2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid problems
NHTSA has received 173 complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and 24% of them involve engine. After that come brakes (15%) and electrical system (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 173 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 18 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 17 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 53,000 miles 149 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 40 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 12 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 28 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 22 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 13 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 15 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 7 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 9 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Among the 149 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 53,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 91,000 miles (37 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 18 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 17 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2013 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 9 model years of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with enough data (132 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I'm drove on hwy101s in sf follow the hwy speed. When the car ahead slowdown and stopped and I did too but the car behind won't stop and hit me from the hwy speed then push me hit the front car ahead and another car hit the car behind me push her hit me again and another car all 5 involved this incident. I'm the second one.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 hyundai sonata hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven into the garage and stopped for approximately 10 seconds before experiencing an unintended acceleration and crashing into the garage wall causing significant damage to the home. During the incident, the driver had depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle continued to surge forward.
Reported originally in NHTSA 11084763 while driving on highway at highway speed again the car died with no warning when the hybrid system went out and lost all acceleration and ability to steer car. The car would start but would not engage in gear and was in "limp" mode but was unable to "limp" off the highway. Car was towed to dealership and the electric water pump to cool hybrid system was bad but I had taken the car to the dealer twice before to complain that the car was not driving or accelerating properly.
On 05/10/2018, I noticed severe vibration and clunking in steering wheel. Brought vehicle to hyundai dealer and they replaced the flexible coupling in the steering column due to wear. On 08/08/2018, I brought the vehicle to the hyundai dealer for routine service and asked them to check the brakes as I experienced an intermittent loud squeaking from the brake pedal. They were unable to diagnose the problem.