2010 Hyundai Sonata Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
External Handles made of plastic continue to break and do not allow access to open car doors
REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE (EXTERIOR) BROKEN - FEBRUARY 2020. ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN ON THIS CAR BETWEEN 2015-2020! HYUNDAI PAID FOR THE FIRST 1 BUT FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD TOLD ME, ESSENTIALLY, "TOO BAD, DOOR HANDLES BREAK." APPARENTLY THEY DO ON 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA'S AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES BROKE ON MY CAR. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. I EXPECT HYUNDAI TO COVER THIS ONE. THE CAR HAS 66K MILES ON IT. IT DOES NOT GET HEAVY USE. THE FIRST 5 YEARS, I TOOK PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WORK, THEN STARTED WORKING FROM HOME. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE HANDLES TO BREAK. THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE GOT NORMAL USE; NOTHING EXCESSIVE OR UNUSUAL.
LAST MONTH, THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT WAS BROKEN. WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN MY DOOR, IT DID NOT OPEN. THAT IS IN THE PICTURE ATTACHED. ON SATURDAY, I OPENED MY DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE IN MY HAND. NOW I HAVE ONLY TOW DOORS THAT I CAN OPEN. I LOOKED ONLINE AND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE HYUNDAI SONATA. I FEEL LIKE CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS BECAUSE THIS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR WAS PARKED. I AM GOING TO HYUNDAI TO GET THIS REPAIRED BECAUSE I AM SCARED THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN MY CAR IF ALL THE HANDLES GETS LIKE THIS.
DRIVER'S EXTERIOR DOOR LATCH BROKE INTO TWO WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO OPEN DOOR WITH HAND TO ENTER THE CAR. THE DOOR HAD BEEN UNLOCKED VIA REMOTE CONTROL.
CAR PURCHASED JUNE 2016. 17,000 MI. THREE MONTHS LATER THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. WITHIN SIX MONTHS THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE HANDLE FELL OFF THEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. HYUNDAI WANTS $350.00 FOR EACH HANDLE. I CAN NO LONGER HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR IT IS UNSAFE. MY FEAR IS MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE WILL FALL OFF. I AM 70 AND TOO OLD TO CLIMB THRU THE TRUNK. IF THIS ISN'T A RECALL IT SHOULD BE. I CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB IF NECESSARY. THE CAR WAS PARKED WHEN THE HANDLES FELL OFF.
I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2016 AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY 1 DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF, SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD 1 MORE TO COME OFF AND 1 IS JUST HANGING ON SO I DO NOT TOUCH IT. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. I AM CONSTANTLY CLIMBING OVER MY SEATS OR ATTEMPTING TO OPEN FROM ANOTHER DOOR JUST TO GET INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN I HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN CAR SEATS IN THE BACK. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING DOOR HANDLES AND THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE DO NOT MATCH CAR COLOR. AFTER SEARCHING I SEE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE I PURCHASED MY CAR. I CAN NOT HONESTLY RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE FOR THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET INSIDE JUST TO TEST DRIVE AND THE DOOR HANDLE MIGHT POSSIBLY COME OFF. THE CAR RUNS FINE BUT I WOULD LIKE IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENTS FOR DOOR HANDLES SO THAT I CAN GET INSIDE THE CAR CORRECTLY AND WITHOUT HAVING TO CLIMB OVER OTHER SEATS ESPECIALLY IN THE RAIN. *TR
IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF/BROKEN. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT (SEPT 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF THE CAR WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT (NOV 2020), THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR HANDLE REMAINED ON THE CAR BUT BROKE SO THAT IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. BOTH INCIDENCES OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE DOOR HANDLES BROKE; I DID NOT USE EXCESSIVE FORCE NOR WAS THERE ANY INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THESE INCIDENCES.
THE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM IS ERRATIC. IN ADDITION THE WINDOW UP AND DOWN MECHANISM WORKS INCONSISTENTLY.
DOOR HANDLES CCS ME RIGHT OFF. HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THEM
WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 2010, A DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS. HYUNDAI REPLACED IT FREE OF CHARGE. FAST FORWARD TO 2019. CAR HAS ONLY 45,000 MILES AND IN THE SPAN OF 2 WEEKS, THE EXTERIOR REAR RIGHT PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLES CAME OFF. THIS OCCURRED WHEN OPENING THE DOORS. WHILE WE HAVE A 10 YEAR/100,000 WARRANTY, HYUNDAI WILL NOT HONOR REPLACING THE DEFECT. ESTIMATED REPAIRS ARE NEAR $500. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE INOPERABLE AND REQUIRING DRIVER TO CLIMB INTO CAR. WE SEE MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH HYUNDAI FOR NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE OF RELIABILITY AND TRUST AND WENT ON TO PURCHASE 2 MORE HYUNDAI VEHICLES. WE KEEP OUR CARS FOR A LONG TIME - UP TO 200,000 MILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD HANDLES FALL OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALLACE HYUNDAI (3801 SE FEDERAL HWY, STUART, FL) ALL 4 OF THE DOOR HANDLES WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON ALL FOUR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. *BF *JB
I HAVE HAD THREE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BRAKE OFF THE DOOR ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.. THE ENTIRE HANDLE BROKE OFF UPON GETTING TO GET INTO THE CAR. ONE HANDLE BROKE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, THE OTHER TWO BROKE ON MAY 5, 2019. AND JUNE 22, 2019.
