VehicleVerdict

2020 Hyundai Sonata engine problems

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata has 28 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 11% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

28

Engine complaints

11%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Sonata engine complaints by model year1,008 complaints1987: 1 complaints1989: 7 complaints1991: 8 complaints1992: 5 complaints1993: 12 complaints1994: 1 complaints1995: 9 complaints1996: 6 complaints1997: 9 complaints1998: 4 complaints1999: 23 complaints2000: 33 complaints2001: 25 complaints2002: 22 complaints2003: 17 complaints2004: 10 complaints2005: 11 complaints2006: 74 complaints2007: 49 complaints2008: 50 complaints2009: 62 complaints2010: 29 complaints2011: 1,008 complaints2012: 573 complaints2013: 764 complaints2014: 319 complaints2015: 627 complaints2016: 459 complaints2017: 397 complaints2018: 218 complaints2019: 90 complaints2020: 28 complaints2021: 34 complaints2022: 23 complaints2023: 28 complaints2024: 3 complaints2025: 2 complaints
Sonata engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“It was smoking from the engine, I immediately stopped the vehicle. My safety was put at risk immediately while being in the vehicle when the air bags deployed hitting me in the face and causing my face to swell. The safety of others was put at risk due to others being right next to me and putting…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · February 12, 2026 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2020 Hyundai Sonata have?

NHTSA has 28 complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Sonata engine — 11% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.