Hyundai Sonata 2025: Retiros, Quejas y Ley de Limón de California

The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,000 miles. The glass suddenly developed widespread cracking and a large opening in the panel. The glass also appeared to lift/bulge upward around the damaged area. There was no obvious impact point or bullseye pattern visible that would clearly indicate an object strike. The failed component was the panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel. The damaged component is still available for inspection. This created a serious safety concern because shattered glass could have entered the vehicle while driving at highway speeds and could have caused distraction, injury, or loss of visibility/control. The vehicle has been inspected by a Hyundai dealership. I was informed the panoramic roof assembly may require replacement. I am filing this complaint because the failure appeared spontaneous and may indicate a defect or structural stress issue with the panoramic roof glass. There were no warning lights, alerts, or prior symptoms before the failure occurred. Photos of the damage are available for inspection.

NHTSA #11739406

Driving home and heard what sounded like a gun shot. Upon arriving home we found the moonroof glass had exploded/shattered. Took pictures/video to document. Found online that there have been reports of similar instances happening dating back to 2011 and newer vehicles. Have called dealership to see what next steps are to have repaired as a warranty issue but service department is closed until Monday morning 7am.

NHTSA #11721199

take.a break warning light is a hazard and distraction and is not accurate at all. i am not a new driver but this id not s safety feature it is such a distraction and is not consistent. i am not going in and out of the lane and even with both hands on the wheel it still goes off about every 90 seconds even at the beginning if some drives after about 3 miles. it is nig consistent and causes you to panic at times when the alarm sounds there is absolutely no way to disarm this. i am [XXX] and do the safe driving course every four years. this is a menace and i do t expect any results but i will not keep this car. going to trade it in on american car. my third and kadt hyundai INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11691172

Vehicle brakes sound and feel rough when pressing them. And when backing up the vehicle spotted another car turning in and hit brakes automatically. Car jerked hard as if I hit something. Very rough. Made a scrubbing sound. Does the same when pressing the parking button. It perks and makes the scrubbing sound. Just purchased Vehicle 2weeks ago. No inspection on it yet. A warning light about the approaching car but didn't know it was going to hit on brakes by itself so forcefully. Car wasn't near the vehicle just in the scenery of the camera.

NHTSA #11743052

I am the original owner of a 2025 Hyundai Sonata purchased new in 2025. The vehicle currently has fewer than 4,000 miles on the odometer. Since early in my ownership, I have experienced a persistent and recurring squealing noise that occurs specifically when releasing the brake pedal after a short stop, and when transitioning from braking to acceleration. This is not an intermittent or weather/humidity-related issue. The noise has been consistent and ongoing throughout my ownership and has not resolved on its own--I was thinking it might since new cars take some time to adjust. At under 4,000 miles, brake components on this vehicle should be essentially new. Brake pads are engineered to last between 30,000 and 70,000 miles under normal driving conditions. A persistent brake noise at this mileage cannot reasonably be attributed to normal wear and tear and is indicative of a manufacturing defect, defective OEM brake pad compound, or a sticking/dragging brake caliper that fails to fully release after braking. I note that NHTSA has previously investigated Hyundai Sonata brake behavior, including a technical bulletin concerning rear brake pads remaining in contact with rotors after a diagnostic self-check cycle, causing a dragging condition in the next drive cycle. My symptoms are consistent with this type of brake drag behavior. Multiple Hyundai Sonata owners have documented the same persistent squeal-on-release pattern on Hyundai owner forums, with some reporting the issue beginning within the first year of new vehicle ownership and dealers being unable to diagnose or resolve it. I have formally reported this issue to Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs prior to filing this complaint and have requested warranty coverage. I am filing this complaint to create an official federal record of this defect and to contribute to any pattern investigation NHTSA may conduct on 2025 Hyundai Sonata brake systems.

