Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
After doing some research, I am now aware that there was a recall 20V-746 or 21V-727 that my car was affected by & was never notified about. On 6/2/2022, I was driving and just exited the freeway. Smoke started coming out of the passengers side of the engine. Cars were honking at me & flames started coming out as I drove into a parking lot. I was terrified as my life was at risk & felt fortunate that this did not happen on the freeway. I feel lucky to have been able to escape this life threatening experience. There is now an open claim with my insurance. I had brake lights changed at Frank Hyundai on 4/08/2022 in National City, CA where they also ran a diagnostic check on the car. There was never mention of a recall & my car was cleared of any issues. In addition to the photos I have attached, I also have videos that I am not able to upload.
P205 65 R16 Blizzak tires were purchased in December 2023, online and I had them installed same week. I spoke to the employee who stated as long as I rotated the tires at 5,000 miles, I can drive them all year. I went to Discount tires on Saturday to have my tires checked since I was sliding in the rain. The employee told me my front tires were at a 1 and 2, while the back tires are at 9 and 10. She told me to talk to the front desk about the tires. I went in and asked about the warranty I had purchased. The employee told me it does not apply and that I would need to replace the tires. I explained to him that the car doesn't even have 5,000 miles on it since the purchase of the tires and how did the front wear so quickly? I only started using the car more in March. He also told me it could be the alignment. I had that fixed 2 years ago and the car doesnt pull left or right. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 45 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle. As a result, the rear of the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear driver side wheel bolt fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Twelve days prior to the incident, the vehicle had a tire rotation. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The failure mileage was 132,000. The VIN was not provided.
Steering column recall (campaign 97) was identified as performed by Hyundai on November 12, 2010. While having repairs done to 2011 Hyundai Sonata, the mechanic identified that the car had a recall which was characterized by the steering problems/shaking identified. Hyundai was contracted and they scheduled an appointment to have the car diagnosed stating their policy... "once a recall / always a recall." I really did not really like it when I was told that if the problem was not the steering column recall, I would be charged for the diagnosis. I really did have a problem when I was told that they would not tell me what the charges May be. Compounding this, the rims have corroded to the point where they are almost completely black. This has been contributed to be corrosion of some sort by three independent inspectors. When I asked Hyundai mfg. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While operating the vehicle, the contact heard a knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. The contact took the vehicle to two independent mechanics and both diagnosed that a new engine was needed. The mechanics stated that the engine oil needed to be changed every month and the oil was leaking into the engine. The oil level was very low and needed to be replaced constantly. The contact was informed to repeat the process until a new engine was installed. The contact also stated that the vehicle kept pulling to the left and alignments had to be performed much sooner than normal. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 130,000.
My vehicle hyndai Sonata 2011, crashed into a parked construction in a parking lot at the speeds of up to 30 MPH. The crash damaged basically the whole front side of the driver side and damaged the front two wheels. The front windshield was damaged as well with cracks on the shield and it also knocked out the rearview mirrors. I was in the driver seat when the crash happened and my head crashed up against the steering wheel, which left a little soreness. What I was wondering is with such an impact and such damage, how did the airbags not go off?. My head slammed pretty good up against the steering wheel and a little more impact I could've been severely hurt. So I just want to ask why did the airbags not work?
I was driving on a side street, heard loud noise coming from left front wheel area when I heard a grinding sound and car was riding rough. Called for help.instructed not to drive vehicle till it was looked at by a mechanic. Mechanic who evaluated and repaired vehicle said he has never seen "pitted wheel bearings" in 30 years of operation. He gave me back the faulty bearings and told me I should contact you and the corporate area of Hyundai, because this is a serious safety issue and warrants an alert or recall. The driver side lower ball joint and bearings had to be replaced. Please review asap, as this is a serious safety concern for the rest of the population. Thank you!
While entering a parking spot to a diner, the car unintended accelerated crashing into the side of the diner. Minor damage to the side of the diner as I was no more than 3 feet from the bldg. My foot was on the brake pedal when this acceleration occurred without warning. I was entering the parking spot at no more than 5 MPH planning to put the car in park and exit for lunch. My leg hit the hood latch and I obtained a nasty cut on my shin. The consumer stated other components were replaced, such as the tires and transmission. The consumer also stated, when she turned the ignition, there was an odor of smoke and rubber burning. Updated 11/16/15.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 40 MPH, a knocking sound was heard inside the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle pulled to the right. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V152000 (seat belts). The contact called the dealer (Hyundai of durham in durham, north carolina) and was told to bring in the vehicle for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The steering wheel feels loose and when I try to turn the car acts as if your on ice or like I'm loosing control of steering the vehicle, I was advised by discount tire that the from suspension issue are causing my inner tires to wear and the dealership was only trying to sale me tires for $600 and did not mention any issues with the inner tire on that the tread was a little low. I have been driving on the highway and surface streets when the steering problems occur.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2% of the model year's 3,378 complaints. The component named most often is pressure monitoring and regulating systems (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Hyundai Sonata wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, though it has 14 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 2011 Hyundai Sonata wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.