NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 199 owner complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata (including the hybrid).
Recalled components: fuel system, latches, locks and linkages, electrical system, and equipment. Most-described problem: the check engine light coming on (30 complaints, 15%), then a fuel smell or fuel leak (13). Most-reported area: fuel and propulsion system (48 complaints, 24%).
Fewer complaints than a typical Sonata year
The 2020 drew 60 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 92 for a typical Sonata year (about 72 for a typical year since 2016).
Years to avoid: 2011 to 2013 and 2015; best year: 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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 trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
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 at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 221/010G.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata and Sonata Hybrid, and 2019 Genesis G70 vehicles.
The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) software may fail to prevent vehicle movement upon detection of an RSPA system malfunction.
Risk: Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
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 number for this recall is 191.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Nexo and Sonata vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SONATA. Hyundai campaign 191.
Equipment
Feb 28, 2020
labels
Fails federal standard 110 (tire and rim labeling)
The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual state an incorrect tire size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: The incorrect tire information may mislead the vehicle owner to install the wrong tire size, potentially affecting vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
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 Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 190.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata vehicles produced between October 22, 2019 and February 13, 2020.
NHTSA listing: SONATA. Hyundai campaign 190.
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.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata.
What owners report
Owners have filed 199 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Sonata. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: warnings (9); automatic emergency braking (3)
Unknown or other33 · 17%
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 2020 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 2011 Sonata drew the most (624) and the 2020 drew 60.
Owner complaints
2020: 199 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Complaints
2010
345
2011
3,476
2012
1,714
2013
2,029
2014
778
2015
1,211
2016
889
2017
882
2018
384
2019
172
2020
199
2021
190
2022
117
2023
103
2024
58
2025
28
2026
6
Safety recalls
2020: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Recalls
2010
2
2011
17
2012
11
2013
11
2014
8
2015
12
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.
In the 199 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, the problems described most are the check engine light coming on (30), a fuel smell or fuel leak (13), and air conditioning or heater failures (13). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2020 Hyundai Sonata safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2020 Hyundai Sonata earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2020 Hyundai Sonata?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata.
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 Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
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.