Problems · by component
2006 Hyundai Sonata engine and engine cooling problems
30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Sonata cite engine and engine cooling, 3% of all 1,047 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
30
3% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and noticed that engine oil was leaking onto the ground and the coolant level was abnormally low. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a valve cover leak. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense; however, the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted. In addition, the contact stated that several other unknown repairs were made; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.”
“2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT OF DRIVE BELT ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, PRIOR TO THE DRIVE BELTS BEING REPLACED. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE BELTS WERE REPLACED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PERFORMING WELL WHEN DRIVEN. THERE WAS HARDNESS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE WAS A SLIGHT, FAINT CHIRPING, FAINT GRINDING SOUND WHEN THE A/C WAS TURNED ON. THE MANAGER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE A/C/PANEL AND MAYBE A LOOSE FLAP. HOWEVER, THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE BELT THAT WAS INSTALLED WAS NOT THE CORRECT ONE FOR THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, AFTER THE ORIGINAL BELT WAS INSTALLED THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT, BUT NOT AS LOUD. ALSO, THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED DUE TO HEARING A NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS.*JB”
“I WAS DRIVING HOME AND SLOWED TO LET SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME TURN LEFT INTO A GROCERY PARKING LOT. THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING MAD I COULD NOT STOP IT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. HOWEVER, I DID HIT THE CAR IN FONT OF ME, WITH NO DAMAGE TO HER CAR. I HAD POPPED THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUMPER ON MY CAR. SO WE WENT ON WITH OUR BUSINESS WHEN SHE FOUND NO DAMAGE TO HER VEHICLE. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF TO STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING. I CALLED THE DEALER GLENN HYUNDAI AND TOLD THEM OF THE INCIDENT, THEY IN TURN TOLD ME THIS WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN! IT DID HAPPEN!! THEY CALLED ME AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE VIA TOW TRUCK AND TOLD ME THE THROTTLE WAS DIRTY AND NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. SO I TOLD THEM GO AHEAD AND THEN ABOUT HALF HOUR LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID THE CAR NEEDED A THROTTLE POSITION ASSEMBLY REPLACED. THEY HAD ALREADY CHARGED ME FOR THE CLEANING OF THE THROTTLE, AND THEN CHARGED ME TO REPLACE IT ALSO. DOESN'T CLEANING COME WITH REPLACING THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY? I THINK THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER HYUNDAI'S HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THEY SUPPOSEDLY CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATE USA, HOWEVER, I HAVE…”
“OIL LEAKED FROM VALVE COVER ONTO ALTERNATOR. ENGINE STALLED AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON RURAL MOUNTAIN ROAD. FINALLY GOT TOWED HOME. MECHANIC SAYS IT WILL COST NEARLY $1000 TO REPLACE VALVE COVER GASKETS AND ALTERNATOR. CAR IS 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 3.3L 6CYL ENGINE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE AND SAME PROBLEM THAT PROMPTED THE RECALL ON 2007 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V415000. THE EXISTING RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MORE HYUNDAI VEHICLE MODELS THAT EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR”
“MY CAR IS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA AND LAST NIGHT MY CARS' HEADLIGHTS DIM OR SHUT OFF MOMENTARILY, THE FAN SPEED SEEMS TO DROP FOR A SECOND ALSO BUT NEVER SHUTS COMPLETELY OFF. I NOTICED LAST NIGHT MY TACHOMETER WOULD ONLY GO TO A 1 AT THE LOWEST. IT WOULD GO HIGHER AS I DROVE BUT NEVER BACK DOWN TOWARDS A 0 OR 1. YOU COULD FEEL THE HARSH VIBRATION AS I SAT AT A STOPLIGHT WHILE IT RESTED AT 1. I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT FEELS LIKE THE TRANS IS SLIPPING OR SOMETHING AS I TAKE OFF OR TRY TO TURN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH THIS CAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!! WHAT IF THE GAS PEDAL STICKS OR THE LIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING??? I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND YOU BET I WOULD SUE OR MY FAMILY WOULD ON MY BEHALF IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO US AS A RESULT OF HYUNDAI NOT ISSUING SOME KIND OF RECALL. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE ASAP AS TO AVOID ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY A SIMPLE RECALL. *TT”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SOON AS HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD GENERATE A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE TIMING CHAIN. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.”
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.