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2013 Hyundai SonataProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,921 owner complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Sonata, most often about the engine. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-312 the manufacturer reports only 45% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Hyundai Sonata
11
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid8.2× the Sonata median · #2 of 35 years by complaints
Safety recalls9Lowest repair rate 45%Owner complaints1,921250 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage96kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 9, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: LouieRBLX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Hyundai Sonata has problems

1,921 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
Engine74083
Steering34217
Electrical system26135
Exterior lighting19714
Service brakes14416
Fuel/propulsion system13631
Air bags10440
Power train9413
Vehicle speed control8615
22 other systems38139

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

9 recalls

2013 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.

45%repaired · 2024 Q3

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 22V-312 · May 6, 2022 · 215,171 vehicles · 96,096 repaired

Risk. A cracked fuel hose may leak fuel, which can increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2022 Q2

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 20V-121 · Feb 28, 2020 · 216,799 vehicles · 121,859 repaired

Risk. If the fuel line cracks, a fuel leak can occur, increasing the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2020 Q2

Engine

Recall 18V-934 · Dec 28, 2018 · 150,730 vehicles · 85,103 repaired

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

62%repaired · 2020 Q1

Air bags

Recall 18V-137 · Feb 27, 2018 · 580,058 vehicles · 356,835 repaired

Risk. If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 5 more recalls
82%repaired · 2019 Q1

Front: anchorage

Recall 17V-617 · Oct 4, 2017 · 443,545 vehicles · 363,033 repaired

Risk. If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

73%repaired · 2018 Q4

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 17V-226 · Mar 31, 2017 · 572,000 vehicles · 416,331 repaired

Risk. Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

67%repaired · 2018 Q3

Front: anchorage

Recall 17V-152 · Mar 8, 2017 · 977,778 vehicles · 656,417 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

80%repaired · 2015 Q4

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 14V-434 · Jul 18, 2014 · 883,000 vehicles · 703,705 repaired

Risk. If the transmission shift cable detaches, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: side/window

Recall 12V-352 · Jul 24, 2012 · 29,767 vehicles

Risk. The curtain airbag may inflate without deployment command and increase the risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle.

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 engine problems start?

96kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 400 engine complaints. 52% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
29under 30k miles209under 100k miles191100k 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.

Engine

24 owners mentioned a cost

$2,600median

Middle half: $491 – $6,250

Steering

20 owners mentioned a cost

$300median

Middle half: $235 – $560

Electrical system

11 owners mentioned a cost

$500median

Middle half: $300 – $900

Service brakes

8 owners mentioned a cost

$1,042median

Middle half: $525 – $2,800

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

2013 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

2013 Hyundai Sonata safety ratings

2013 Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2013 Hyundai Sonata frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2013 Hyundai Sonata side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2013 Hyundai Sonata side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 5 stars (9.7% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
9 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 Hyundai Sonata, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Non-crash Vehicle FiresDP18003 · closed May 10, 2019
    Led to recall 19V-120
  2. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  3. Loss of Motive PowerDP22003 · closed Dec 12, 2023
    No recall
  4. Electrical overstressEA19001 · closed Sep 19, 2024
    Led to recall 20V-024
  5. Engine FiresEA21003 · closed Feb 5, 2024
    Led to recall 23V-877
  6. Front Passenger Seat Belt Anchor FailurePE16018 · closed Oct 23, 2017
    Led to recall 17V-617
  7. Air bags may be disabled during crashPE18003 · closed Aug 30, 2019
    Led to recall 18V-137
  8. Non-crash Vehicle FiresPE19003 · closed Dec 22, 2021
    Led to recall 20V-543
  9. Scope and TimelinessRQ17004 · closed Dec 22, 2021
    Led to recall 17V-226
In owners' words

What Sonata owners report

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

Recall 162 bearing water I came to a stop sign n my car died and caused the engine to kick n wen I started it it was knocking
Complaint 11773243 · Oct 23, 2026
2013 Sonata 2.4 81,953 mi, seized on highway with fresh oil change 1 week prior, loss of power, steering/braking. Happened on George Washington Bridge (NY/NJ) with near collision. Asssited by Police to move vehicle out of highway. Inspected by dealer (Paramus Hyundai) and confirmed loss of power…
Complaint 11769695 · Oct 7, 2026
Factual summary * Vehicle: 2013 Hyundai Sonata * VIN: [XXX] * Incident date: XXX * Failure: Sudden knocking noise, immediate check‑engine illumination, loss of power, and catastrophic engine failure; vehicle towed to Allen Turner Hyundai, 6501 Pensacola Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32505. * Recall: My VIN…
Complaint 11767524 · Sep 28, 2026

Own a 2013 Sonata?

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