← New search

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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

165 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2005
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AT 30-35 MPH WHEN I HAD A SIDEWALL BLOW OUT IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE, THE BLOW OUT CAUSED MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY WHICH HAD KNOCKED ME UNCONSCIOUS FOR A FEW MOMENTS. AFTER CONTACTING HYUNDAI, THEY ADMITTED THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE ON THEIR 2005 SONATAS, THEY HAVE NOT HOWEVER ISSUED A RECALL O…

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AT 30-35 MPH WHEN I HAD A SIDEWALL BLOW OUT IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE, THE BLOW OUT CAUSED MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY WHICH HAD KNOCKED ME UNCONSCIOUS FOR A FEW MOMENTS. AFTER CONTACTING HYUNDAI, THEY ADMITTED THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE ON THEIR 2005 SONATAS, THEY HAVE NOT HOWEVER ISSUED A RECALL OR A NOTICE TO CONSUMERS WARNING THEM OF THE POSSIBLE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. AFTER BEING UNCONSCIOUS, I HIT 3 PARKED CARS AND PROCEEDED TO ROLL MY CAR UPSIDE DOWN. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10138669

3,000 miles · Aug 31, 2005
SeatsVisibility

I HAVE A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA, BOUGHT NEW. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVES FORWARD AND BACKWARD ON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED ON BRAKING. THE SEAT SLIDES ABOUT 4 INCHES FORWARD WITH BRAKING OVER 25 MPH. I TOOK IT TO GANLEY HYUNDAI ON BROOKPARK ROAD IN PARMA OHIO FOR REPAIRS. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA, BOUGHT NEW. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVES FORWARD AND BACKWARD ON ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED ON BRAKING. THE SEAT SLIDES ABOUT 4 INCHES FORWARD WITH BRAKING OVER 25 MPH. I TOOK IT TO GANLEY HYUNDAI ON BROOKPARK ROAD IN PARMA OHIO FOR REPAIRS. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS FIXED, BUT IT STILL SLIDES. IF THE MANAGER SAYS IT IS FIXED, AND IT STILL MOVES, TO ME THIS MEANS IT IS UNREPAIRABLE. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CAR IS THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKS OUT ENTIRE CARS FROM VIEW. IT IS MUCH TOO LARGE FOR THE SIZE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10134878

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2005
Electrical System

I PURCHASED A HYUNDAI SONATA 2005 ABOUT A MONTH A 1/2 AGO WELL AFTER A MONTH OF DRIVING THE CAR I STARTED HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I STARTED HAVING WAS UNDER THE DASHBOARD, IT GETS HOT ON MY LEGS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE GETS HOT ALSO IT GETS SO HOT THAT I HAVE TO TURN ON MY AIR TO COOL IT OFF. MY RA…

Read full complaint

I PURCHASED A HYUNDAI SONATA 2005 ABOUT A MONTH A 1/2 AGO WELL AFTER A MONTH OF DRIVING THE CAR I STARTED HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I STARTED HAVING WAS UNDER THE DASHBOARD, IT GETS HOT ON MY LEGS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE GETS HOT ALSO IT GETS SO HOT THAT I HAVE TO TURN ON MY AIR TO COOL IT OFF. MY RADIO STARTED MAKING NOISE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE SOMEONE WAS BLOWING INTO THE SPEAKERS. AND FROM TIME TO TIME MY BRAKES WILL SQUEAK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND JUST BECAUSE THESE THINGS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN THEY CHECKED IT OUT THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I WAS ALSO TOLD WHEN THE PROBLEMS START AGAIN TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALER BUT WHAT IF THE DEALER IS CLOSED OR ONCE I GET THERE THE PROBLEMS STOP? I COULD BE OUT OF TOWN WHEN THE PROBLEMS START AGAIN. AND THEY DID START AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN I PICKED MY DAUGHTER UP FROM WORK I HAD MY WINDOWS DOWN AND HAD TO TURN THE AIR ON SO IT COULD COOL OF UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP REALLY MADE ME MAD. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10131766

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2005
Air BagsSteeringSuspensionCrashInjury

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BEFORE IMPACT. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PART FAILED BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT WAS AT THE REPAIR SHOP. THE TIE ROD END WAS BENT. WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 10-15 MP…

Read full complaint

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BEFORE IMPACT. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PART FAILED BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT WAS AT THE REPAIR SHOP. THE TIE ROD END WAS BENT. WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH HEARD LIKE A CRACK, AND THEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND VEHICLE HIT A PARKED CAR. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL ON PAVEMENT. THERE WAS NO IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL OR HUB CAP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT NORMAL DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10126962

4,000 miles · Apr 14, 2005
Visibility

WINDSHIELD GLASS ON TWO HYUNDAI CARS, SCRATCH TOO EASILY: 2002 XG350, 2005 SONATA. APPEAR TO BE MULTIPLE CAT SCRATCHES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10116904

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.