2011 Hyundai Sonata Seat Belts Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 106 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA about seat belts problems on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 3% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “seat belt” (26% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Seat belt: mentioned in 28 of 106 complaints (26%)
  • Belts air bags: mentioned in 26 of 106 complaints (25%)
  • Bag indicator remained: mentioned in 6 of 106 complaints (6%)
  • Medical attention: mentioned in 6 of 106 complaints (6%)

At what mileage do seat belts problems happen?

Based on 56 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles1 · 2%
10k–25k miles6 · 11%
25k–50k miles3 · 5%
50k–75k miles6 · 11%
75k–100k miles10 · 18%
100k–150k miles25 · 45%
150k+ miles5 · 9%

How serious are the reports?

Of 106 complaints, 18 mention a crash, 12 an injury.

Hyundai Sonata seat belts complaints by model year

Peak: 2011, with 106 complaints
1995: 119951997: 11999: 619992000: 52001: 120012002: 52003: 720032004: 42005: 320052006: 1022007: 6020072008: 192009: 820092011: 1061062012: 7520122013: 622014: 2520142015: 212016: 920162017: 82018: 820182019: 52020: 120202021: 22024: 12024

n = 545 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearSeat Belts complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2024 Sonata12%2,000
2021 Sonata21%26,450
2020 Sonata11%—
2019 Sonata53%35,250
2018 Sonata82%46,046
2017 Sonata81%102,000
2016 Sonata91%31,000
2015 Sonata212%19,500
2014 Sonata253%75,000
2013 Sonata623%88,622
2012 Sonata755%85,000
2011 Sonata1063%100,500
2009 Sonata82%95,000
2008 Sonata194%79,374
2007 Sonata609%83,000
2006 Sonata10210%77,000
2005 Sonata32%135,237
2004 Sonata42%65,440
2003 Sonata74%60,000
2002 Sonata52%48,000
2001 Sonata10%66,667
2000 Sonata52%—
1999 Sonata65%—
1997 Sonata12%—
1995 Sonata12%—

When owners reported it

Peak: 2018, with 37 complaints
2010: 1201012011: 332012: 1201212013: 112014: 1201412015: 332016: 2201622017: 16162018: 372018372019: 20202020: 102020102021: 222022: 3202232023: 332024: 320243

n = 106 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (3)

Air bags: air bag/restraint control module; seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:side/windowFeb 27, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V137000 · 580,058 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. On February 27, 2018, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that they were recalling 154,753 model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. On April 18, 2018, Hyundai expanded the recall to include an additional 425,305 model year 2012-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying.

Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install an external wire filter kit, free of charge. The recall began October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 174.

Seat belts:pretensioner; seat belts:front:anchorageOct 4, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V617000 · 443,545 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles previously repaired under recall campaign 17V-152. The seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.

Risk: If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will again verify the connection between the seat belt linkage and the pretensioner and additionally install a warning label to prevent future seat belt linkage detachment, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 169.

Seat belts:front:anchorageMar 8, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V152000 · 977,778 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will inspect the connection between the seat belt linkages and the seat belt anchor pretensioners, repairing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for the recall is 160.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

My car will randomly shut off while I’m driving. My seatbelt comes undone My door has opened while I was driving down the highway.

Received Nov 14, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11625258

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated while attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel seized, and the electrical system became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…

Received Sep 25, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11616496

My car airbag light came on. I called the dealership about the remedy that was already recalled under campaign number 18V137000 because my last visit I got told by the dealership that my ACU was bad for the car and that it was going to cost me upwards of $2000 to replace and the dead was no recall…

Received Jan 25, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11567754
Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Sonata 2.5 T-GDI N Line (VIII, Facelift). Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2011 Hyundai Sonatas have seat belts problems?

No. NHTSA has 106 owner complaints about seat belts for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata (3% of the 3,377 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata seat belts?

Yes: 3 safety recalls list seat belts. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do seat belts problems start?

The median reported mileage is 100,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about seat belts problems on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata?

The most frequent phrase is “seat belt”, in 28 of 106 complaints, followed by “belts air bags” (26).

Other 2011 Hyundai Sonata problems

See all 2011 Hyundai Sonata problems or seat belts problems across all Sonata years.