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 2016 Hyundai Sonata owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 2016 Hyundai Sonata (pearl white) paint is peeling in many parts of my car. I went to Delray Hyundai where I purchased it in 2019. In August of 2023 I showed a supervisor and she set up an appointment for me to bring in the car for pictures. After Delray Hyundai took pictures I waited and waited to hear from them. I went to the dealership and spoke to the supervisor I was dealing with and she keep giving me excuses why they couldn't do it at that time, she keep telling me they didn't have a loaner car for me, to call or come back. I was frustrated but felt like they were going to take care of the problem. Her name was Piper. Finally after many months I was told they wouldn't do anything for me, and I was told by a worker to try Coconut Creek dealer because they have a paint dept. Well I'm [redacted] old and by myself and I cannot get there. …
The paint on my 2016 Hyundai continues to peel. I have gone to get the vehicle repainted to no avail. The roof paint came off again and even bigger than the original peel. This is absolutely ridiculous, I see my extract same car on the road with the extract same problems. Not to mention the oil consumption. Across the board these vehicles have all the same issues. No one should have to keep paying out of pocket for a manufacturing issue and no wrong doing of their own. This is Hyundai's wrong doing and they need to be held accountable for manufacturing such a cheap car. At some point all of my paint is going to come off, I should not have to pay yet for another repainting. I will continue to file complaints, and escalate even further if needed. Someone needs to call me back with a solution regarding this matter.
After driving for a few minutes with the sunroof open the wind deflector pulled and nearly off the car. This had been repaired previously under a recall and the repair was simply to re-glue the wind deflector back in place. This had clearly been done before as the dried glue was still on it. The back end of the sunroof nearly came off during this ordeal while we were traveling at highway speeds and it could have killed someone. We were able to close the sunroof once we had stopped, however it was very difficult to do so and required four of us, each with tools that I happened to have in the car at the time. Had we not been able to get the sunroof back closed it surely would have been ripped from the car. Another recall needs to be put into place and an improved correction needs to be put into place.
The White pearl paint is bubbling and peeling right above the driver door window. It's getting worse by the day. While driving with my window open a piece about the size of a nickel flew into my car and hit me on the face right under my eye. If it had flew into my eye I surely would have had an accident. Took car to Delray Hyundai on August 3,2023 for pictures and was lead to believe it would be taken care of. I'm getting the run around from them. I have read many many articles on the internet about this problem, can you help me or assist me in what I can do to get this taken care of. Thanking you in advance for your help.
The Sunroof wind deflector , the panel has become detached. It is loose and flapping when sunroof is open. Yes it is available for inspection. My safety was at risk because when it happened at first it scared me and I didn't know what happened. 2nd if it had came all the way off it could have flown into someone else's windshield and causing them to crash or swerve to miss it flying in the air. I did mention it to the dealership when it was there, but rather they looked at it or not I have no idea. No one else has inspected it. No warning lamps or other signals appeared before hand.
I own a 2016 Hyundai Sonata and on vacation in Florida the cap to the shark Finn Antenna flew off on the highway. I noted there are recalls on newer versions of the Sonata but not on the 2016. I feel that is a problem that Hyundai should address as it is a safety hazard and could cause an accident resulting in injuries. Also the cost to replace the antenna is almost 500 dollar as they do not just sell the cover for the antenna. Thank you for any help you can provide in addressing this issue as I do not want anyone to get hurt because of this faulty problem with the antenna cover.
Paint is peeling off car in several places, causing rust. Paint peeled in sheets from roof of car and hood. Paint is peeling off of side panels as well. Currently a class action lawsuit against Kia/Hyundai regarding improper curing of white pearl paint on models from 2014 to present. Dealership admitted to issue being replicated among same make/models of that color. No warnings were issued, however, company has settled several occasions by paying for repaint, thus admitting there is an extreme issue with improper curing of the paint.
The paint on the vehicle is peeling. It started on the roof and has progressed to the hood, frond fenders, and trunk. Because I am not the first owner, Hyundai will not not cover repairs. On 23 Aug 2023 I also had to replace the transmission at 115,416 miles. Again, Hyundai refused to cover any repairs.
Engine burns off oil at an excessive rate. I was told there is a recall on the engine for my vehicle. Also, the transmission is acting up. I have a white pearl sonata and the paint has peeled off the roof and part of the hood. There is a recall on that as well, as I was told.
I am reporting multiple safety-related problems with my 2016 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0 that have become progressively worse and may pose a serious danger. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning light starts blinking during startup, then remains solidly illuminated while driving. This indicates a persistent fault in the stability system. The car also frequently slows down or brakes on its own, without any input from me. This happens especially right after starting the car or while driving in traffic, and has caused multiple near-accidents. These issues first appeared around two years ago, but they used to happen occasionally. Over time, they have become more frequent, and now they occur daily. There is also a grinding or dragging noise when the vehicle starts or moves at low speed, and it often hesitates when trying to accelerate. …
Body complaints in other Sonata years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the body & structure of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, 4% of the model year's 727 complaints. The component named most often is body (30 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Hyundai Sonata body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, though it has 6 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 2016 Hyundai Sonata body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.