Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 36% | — |
| 2024 | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2022 | 11 | 58% | 34,000 miles |
| 2021 | 25 | 45% | 24,000 miles |
| 2020 | 6 | 38% | 12,000 miles |
| 2019 | 2 | 40% | — |
| 2018 | 2 | 22% | 19,000 miles |
| 2017 | 18 | 22% | 92,000 miles |
| 2016 | 36 | 27% | 66,000 miles |
| 2015 | 24 | 44% | 51,000 miles |
| 2014 | 11 | 39% | 80,000 miles |
| 2013 | 24 | 22% | 57,000 miles |
| 2012 | 23 | 15% | 70,000 miles |
| 2011 | 17 | 18% | 112,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The 12 v battery drains repeatedly causing the car to be without power . Requires opening the car with a manual key . Happens within as little of 3 days of not being driven . Dealer stated battery was without issues has continued to occur . Loses potential safety risk as entry into car becomes compromised especially if cold outside
The horn stopped working unexpectedly. Pressing the horn button produces no sound. The vehicle has not been in any accident. This is a safety issue as the horn is required for alerting other drivers in emergency situations.
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to use the key fob to unlock the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact manually unlocked the vehicle with the key, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two occasions, and the vehicle was jump-started. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,808. The VIN was not available.
As I was driving my dashboard lit up with warning lights and audible alarms indicating that I should inspect my regen brake. Safety features such as lane departure, lane assist, blind spot indicator stopped functioning and my speedometer did not work. I stopped the car and looked behind the front wheels and nothing looked "unusual". I restarted the car and all of the alarms went off again, leaving me without a speedometer or the safety features mentioned above. I scheduled an appointment with my dealership explaining what had happened. They did a diagnostic test and determined that it was a faulty E Brake Module that needed to be replaced but is on back order with no parts available in the US to order. Furthermore they do not know when a replacement is available. They reset the sensors so that my safety features were restored. …
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that the key fob was inoperable and after using the key to manually open the door. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while pressing the START/STOP button. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The contact was advised that when the failure occurred, to start the vehicle, the battery reset button should be pressed before pressing the START/STOP button. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.
On Wednesday, October 6th, I was driving full speed (65mph) on a major highway. Multiple lights on the dashboard came on. The LCD display screen for music, apps, etc. went black. More lights came on and others went off on the dash display. I let off the accelerator and steered the car. The fuel efficiency was wilding jumping back and forth. Soon enough, all the lights went back off, but the mileage gauge (fuel efficiency) continued to jump wildly. The brakes seemed to respond differently- almost as if there was a delay between me pressing the brake and the brakes catching. When I needed to accelerate, the car seemed to be having trouble switching between the electric and gas motors. I was able to drive to a safe location and shut the car off. This was terrifying, as the car's computer system or electrical system clearly failed, even if temporarily. …
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while parking the vehicle and pressing the power button, the vehicle continued running. The contact was able to turn off the vehicle by repeatedly pressing the power button. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
Over the last 3 months at least a dozen times the 12v auxiliary battery is completely dead after parking the car outdoors for an hour or so. This poses a safety issue, especially at night because you cannot easily access the car. You have to fumble around trying to get the key hole cover off in order to use the key supplied in the fob. Once you get access, you then have to press the 12v reset button in order to get the car started. This issue has been reported on the Hyundai sonata forums since the introduction of the 2020 sonata. At this point the dealer has not been able to find the issues as they say it has been occur while they have the car. Asking for the problem to occur while they are watching is unrealistic . Their calls to Hyundai tech support has been useless as they claim to have not heard of this issue.
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Software
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…
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles equipped with Theta II and Lambda II engines (approximately 1.3 million vehicles).
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition.
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Sonata Hybrid years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (36), 2021 (25), 2013 (24), 2015 (24) and 2012 (23) model years. Electrical complaints make up 27% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Hyundai Sonata Hybrid electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 21V-749 (software, Sep 24, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Hyundai Sonata Hybrid electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the 12v/24v/48v battery (7 mentions), followed by the instrument cluster/panel (2).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.