Sonata recalls
This is every recall issued for the 2023 Hyundai Sonata, not what is still open on one car. A recall that was fixed does not show up any differently here. Check a VIN at NHTSA to see what is still open on the car you are looking at, and ask the seller for proof any recall work was done.
Fuel system
- Risk
- A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Fix
- Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve.
Full recall summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
Transmission and drivetrain PumpPark outside until fixed
- Risk
- An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Fix
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.
Full recall summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.
2023 Hyundai Sonata questions
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Hyundai Sonata?
The most reported problem areas on the 2023 Hyundai Sonata are the fuel system (44 complaints), the engine and cooling (30 complaints) and the transmission and drivetrain (17 complaints).
Is the 2023 Hyundai Sonata a good year to buy?
Too new to judge fully. It has been on the road 3 years, so complaints are still coming in. So far it has fewer than a typical older Sonata year, which is normal for a newer car. The area owners report most so far is the fuel system, which half of owners reported by about 65,000 miles. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Sonata years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
How many recalls does the 2023 Hyundai Sonata have?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The most recent, from Nov 2025, covers the fuel system. One of them tells owners to park outside or not drive the car until it is fixed. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.
At what mileage do 2023 Hyundai Sonata problems start?
Half of the owners who reported a problem with the fuel system gave a mileage of about 65,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.
Which Hyundai Sonata years should I avoid?
The Sonata years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2012 and 2013. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2019, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.
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These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.
- Check a specific car for open recalls at NHTSA
- Decode a VIN to see recalls, safety ratings and complaints for that exact year, make and model