Electrical system and engine issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Sedans haven’t been very popular over the past few years, but it seems that the 2020 Hyundai Sonata still has a strong customer base. Maybe it’s because the company says “the sedan is new again,” but others worry that this model could destroy the enthusiasm. It appears that the Sonata struggles with the electrical system, structure and engine.
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A properly working vehicle electrical system can make any drive more enjoyable, but that’s not what is happening with the 2020 Hyundai Sonata.
One NHTSA complaint states, “The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph, the vehicle shifted into Safe Mode and lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to [dealership] but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,500.”
This is a simple illustration of how much the electrical system has control over. Yet, this is just the beginning of the problems. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V213000 talks about how some vehicles are equipped with defective Remote Start Parking Assist software. With this glitch, the system might allow for unintended vehicle movement, which could lead to an accident. So, what exactly is “new” with this sedan? Well, apparently, it’s equipped with software that wants to destroy the occupants.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Steering | |
| Air Bags | |
| Structure:body | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Visibility/wiper |
Looking at the structure of the Sonata, it’s clear to see that the same level of engineering went into this as the electrical system.
One more NHTSA review claims, “Rear doors retain water every time it rains. When you open the rear doors, water drains out of the car. Brought car to Hyundai dealership who verified the problem and confirmed the problem with other new cars on their lot, on April 21, 2020. Dealership contacted Hyundai Corporate for guidance and there has been no response to date.”
It turns out that this isn’t the only manufacturing defect. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V122000 says that the company put the wrong tire information on some vehicles. The data was listed incorrectly on the driver’s door label and also the owner’s manual. By following these incorrect tire size recommendations, owners could suffer from reduced handling and an increased chance for an accident. If someone didn’t know better, it would be safe to start wondering if Hyundai is purposely trying to hurt its fan base. Considering there aren’t many sedan lovers left, this might not be a good marketing tactic.
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The last illustration of what’s wrong with the 2020 Sonata comes from under the hood. The engine is supposed to provide power for drivers to get from Point A to Point B, but this Hyundai model is simply a disappointment.
Read an Edmunds review. “If you put your foot into it the little 1.6 liter Turbo thrashes like an old Chevy Vega. Noisy, rough, unrefined. It accelerates OK, but it lets you know it’s not happy about it. Honda’s 1.5T is much more refined (although a little bit noisy under the same conditions). I’m not sure if the Honda’s engine is just smoother or if the sound insulation and engine mounts better isolate it, but Hyundai’s got some work to do.”
However, this hasn’t gotten a lot of attention from Hyundai, maybe because it isn’t going to cause an abundance of accidents. What has gotten noticed is the EVAP system leakage detection noticed by the ECM software. In fact, Service Bulletin #20-01-027H talks about updating the software to avoid getting notifications about this “very small leak.” After all, the best way to handle any defect is to simply cover it up.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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My brakes went out and when I pushed it all the way to the floor they locked and I slid into a ditch in my Hyundai 2020
The windshield laminate is failing and blistering two glass companies and dealer said its defective but Hyundai refuses to stand behind there warranty the 2020 sonata has 10, 000 miles on it just 17 months old at the time of my battle with dealers after being told by 3 customer care employees the windshield is under warranty.
I have had so many issues I can cry. First, I kept getting an error message about the shift gear. It was so dangerous I literally would have the car in reverse and could not switch gears unless I turned the ignition off (with the car in reverse) and waited about two minutes to turn the car back on. I got the car at 47 miles and this issued was ongoing until the 4500 or 5000 mile range. Just when I thought things were back to normal, last week I shut the car off after getting home and a loud sound was coming from the engine. My service light is now on. I only have 8000 miles on this vehicle. Please if you are reading this do not purchase a 2020 Hyundai Sonata!
I have a 2020 Sonata sel plus that at 1,800 miles the air conditioning compressor went out and had to be replaced. Now with just over 4,000 miles the turbo has to be replaced. The dealer has had my car for over 3 weeks and are waiting on parts to repair. We only have one car and they told me that from now on they will not off a loner. Is this considered a lemon??
What do I do if I think I got a lemon
Turbo lag on take off in my 2020 Sonata limited, very annoying!
I was hit by a non insured driver of one of these 2020 Hyundai Sonatas. How he was the owner of this vehicle and not insured is beyond me.