Hyundai Sonata 2006–2010
5th generation (NF)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20263,909 complaints, 3,175 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 3,175
- Median of reported failures
- 70,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Airbag system (22.8%)
- Recalls
- 3
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 102,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Hyundai Sonata 2006–2010 · 3,175 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 186 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 36 complaints (1.1%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 15,710
- 25%
- 40,000
- Median
- 70,000
- 75%
- 102,000
- 90%
- 140,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 178 | 5.6% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 64 | 2.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 61 | 1.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 90 | 2.8% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 74 | 2.3% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 90 | 2.8% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 123 | 3.9% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 110 | 3.5% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 122 | 3.8% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 89 | 2.8% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 99 | 3.1% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 114 | 3.6% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 186 | 5.9% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 178 | 5.6% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 153 | 4.8% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 126 | 4.0% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 142 | 4.5% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 102 | 3.2% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 115 | 3.6% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 97 | 3.1% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 96 | 3.0% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 65 | 2.0% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 62 | 2.0% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 74 | 2.3% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 75 | 2.4% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 45 | 1.4% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 61 | 1.9% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 39 | 1.2% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 60 | 1.9% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 44 | 1.4% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 55 | 1.7% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 31 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 21 | 0.7% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 15 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 18 | 0.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 23 | 0.7% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 24 | 0.8% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 7 | 0.2% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 7 | 0.2% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 4 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 36 | 1.1% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 3,909 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006–2010 Hyundai Sonata, and 3,175 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 102,000 miles. The median is 70,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (22.8% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), visibility equipment (8.8% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles), body structure (7.4% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles).
3 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2006–2010 Hyundai Sonata last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2006–2010 Hyundai Sonata were filed by 70,000 miles and 90% by 140,000 miles — figures drawn from 3,175 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
36 reports (1.1%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Sonata reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2006–2010 Sonata: the 3-minute check
Generated from 3,175 mileage-tagged complaints, 3 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 3 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine. The 2.4L Theta here is the port-injected version, NOT the Theta II GDI. It has no connecting-rod-bearing recall history — an important distinction from the 2011+ car that shares the '2.4 Theta' shorthand.
- Check airbags. Occupant classification / passenger airbag sensing system faults leading to non-deployment conditions; subject to campaign action.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 40,000 and 102,000 miles, with a median of 70,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and visibility equipment are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Visibility equipment in particular shows a median failure mileage of 61,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Hyundai Sonata 2006–2010
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Visibility equipment343 reports61,00041,000–72,000Visibility equipment: 343 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 72,000 miles.
- Airbag system893 reports70,00036,000–100,000Airbag system: 893 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 36,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Body structure288 reports70,00046,000–91,000Body structure: 288 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 91,000 miles.
- Brakes204 reports73,00054,000–106,000Brakes: 204 reports, median 73,000 miles, middle half 54,000 to 106,000 miles.
- Electrical system247 reports80,00055,000–115,000Electrical system: 247 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 115,000 miles.
- Electronic stability control (esc)200 reports91,00061,000–121,000Electronic stability control (esc): 200 reports, median 91,000 miles, middle half 61,000 to 121,000 miles.
- Engine218 reports106,00072,000–130,000Engine: 218 reports, median 106,000 miles, middle half 72,000 to 130,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 893 | 22.8% | 70,000 | 36,000–100,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 343 | 8.8% | 61,000 | 41,000–72,000 |
| Body structure | 288 | 7.4% | 70,000 | 46,000–91,000 |
| Electrical system | 247 | 6.3% | 80,000 | 55,000–115,000 |
| Engine | 218 | 5.6% | 106,000 | 72,000–130,000 |
| Brakes | 204 | 5.2% | 73,000 | 54,000–106,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 200 | 5.1% | 91,000 | 61,000–121,000 |
| Seat belts | 190 | 4.9% | 80,000 | 60,000–110,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 164 | 4.2% | 27,000 | 19,000–40,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 157 | 4.0% | 80,000 | 44,000–106,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Hyundai Sonata 2006–2010 · 3,175 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 38% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 66% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 82% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.1% of reports (36) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
38% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 36,000–100,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 41,000–72,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 46,000–91,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 55,000–115,000 mi
- Brakes — middle half 54,000–106,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Engine — middle half 72,000–130,000 mi
- Electronic stability control (esc) — middle half 61,000–121,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
66% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility equipment — median 61,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 36,000–100,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 46,000–91,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 55,000–115,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 72,000–130,000 mi
- Brakes — middle half 54,000–106,000 mi
- Electronic stability control (esc) — middle half 61,000–121,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
82% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 70,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 61,000 mi
- Body structure — median 70,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 80,000 mi
- Brakes — median 73,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Engine — middle half 72,000–130,000 mi
- Electronic stability control (esc) — middle half 61,000–121,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 70,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 22.8% of complaints (893 reports, 707 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 36,000 and 100,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 8.8% of complaints (343 reports, 294 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 72,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 7.4% of complaints (288 reports, 245 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 91,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.3% of complaints (247 reports, 195 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 115,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.6% of complaints (218 reports, 182 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 106,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 72,000 and 130,000 miles.
The brakes account for 5.2% of complaints (204 reports, 169 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 54,000 and 106,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2006 model year drew the most — 1,422 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 415. The median year sits at 612.
That makes 2006 an outlier: roughly 2.3 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 3 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 3,909 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 176 (4.5%)
- Fires
- 64
- Injury reports
- 114
- Fatality reports
- 4
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Engine
The 2.4L Theta here is the port-injected version, NOT the Theta II GDI. It has no connecting-rod-bearing recall history — an important distinction from the 2011+ car that shares the '2.4 Theta' shorthand.
Airbags
Occupant classification / passenger airbag sensing system faults leading to non-deployment conditions; subject to campaign action.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,422 | 1,174 |
| 2007 | 906 | 734 |
| 2008 | 554 | 446 |
| 2009 | 612 | 492 |
| 2010 | 415 | 329 |
Recalls (3) — is your car included?
Feb 2018 · 2006 · Service Brakes, HydraulicAn electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned…
The defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2006-2011 Hyundai Azera and 2006 Hyundai Sonata vehicles. Water may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short .
What can happen. An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
The free fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2018. Owners may call Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 172.
Oct 2013 · 2006–2010 · SuspensionControl arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle…
The defect. Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 1, 2005, through January 21, 2010; and model year 2006-2011 Azera vehicles manufactured September 27, 2005, through November 22, 2010 originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt and water can enter portions of the rear crossmember, leading to corrosion o
What can happen. Control arm separation may suddenly change the rear wheel alignment, affecting the handling of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair or replace the crossmember assembly. The recall began on October 8, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 113.
Apr 2013 · 2007–2010 · Exterior LightingFailure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could…
The defect. Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai
What can happen. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
What owners reported
This complaint applies to a 2007 Hyundai Sonata limited (no option for 2007 was available in drop down menu) (issue 1) at or around the initial few days after taking delivery i began to notice abrupt vibration and shaking coming from the steering wheel; substantial enough to feel in the seat. Vehicle was taken back to…
2006 · Suspension
Built from 3,175 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page