The Used Car Index

2005 Hyundai Sonata problems

NHTSA lists 165 complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Sonata, 26 of them mention a crash and 2 mention a fire. 19 complaints mention an injury, with 27 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as HYUNDAI SONATA.

At a glance

Complaints
165
With crash
26
With fire
2
With injury (complaints)
19
Injuries
27
Deaths
0
Recalls
1
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
3,011
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
47

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. The available sales group does not match this vehicle variant.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
AIR BAGS5533.3%
STRUCTURE3018.2%
SUSPENSION2615.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1911.5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1710.3%
ENGINE63.6%
SERVICE BRAKES63.6%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC63.6%
STEERING63.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER63.6%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY25
AIR BAGSFRONTAL11
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGBRAKE LIGHTS5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWIRING2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGENGINE2
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
STRUCTUREFRAME AND MEMBERS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMHORN1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMIGNITION1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSOFTWARE1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

1 recalls.

09V280000

Date: 2009-07-21. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Defect: 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 INTE (excerpt)

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. (excerpt)

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. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

47 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
POWER TRAIN14
EQUIPMENT10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
TIRES3
WHEELS3

11032522

Date: 2026-04-10. Type: Other. Systems: AIR BAGS.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit drivera side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prio

11032523

Date: 2026-04-10. Type: Other. Systems: AIR BAGS.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous drivera s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the ve

11025476

Date: 2025-11-06. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary

10251285

Date: 2024-02-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY/WIPER.

This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, w

10247189

Date: 2023-10-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

10235566

Date: 2023-04-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moist

10230904

Date: 2023-01-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY.

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary

10217251

Date: 2022-07-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.

10217258

Date: 2022-07-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: TIRES.

Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale. This limit is the lesser of 1.5% of GVWR or 100 pounds.

10196546

Date: 2021-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicleA A?A A A A s ownerA A?A A A A s manual. A A A A A A? Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. A A A A A A? Use of other DCT and IVT gear oil may result in reduced dur

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
SONATA165

Same model, other years

All model years | All Hyundai models

Other Hyundai models, 2005

Sources

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