NHTSA #11726347

I recently purchased a 2025 Hyundai Sonata. I’m writing to raise a concern regarding the height of the brake pedal in this vehicle. Both my wife and I have observed that the brake pedal seems noticeably higher than the gas pedal. This positioning requires extra effort to lift the foot during normal driving, and we are concerned that it may delay reaction time when moving from the accelerator to the brake — especially in emergency situations. I contacted the service department at the dealership to inquire if this pedal height is standard and whether any adjustment is possible. However, I have not received a response. I would appreciate it if you could confirm: Is the brake pedal height in the 2025 Hyundai Sonata within your design standards? If any manufacturer-recommended adjustments or modifications could improve pedal accessibility and response time. This is a significant safety concern for my family, and I would be grateful for your prompt attention and guidance.

NHTSA #11678512

The horn stopped working unexpectedly. Pressing the horn button produces no sound. The vehicle has not been in any accident. This is a safety issue as the horn is required for alerting other drivers in emergency situations.

NHTSA #11744655

The 12 v battery drains repeatedly causing the car to be without power . Requires opening the car with a manual key . Happens within as little of 3 days of not being driven . Dealer stated battery was without issues has continued to occur . Loses potential safety risk as entry into car becomes compromised especially if cold outside

NHTSA #11645912

the gas tank is loose upon pumping gas it was found loose today the red mccombs dealership is the only service company who has performed service on vehicle

NHTSA #11710046

Upon topping up gas to full or anytime fueling after there is a heavy scent of gas inside the cabin lingering

NHTSA #11700872

I went into dealer was told there was a car recall for radio update which I later was not provided any documentation for on another visit I noticed a speedometer update was performed to vehicle since the speedometer does not match the actual speed of the vehicle as the other complaint in December 2024 by another same model vehicle owner

NHTSA #11700869

Speedometer display inaccurate speed. Sometimes its shows 1-4mph miles more than the actual speed and other times 6-8mph. Verified issue with sonar system from different truck, street speed limit screen and own gps.

NHTSA #11655652

The vehicle is stalling in the acceleration process. I can feel and hear the stall by the air conditioner going out or fading out when it happens while driving. Pressing the gas and it barely moves at times. Makes a noise now while running. Unknown to whether it's electrical or engine or transmission. Pull out in the traffic accelerating but the car wasn't moving at the pace it should have. Could have cause an accident when trying to cross on going traffic. Just got the vehicle 2 weeks ago. No one has inspected the vehicle yet. Going to have it looked at for recalls. No warning lights appeared to reflect an issue, but there clearly is.

NHTSA #11743044

On April 8, 2026, I returned to my brand-new 2025 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited (purchased as a new ccar on February 10th 2026)_after being away from March 31 to April 6, 2026 (approximately 7 days of normal parking). The vehicle was completely dead — the 12V auxiliary battery had fully discharged. The car remained fully locked. The hood release lever and the 12V battery reset button are both located inside the cabin and were therefore inaccessible. Following the instructions in the owner’s manual, three adults attempted to remove the plastic cover over the mechanical keyhole on the driver’s door handle. None of us could pry or slide the cover off. Hyundai Roadside Assistance dispatched a locksmith. The locksmith had to use an air-inflation wedge tool to force the door open. Once inside, he pressed the interior 12V reset button and the vehicle then operated normally. This incident demonstrates a complete failure mode: the 12V system can die after only a short period of inactivity, and the mechanical emergency-access design makes it extremely difficult (or impossible for multiple people) to enter the vehicle without professional forced entry or risk of damage. The combination left me stranded with no practical way to regain access to my new car. I believe this is a safety-related defect because it creates an unreasonable risk of the driver being unable to enter or operate the vehicle after normal parking, potentially in emergency or critical situations. Hyundai has issued Service Campaign TEBA / TSB 25-01-076H for battery drain on 2025 Sonata Hybrids, but it does not address the mechanical key-cover access failure that turned the drain into a total lockout. It is also not clear the the TEBA is a complete solution to the battery drain problem.

NHTSA #11733182

My engine light come on. Air flow notification come on. I had a brake cleaner notification come on.

