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2010 Hyundai SonataProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 345 owner complaints about the 2010 Hyundai Sonata, most often about the structure. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 13V-354 the manufacturer reports only 56% of affected cars repaired.

2010 Hyundai Sonata
42
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.4× the Sonata median · #14 of 35 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 56%Owner complaints34535 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage68kStructure, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 20, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2010 Hyundai Sonata has problems

345 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Structure1642
Engine292
Service brakes283
Power train211
Air bags2011
Electrical system161
Steering150
Electronic stability control (ESC)130
Vehicle speed control115
12 other systems572

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2010 Hyundai Sonata recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

56%repaired · 2015 Q1

Suspension: rear

Recall 13V-354 · Aug 12, 2013 · 364,502 vehicles · 203,437 repaired

Risk. Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 13V-113 · Apr 1, 2013 · 1,712,336 vehicles

Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.

Mileage at failure

When do structure problems start?

68kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 137 structure complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
7under 30k miles116under 100k miles21100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Structure

23 owners mentioned a cost

$200median

Middle half: $145 – $275

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2010 vs. every other Sonata year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sonata median. How we score

'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2010 Hyundai Sonata safety ratings

2010 Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2010 Hyundai Sonata frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2010 Hyundai Sonata side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2010 Hyundai Sonata, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  2. Loss of Motive PowerDP22003 · closed Dec 12, 2023
    No recall
  3. Rear Control Arm FailurePE13007 · closed Aug 20, 2013
    Led to recall 13V-354
In owners' words

What Sonata owners report

Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I have several recalls on my vehicle and the dealership only scrub and they did not replace the crossmember and other parts. I need help to see if this is OK
Complaint 11524560 · May 30, 2023
IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF/BROKEN. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT (SEPT 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF THE CAR WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT (NOV 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE REMAINED ON THE CAR BUT…
Complaint 11372556 · Nov 1, 2020
LAST MONTH, THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT WAS BROKEN. WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN MY DOOR, IT DID NOT OPEN. THAT IS IN THE PICTURE ATTACHED. ON SATURDAY, I OPENED MY DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE IN MY HAND. NOW I HAVE ONLY TOW DOORS THAT I CAN OPEN. I LOOKED ONLINE AND MANY…
Complaint 11354899 · Sep 14, 2020 · 170,000 miles

Own a 2010 Sonata?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.