2020 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Recalls & Reliability
263 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 5/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 78,762 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2020 sits among all Sonata years
What owners report
“It looks like the fuel tank has expanded. My back seats are now lifted & will not push down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Sonata
“While driving my cars a light starting blinking and my engine light came on and the car lost power This has happened on at least 3 occasions and I had to pull over upon starting the car after a few hours all returned to normal I reported this to dealer and they could not find a problem”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Sonata
“Driving 55mph on highway car slows down and make a pop nose and back seat comes up and I start to smell gas”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Sonata
“I have had my car since January of 2023 and I have had no significant issues. I bought the car with roughly 30,000 miles, fast forward to February of 2026 it has about 123,000 miles and the engine is burning oil very fast. My car loses oil so fast the oil light comes on way early before my next oil…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Sonata
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 65 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 14,698 miles. Half of those reports fall between 1,389 and 47,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve. The fuel tank assembly will be inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. Additionally, dealers will inspect and update the engine control unit…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata and Sonata Hybrid, and 2019 Genesis G70 vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
Fix: Dealers will inspect the trunk latch and replace the trunk latch base, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Nexo and Sonata vehicles. The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) software may fail to prevent vehicle movement upon detection of an RSPA system malfunction.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RSPA software, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata vehicles produced between October 22, 2019 and February 13, 2020. The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual state an incorrect tire size. As such, these vehicles…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers over the tire pressure label and in the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2020. Owners may contact…
Federal defect investigations
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 2020 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata drew 263 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 5/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2020 Hyundai Sonata problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata are fuel system (58 complaints), electrical (37), and other (30).
At what mileage do 2020 Hyundai Sonata problems show up?
Owners most often report 2020 Hyundai Sonata problems around 14,698 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 1,389 and 47,000 miles.
Does the 2020 Hyundai Sonata have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 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.