2010 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Recalls & Reliability
415 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 9/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 68,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2010 Hyundai Sonata has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2010 sits among all Sonata years
What owners report
“Went to open outside passenger back door - outside door handle fell off. Went to open outside driver's door - outside door handle fell off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sonata
“All of my door handles are defected now the other 2 in the back door came off broken from the inside of the door”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sonata
“My car has accelerated at least 10 times in the last 3 years when you put your foot on the brake the car bolts forward and keep going. It is a intermit problem and last time i almost got seriously hurt. The car won't stop when you hit the brakes. It happens driving and parking.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sonata
“Car was running with no problems. Started up went down the street and it turned off on me all dash lights work. Mechanic said engine is siezed up. Car had oil no over heating or smoking. No warning of engine issue.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sonata
“Had to get 3 starters and 2 batteries for this vehicle do to the ignition being bad. And we just figured it out. It's would start and go. But over time it would give out and i've been stranded a couple of time with this problem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sonata
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 320 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 65,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151.…
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe,…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 13V354000.
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 2010 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
The 2010 Hyundai Sonata drew 415 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 9/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2010 Hyundai Sonata problems?
The top reported problems for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata are body & structure (166 complaints), other (52), and brakes & stability (30).
At what mileage do 2010 Hyundai Sonata problems show up?
Owners most often report 2010 Hyundai Sonata problems around 65,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2010 Hyundai Sonata have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 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.