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2005 Hyundai Sonata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Sonata do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 161.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

128 reports with mileage · 37 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

26 crash reports2 fire reports19 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

19 reports
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1,477,900 miles · Feb 2, 2017
Electrical System

COMPLAINT INVOLVES PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TO AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT PLACES TO ATTEMPT GET THIS DIAGNOSED- THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER 5 MONTHS. CAR HAS BEEN EXCELLENT UNTIL THE PAST FEW MONTHS. ENGINE IS FINE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WHEN YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE THERE IS SOME KIND OF SHORT IN …

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COMPLAINT INVOLVES PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TO AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT PLACES TO ATTEMPT GET THIS DIAGNOSED- THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER 5 MONTHS. CAR HAS BEEN EXCELLENT UNTIL THE PAST FEW MONTHS. ENGINE IS FINE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WHEN YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE THERE IS SOME KIND OF SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE CAR TURNS OFF. NO WARMING. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT- AND THE PROBLEM HAPPENS THE CAR GOES COMPLETELY DARK. SOMETIMES YOU CAN SORT OF GLIDE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SOMETIMES THE SHORT HAPPENS AND THEN WHATEVER IS NOT WORKING WILL RECONNECT AND THE CAR WILL NOT TOTALLY SHUT OFF. IT IS VERY DISTURBING AND FRIGHTENING. SOMETIMES MY CAR COMPLETELY DIES IN TRAFFIC- IT MIGHT BE DEAD FOR 20 OR SO MINUTES AND THEN WILL ALL OF SUDDEN RESTART AND I CAN MAKE IT HOME. I HAVE BEEN TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC WHO HAS TAKEN CARE OF THIS CAR FOR YEARS HE WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. TOOK TO A HYUNDAI GARAGE/ DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN THERE 3 TIMES- THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS WEEK TOOK IT TO ANOTHER GARAGE THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THIS. I LOVE MY CAR BUT FEEL VERY UNSAFE. I NO LONGER DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE I FEEL SO UNSAFE. IF THERE IS ANY HELP OR DIRECTION YOU CAN GIVE TO HELP DIAGNOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN SONATAS IT WOULD BE WELCOME. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR HE PAST 4 MONTHS- SOMETIMES MY CAR DIES 7 TO 8 TIMES A DAY- SOMETIMES IT RUNS PERFECTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10949180

150,000 miles · Jan 29, 2017
Air BagsElectrical System

AIR BAG DASH LIGHT IS ON FOR SEEMINGLY NO REASON. IT USED TO BE INTERMITTENT, BUT IT EVENTUALLY STAYED ON. MECHANICS AND HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP HAVE NO ANSWERS. IT COMES ON AS SOON AS I START THE CAR AND DOESN'T TURN OFF UNTIL THE CAR IS OFF. I WAS TOLD MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. HOW DELIGHTFUL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10948181

58,000 miles · Aug 18, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #10749376

103,000 miles · Mar 4, 2015
Air BagsElectrical SystemService Brakes

ELECTRICAL ISSUES BEGAN A MONTH AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FRONT AND REAR LIGHT BULBS CONTINUE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, THE DASH LIGHT ALSO WILL FLASH WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED. THE TRUNK LEAKED THE FIRST CHRISTMAS, DEALER CLAIMED TO REPAIR IT, BUT FAILED, STILL LEAKS. AIR BAG INDICATOR CAME ON, WENT OFF EVENTUALLY, AND IS BACK…

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ELECTRICAL ISSUES BEGAN A MONTH AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FRONT AND REAR LIGHT BULBS CONTINUE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, THE DASH LIGHT ALSO WILL FLASH WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED. THE TRUNK LEAKED THE FIRST CHRISTMAS, DEALER CLAIMED TO REPAIR IT, BUT FAILED, STILL LEAKS. AIR BAG INDICATOR CAME ON, WENT OFF EVENTUALLY, AND IS BACK ON AGAIN. FINALLY, CAR BEGAN LOSING POWER LAST YEAR AND CUTTING OFF SPORADICALLY IN TRAFFIC, AND NOW THE REAR AND WINDOW BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NOT WHEN TURNED OFF. RECALL INFO POINTS TO DEFECTIVE STOP BRAKE SWITCH THAT FAILED EVEN AFTER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER, MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE RECALL LIST AND THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE. CURIOUS, SINCE MY CAR IS OF THE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR REPORTED! GREEDY AND IRRESPONSIBLE ! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692184

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2015
Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobilityService BrakesCrashFire

