← All vehicles

2016 Hyundai Sonata: Recalls, Complaints & Safety Ratings

6Safety recalls
714Owner complaints
5★NHTSA overall
Quick answer

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata has 6 open NHTSA safety recalls and 714 owner complaints on file, with an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Check a specific VIN to confirm whether the work was done and to verify mileage and title.

Safety record reviewed June 2026 · sourced from NHTSA

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata has 6 open safety recalls and 714 owner complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it earned an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Below is the public safety record. To see whether a specific Sonata had its recalls repaired and how its mileage and title check out, run that car's VIN.

Safety recalls

1

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Campaign 16V726000 · 11/10/2016

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the sunroof wind deflector, the sunroof panel on the affected vehicles may detach while driving.

RiskIf the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyHyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 152.
2

PARKING BRAKE:INDICATOR LIGHT

Campaign 17V359000 · 05/06/2017

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Sonata and Genesis vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the warning light to indicate that the parking brake is applied may intermittently not illuminate in the dash due to corrosion in the switch.

RiskIf the parking brake indicator is not illuminated when the parking brake is applied, the driver may operate the vehicle with the parking brake partially engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyHyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 164.
3

AIR BAGS

Campaign 16V615000 · 24/08/2016

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 28, 2016 through April 12, 2016. The affected vehicles have a driver-side frontal air bag that may not adequately protect the driver's neck from injury in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

RiskA frontal air bag that does not adequately protect the driver's neck may increase their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
RemedyHyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 148.
4

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Campaign 16V232000 · 21/04/2016

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.

RiskAn air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
RemedyHyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.
5

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Campaign 15V678000 · 20/10/2015

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to August 21, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with an Antilock Braking System (ABS) warning light intended to warn the driver if there is an ABS malfunction. In the event of an ABS malfunction, the Brake System warning light will illuminate, but the ABS warning light will not illuminate. Since the vehicles have ABS malfunction lights that do not illuminate, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

RiskIf the driver is alerted there is a brake system malfunction, but not specifically with the ABS system, the driver may operate the vehicle unaware that the vehicle's brakes may lock up during hard braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyHyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 134.
6

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

Campaign 21V749000 · 24/09/2021

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

RiskA turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
RemedyDealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.

What owners complain about

The systems 2016 Hyundai Sonata owners report most often to federal regulators:

Engine440
Unknown Or Other90
Electrical System87
Power Train59
Service Brakes46
Exterior Lighting38

NHTSA crash-test ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Overall★★★★★

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Hyundai Sonata have any recalls?

Yes. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Check your specific VIN to see whether the work was completed.

What problems do 2016 Hyundai Sonata owners report?

Owners have filed 714 complaints with the NHTSA for the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, most often about the engine, unknown or other, electrical system.

How do I check a specific Sonata's history?

Enter the 17-character VIN into Carchieve. You get the recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings shown here for that exact vehicle, plus full decoded specifications and a guided title and odometer check.

Check a specific 2016 Hyundai Sonata

This page covers the model. For one exact car, run its 17-character VIN to confirm its recalls, mileage and title.

Check a VIN