2012 Hyundai Sonata Engine Problems

While driving, the vehicle experienced sudden engine malfunction. The car entered limp mode, lost power, and produced a loud knocking noise from the engine. The failure occurred without warning and created a safety risk because the vehicle could not accelerate properly in traffic. This increased the risk of being rear-ended or unable to move out of dangerous situations. The issue appears to involve the engine (possible internal failure). The vehicle is currently at an authorized dealership and is available for inspection upon request. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership during inspection. The vehicle has been under diagnosis for over three weeks. There were no prior major warning signs before the failure. At the time of the incident, the vehicle suddenly lost performance, entered limp mode, and began making abnormal engine noise. This issue is consistent with widely reported engine defects in similar vehicles. Despite this, the manufacturer has denied coverage and attributed the issue to maintenance, even though regular maintenance was performed. This is a serious safety concern due to sudden loss of power while driving.

I purchased a used 2012 Hyundai Sonata. Within about 2 weeks it broke down while I was in the far left lane of the freeway. The car suddenly stopped accelerating and made a very loud knocking noise. Thankfully I was able to put on my hazards and make it to the right shoulder without getting into an accident but as soon as I pulled over it shut off and the panel lights all came on. Evidently there was a recall on an engine rod and the previous owners advised they were not aware of it. Hyundai has declined the repair on the recalled engine several times and their reasons keep changing. First they said I was missing records (admittedly I was missing one record but then provided it to them), then they stated excessive neglect due to the condition of the valve train (I saw pics of the valve train and is in good condition), and now they state because the KSDS wasn't installed. From what I understand, being the second owner, if I can prove the upkeep of the vehicle the extended waranty should cover the repair. I even have the letter from the car mechanic stating the vehicle was maintained and in good condition. It seems a lot of good people are getting declined for repairs on these faulty engines. I have many more documents I could provide showing all of the services done and communications with the company. Due to the size limit I included these ones for your review. Thank you so much for any help you can provide.

My engine seized on the highway on my way home from work. The service department has been horrid. They lied about who the manager is. They lied about the reason behind not wanting to honor the recall. They are rude - threatened to tow my car today after I waited 6 days to hear back from them about the issue with my car and determination. Was extremely rude. Stated that they were not honoring the recall because there was obvious signs of my engine being tampered with or certain parts on my engine, but could not provide a name of the part or a serial or model number so that this could be verified. I need this addressed immediately.

My 2012 Hyundai Sonata cut off and stopped working! The vehicle locked up in the middle of a main street and would not start back up causing a very unsafe situation. There were no check engine lights on or anything at the time of the incident I immediately had the vehicle towed and inspected it has been determined that the engine is failing! Upon research I found out that these engines have had recalls in the past. Carfax shows that the vehicle has been taken in for routine maintenance and oil changes when needed. I am looking to see if the engine replacement could be covered for this vehicle.

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving to her residence at unknown speeds, the vehicle suddenly caught fire while making a U-turn. The brakes and emergency brake were inoperable. The seatbelt was inoperable. The driver jumped out of the window. A pedestrian attempted to alert her of the fire. The vehicle exploded after exiting the vehicle. The contact sustained an injury to her leg, but no medical attention was provided. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. There was no report of a crash or airbag deployment. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000. The vehicle was auctioned off by the towing company.

My 2012 Hyundai Sonata originally had its engine replaced under Hyundai’s recall (NHTSA Recall #17V226000) due to the Theta II GDI engine defect. The replacement engine was installed by the dealership as part of the recall. However, the replacement engine has now failed after only ~50,000 miles, exhibiting the same issues (engine knocking, stalling, and eventual failure). This occurred despite proper maintenance and care. The dealership contacted Hyundai, and I also contacted Hyundai Consumer Affairs directly. Both refused to replace or assist with the failed replacement engine. It is unacceptable that a recall replacement engine would fail so soon and that Hyundai will not stand behind the part they used to correct a safety defect. The issue remains a serious safety concern, especially since engine failure can lead to fire. I request that NHTSA investigate the durability and safety of replacement engines and Hyundai’s refusal to support affected owners when these replacement engines fail prematurely. I have case number with Hyundai 41436693

Vehicle loses power while driving making it unsafe to drive, it can cause an accident in certain conditions like when passing another vehicle or crossing a street. There is a recall for this issue.

This is the first time I have an engine failure. I drove my car 3 min before merging into the route 1 highway. In approximately 800 feet, my car went haywire, all lights in the dashboard went ON, the steering wheel got stiff, and the car speed dropped off, I almost got rear-ended. I made an effort to pull over to the break lane. The car shut off and I could not get it to start. I opened the hood, a light smoke was coming out of the engine. I left it open to make sure it doesn't get worse. After 10 min, a State trooper stopped by to check on my safety, I informed him that I called the insurance to report the incident and request a tow truck. After the tow truck dropped off my car in front of my house, I called a mechanic to check it, he informed me that the engine is seized.

Engine seized due to extremely low oil despite more than regular oil changes.

While driving on the highway with my two minor children, my vehicle suddenly shut off without warning. I lost power in the middle of traffic, which was extremely dangerous — we were nearly rear-ended and had to coast to the shoulder. The check engine light had been on for some time prior to the incident, but there were no other warning messages. After being towed, the car would not start again, even after attempting to jump-start it. A mechanic inspected it and believes the engine is seized. I later discovered that my 2012 Sonata is equipped with the Theta II engine, which is known for sudden failure due to oil starvation or bearing wear. Although there are no current recalls on my VIN, the symptoms are consistent with the known Theta II engine defect. This situation put me and my children at serious risk, and I believe this failure needs to be addressed as a safety issue.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle briefly hesitated before starting. After starting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 137,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle was leaking engine oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. Due to the oil leak, the vehicle was left with no oil in the engine, causing the engine to seize. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed the vehicle only had a 60-day warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,761.

Engine suddenly shut off middle of the road while driving and will not restart. No warning lights came on prior to the engine failure. My family safety was put at risk since engine shut off middle of the road and I had to push it to the corner lane. Just imagine if I was on the middle lane on a highway when this happened. Alternator, battery was checked by a mechanic...no issue.

I took the car to the dealer because the codes was reading engine assembly issues. I took it to the dealer and they stated it was the knock sensor and they got it approved to replace it now they saying it's the engine and it was denied. I just got the engine from the dealership in 2020

I bought car octv230th little after month as driving engine failure occurred had towed to dealership and they sent to authorized hyndai dealership for the extended warranty campaign. That garage acknowledged problems with the cars engine stating rod bearing clearance and the engine had to be replaced then charged me denied the extended warranty they initially said would classify for. I couldn't keep up with traffic and was very busy almost cause a crash.

Car engine light is flashing

Engine oil level goes low very soon after an oil change less than 1000 miles driven and oil becomes black on dip stick when checking the oil level in between oil changes and there is no noticeable oil leaks. At one point the oil level was below the low level indicator on dip stick.

connecting rod bearing failed

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact restarted the vehicle, and an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the engine compartment with the check engine warning light illuminated. Despite the vehicle repeated engine shut off failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic for service. The vehicle was diagnosed with a rod bearing failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.