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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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

5 reports
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96,000 miles · Dec 20, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WAS DRIVING HOME JUST LIKE EVERYDAY FROM WORK. ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGH WAY IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS AN AIRPLANE TRYING TO TAKE OFF.. WELL IT TURNS OUT I HAVE A BAD MOTOR. THERE WERE NO SIGNS NO NOTHING. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A WORST PLACE. I DO NOT HAVE ANY WHERE NEAR THE MILEAGE THAT I SHOULD FOR MY MOTOR TO JUS…

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I WAS DRIVING HOME JUST LIKE EVERYDAY FROM WORK. ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGH WAY IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS AN AIRPLANE TRYING TO TAKE OFF.. WELL IT TURNS OUT I HAVE A BAD MOTOR. THERE WERE NO SIGNS NO NOTHING. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A WORST PLACE. I DO NOT HAVE ANY WHERE NEAR THE MILEAGE THAT I SHOULD FOR MY MOTOR TO JUST GO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10489352

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

2005 HYUNDAI SONATA, ENGINE IN THIS CAR WAS MEANT TO BE IN THE ELANTRA WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER AND LIGHTER CAR, BUT WHEN PUT 4 CYLINDER ENGINE IN A SONATA WHICH IS A HEAVER AND LARGER CAR, EVEN THOUGH ENGINE OPERATES TO THE SPEC, OTHER PROBLEMS ARE EVIDENT WHICH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO TELL THE CONSUMER, NOW TH…

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2005 HYUNDAI SONATA, ENGINE IN THIS CAR WAS MEANT TO BE IN THE ELANTRA WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER AND LIGHTER CAR, BUT WHEN PUT 4 CYLINDER ENGINE IN A SONATA WHICH IS A HEAVER AND LARGER CAR, EVEN THOUGH ENGINE OPERATES TO THE SPEC, OTHER PROBLEMS ARE EVIDENT WHICH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO TELL THE CONSUMER, NOW THIS CAR IDLES SO BAD IT IS WORSE THAN A TRUCK WHEN CAR IS IN DRIVE AND STOPPED AT LIGHT ETC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10215353

18,000 miles · Oct 6, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS OR COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT STALLED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS SLOWED DOWN TO 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHICH IDENTIFIED CAUSE CODE #15 AND REPLACED THE…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS OR COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT STALLED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS SLOWED DOWN TO 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHICH IDENTIFIED CAUSE CODE #15 AND REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL ASSEMBLY, WIRE REPAIR TIME (MAJOR), COIL ASSEMBLY, IGNITION COIL ADD SCAN TOOL OPERATIONS. A YEAR LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER SERVICE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ODI #10170101

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 12/2005 FROM A NON-HYUNDAI DEALER. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE CAR PERIODICALLY DID NOT SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. IT SHUDDERS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN GOES OFF. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND HAVE BEEN TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER MORE THAN 3 TIMES WITH THIS …

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I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 12/2005 FROM A NON-HYUNDAI DEALER. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE CAR PERIODICALLY DID NOT SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. IT SHUDDERS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN GOES OFF. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND HAVE BEEN TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER MORE THAN 3 TIMES WITH THIS COMPLAINT BEGINNING FEBRUARY/2006. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR VIBRATES/REVS UP WHEN AT A RED LIGHT. THIS IS VERY IRRITATING SINCE THE VIBRATION ALSO GOES THROUGH TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAUSES MY ARMS AND HANDS TO VIBRATE ALSO. INITIALLY, I WAS TOLD THAT ALL OF THIS WAS NORMAL - HOWEVER I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OF THIS WHEN I RENTED THE SAME TYPE OF CAR LAST YEAR. THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT. I THEN HAD TWO EXPERIENCES WITHIN ONE WEEK WHERE THE CAR DID NOT START - LIGHTS, RADIO, A/C STILL CAME ON - BUT THE CAR DID NOT START. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST TIME, THEY CHANGED A RELAY AND THE SECOND TIME, AFTER KEEPING THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK THEY CHANGED THE ENTIRE FUSE BOX. I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STARTING SINCE, HOWEVER THE VIBRATION IS GETTING WORSE, THE CAR STILL DOES NOT SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY, AND NOW IT REVS TO THE POINT THAT THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO PULL OFF BEFORE I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I PULLED A CAR HISTORY REPORT THAT REVEALED THAT THE CAR FAILED EMISSIONS, HAD A LEFT DOOR REPLACED, AND HAD A STARTER ASSEMBLY REPLACED. NONE OF THIS WAS DISCLOSED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE CAR HISTORY REPORT PROVIDED BY THE SELLING DEALER - OTHERWISE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WHEN I QUESTIONED A RESIDUE BEHIND THE RADIO STATION DISPLAY PANEL, I WAS TOLD BY THE SELLING DEALER THAT IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE AAA INSPECTION SINCE THEY SOMETIMES TAKE DOWN THE DASHBOARD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10163834

10 miles · Dec 22, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

BOUGHT 2005 HYUANDI ON 12/8/04. EXPERIENCED VIBRATION ON 12/9/05 TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP IN CLEVELAND TENNESSEE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE MOTOR IN CAR NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. TOOK CAR BACK 3 DAYS LATER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM VIBRATION, THEY SAID THAT THE BOLTS NEEDED TO BE TIG…

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BOUGHT 2005 HYUANDI ON 12/8/04. EXPERIENCED VIBRATION ON 12/9/05 TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP IN CLEVELAND TENNESSEE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE MOTOR IN CAR NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. TOOK CAR BACK 3 DAYS LATER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM VIBRATION, THEY SAID THAT THE BOLTS NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR BACK ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS AND THEY CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE IN THE CAR. FINALLY A REPRESENTATIVE WAS CALLED IN TO LOOK AT THE CAR HE HAD ME TO DRIVE THE CAR AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE CAR TO HAVE A VIBRATION WHEN SITTING STILL AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. ALSO, HE SAID THAT THE BOLTS NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED THAT HOLD THE ENGINE IN. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10145894

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.