2011 Hyundai Sonata power train problems

“Good day, please note that most of my communication with Hyundai has been over the phone. I sent one an email shortly after the event, and after following up on the phone, I received this following string separately. I can forward you more along the way, but Hyundai is in possession of the call recordings. I was hoping they would cover my repairs, my engine had a lifetime warranty, but during this process I learned that there was a recall for this car that I was never aware of as the new owner. I needed a software update to get any repairs covered. Please reach out to me for more info!”

“The affected component is the engine/rod bearing (Theta II 2.4L). My 2011 Hyundai Sonata stalled and the engine locked up twice in live traffic (March 2025 and July 2025). The vehicle is available for inspection if needed. This created a serious safety risk to me and others on the road, as the stall occurred on [XXX] at highway speeds. This failure could have been catastrophic had it happened on the DC/Baltimore Beltway or another high-traffic roadway. Hyundai’s system shows Recall 132 was marked complete at very low mileage (around 32,000 miles), but my vehicle later developed oil consumption and stalling consistent with rod bearing failure. Capitol Heights Hyundai noted a warranty pre-authorization (PA) in March 2025 and told me Hyundai needed my mailing address “for the claim,” but later said it was a typo and that no record exists. The dealership charged me for a diagnostic but did not inspect the vehicle for rod bearing failure, despite symptoms consistent with Recall 132. Annapolis Hyundai, where the car was purchased as a CPO, has admitted they have no documentation that Recall 132 was ever performed (no repair order, mileage, or technician notes). Yet…”

“on [XXX] iwas driving coming back home from [XXX] by exit [XXX]. the engine turn off and didnt turn back on. i had to get a town to take me out of the highway and pay $141.00 becide that my engine seized. now i dont have a car and the car didn't gave me any notification that something it was going on with the engine. if i had any light on the car i wil take it to the mechanic, know i loss my source of income because hyundai problems with engine. and to get another engine it cost $5000.”

“While driving on the highway, the motor all of a sudden lost all power and the brakes locked causing a collision. I've never had any problems until then. My car was in tip top shape with no issues until the engine / motor decided to defect. Hyundai she recall this engine issue before someone gets killed”

“10/31/23 Car lost power on freeway. Dash lit up and stalled, I took picture brought to dealership. Could not find any issues or codes. 11/12/23 Driving on Pacific Coast Highway car started making knocking/ticking noise. Pull off to a side street and car hesitated and check engine light came on. Had it towed to dealership. Still waiting on assessment. Was told will take 2-3 days due to backlog. Clearly a known Engine issue dating back to recall campaign 132 Engine/inspection/replace. (I brought into dealership on 2/9/16 to perform checks on the 132 campaign - shows completed).”

“The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while his wife was driving 10-15 MPH, the vehicle jolted, and the transmission slipped into 1st and 2nd gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that his wife veered to the side of the road, shifted into neutral(N), and then shifted back into drive(D), and the vehicle responded as needed. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to their location because the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.”