2001 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Recalls & Reliability
293 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Hyundai Sonata, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 8/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 112,322 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2001 Hyundai Sonata has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2001 sits among all Sonata years
What owners report
“Upper rear control arm is connected to the subframe of the car and it’s rotted/ rusted out where the bushing goes to hold the control arm in place. Where am I supposed to mount the bushing now since it’s no longer there.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sonata
“2001 hyundai sonata passenger airbag failed to deploy due to connector mounted under seat had jiggled loose”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sonata
“A squeaking noise is coming from the rear of the vehicle. Now the noise has went from a squeaking to a roaring noise. The dealership is aware of the problem. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sonata
“The main pulley came disconnected and fell off onto the street with no waring whatsoever. Luckily i was preparing to turn left and was stopped in the left turn lane. There was a bad thunk and shake and the car shut down. Had i been moving, it could have been a very different story, especially at…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sonata
“Front brake vibration. Rotors have been turned 5 times and replaced once . Vibration reoccurs every 7-10000 miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sonata
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 196 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 89,863 miles. Half of those reports fall between 62,000 and 130,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 188,282 MY 2001-2004 SONATA AND MY 2001-2004 XG300 AND XG350 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME AND INSPECT THE FRONT SUB-FRAME FOR CORROSION DAMAGE AND, IF NECESSARY, THE FRONT SUB-FRAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW SUB-FRAME THAT…
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION THAT LEADS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION COULD RESULT FROM MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COULD ILLUMINATE DUE TO MOTION OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT MOUNT TO THE ADJUSTABLE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MORE SECURELY FASTEN THE FRONT SEAT SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS TO THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SEAT CUSHION FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL OCCUR IN SIX MAILINGS ON MAY…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 09V124000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
The 2001 Hyundai Sonata drew 293 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 8/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2001 Hyundai Sonata problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Hyundai Sonata are body & structure (71 complaints), airbags (49), and suspension (29).
At what mileage do 2001 Hyundai Sonata problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Hyundai Sonata problems around 89,863 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 62,000 and 130,000 miles.
Does the 2001 Hyundai Sonata have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Hyundai Sonata. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.