2020 Hyundai Sonata engine problems
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2020 Hyundai Sonata — 18% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“My vehicle while driving, it is jerking and shaking. When I come to a stop, the cars rpms go up and down while the car is shaking. When I pressed the gas pedal to accelerate the car will not accelerate as normal and the car jerks as I’m driving it. The RPMs rev up and down without any pressure…”
filed Jul 10, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated. The contact added oil to the engine. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, and several oil consumption…”
filed Jul 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Some Sonata (DN8, DN8A) vehicles may have DTCs P218100, P2181F0, and/or P2181F1 (Cooling System Performance) set in the Engine Control Module, resulting in an illuminated Check Engine warning lamp. Follow the procedure…
26-EM-003H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 5, 2026Certain Sonata (DN8) and Sonata (DN8A) vehicles may experience issues with the air conditioning due to damaged wiring in the engine room junction box. This bulletin provides instructions to replace the multi-fuse…
25-EE-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2025
Engine problems in other Sonata years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sonata | 3 | 7% |
| 2023 Sonata | 26 | 31% |
| 2022 Sonata | 24 | 26% |
| 2021 Sonata | 34 | 27% |
| 2019 Sonata | 83 | 53% |
| 2018 Sonata | 206 | 56% |
| 2017 Sonata | 382 | 50% |
| 2016 Sonata | 444 | 62% |
| 2015 Sonata | 614 | 54% |
| 2014 Sonata | 299 | 40% |
| 2013 Sonata | 728 | 38% |
| 2012 Sonata | 567 | 36% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 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.