There are 31 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY ERVIN CEASED UP ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. IT THRU AN ENGIN ROD.THE ENGIN OIL MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING. NOW AFTER JUST BUYING THIS CAR USED, THERE ARE NO ENGINES AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. TOO MANY HAVE BLOWN UP. AND HYUNDAI SAYS THEY ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. SAME ENGIN AS THE FAILURES WITH THE FATALITIES.I AM STUCK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITH THE LOW OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 236,000.
WAS HEADING TO WORK ON INTERSTATE 81, ENGINE MADE LOUD BOOM SOUND SCARED ME PULLED OVER BEING AFRAID TO DRIVE HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. NO ENGINE LIGHT ON. REPAIR DONE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST SAID ENGINE WAS BLOWN, OLL GOOD NO ENGINE LIGHT BUT ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER TRYING TO DO MANUALLY. MY CAR ONLY HAD 180,000 MILES ALWAYS DID BELTS AND MAINTENANCE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL TAPPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COCONUT CREEK HYUNDAI (4960 N. STATE ROAD 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 283-1002), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINE FAILED THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *DT
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A SMALL CAR DEALERSHIP, WHEN PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HAD A PRETTY HIGH MILEAGE HOWEVER WHEN TEST DRIVED NO SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR RAN SMOOTHLY. AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR WITH ONLY AROUND 2K MILES ADDED TO IT, WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY A KNOCKING NOISE SUDDENLY BECAME APPARENT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SINCE THERE WAS VISIBLE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE.
THE ENGINE OUT OF NOWHERE BEGAN TO KNOCK (ENGINE KNOCK) AND NOBODY FROM ANY POINT OF MANAGEMENT WILL HELP ME OUT WITH THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT THEIR ENGINE AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT, NOT HELP OR ANYTHING WAS PROVIDED, THE VEHICLE HAD BEGAN KNOCKING AFTER I HAD STARTED IT UP ONE DAY AND BEGAN DRIVING IT, I NOTICED THE WARMER THE ENGINE GOT, THE LOUDER IT GOT, I TOOK IT TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND ONE OF THEM BEING A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND ONE BEING A KIA, BOTH SAID THE SAME THING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING AND RATTLING NOISE, SIMILAR TO METAL ON METAL, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,500.
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING POWER STEERING. MOMENTUM AND STRUGGLE STEERING ALLOWED ME TO MOVE FROM CENTER LANE TO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD SAFELY. INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE LEAKY HEAD COVER GASKET THAT SLOWLY LEAKED ONTO THE ALTERNATOR. HAD IT TOWED TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO LATER INFORMED ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. HE DID VERIFY THAT WAS OIL IN THE ENGINE AT THE TIME. THE CAR WAS NOT EVEN 10 YRS OLD AND PURCHASED BRAND NEW.
THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING LOUDLY, SLOWING DOWN AND IDLING ROUGH. I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT REMAIN RUNNING IN IDLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND INSPECTED AT THE HOUSE AND THE VALVES ARE BAD. IT HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, LIGHTS OR GAUGES COMING ON OR PRIOR NOISE. I WAS DRIVING AROUND 45-50 TO WORK WHEN THIS HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. 179,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES SINCE I HAD THE VEHICLE. I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE WITH 60,000 MILES. *TR
THIS ISSUE EFFECTS 2.4 LITER GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE MODEL SONATAS. METALLIC DEBRIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY REMOVED DURING MANUFACTURING OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT. IF THE DEBRIS WAS NOT COMPLETELY REMOVED, OIL FLOW MAY BE RESTRICTED THROUGH THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS, CAUSING CONNECTING ROD DAMAGE. A WORN CONNECTING ROD BEARING WILL PRODUCE A METALLIC, CYCLIC KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN THE NEED TO REBUILD OR REPLACE ENGINE. MY ENGINE FIRST FAILED OUT IN OCTOBER OF 2016 AND CAUSED ME TO REQUIRE AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. IN AUGUST 2017 THAT SAME ENGINE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAPPEN TO IT. THIS HAS BEEN 2 OF THE 2.4 CYL I-4 ENGINES HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THE EXACT SAME CARE WITH AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE ON BOTH ENGINES. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY VARIOUS COMPLAINTS REPORTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET EFFECTING THIS ENGINE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL BY HYUNDAI FOR THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE BECAUSE THE 2011 SONATA USED THE EXACT SAME ENGINES THAT ARE IN THE 2008 SONATA. THE LINK FOR THAT RECALL IS HERE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 URL: HTTPS://WWW.NHTSA.GOV/VEHICLE/2011/HYUNDAI/SONATA/4%252520DR/FWD%252520LATEST%252520RELEASE#RECALLS
UPON STARTING THE CAR, I HEARD A HIGH-PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ENGINE THAT INCREASED IN VOLUME AND INTENSITY AS I ACCELERATED (IN TOWN), AND THEN I OBSERVED TWO PUFFS OF SMOKE OR STEAM ARISE FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AT A NEARBY MECHANIC, WHO OBSERVED THAT THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK VALVE COVER WAS LEAKING OIL. THE WHINE, WHICH GRADUALLY WENT AWAY, MAY HAVE BEEN OIL GETTING ONTO THE ALTERNATOR BELT. FORTUNATELY, WE SEEM TO HAVE CAUGHT THIS IN TIME, AS THE ALTERNATOR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED, BUT IT EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN, AS THE EDGE OF THE VALVE COVER HANGS DIRECTLY OVER THE ALTERNATOR IN THE 3.3L V6 ENGINE. THE LEAK MAY HAVE BEEN MORE OF A "SWEAT" FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME; ONLY THE WHINE ALERTED ME TO ANYTHING BEING WRONG, AND MAY HAVE BEEN A SIGN THE LEAK WAS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE VALVE COVER GASKET. WHAT IS FRUSTRATING IS THAT HYUNDAI HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, ON THE VERY SAME ENGINE I BELIEVE, FOR THEIR VERA CRUZ MODELS, BUT NOT THEIR SONATAS FOR THE SAME YEARS. THEY SHOULD RECALL THE SONATAS WITH THIS ENGINE AS WELL, AS THE ALTERNATOR CAN BE DESTROYED IF THIS ISN'T CAUGHT AND FIXED.
ENGINE SEIZED AT AROUND 124000 WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE REPLACED WITH A USED MOTOR AND NOW I BELIEVE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO BLOW AGAIN AT THE SAME MILEAGE. I HAVE USED ONLY MOBIL ONE SYNTHETIC OIL IN BOTH MOTORS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PREMATURE FAILURE WITH THE MOTOR, THERE WAS NO OIL LEAN AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING A HIGH VOLUME OF OIL EVERY 30 DAYS. THE OIL AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHT RANDOMLY FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE TO DETERMINE A SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE MANUFACTURER MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
ENGINE OIL EVAPORATED. NO LEAKS OR DRIPS. NOW MOTOR MAKING A LOUD BANGING NOISE WHEN STARTED. HAD IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC HE SAID THE ENGINE IS SHOT, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE BEARING IS BAD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR AND THE CRANK SHAFT IS DAMAGED. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO THIS IS A 4 CYLINDER MOTOR WHICH IN THEORY SHOULD BE A LESS EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT THAT A 6 CYLINDER AND IS NOT. THIS IS BECAUSE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND. THESE ENGINES BLOW UP IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. IT IS VERY COMMON AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2011 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE ENGINES SHOULD NOT BLOW UP.
