Most common 2006 Hyundai Sonata problems
Share of the 1,047 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Sonata complaints by model year
Best Sonata years: 2025, 2019, 2020. Years to avoid: 2011, 2013, 2012, 2015, 2017. Compare all years →
2006 Hyundai Sonata recalls (9)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2006-2011 Hyundai Azera and 2006 Hyundai Sonata vehicles. Water may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short .
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge.
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 manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine,…
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.
Exterior lighting
Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 elantra, tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch May cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or May cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2009. Owners May contact Hyundai of puerto rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai is recalling 532,633 my 2006-2007 accent, entourage, sonata, my 2007 azera, elantra and santa fe, my 2005-2007 tucson and my 2007-2008 veracruz vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles May malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2009. Owners May contact the Hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Air bags
Hyundai is recalling 393,308 my 2006-2008 sonata vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system which features an occupant classification system (ocs) in the right front seat. The purpose of the ocs is to disable the right passenger seat front air bag when it detects the presence of a child restraint system or small child in…
Remedy: Dealers will verify that the ocs does not properly recognize a properly seated adult occupant. After verification, dealers will remove the right front seat cushion assembly and ship it to an evaluation and repair…
Equipment › Other › Labels
On certain passenger vehicles, the air bag warning label installed on the sunvisors had lost adhesion to the sunvisors and had distorted or separated from the sun visors.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the sunvisor assemblies free of charge. The recall began on October 2, 2006. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Show 3 more recalls
Exterior lighting › Headlights
On certain passenger vehicles, the inner bezels of the headlamps were not properly assembled which May cause the turn signal lenses to be improperly positioned.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right headlamp assemblies free of charge. The recall began on June 26, 2006. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
On certain passenger vehicles, the front seat belt May interfere with the manual seat back recliner knob and could cause the front manual seat back recliner to inadvertently release.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the manual seat back recliner knob(s) free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2005. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Electronic stability control › Automatic (asc)
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 3.3 liter engines and electronic stability control (ESC), the ESC May have been programmed to be oversensitive to the onset of oversteering while driving on banked curves, causing inadvertent application of the front outside brake when ESC activation May not be needed.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ESC hydraulic electronic control unit. The recall began on July 29, 2005. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2006 Hyundai Sonata:
Seat Belt Buckle Electrical Malfunction
On July 22, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation to further analyze allegations of seat belt pretensioner malfunctions on model year (MY) 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonata vehicles.ODI received 131 unique reports alleging a failure within the seat belt pretensioner system, which was typically preceded by SRS light illumination.ODI requested more information from Hyundai in order to…
Rear Control Arm Failure
In a letter dated August 9, 2013, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that Hyundaiis conducting a safety recall (13V-354) involving approximately 239,000 vehicles involving model year (MY) 2006 through 2010 Hyundai Sonata vehicles (approximately 215,000)produced beginning on March 1, 2005 through January 21, 2010 and model year (MY) 2006 through 2011 Hyundai Azera vehicles…
Stop lamp switch failure
By letter dated April 15, 2009, Hyundai notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall number 09V122) to replace the stop lamp switches on many of its model year 2005-2008 vehicles.see recall 09V122 for a complete list. The agency opened its investigation based on five complaints of stop lamp failure across several 2007 Hyundai models.
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021.
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.
What 2006 Hyundai Sonata owners say
Air bags all 435 →
I financed my 2006 Hyundai Sonata from a Maryland state car dealer. At the time of my purchase, the dealer didn't disclose to me that the vehicle had a branded title. The branded title was discovered by Toco Warranty when I requested a auto extended warranty quote. I contacted the MVA, and was informed that it's illegal to finance a vehicle in the state of Maryland with a branded title since the actual miles are unknown and this is required by dealers in Maryland in order to finance vehicles to consumers. Although I was no longer required to make payments to the dealer, my vehicle has a ABS malfunction, brake line failure, that has caused brake fluid leakage and brake failure as well as a critical control arm needed repair. I'm disabled and on a fixed income, and purchased this vehicle to assist in getting to and from medical appointments. The total cost of repair from Mr. …
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V161000 (Air Bags); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 186 →
The visor on the drivers side does not stay up. It hangs loosely down all the time. This is a driving hazard because it is always blocking your vision day and night. At night it is especially dangerous because you just can't plain see. I found online that the manufacturer knows about this issue and has corrected on later models but there a number of vehicles out there that used this defective part. I wrote Hyundai and there response was "your 2006 Sonata is no longer covered under the limited warranty based on the date of first use (dfu). With that in mind, we are unable to provide assistance with the cost of the parts needed for your Sonata. We apologize for the disappointment this May cause you. Please use the following link to navigate onto the NHTSA website if you wish to pursue to file a complaint." this is not right. If they know is defective then they should fix it. …
My car battery light went on. I replaced the battery 2x, replaced the alternator, checked the ground and all connections. My battery light flashes, then goes off then my seatbelt light blinks and goes off and my windshield wipers are not getting the power to wipe and the rear defroster turns off every time the battery light flashes. Ive been to 3 mechanics and they all say bring it to Hyundai. When I brought it they said there was no recall so I left the service room and am now on the NHTSA site.all of this is while both stationary and in motion
Seat belts all 102 →
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 55 MPH, the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle. As a result, the contact's vehicle left the roadway, entered the woods, and spun around several times. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the crash. The contact sustained neck, lower back, and head injuries that required medical attention. The contact was unaware of injuries in the other vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was deemed destroyed. The vehicle was not inspected to determine why the air bags failed to deploy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
I own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata.while merging into the traffic. It was recently involved in a front end collision. The crash was so bad that it affected the radiator and even broke the coolant reservoir. The main frame of the car is also damaged. Even after this level of serious crash, the airbags still didn't inflate. No airbag was deployed. I suffered some injuries. This brings me to question the safety of this car. My model was premium sports package with 3.3 v6 engine.
2006 Hyundai Sonata engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Hyundai Sonata a good car?
Based on 1,047 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Sonata rates avoid: 3.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sonata at the same age. It is one of the Sonata years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Hyundai Sonata?
The air bags — 435 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (186) and seat belts (102).
How many recalls does the 2006 Hyundai Sonata have?
There are 9 recalls for the 2006 Hyundai Sonata, the most recent from January 9, 2018 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Sonata?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2019 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2013, 2012, 2015 and 2017. See the full Hyundai Sonata years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Hyundai Sonata problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.