I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 3 DOOR HANDLES, TRANSMISSION, LICK SEAT BELT, SUNROOF MOTOR, SINCE BUYING THIS CAR. IT IS 9 YEARS OLD AND THE SEALS ON THE DOORS ARE GOING BAD. AIR AND PESTS ARE GETTING IN THE CAR. AND THE NOISE LEVEL IS HORRIBLE. I WAS TOLD 2 WEEKS AGO THAT THE RATTLING I KEEP HEARING IS THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS AND FRAME AND WILL COST ABOUT $1000 TO FIX. CAR WAS OK UNTIL IT JUST HOT 100000 MILE MARK.
"TAKATA RECALL" SONATA DOOR HANDLES BREAK FOR NO REASON. IN AN EMERGENCY, FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO EVACUATE PASSENGERS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 3 OF MY 4 DOORS: CAR IS PARKED. I UNLOCK CAR WITH KEY IN DOOR. I PUSH UNLOCK BUTTON. DOORS UNLOCK. PASSENGER USES OUTSIDE HANDLE, BUT HANDLE DOES NOT RESPOND. DOOR HANDLE IS BROKEN INSIDE THE DOOR.CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENS. NO ONE HAS JERKED THE HANDLE OR PULLED ON IT ROUGHLY WHEN IT BROKE. IN ALL THREE INSTANCES A SIMPLE LIFT ON THE HANDLE AND IT BROKE.
TAKATA RECALL...I HAVE A COMPLAINT ON THE PAINT ON MY CAR. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH PAINT ON A CAR LIKE THIS ONE. IT SEEMED TO BE SO CHEAP THAT EVEN A STICKING TAPE WILL RIP OFF THE PAINT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLES FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS BECOMING LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW HANDLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.*BF .. *TR *DT*JB
ON 12/2016 MY PASSENGER EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHILE LOADING MY VEHICLE AT SAMS CLUB. ON 11/2017 MY DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE AS I WAS GETTING IT FOR WORK. THIS MEANT I NEEDED TO CLIMB INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. I DID GET IT FIX PAYING $170 FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE AND ALSO A RENTAL CAR. I STILL NEED TO FIX THE PASSENGER SIDE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE EMS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO MY CAR THUS MAKING THE BROKEN HANDLES A SAFETY ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALLACE HYUNDAI (3801 SOUTHEAST FEDERAL HIGHWAY A, STUART, FL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED PURCHASED THE DOOR HANDLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. LESTER GLENN HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 386 RTE 37 E, TOMS RIVER, NJ) CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED THE DOOR HANDLE BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER DOORS EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
4 OF MY DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF. I HAVE HAD 3 REPLACED WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE 4TH DRIVER DOOR THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD TO USE A ZIP TIE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO GET IN IT.
HYUNDAI SONATA 2010 - THE FRONT, DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. A STANDARD AMOUNT OF DOOR OPENING FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED WITH A WEAKENED OR DEFECTIVE CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE OPENING MECHANISM INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THIS IS THE SECOND DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT HAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, WITHOUT WARNING LEAVING ONLY 2 FUNCTIONAL DOOR HANDLES ON THE VEHICLE.
HYUNDAI SONATA 2010 - THE REAR, DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DETACHED FROM THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN FRONT OF A HOUSE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. A STANDARD AMOUNT OF DOOR OPENING FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED WITH A WEAKENED OR DEFECTIVE CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE DOOR HANDLE TO THE OPENING MECHANISM INSIDE OF THE DOOR.
PLASTIC EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BREAK, COME LOOSE, AND THEN CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR. 3 DOOR HANDLES NOW.
WENT TO OPEN OUTSIDE PASSENGER BACK DOOR - OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF. WENT TO OPEN OUTSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR - OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF.
FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WHILE OPENING DOOR TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. WENT ON-LINE TO RESEARCH REPAIR. FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL 4 DOORS OF THIS VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENT FAILURES ON OTHER HANDLES TEND TO HAPPEN WITHIN MONTHS OF ONE-ANOTHER. DOORS THAT ARE INFREQUENTLY USED ALSO HAVE THE PROBLEM. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN REMOVING AN INFANT, SICK, OR INJURED PERSON FROM THE VEHICLE DURING AN EMERGENCY. THE HANDLES ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. THE INNER FRONT OF THE HANDLE HAS A PLASTIC PIVOT WHICH SNAPS OFF, CAUSING THE HANDLE TO FALL OFF IN THE HAND OF THE PERSON OPENING THE DOOR.
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Quick Summary
The 2010 Hyundai Sonata has 148 Structure complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.