2020 Hyundai Sonata: owner complaints and recalls
Complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Sonata are still climbing years after launch. The last three full years account for 85 of the 169 filings on record, which usually means a defect that surfaces with mileage rather than a factory fault.
169
Complaints
4
Recalls
4
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
4
Injuries
32.0
Severity index
Severity index 32.0 - Low. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata ranks 78 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 24% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 44 | 26.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 35 | 20.7% |
| ENGINE | 30 | 17.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 27 | 16.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 23 | 13.6% |
| STRUCTURE | 15 | 8.9% |
| SEATS | 14 | 8.3% |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 12 | 7.1% |
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 27 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 40 |
| 2025 | 33 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 28 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.5x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V213000 | 09/04/2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Nexo and Sonata vehicles. The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) software may fail to prevent vehicle movement upon detection of an RSPA system malfunction. |
| 20V122000 | 28/02/2020 | EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata vehicles produced between October 22, 2019 and February 13, 2020. The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual state an incorrect tire size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with t |
| 22V196000 | 28/03/2022 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata and Sonata Hybrid, and 2019 Genesis G70 vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mo |
| 25V796000 | 18/11/2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.