Hyundai Sonata Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 884 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Hyundai Sonata. For the Hyundai Sonata, that's 0.38 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2011, 2015 and 2012.
Transmission complaints
884
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.38
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
7.1%
of 12,461 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
4
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Hyundai Sonata transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 14 | — | 3.3% | 4 | — | 10 |
| 2009 | 41 | — | 8.9% | 3 | — | 16 |
| 2010 | 21 | — | 6.1% | 1 | — | 13 |
| 2011WORST | 173 | — | 5.1% | 13 | 14V434000 | 42 |
| 2012WORST | 97 | — | 6.3% | 10 | 14V434000 | 26 |
| 2013 | 93 | — | 4.9% | 13 | 14V434000 | 31 |
| 2014 | 54 | — | 7.3% | 4 | 14V434000 | 29 |
| 2015WORST | 133 | 0.62 | 11.8% | 1 | 14V784000 | 33 |
| 2016 | 59 | 0.3 | 8.3% | 1 | — | 30 |
| 2017 | 55 | 0.42 | 7.3% | 2 | — | 29 |
| 2018 | 39 | 0.37 | 10.7% | 4 | — | 34 |
| 2019 | 8 | 0.09 | 5.2% | 0 | — | 20 |
| 2020 | 22 | 0.29 | 12.1% | 0 | — | 21 |
| 2021 | 24 | 0.29 | 18.6% | 0 | 22V746000 | 30 |
| 2022 | 24 | 0.46 | 27.3% | 2 | 22V746000 | 27 |
| 2023 | 18 | — | 18.4% | 3 | 23V526000 | 13 |
| 2024 | 7 | — | 13.7% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | — | 13.3% | 0 | — | 0 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Hyundai Sonata transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 884 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Hyundai Sonata years to avoid for the transmission
2011 Hyundai Sonata
173 transmission complaints (5.1% of the year's 3,368). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recall 14V434000.
2015 Hyundai Sonata
133 transmission complaints (11.8% of the year's 1,123), 0.62 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement. Covered by transmission recall 14V784000.
2012 Hyundai Sonata
97 transmission complaints (6.3% of the year's 1,551). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recall 14V434000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Hyundai Sonata years to avoid.
Hyundai Sonata transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Hyundai Sonata model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 23V526000 · 2023-07-27 · 2023 models
The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.
- 22V746000 · 2022-10-06 · 2021–2022 models
The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
- 14V784000 · 2014-12-09 · 2015 models
The affected vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect left axle shaft which may result in the shaft separating from the transaxle differential.
- 14V434000 · 2014-07-18 · 2011–2014 models
In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from from the shift lever pin.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2011 Hyundai Sonata have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 173 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 5.1% of all 3,368 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (34 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 14V434000. 13 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Hyundai Sonata have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 133 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, 11.8% of all 1,123 complaints for that year, or 0.62 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (23 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 14V784000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 97 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata, 6.3% of all 1,551 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (17 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 14V434000. 10 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Hyundai Sonata years have the most transmission complaints?
2011 (173), 2015 (133) and 2012 (97), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Hyundai Sonata transmission problems?
In the 884 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (15.5%), loss of power or limp mode (12.2%) and hesitation or delayed engagement (9.3%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Hyundai Sonata model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration