2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid electrical system problems

Related recalls

No recalls on file.

What owners say

1. Filed Aug 5, 2026MIElectrical SystemEngine

   The vehicle experiences sudden, complete electrical power loss while driving at speed on highways and city streets or on the parking. All digital displays turn off, the engine shuts down, and power-assisted steering and braking are instantly lost without prior warning, presenting an extreme collision risk. The issue first occurred in August 2025 at approximately 48,000 miles and was taken to an authorized Hyundai dealer in Michigan for warranty repair. The dealer held the…

   NHTSA complaint #11755133 · source
2. Filed Jun 22, 2026VAElectrical System

   I purchased this vehicle pre-owned approximately two years ago and have since developed concerns about its reliability, particularly related to the electrical and hybrid systems. In hindsight, I suspect these issues may be part of the reason the original owner traded it in to a CarMax dealer. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, I began experiencing recurring problems with the 12V battery, including frequent instances requiring battery resets. Interestingly, these issues…

   NHTSA complaint #11745618 · source
3. Filed May 22, 2026OHElectrical System

   The vehicle’s 12-volt electrical system repeatedly loses power within about 1 hour of sitting. The car becomes completely unresponsive (cannot unlock or start) and requires use of the built-in 12V battery reset button to restore power. This occurs frequently and makes the vehicle unreliable and potentially unsafe, as the car may become inoperable without warning. This appears to be an electrical system defect or parasitic power drain. The issue has been ongoing.

   NHTSA complaint #11739503 · source
4. Filed Aug 11, 2025SCElectrical System

   Owned car since 09/2024 with 64K miles. Battery system (12V/hybrid system) has shut down and died 47 times since 04/2025 - no shut downs before then. Car with ~69K miles at that time. Dealer had car six weeks (05/17 to 07/05/2025) and it died “a number” of times and report that Hyundai claims this is “what the car is supposed to do.” Since 07/05 it has died 12 times just sitting in my driveway or the lot at work. This is NOT normal. Internet blogs show DOZENS of other…

   NHTSA complaint #11679975 · source
5. Filed Jul 28, 2025DEElectrical System

   This is on my 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited - for the 7th time the vehicle has been completely dead and unresponsive. I have had to gain entry to the vehicle using the manual key and press the "jump" button to get the vehicle to start. The Hyundai dealership ran a bunch of battery updates to the 12 volt battery several weeks ago and said that should hopefully fix the issue. Several weeks later on 07/19/2025 the vehicle was dead again. I had to use the key to manually…

   NHTSA complaint #11676697 · source
6. Filed Jul 10, 2025GAElectrical System

   What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? RANDOM TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE (DOORS WON'T UNLOCK, CAR UNRESPONSIVE) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? DIFFICULT TO GAIN MANUAL ENTRY TO CAR, PARTICULARLY IN DARK SITUATIONS Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE TWICE AND THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE CAR…

   NHTSA complaint #11672497 · source
7. Filed Jun 30, 2025CAElectrical System

   Every day the car is dead, have to take the manual key out pop door cover off unlock car manually push the 12v reset button and hold fob to start/stop button for car to work again. Happens daily.

   NHTSA complaint #11670129 · source
8. Filed Dec 13, 2024MNElectrical System

   the car randomly goes into dead or limp mode and unable to start. need to jump start it to come alive. No codes shown once its jumstarted. it has happened at random on several occasions.

   NHTSA complaint #11630638 · source
9. Filed Dec 12, 2024CAElectrical System

   When the vehicle is turned off the 12v Lithium battery will die. This is a intermittent occurrence that has happened approximately 7 times since [XXX]. Today is December 12, 2024. The car is currently at All Start Hyundai dealership in Pittsburg, CA. This dealership initially denied the car had a problem because they could not duplicate it in a 24 hour period and told me "the car is operating as designed". When I insisted they check the health of the battery, the service…

   NHTSA complaint #11630327 · source
10. Filed Oct 11, 2024AZElectrical System

    The BMS module within my cars hybrid system failed causing a parasitic drain on the hybrid battery. The dealership where the work was performed would have to be contacted for pictures. The hybrid battery system swole to a dangerously inflated level and did not produce any codes for an OBD reader to pickup. This has caused the dealership to turn my car away multiple times before finally performing the in depth inspecting required to verify battery swelling. This is a known…

    NHTSA complaint #11619346 · source
11. Filed Sep 23, 202424,000 miCAElectrical System

    The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that the key fob was inoperable and after using the key to manually open the door. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while pressing the START/STOP button. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The contact was advised that when the failure occurred, to start the vehicle, the battery reset button should be pressed before pressing the…

    NHTSA complaint #11616027 · source
12. Filed Sep 3, 2024GAElectrical SystemEngine

    On three separate occasions over the last two months, while driving, an alert comes on that says check hybrid system then the vehicle powers off. When this happens, you lose the ability to accelerate break steer, and I have been lucky each of those three times and that I was in a situation where there was not much traffic. I am not able to drive the vehicle at this time. I have reported the problem to Hyundai and they want me to drive the vehicle to the dealership for…

    NHTSA complaint #11612394 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology