2023 HYUNDAI Sonata

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

2RecallsNHTSA Verified64ComplaintsNHTSA Data0InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

The 2023 Hyundai Sonata presents a concerning reliability profile with two significant recalls addressing critical components like the fuel system and powertrain. With issues manifesting early in ownership, vigilance is crucial for current and potential owners.

Key Factor:Multiple critical recalls

📋Why This Matters

The issues reported in the 2023 Hyundai Sonata are far from trivial, as they pose real risks to safety and performance. The recall regarding the fuel system highlights the potential for a fire hazard, while the powertrain recall indicates possible overheating, both of which can leave drivers stranded or facing costly repairs if not addressed promptly. In this segment, reliability is key; a clean track record typically gives consumers confidence in their purchase, making these defects all the more alarming.

Focus Area:Safety Profile
📊

Expert Analysis

  • 📈
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • ⚠️
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • ⚖️
    Vs Brand: Worse than avg (1.7)
    📝
    Summary: Year over year, Hyundai has generally improved its safety ratings, but this model's current recalls reflect a worrying trend that diverges from that trajectory. With two significant recalls issued shortly after production, it raises flags about quality control during manufacturing—something prospective owners should consider seriously.
Critical Component: Warning

Safety & Reliability Score

81/100
Very Good

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-16
Complaint Impact-3.2
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2023 HYUNDAI Sonata

Model Year2023
MakeHYUNDAI
ModelSonata
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Dec22
ISSUEFirst Report
Jan23
NEWProduction
Jan23
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan23
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

22 complaints (34% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
✅

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 64 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
15(23%)
🟡Medium
17(27%)
🟢Low
32(50%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

With a peak failure range of 0-20k miles and an average failure mileage of around 24,345 miles, issues are likely to arise early in ownership. This suggests that owners should be particularly cautious and proactive during regular maintenance checks to avoid being caught off guard by sudden failures.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 22 of 64 complaints (34% coverage)
0-20k
14 reports (64%)
20k-40k
3 reports (14%)
40k-60k
1 reports (5%)
60k-80k
3 reports (14%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
1 reports (5%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

POWER TRAINFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Fuel System

Issue: A damaged check valve can allow air into the fuel tank, leading to expansion and potential fire risk.

✅

Schedule an inspection for the fuel system immediately to ensure there are no leaks or compromised components.

🔍

Request detailed service history covering any repairs related to recalls before making a purchase decision.

Campaigns:21V00000121V000002
2

Power Train

Issue: The idle stop & go oil pump controller may overheat due to damaged electrical components.

✅

'Check for recall notifications regularly and address them promptly with your dealer.'

🔍

'Verify whether all recall repairs have been completed when considering this vehicle.'

Campaign:21V000001
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your HYUNDAI dealer to verify recall completion status.

Official Safety Recalls (2)

Campaign: 23V526000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP

Summary

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.

Consequence

An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.

Remedy

Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting September 7, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 246.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

Campaign: 25V796000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Summary

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.

Consequence

A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve. The fuel tank assembly will be inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. Additionally, dealers will inspect and update the engine control unit software. All repairs will be performed as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 16, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 286. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 19, 2025.

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations
✓

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

64 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2023 Sonata.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning34%
Acceleration Issues27%
Check Engine Light16%
Leak14%
Accident14%
Smoke11%
Fire9%
Smell8%
Stall8%
Stuck6%
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE

My car was having an issue where it was losing all the coolant, causing my engine to overheat twice while driving down the highway. Unfortunately I couldn't find a leak anywhere and there was no fluid leaking in my garage. I lost an entire reservoir of coolant overnight. After taking my car to the dealership to get repaired, I was told that it was leaking my coolant into the exhaust system and burning it up. I was also told "it was a know issue, they had a bulletin from Hyundai on how to fix the problem, and Hyundai completely redesigned the part to stop the leak and it had to be special ordered." I was without my car for a week and left with a $1300 bill as apparently it was not covered by my warranty. I have no idea how a known issue is happening so frequently that requires a nationwide bulletin and a part redesign, yet somehow is recalled. Especially considering it left me stranded on the side on the side of the highway in Indiana during a snow storm but someone seriously needs to investigate it.

Dec 10, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I am reporting a serious coolant system defect on my 2023 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with about 13,500 miles. The vehicle develops an internal coolant leak while driving. Coolant burns off and white steam/smoke comes out of the exhaust, especially during acceleration. When this happens, the coolant level drops quickly, the interior heater stops working, and the car soon displays an engine overheating warning, forcing me to stop driving. This has happened multiple times and makes the vehicle unsafe. When I checked under the hood, coolant was at a low/empty level after overheating events. The car becomes undriveable once the alarm appears. I took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealer, and even though the vehicle is only 2 years old, they told me it was “out of warranty.” I had to pay about $1,500 for repairs, and since the dealer refused a loaner, I paid $250 for a rental car. I called Hyundai USA on 9/13/2025 and opened Case Number XXX. Hyundai acknowledged they are aware of coolant issues on the Sonata Hybrid but said no recall exists. This issue appears widespread. Many other owners report the same symptoms: white exhaust steam, coolant smell, coolant loss, no interior heat, and engine overheating. Hyundai released TSB 23-EM-009H, describing a failure where coolant leaks internally in the Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS), causing white smoke and overheating—matching my symptoms exactly. This defect is a safety hazard because overheating can occur suddenly while driving, risking engine damage or breakdown in traffic. I request NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential recall-level defect on the 2023 Sonata Hybrid. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Nov 20, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

Car stalls and shuts down while shifting to park or reverse and when slowing to turn or stopping. Also the media screen will black out and not work at times.

Nov 18, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Fuel injectors cause car to lose power while driving in traffic, on the highway which can cause accidents. This event happened twice one while entering the highway and one while going past a light. Neither caused an accident at the time. The car both times were taken to the dealership and the fuel injectors had to be replaced both times. The first time was in December 2024 at 12k miles

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #23V526000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Nov 7, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the fuel mileage abnormally increased from 320 to approximately 431. An unknown message was displayed, and the contact received a notification on the Mobile App about a diagnostic trouble code for the EVAP sensor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the EVAP system valve was stuck open. The dealer replaced the EVAP system, and the dealer then determined that the fuel tank was swollen due to the failure. The contact stated that the rear seat sensor was malfunctioning and was causing a warning light to illuminate erroneously, which the dealer related to the fuel tank swelling and lifting the metal underneath the seat. The dealer also replaced the fuel tank. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and covered the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 73,245.

Nov 6, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The fuel injectors failed on my Hyundai Sonata in two instances. Once on 5/23/24 and once on 9/7/25. During the first instance, I was driving on a local road when the accelerator stopped working and the engine started sputtering. We were fortunately able to stop at a nearby parking lot before the engine completely stopped working. During the second instance, I was also driving through a local road when the accelerator stopped and the engine started sputtering again. This time, we weren't able to reach a safe stopping point and the engine died on the road. My family was with me at the time, so we had to push the car in neutral to the closest safe space. In both cases, our safety and the safety was others was put at risk as the car become unable to accelerate, and the car stops moving. We had to get out on the road and push the car with oncoming traffic. The problem was confirmed by the dealer in both cases, and they replaced the fuel injectors in both cases. So far, they've replaced 3 out of the 4 fuel injectors so I still drive in fear of another fuel injector causing a breakdown while I'm driving. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to the failure so there was no way to know to stop driving and to stop in a safe spot. We were fortunate to be able to move the car to a safe place for both instances, but if this had happened on the highway or secluded location, our lives could've been at risk. I've requested Hyundai to replace the last fuel injector but they're refusing to do so. I only feel safe driving in local roads or short highway trips as I fear for the reliability of my car, my safety, and the safety of others.

Oct 26, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

While driving at highway speed, my vehicle suddenly lost power due to fuel injector failure and could not be restarted, creating a serious safety risk for myself and others in high-speed traffic. This is the second vehicle of the same year and model that I’ve owned to experience the exact same injector failure. In the first case, one injector was replaced under a Hyundai service bulletin before I sold the vehicle. This second occurrence confirms that the issue is not isolated and should be escalated to a formal safety recall. The most recent failure was diagnosed and repaired by Hyundai, confirming the problem (this time replacing all injectors). The vehicle has not been inspected by police, insurance, or other outside representatives. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure—it occurred without any warning, significantly increasing the risk of a crash

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #23V526000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Oct 17, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Filled gas tank up on Friday [XXX] about 10am as leaving Boca Raton, FL to head North to New Port Richey, FL. About 30 minutes later the gas mileage said there was only 90 miles left in the tank. Stopped at the next gas station to make sure nothing was leaking, added a little more until it clicked, basically full again. Got to approximately [XXX] near Morris Bridge in Tampa area, the car started to decelerate and then all the engine lights came on and car was shutting off, was able to pull to the left side of the road and Looked into the back seat noticed the back seat was rising. Looked under the back of the car and the frame looked like it was pushing up into the backend of the car. DOT was called out to the scene as it appeared the car could have exploded. This could have killed my [XXX] daughter (which was who was driving the car) or other people on the road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Sep 27, 2025Under Review
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I was driving my 2023 Hyundai Sonata with 22,000 miles on I-96 near Grand Rapids Michigan at or slightly below the speed limit of 70 MPH. Suddenly, with no advance warning of any kind, the engine shut down. I was able to coast and maneuver to the right shoulder of the road while avoiding traffic, including a large tractor trailer that almost hit us. The vehicle than had just enough power to get off the next exit and on a local side street. At that point the vehicle would not restart and you could smell a strong odor of fuel. I called Hyundai and they sent a tow truck to take it to the nearest dealer. (I am 700 miles from home). The dealer's service department diagnosed the problem then replaced the fuel injectors still under warranty.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #23V526000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Sep 3, 2025Under Review
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE

Coming home from work I stopped at a red light and when I tried to accelerate the vehicle was surging and jerking shaking and wouldn't pick up speed 2 min later the check engine light appeared flashing thankfully I was 5 min from home got the car towed the next morning to hyundai dealership said it was an cylinder misfire the car only has 30,000 miles on it

Jul 9, 2025Under Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I be aware of regarding recalls on the 2023 Hyundai Sonata?

'The Sonata has two notable recalls for potential overheating of the power train components and a risk with the fuel system that could lead to serious hazards. Owners should ensure these issues are fixed at authorized service centers.'

'How do common complaints on the Hyundai Sonata impact long-term reliability?'

'Common complaints often serve as indicators of underlying reliability concerns. For the Sonata, complaints related to electrical systems may suggest design flaws that could recur throughout ownership if not addressed through TSBs or proactive maintenance.'

📊Year-over-Year Context

➡️Stable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2023 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Safety Check: Cross-reference your VIN with official HYUNDAI records to ensure no 2 recalls remain open.
  • Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
  • Proactive tip: Enroll in HYUNDAI's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
🛒

If You're Buying Used

  • Obtain proof of recall completion for all 2 campaigns before purchase.
  • Account for potential service downtime when calculating your initial ownership budget.
⚖️

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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: February 23, 2026.