NHTSA #11717157

On [XXX] while entering 2 car garage with no other cars in garage, the subject vehicle which is a HEV, changed from the electric drive mode to gasoline mode at the garage door and driveway apex. Immediately, the vehicle uncommandedly surged forward from approximately 1mph. The vehicle impacted a large refrigerator and small table causing severe front end damage. No airbags deployed and I was not injured. Although, my neck is sore from whiplash. Seatbelts were employed and vehicle was being operated at less than 1mph, standard for entering a two car garage. There were no warnings, lights, or sounds from the multi function display or any system emergency braking applied immediately before the collision.Just a violent surge forward that I could not quickly apply the brakes to avoid this collision. It is my feeling something electronic failed to operate or was unable to understand the driving environment at the time of impact. The change in driving mode from electric to gasoline was very abrupt and instantly resulted in the surge forward with no concern for what was a potential collision hazard ahead. Severe damage was done to front end only. Resulting in a very high repair cost and may likely result in the vehicle being considered a "total loss". This is currently ongoing with insurance and collision repair facility. Unresolved currently. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11707734

the car has two issues. brake issue (gas pedal is soft and sinks) and engine power ( gas pedal is soft and not responsive) Brakes are soft and spongy some times and sometimes hard. even you push the brake pedal twice or three time it takes long distance to stop. some times the brake looks good but for short period of time. the brakes inconsistent. I took to the dealer where I bought it hey refuse to repair it. then i took it to another dealer. first time they said no issue with car then second time they they replace the vacuum pump and they found out one of the piston is not firing. they replace the ignition coil. the car still has issue and not fixed. I filed case with the manufacturer but the manufacturer closed the case. After that I file lemon law case.

NHTSA #11738622

The emergency rear collision detection system is able to be turned off, but automatically turns on when the car starts. There are situations where the car detects an object and it prevents me from reversing. I disabled this because I use my eyes and have accepted the risk of running into something. I had to move in a hurry two days ago, I tried to reverse out of the way, but the car prevented this when I thought I had already shut it off. Meanwhile I'm getting screamed at to move while I fumble through menus just so I can drive the car I bought. This is dangerous to have automatically on everytime the car starts.

Reportado presuntamente: 1 lesión (según lo reportado a NHTSA). NHTSA #11689140

The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. In addition, the contact stated that on multiple occasions while turning into a parking lot, the vehicle's collision avoidance system would engage while in the vicinity of another vehicle as a warning chime would emit from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they initially could not diagnose or duplicate the failure. The contact was asked to come and drive the vehicle herself and she was able to duplicate the failure. The dealer eventually diagnosed the vehicle with a failed transmission and remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was later informed that they would not replace the vehicle but would replace the transmission. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 50.

NHTSA #11741548

Lump on driver seat, under right buttocks. Feels like hard steel poking up on right side of seat , predominantly under right side.

NHTSA #11681015

The dash warning "Consider Taking A Break" fires off randomly. This is a distraction as when I'm in traffic, driving well within my lane, no sudden changes, it will alert and I look down as I assume there may be a more serious problem. It takes my attention from the road often. This feature cannot be disabled. I've contacted the manufacturer and the local dealership. The local dealership suggested that there is a way to do it but they cannot tell me as it could be a liability. I don't see how it would be a liability as it is me doing the disabling. If anything that could be corrected with a statement I'd need to click stating I know the added risk of disabling this or something. It's annoying and at worst, may cause an accident as it pulls the driver's attention from the road. I'm hesitant to let anyone else drive the vehicle as they may be less prepared for the warning and may cause confusion as they try to determine what it is.

NHTSA #11666576

The gear shifter design on this Hyundai model is dangerously counterintuitive compared to industry norms. It nearly caused me to drive off a cliff. I encountered a serious safety issue with the gear selector design. In most vehicles — including Mercedes, GM, and even pickup trucks — pushing the gear selector down engages forward drive, and up engages reverse or park. Hyundai has reversed this logic. In a rushed moment, I instinctively pushed the shifter down expecting to go forward (as in most cars), but the Hyundai was in reverse. I stepped on the gas and nearly backed off a cliff. This design is not just unfamiliar — it's opposite of established standards. Drivers with muscle memory from other vehicles like ANY pickup truck, MB, or GM EV are at real risk of making fatal errors. I strongly urge NHTSA to investigate whether this shifter design meets safety and human factors standards. At a minimum, Hyundai should issue a UI/UX recall to standardize shift direction or implement safeguards to prevent this kind of mistake.

NHTSA #11663112

Vehicle is shaky at highway speeds

NHTSA #11651446