2016 Hyundai Sonata Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 60,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (12% of reports).
- 59power train complaints
- 60,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 60%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 7 of 59 complaints (12%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 59 complaints, 1 a fire.
Hyundai Sonata power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sonata | 3 | 18% | 19,025 |
| 2024 Sonata | 6 | 13% | 16,500 |
| 2023 Sonata | 16 | 18% | 50 |
| 2022 Sonata | 24 | 26% | 8,500 |
| 2021 Sonata | 25 | 19% | 21,500 |
| 2020 Sonata | 24 | 13% | 16,599 |
| 2019 Sonata | 8 | 5% | — |
| 2018 Sonata | 40 | 11% | 40,538 |
| 2017 Sonata | 56 | 7% | 43,000 |
| 2016 Sonata | 59 | 8% | 60,000 |
| 2015 Sonata | 135 | 12% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Sonata | 55 | 7% | 51,000 |
| 2013 Sonata | 94 | 5% | 57,555 |
| 2012 Sonata | 97 | 6% | 86,000 |
| 2011 Sonata | 173 | 5% | 49,444 |
| 2010 Sonata | 21 | 6% | 47,500 |
| 2009 Sonata | 41 | 9% | 38,889 |
| 2008 Sonata | 14 | 3% | 61,500 |
| 2007 Sonata | 9 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2006 Sonata | 22 | 2% | 76,860 |
| 2005 Sonata | 5 | 3% | 59,755 |
| 2004 Sonata | 10 | 5% | 43,750 |
| 2003 Sonata | 10 | 5% | 9,300 |
| 2002 Sonata | 11 | 3% | 72,832 |
| 2001 Sonata | 18 | 9% | 69,334 |
| 2000 Sonata | 19 | 7% | 72,000 |
| 1999 Sonata | 14 | 11% | 71,313 |
| 1998 Sonata | 12 | 24% | 42,000 |
| 1997 Sonata | 9 | 18% | 72,000 |
| 1996 Sonata | 5 | 22% | — |
| 1995 Sonata | 15 | 23% | 142,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
After the emissions 9c2 recall car hesitant when changing an Hyundai has knowledgement of the problem but donât have a fix
Went from 65 and dropped down to 40 going up grades on the freeway. Started shaking, check engine light went on and electric battery disappeared from dash. Got to top of grade, went back to normal. Problem repeated on next grades. Car had just left dealership lot an hour prior where it was safety…
The following mandatory software update was performed on my vehicle: ECU SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THETA II EMISSIONS IMPROVEMENT (SERVICE CAMPAIGN 9C2). After this update my vehicle drivetrain is quite erratic. In particular when the engine is cold it appears to jerk even when in Parking gear position…

Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Hyundai Sonatas have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about power train for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata (8% of the 727 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 2016 Hyundai Sonata power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 60,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 7 of 59 complaints.
Other 2016 Hyundai Sonata problems
- Engine problems (452)
- Electrical System problems (89)
See all 2016 Hyundai Sonata problems or power train problems across all Sonata years.