2010 Hyundai Sonata Problems & Complaints

Most common 2010 Hyundai Sonata problems

• Body & structure~68,000 miles
  16448%
• Other / not specified~55,000 miles
  3711%
• Brakes~65,000 miles
  309%
• Engine & cooling~70,000 miles
  298%
• Transmission & drivetrain~65,000 miles
  216%
• Air bags~43,000 miles
  206%
• Electrical system~55,000 miles
  165%
• Steering~68,000 miles
  154%
• Stability & traction control~85,000 miles
  134%
• Fuel & propulsion system~89,000 miles
  123%
• Speed control & acceleration~25,000 miles
  113%
• Locks & latches~68,000 miles
  113%
• Lights~2,000 miles
  103%
• Suspension~65,000 miles
  82%
• Wheels & tires~33,000 miles
  72%
• Windows, wipers & sunroof~0 miles
  31%
• Equipment & accessories~118,000 miles
  21%

Share of the 345 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 →

2010 Hyundai Sonata recalls (2)

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2010 Hyundai Sonata:

What 2010 Hyundai Sonata owners say

Body & structure all 164 →

I have experienced three (3) broken outside door handle breaking the same way from stress fracture where the plastic door handle contacts the metal latch. It appears the plastic door handle is too brittle for intended use. The broken door handles were replaced as follows: -rear right side door handle was replaced jan 16, 2012 -rear left side door handle was replaced dec 21, 2013 -driver's door handle replaced dec 1, 2014 I contacted Hyundai customer care and they do not appear to be concerned that this is a safety issue and are treating this as normal wear and tear. A broken door handle fails hawaii state safety inspection as the door cannot be opened from the outside. Hawaii is not subject to extreme temperature changes. …

OK, I am another 2010 Sonata owner with repeated door handle breaking and detaching from the car issue. My uncle owned the car since new and gave it to me on 11/9/15. While his, he had to replace 3 door handles, one of which was the front passenger door. Yesterday, (10/15/16) the front passenger door handle broke off again. Originally, all the handle breaks were covered under warranty, including the front passenger door handle. Now, the car has 81,182 miles on it. But it should be covered because it has been replaced before. You are aware, there are numerous complaints about this issue and Hyundai should be made to recall all these cars and rectify this ongoing issue. It is a safety issue indeed. In a crash, emergency personnel could not enter the car, should it be on it's side and the exposed doors have broken handles. …

Brakes all 30 →

I am contacting the NHTSA regarding a manufacturer's failure to comply with a NHTSA recall campaign. The campaign in question is #13V113000 for a 2010 Hyundai Sonata. The certified Hyundai service center claimed, verbally and on the customer invoice, to have replaced the stop lamp switch with a new OEM part, number 93810-4DR0A-QQH, per the recall's order. After supposedly replacing the defective part, the vehicle is still able to be shifted out of Park without first depressing the brake pedal. This happens with the key in the 'ON' position, 'Accessory' position, and even without the key in the ignition at all. No depression of the brake pedal is currently required to shift the vehicle, in any form, violating the recall's correction order. …

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 55 MPH, the brake system failed to engage when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the the contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The front driver side air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the legs, knees, lower back, and shoulders that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 39,000.

Engine & cooling all 29 →

Subject: Non-Collision Engine Compartment Fire - 2010 Hyundai Sonata (VIN: [redacted] ) "On dec 19 2025, my 2010 Hyundai Sonata suffered a sudden, non-collision fire that originated in the engine compartment. While there are currently no 'open' recalls on this VIN, I am formally reporting this incident as it matches the failure patterns documented in NHTSA Defect Petition DP18-003 regarding non-crash fires in Hyundai/Kia vehicles. Preliminary inspection of the damage shows characteristic signs of a manufacturer defect, specifically potentially related to a connecting rod bearing failure leading to an engine block puncture and oil ignition, or an electrical short in the ABS module-both of which have been subjects of major Hyundai fire investigations and class-action settlements (e.g., Engine II settlement)

While driving 60-70 mph on [redacted] just north of Sylmar, I suddenly heard a loud, deep "pop" from the lower part of the car. Within seconds, the engine began steaming heavily and leaking oil everywhere. I immediately turned on my hazard lights and began maneuvering toward the right shoulder, crossing multiple lanes with semis and fast-moving traffic approaching behind me. I felt unsafe and feared the car could catch fire or explode, especially with smoke and oil present. After safely exiting the vehicle, a mechanic later told me the rod bearing blew and punched a hole through the bottom of the engine block, calling it a total engine failure. He said it would require a full replacement and matched known issues with this model. There was no warning before the failure. I'm having it inspected at Hyundai of Downtown Los Angeles on July 28. …

2010 Hyundai Sonata engines & fuel economy

EPA ratings. Class: Large car.