I WAS DRIVING IN MY OWN LANE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THIS BUS WITH OUT LIGHTS CAME AND WAS SPEEDING HE CUT IN FRONT OF ME SO CLOSE IT SCRATCHED MY SIDE DOOR AND I HIT THE BRAKES AND I STILL HIT HIM GOING 55 SPEED LIMIT WAS 70 THE CAR ALL MOST EXPLODED THERE IS THINGS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691998

39,158 miles · Nov 18, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

THIS IS THE FIRST DATE THAT I REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. SINCE THAT TIME, THE LIGHT HAS GONE OFF AND COME BACK ON A MANY TIMES. IT WAS CHECKED AGAIN BY THE DEALER AND ALSO BY A LOCAL, CERTIFIED MECHANIC. IT USUALLY STAYS OFF FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, BUT COMES BACK ON. IT IS NOW ON AGAIN. IN ADDITION, I'VE H…

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THIS IS THE FIRST DATE THAT I REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. SINCE THAT TIME, THE LIGHT HAS GONE OFF AND COME BACK ON A MANY TIMES. IT WAS CHECKED AGAIN BY THE DEALER AND ALSO BY A LOCAL, CERTIFIED MECHANIC. IT USUALLY STAYS OFF FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, BUT COMES BACK ON. IT IS NOW ON AGAIN. IN ADDITION, I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE DOOR JAM SWITCH IN JAN. 2014. THE DOOR CHIMES (SEATBELT SOUND) GOES OFF RANDOMLY. NOW, THIS SOUND IS BACK. THE CAR RANDOMLY LOCKS ITSELF AND THE RADIO RANDOMLY GOES ON AS WELL. I FEEL THAT THE CAR HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT MAY MAKE IT UNSAFE. I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG ISSUE. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES ON IT. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS VEHICLE HASN'T BEEN RECALLED FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10658986

126,000 miles · Jul 28, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

YOUR PROBE INTO THE HYUNDAI SONATA AIRBAG ISSUE SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO EARLIER MODELS AS WE HAVE A 2005 AND WHAT YOU ARE INITIALLY EXPLAINING AFFECTS OUR VEHICLE ALSO. WE HAVE HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESET A FEW TIMES BY THE DEALER (ZIMBRIK HYUNDAI IN MADISON, WI). THEY INITIALLY STATED THAT IT WAS JUST A WIRE UNDER THE SEAT THAT …

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YOUR PROBE INTO THE HYUNDAI SONATA AIRBAG ISSUE SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO EARLIER MODELS AS WE HAVE A 2005 AND WHAT YOU ARE INITIALLY EXPLAINING AFFECTS OUR VEHICLE ALSO. WE HAVE HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESET A FEW TIMES BY THE DEALER (ZIMBRIK HYUNDAI IN MADISON, WI). THEY INITIALLY STATED THAT IT WAS JUST A WIRE UNDER THE SEAT THAT NEEDED TO BE REATTACHED. THEY'D DO THAT AND TURN OFF THE AIRBAG LIGHT, IT'D BE OK FOR A FEW MONTHS, THEN THE LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. THEY EVENTUALLY STATED THEY WANTED TO REPACK THE AIRBAG FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, SEEMED SOMEWHAT LIKE A SCAM, SO WE NO LONGER GO IT FIXED AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10616748

130,000 miles · May 27, 2014
Electrical System

THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN MY AUTO, WHICH MANIFEST ITSELF WHEN I SWITCH ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON NORMALLY, BUT INSIDE THE CABIN THE DASHBOARD AND ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS WOULD START BLINKING ON/OFF LIKE THE HAZARD LIGHT. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD ALSO COME UNLOCK AND WHEN I CHECKED ON THE EXTERN…

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THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN MY AUTO, WHICH MANIFEST ITSELF WHEN I SWITCH ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON NORMALLY, BUT INSIDE THE CABIN THE DASHBOARD AND ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS WOULD START BLINKING ON/OFF LIKE THE HAZARD LIGHT. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD ALSO COME UNLOCK AND WHEN I CHECKED ON THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BE STEADY, BUT THE INDICATOR (AMBER) LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD BE BLINKING. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE AS THEY SAY, THERE ARE NO DIAGNOSTIC CODES SHOWING FOR ELECTRICAL FAULTS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10594426

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2013
Electrical SystemEquipment

2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AC COMPRESSOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *SMD ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR INVOICE, THE AC COMPRESSOR HAD AN ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN. THE AC CLUTCH CAME APART AND THE CLUTCH MELTED ONTO THE COMPRESSOR.

NHTSA ODI #10544754

80,000 miles · Aug 13, 2013
Air BagsElectrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE WIRING TO THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE WIRING TO THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #10535111

Official recalls

1

09V280000 · Exterior Lighting

Jul 21, 2009

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.