NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 188 owner complaints for the 2021 Hyundai Sonata (including the hybrid).
4Safety recalls
188Owner complaints
8Complaints citing a crash
0Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: fuel system, powertrain, and visibility. Most-reported area: engine (55 complaints, 29%). Includes the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.
4 safety recalls for the 2021 Hyundai Sonata
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
Risk: A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
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 software. All repairs will be performed as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 286. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 19, 2025.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles.
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.
Risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles.
During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Risk: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles.
5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.
NHTSA listing: SONATA. Hyundai campaign 207.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 188 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Sonata. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine55 · 29%
Electrical system42 · 22%
Powertrain28 · 15%
Fuel and propulsion system26 · 14%
Fuel system13 · 7%
Forward collision avoidance12 · 6%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (5); warnings (5)
Visibility/wiper9 · 5%
Unknown or other39 · 21%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Hyundai Sonata recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 Sonata drew the most (132) and the 2021 drew 66.
Owner complaints
2021: 188 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Complaints
2016
883
2017
876
2018
382
2019
170
2020
194
2021
188
2022
112
2023
102
2024
55
2025
27
2026
6
Safety recalls
2021: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Recalls
2016
9
2017
5
2018
2
2019
0
2020
4
2021
4
2022
3
2023
2
2024
1
2025
0
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 9.7%
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 9.7%
Hyundai Sonata N 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 9.7%
Not rated
Not rated
Questions
What are the most common 2021 Sonata problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (55), electrical system (42), powertrain (28). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2021 Hyundai Sonata safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Hyundai Sonata earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Sonata has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SONATA, SONATA HYBRID.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.