Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Hyundai Sonata problems

Owners filed 425 complaints about the 2008 Hyundai Sonata with NHTSA between Nov 2007 and Mar 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (137).

Complaints
425
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
11
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags137
  2. Visibility67
  3. Engine48
  4. Electrical system32
  5. Visibility/wiper30
  6. Electronic stability control (esc)30
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic30
  8. Service brakes21
  9. Exterior lighting20
  10. Seat belts19
  11. Structure15
  12. Power train14
  13. Vehicle speed control14
  14. Suspension9

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
20074
200817
200925
201053
201137
201239
201345
201450
201528
201632
201726
201820
201920
202012
20213
20226
20231
20244
20252
20261

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

Air bags

137 reports10 crashes1 related recall
“Car has a B1448 (ACTIVE) Passenger Occupant Detecting System (PODS) Circuit Fault Related to the passenger detecting pad in the front passenger seat problems started at 120,000 miles”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2026Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11725992

Visibility

67 reports
“THE PASSENGER SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP, AT ALL. THE DRIVER SIDE WILL SUDDENLY FALL AND IT'S VERY UNPLEASANT TO SUDDENLY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE WHILE DRIVING. THEY ARE RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE ($200.00) AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS QUITE COMMON WITH HYUNDAI VEHICLES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE APPROX. 6 MONTHS AND IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES. IT REALLY IS STARTLING. I'M REALLY GLAD I WASN'T ON A FREEWAY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2016Visibility, Unknown or otherODI 10930097

Engine

48 reports5 fires
“Bought in 2023 @ 98k miles. Have had trouble with 1.it would only start in drive, then that seems to have self corrected. 2. In drive, car would not accelerate properly, and would slow as though I was braking, but no foot on brake. Had rear brake sensor replaced, seemed better for a while. 3. Developed oil leak at 120 miles which valvoline characterized as "not serious...just keep checking it and topping it off." So, have been doing that. Today after oil change, it began running rough, lots of vibration, then the shifting problem, sluggishness, and new..smoke from under hood on driver's side. No check engine lights at all. Nothing registered as hot or overheating. Turned off car, checked oil and trans fluid, both in proper range for warm engine. Let car sit and cool for an hour. Decided I had parked too close to the propane tanks for a smoking car, so I decided to start car just to back it into a space across the lot. Car had no issues- No smoke, no jerking or vibration, no sluggishness, no phantom braking. This car has done this same thing about once every 6 months since I've had it. Changed a tire sensor, that seemed to fix it once. Stopped using cruise…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2025Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11656826

Electrical system

32 reports1 crash4 fires
“The car was parked and turned off, not being driven and ignited on its own. The entire front end of the vehicle was on fire, according to the fire department it was some type of electrical short that started the fire. Vehicle was totaled out as it was a complete loss.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2023Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11546996

Visibility/wiper

30 reports
“Passenger side sun visor suddenly rotated down and will not stay up. This blocks drivers view. A few weeks prior to total failure, the visor would not stay completely up but was only about 10 degrees down. There is a plastic tube with a metal tube inside which the visor pivots on. The plastic tube is broken allowing it to hang straight down. If/when the same breakage occurs on the drivers side it could cause an accident due to blocking vision.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2022Visibility/wiperODI 11486754

Electronic stability control (esc)

30 reports
“TODAY MY ABS LIGHT WENT ON AND THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD COULD NOT PRESS DOWN ON THEM. THEN I PARKED THE CAR CHECKED ALL FLUIDS AND BELTS, TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN THE ABS LIGHT TURNED OFF. STARTED TO DRIVE TRIED ACCELERATING FROM 25MPH TO 30MPH THEN ESC LIGHT WENT ON LOCKED MY BRAKES TRIED DRIVING TO PARK IN A SAFE PLACE AS SOON AS I PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF A BAD SMELL AND LOTS OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF MY FRONT TIRES AND REAR TIRES. GOT CAR TOWED BREAKS ARE OK MY MECHANIC PRESSED THE ESC BUTTON OFF AND NOW BREAKS ARE SOFT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A MALFUNCTION THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT WILL CAUSE A RECALL. ALSO TPMS LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON AND OFF. TIRE PRESSURE AGAIN IS FINE. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS. IT?S THE ONLY CAR WE?VE HAD FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS AND NOW MY DAUGHTER DRIVES IT TO SCHOOL. SAFETY PLEASE!! THANK YOU, [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2019Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11244305
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.