Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While slowing down to make a turn on side road, the lower left control arm pulled completely out of the frame. Inspection after found large hole rusted completely through the frame rail. Inspected right side and frame has same type of rusted and missing frame segments. Thankfully this happened at low speed and not on the interstate where outcome could have been very bad. Doing some research I have found that this appears to have been a known problem with this model for several years beginning with 1999 model.
Steering and stability unstable. Mechanic tells me that the rear sub frame is rusty and cracked. The entire frame was replaced around 2010 because of a recall. When you hit a bump lose traction and becomes unstable. Want to know if the replacement frame has a warranty. Want to keep the car still runs great. 170,000 miles
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 5 MPH, the front passenger side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an auto shop where the failure was diagnosed as a control arm failure and rusted subframe. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
I was called by my local mechanic this evening to come look at my 2000 Sonata while it was on the rack to replace the alternator and belts. He told me I had a serious problem and needed to come see it for myself. There is a rusted out section of the unibody subframe on the right front just under where the swaybar attaches. You can push the metal and it falls apart. It goes around, almost like a seam, but has not made it all the way, yet. The left front is also showing signs of spot rusting. I was going to contact a body shop to see if it could be repaired and was searching online for advise when I began noticing that I am not the only person with this problem. I was looking for information on repairing this before someone got hurt. While researching online I noticed that there is an NHTSA odi preliminary evaluation that has just begun concerning reports similar to mine. …
Got the Sonata in 2006. Was diligent with the oil changing and the works. It got to 127K miles so we took it in for the 120mi service as we intend to have the car in its good condition .. Seemed OK.. After driving it for 2 weeks my wife resumed to use it to go to work. She said about it needing another alignment check coz it was driving funny. Said we'll have it check on her next day off work. My wife drives 39 miles to work on freeway (I-70; 670. Us-315), it is no laughing matter when someone is driving 65 MPH merging and changing lanes during rush hour and start losing control of the car. She was trying to get to the shoulder but she couldn't even steer it and one big clunk sound the car stopped, the front right tear was off. …
My son was getting on the on ramp to I-35 turning to the right. He was going about 20 MPH and the car made a noise and started grinding. He pulled it off to the side and called me. I called my other son who is a mechanic to go and take a look at it, he said that it looked like a bearing had worn out and came apart and it needed towed. We had it towed to a trusted service station that put it on the lift and said the front subframe/crossmember had rusted through causing the control arm and cv axle to come apart. I called Hyundai and they said the car was out of warranty. Well our car has been sitting at the service station for eight months waiting for a used subframe that isn't rusted through. They the service station has ordered 4 used subframes and all have been rusted through. My brother runs a body shop in n.c. And has been looking for one for us and cant find any that aren't rusted. …
When I was at the grade school picking up my daughter, the car started to lurch and then stopped. I got out and the front tire on the passenger side was twisted to the side. The right axle had blown out. I could no longer drive the car. I was in the process of moving back to illinois at the end of May I had to rent a car dolly to tow the car behind the u-haul. Upon taking it to our automotive repair shop, he called us the next day to say that the front right frame cradle had rusted in half. We went to take a look and yes it was rusted through the cradle with a spot the size of an orange the frame had broken in half. We have finally gotten to the Hyundai dealer. They have said that they will fix the axle and the frame. But the 2 front tires are now not any good 1 of which was new, they will not replace either of them. …
Hello. I own a 2000 Hyundai Sonata. I took it for an inspection in April of 2008. It failed due to the subframe being rusted. The mechanic showed me the rust. It was a 'fist-sized' rust hole on the subframe. I believe it was on the driver's side (not sure). I got a quote for $1400 from a Hyundai dealership to replace the subframe. Hyundai representatives then made a 'good will' gesture and decided to pay for the replacement of the subframe in full. It took six weeks for the subframe to arrive at the shop. Also, I was told the bolts that hold the subframe to frame of the car were rusted as well, they are being replaced. The car has 85,300 miles on it and I am the second owner. I believe the first owner lived in new york, I live in pennsylvania. I've been reading about this issue and some people have mentioned how their tires went bald quickly and seemed out of alignment. …
Took my 2000 Hyundai Sonata to have tires aligned on a Friday morning and was total the frame was rusted but I had a bent tie rod and it needed fixed first. Left the tire shop and before going 10 miles I was stopped at a traffic light and when the light turned green I pressed on the gas and then I heard a loud pop and the car did not move. Luckily the vehicle was not moving when this happened or I could have been hurt and I could have hurt someone else. When I got out to see what happened , my right side tire was bent out I had the car towed to a garage to have what I thought was to have the tie rod fixed, the mechanic called me on Monday to tell me that it was not the tie rod that it was the sub frame that was rusted out on both sides, and I should take it back to the dealer because this should never happen. I then had the car towed to the dealership to have them check it. …
I was driving home getting ready to get on the interstate when my car made a loud noise, and it seemed the front end had dropped. Had car towed to dealership the next day. The service department advised me that the front drivers side axel had rusted out. I had purchased a service contract through original dealership. Service contract said that Hyundai was going to repair my damages free of charge; in other words, I did not have to go through my service contract to have repairs done and I did not have to pay the $50 deductible. However, upon returning to pick up my car I was informed by dealership that I did in fact have to pay the deductible. Dealership advised that Hyundai only paid for a portion of the problem. I have read some on- line complaints and have found that this is a very common and highly dangerous problem. …
NHTSA investigations
Front sub-frame corrosion
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation, pe08-029, on April 22, 2008, based on 40 consumer complaints alleging front sub-frame corrosion in model year (my) 1999 through 2002 Hyundai sonata vehicles.complaints describe severe corrosion of the vehicle sub-frame in the area where the right-front lower control arm is attached.in some vehicles, sub-frame corrosion has caused complete or…
Front sub-frame corrosion
In a letter dated April 14, 2009, Hyundai-Kia America technical center, inc (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that hyundaiis conducting a safety recall of model year (my) 1999 through 2004 Hyundai sonata vehicles manufactured prior to November 20, 2003 that are registered and operated in the following salt belt states and the district of columbia: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland,…
Body complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 109 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Hyundai Sonata, 39% of the model year's 276 complaints. The component named most often is frame and members (89 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Hyundai Sonata body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2000 Hyundai Sonata, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Hyundai Sonata body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 117,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
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.