Car · Hyundai problems

2013 Hyundai Sonata problems

1,917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (40% of them). NHTSA also lists 93 service bulletins and 11 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 77. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,917 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling776 · 40%
• Steering342 · 18%
• Electrical system261 · 14%
• Fuel system211 · 11%
• Exterior lighting197 · 10%
• Other or unknown175 · 9%
• Service brakes149 · 8%
• Air bags104 · 5%

18 smaller areas not shown (436 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 93 repair bulletins from Hyundai for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 26-GI-004HReceived October 28, 2026

   Backup camera and sensors

   Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW...

2. 26-EM-016HReceived October 14, 2026

   Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption.

3. 26-BE-022HReceived September 9, 2026

   The warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use.

4. 25-BD-012HReceived November 12, 2025

   Information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp.

5. 24-01-073HReceived September 9, 2024

   Exterior lighting

   Some 2011-14MY Sonata (YF) vehicles may experience inoperative brake lights that may be caused by melting/deformation of the rear combination housing lamps.

6. 24-AT-002HReceived April 16, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   A procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2.

7. 24-01-009HReceived March 5, 2024

   Electrical system

   Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition...

8. 23-01-089HReceived December 21, 2023

   Exterior lighting

   Some 2011-14MY Sonata (YF) vehicles may exhibit inoperative brake lights that may be caused by melting/deformation of the rear combination housing lamps.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 20V746000December 1, 2020

   Engine

   The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.

2. 18V934000December 28, 2018

   Engine

   The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak from the pipe.

3. 17V226000March 31, 2017

   Engine and engine cooling

   Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

See all 11 recalls for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sonata will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 776 complaints · 40%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Steering 342 complaints · 18%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Electrical system 261 complaints · 14%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Fuel system 211 complaints · 11%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your Hyundai Sonata

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2013 Hyundai Sonata: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Hyundai Sonata?

Of the 1,917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata, 776 (40%) name engine and engine cooling, and 342 (18%) name steering. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2013 Hyundai Sonata reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 93 of the 1,917 complaints as involving a crash and 98 as involving a fire. They also reported 77 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2013 Hyundai Sonata have?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 93 repair bulletins for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata.

More

• 2018 Sonata problems
• 2017 Sonata problems
• 2016 Sonata problems
• 2015 Sonata problems
• 2014 Sonata problems
• 2012 Sonata problems
• 2011 Sonata problems
• 2010 Sonata problems
• 2013 recalls
• All Hyundai recalls
• Hyundai problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.