2011 Hyundai Sonata exterior lighting problems
246 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the exterior lighting on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata — 7% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“On my 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS, both rear tail lights have melted to the point that the lightbulbs cannot be extracted and the brake and tail lights no longer work. When I looked into this, I found out this is a common issue on 2011 Hyundai Sonatas. It is almost always caused by excessive heat from…”
filed May 19, 2026
“I bought this car from someone in April of 2024 and the person who i bought it from said everything was perfectly fine, they brought it to the Hyundai dealership and according to the mechanic there the engine was fine….i have taken care of the engine since i bought the car, kept up with oil changes…”
filed Oct 21, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain…Campaign 15V759000 · Nov 16, 2015
- Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and…Campaign 13V113000 · Apr 1, 2013
Related service bulletins
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
25-BD-012H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 6, 2025
Exterior Lighting problems in other Sonata years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sonata | 6 | 14% |
| 2023 Sonata | 1 | 1% |
| 2020 Sonata | 2 | 1% |
| 2019 Sonata | 18 | 12% |
| 2018 Sonata | 22 | 6% |
| 2017 Sonata | 20 | 3% |
| 2016 Sonata | 38 | 5% |
| 2015 Sonata | 38 | 3% |
| 2014 Sonata | 119 | 16% |
| 2013 Sonata | 197 | 10% |
| 2012 Sonata | 141 | 9% |
| 2010 Sonata | 10 | 3% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.