Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Hyundai Sonata problems

Owners filed 278 complaints about the 2000 Hyundai Sonata with NHTSA between Mar 2000 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is structure (110).

Complaints
278
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure110
  2. Suspension64
  3. Air bags42
  4. Electrical system36
  5. Engine and engine cooling31
  6. Power train19
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  8. Steering8
  9. Vehicle speed control8
  10. Wheels6
  11. Tires5
  12. Visibility5
  13. Seat belts5
  14. Fuel system, gasoline3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200013
200111
200231
200315
200423
200514
20067
200714
200860
200946
201021
20113
20125
20134
20144
20152
20160
20172
20181
20191
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

110 reports
“STEERING AND STABILITY UNSTABLE. MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME IS RUSTY AND CRACKED. THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS REPLACED AROUND 2010 BECAUSE OF A RECALL. WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP LOSE TRACTION AND BECOMES UNSTABLE. WANT TO KNOW IF THE REPLACEMENT FRAME HAS A WARRANTY. WANT TO KEEP THE CAR STILL RUNS GREAT. 170,000 MILES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2019Suspension, StructureODI 11185436

Suspension

64 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“Rt passenger side wheel clunks when turning, loud noise when moving took to dealer they found nothing wrong. I returned to dealer again a couple weeks later to confirm my a arm needs repairs, safety issues airbag’s light remaining lit told repairs not available for year and make iwas told to deal with it by dealer even if it was a safety issue, driving car doesn’t matter what speed my back end sounds like it is falling apart and my car will slam out or into gear I have reviewed recalls and safety issues and I have been told that they have been closed even if my car is currently having issues with the vehicle recalls ie..slamming in and out of gear, arm issues and clunky noises on turns and driving,rear end clunk sounds like no shocks or struts”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2022Suspension, Power train, Air bagsODI 11458173

Air bags

42 reports15 crashes2 related recalls
“I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN AIRBAG RECALL ON SOME MODEL CARS, I DRIVE A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS THAT HAS AN AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATED ON THE DASHBOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE, I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT, OR WHAT TO DO, PLEASE ADVISE. THIS AIRBAG LITE ON THE DASHBOARD GOES ON AS SOON AS I START THE ENGINE, AND STAYS ON ALL THE TIME THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THIS AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL I TURN THE ENGINE OFF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2018Air bagsODI 11100758

Electrical system

36 reports7 fires1 related recall
“MY HYUNDAI DEALER HAS REFUSED TO HONOR THEIR 100,000MILES, 10 YEARS WARRANTY" MANY TIMES THAT I BRING THE CAR TO BE FIXED UNDER THE WARRANTY SINCE THE CAR WAS ONLY 8YEARS OLD AND 76,000 MILES SINCE 2008. THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT I EXPERIENCED BY SAYING MY CAR IS NOT LISTED IN ANY RECALL CAMPAIGN. UNFORTUNATELY THIS YEAR, ON 10/11/12, I TOOK MY CAR FOR AN ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION FOR 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA AND IT FAILS THE SAFETY INSPECTION. HERE IS WHAT IT SAYS: ***VEHICLE MEMO*** VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE...REAR SUB-FRAME HAS HOLE ROTTED THROUGH... DUE TO THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION, I DON'T KNOW HOW I WILL GET THIS CAR FIXED BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOW 115,000MILES AND 12 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL FIX IT. THEY HAVE CONTINUOUSLY REFUSED TO FIX MY CAR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN WHEN IT WAS CLEARLY WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND I WAS LUCKY THEN THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAY THE FIXES OUT OF POCKET BUT I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF PAYING OUT OF POCKET THIS TIME. I AM IN NEED OF MIRACLES NOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 14, 2012Suspension, Electrical system, StructureODI 10480085

Engine and engine cooling

31 reports1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND IMMEDIATELY, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. RECALL NUMBER 00V259001, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WIRING WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. RECENTLY, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10298956

Power train

19 reports
“"TAKADA RECALL " TRANSMISSION DON'T SHIFT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON IT IS SUCK IN 3RD GEAR NEXT TIME START CAR NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAR SHIFTS BUT BANGS HARD IN AND OUT OF NEXT GEAR THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR IS STUCK IN THIRD GEAR.ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ALL TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2017Power train, Air bagsODI 10957154
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.