TL* THE CONTACT 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA SE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AS THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR THREW A CRANK ROD. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS VEHICLES HAVING FAULTY BOLTS ON THE CRANK ROD CAP. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL BUT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE, A BEGAN TO HEAR A KNOCKING SOUND THAT BECAME LOUDER AND LOUDER. I HAD TWO MECHANICS LOOK AT MY CAR AND BOTH SAID THAT THE CAR WAS ABOUT TO THROW A ROD. ON DECEMBER 13, 2014 THE CAR STOP RUNNING ALTOGETHER. I HAD NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, AND I HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES. IN FACT I HAD THE OIL CHANGED JUST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. I AM HAVING RICART HYUNDAI IN COLUMBUS, OHIO (WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW) LOOK AT MY CAR ON APRIL 2, 2015. I AM INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO SAY OR DO ABOUT THIS SINCE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I JUST WANT THEM TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS ENGINE AND WHAT IF ANYTHING THEY (MANUFACTURER) CAN DO ABOUT REPAIR. THIS IS MY SECOND SONATA (I STILL HAVE THE OTHER CAR WITH OVER 150,000+ MILES) AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS BEFORE. IT MAY BE MY LAST HYUNDAI, IF I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH RESULTS. *TR
I HEARD A TICKING WHILE TRAVELING TO MA ON 684 NORTH OF CT WHEN THE NOISE GOT LOUDER. I STOPPED AND HAD TO TOW THE CAR HOME. WHEN I WHEN ON IN THE HYUNDAI SONATA FORUM THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY MENTIONED TALKING TO THE DEALERS BUT NO ONE HEARD OF A RECALL ON THE ENGINE. SO I JUST LIKE THEM HAD TO FIX THE ENGINE BY THE WAY WHICH IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE 4 CYLINDER ENGINE OUT THERE. I ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURE ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE'S NO RECALL YET AND I HAVE TO FIX IT MYSELF. WELL I WENT TO GOT THE BEARING AND CRAFT AND A OIL PUMP. THIS IS WHEN I LEARNED THAT THEY HAVE REDESIGNED A OIL PUMP THAT CAR 06 07 08 09 MODELS. I ASKED THE GUY WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT, CAUSE IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO BUY A NEW OIL PAN AND BOLTS, HE SAID THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL OIL PUMP. SO I SAID IT'S COSTLY FOR US SO WHY THEY DON'T DO A RECALL? HE SAID NO ONE IS COMPLAINING AND IT'S VERY COSTLY FOR THE COMPANY. SO I ASK CAN SOMEONE LOOK INTO IT . REALLY WHY WOULD THEY REDESIGN A OIL PUMP FOR A CAR AS OLD AS JUST FIVE YRS OLD. *TR
I RECENTLY REVIEWED HYUNDAI RECALL CAMPAIGN 121 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN #14V415000), WHICH DESCRIBES THAT 2007-2012 VERACRUZ MODELS MAY HAVE AN OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET. THE RECALL STATES THAT "IF A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF OIL DRIPS ONTO THE ALTERNATOR, THE ALTERNATOR CAN BE DAMAGED RESULTING IN THE CHARGING SYSTEM BECOMING INOPERATIVE." IT GOES ON TO STATE A RISK OF VEHICLE RUNNING ON BATTERY POWER, UNTIL BATTERY VOLTAGE DROPS, AND THEN POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE SHUT OFF, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH. IN JULY, I TOOK MY 2008 SONATA TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTED ON MY INVOICE THAT "LEFT AND FRONT VALVE COVER GASKETS ARE LEAKING", AND THAT "THE FRONT IS LEAKING ON THE ALTERNATOR." THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME MECHANICAL ISSUE NOTED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 121, IT IS JUST HAPPENING ON A DIFFERENT HYUNDAI MODEL. IN MY OPINION, THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE ALTERNATOR ON MY SONATA (VIA THE CONFIRMED OIL LEAK ONTO IT) IS THE SAME AS WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN HYUNDAI RECALL CAMPAIGN 121. I BELIEVE THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK ISSUE WITH MY SONATA SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY HYUNDAI IN THE SAME MANNER AS HOW RECALL CAMPAIGN 121 IS ADDRESSING THE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK ON THE VERACRUZ MODELS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 31 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026