2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the “Check Hybrid System - Turn Off Engine” message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the vehicle decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but the failure could not be duplicated; however, the contact stated that he provided diagnostic test data to the technician that displayed error codes however, the failure could not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

While driving the car getting error message on dashboard "Check Hybrid System Turn Off Engine", The Gas engine turn off and switch to continue on electric till able to pull on the side of the road. Turn Off engine, wait a min. Start car again and working fine. This issue appears randomly many times in the last two years while driving. Car was at dealer shop multiple times with no repair, was told we don't see active error message or they can't re-create the error. however scan show P261F error. Open Ticket with Hyundai #21018148 while car at the dealers for weeks at the time. each time told check engine got back on but not the message they are looking for.

While driving the hybrid system warning light comes on and says to check hybrid system, vehicle goes into limp mode will not accelerate over 25 mph and codes need to be cleared before vehicle van be driven. This has caused me to almost have several accidents. The vehicle slows down and gives no warning prior to this occurring. It has started happening more frequently vehicle currently has 85k miles.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH or faster in Hybrid Mode, the vehicle stalled. The HEV error warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was also illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and disengaged the HEV Mode for the vehicle to restart and function as intended. The failure occurred three times. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer however, the mechanics were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

Mileage: 66,000

In January of 2022, my vehicle experienced a complete power loss while driving to work, leaving the car coasting down the road. A Check Hybrid System warning came up on the dashboard, along with several other warning lights, including Check Engine. Luckily, I was able to pull over without an accident occurring. Once stopped, the vehicle did restart and got me to and back from work. A diagnosis effort made at a local Hyundai dealership was unsuccessful as they could not replicate the problem and found no error codes in the auto's CPU system. I continued to drive the vehicle, hoping it was a one time deal, but since then, the identical situation has occurred three more times. I was extremely lucky that I had been in a position to safely pull off to the side of the road. The car has not been driven since March 19, 2022. After researching this scenario online, it appears to be the exact situation reflected in the Hyundai Recall campaign 175 from 2018, where the dealership remove the original VPD module and replace it with a Battery Management System (BMS) that contains an Overvoltage Protection Device (OPD). The recall is said to have been done on my vehicle, but the exact situation has reoccurred. Every time time the car lost power, it was preceded by a shuttering feel in the car, an alarm would go off and the propulsion system would just shut down and the Check Hybrid light would come on. Hyundai's only response has been to drive the car until it fails again (can you believe that?) and bring it in again for diagnosis. Even if that were to be done, the technicians and others on the road, would then be put at risk, as well, if they drove the vehicle in an attempt to get it to fail. I am the second owner of this car and the recall was supposedly done prior to my purchase. I now wonder if the dealer knew of the problem and that is why it was $2K below KBB. I cannot safely drive the car and can't sell it without loss once this safety issue is revealed. Thank you.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OFF THE ROADWAY WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A BYSTANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TUSTIN HYUNDAI (16 AUTO CENTER DRIVE, TUSTIN, CA 92782, (714) 647-2000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE COMMUNICATION WIRE BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED 2 YEARS LATER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER TO THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBOOTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

Mileage: 18,000

HEV ENGINIE ERORR

Mileage: 44,363

HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES. NOW IT IS NOT OPERABLE. CAR WAS CHECKED BY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE 3 DAYS AGO. THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS AT THE TIME OF SERVICE, THEY DID NOT PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK HOME SAFELY, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER IN THE EVENING, IT GAVE WARNINGS. CAR IS NOT OPERABLE.

Mileage: 8,550

I WAS GOING ABOUT 70 MPH IN FULL ELECTRIC MODE AND THE CAR REMOVED ALL POWER FROM MY GAS PEDAL, THERE WAS LOTS OF DINGING SOUNDS AND THE DASH SAID "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, TURN YOUR CAR OFF". LUCKILY I WAS ALREADY TO THE FAR RIGHT SO I COULD JUST PULL TOT HE SHOULDER AND STOP THE CAR, THE BREAKS AND STEERING WERE STILL WORKING. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOPING THE MARCH 2018 RECALL IS THE FIX. I HAD TO CALL AAA, ALL BLUE LINK CAPABILITIES STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. 2016 PLUGIN WITH ABOUT 25,000 MILES.

Mileage: 25,000

THIS IS 4TH TIME THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON IN LAST 7,000 MILES OF DRIVING. HYUNDAI CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES SO FAR BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING AND SINCE THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY MUST BUY THE CAR BACK. ONE OUT OF THE FOUR TIMES, THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED ON THE ROAD PUTTING LIVES ON THE LINE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED EARLIER (REF: HYUNDAI CASE #111109600, NHTSA COMPLAIN #11080680) BUT NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN BY EITHER HYUNDAI OR NAHTSA. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD AND CAN NOT BE FIXED AFTER THREE TRIES WITHIN A YEAR.

Mileage: 25,650

MY CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE DASH READ "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE". IT SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE CARPOOL LANE. THERE WAS NO WARNING, JUST SHUT RIGHT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO SAFETY UNTIL AAA CAME TO TOW ME AWAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP. IT TURNED ON BUT COULDN'T START THE CAR.

Mileage: 38,175

ON 1/7/2018 WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID WITH APPROXIMATELY 41,100 MILES IN IT TO LOS ANGELES, CA WITH MY 82 YEAR OLD FATHER ON OXYGEN FROM SAN JOSE WHICH IS ABOUT 370 MILES AWAY ON HIGHWAY I5 WITH THE SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH. WHEN WE EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEM. WHILE EXITING TO OUR DESTINATION ON HIGHWAY 118 DE SOTO EXIT, THE ENGINE HAD SLOWED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION AND BARELY TURNED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR SAFELY .WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR AND DASHBOARD HAD INDICATED TO CHECK HEV . SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO START THE CAR, TO NO SUCCESS. LIGHTS WILL COME ON DASHBOARD, STILL ABLE TO CONNECT TO BLUELINK TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUT THERE WAS A LONG WAIT BEFORE A CUSTOMER SERVICE ANSWERED UNTIL THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED AND STALLED. WE WERE STRANDED WITH AN 82 YEAR OLD MAN WHO HAS RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND WE HAVE FINALLY CALLED AN UBER TO HIS HOME BEFORE OXYGEN RUNS OUT. ROAD ASSISTANCE FINALLY CAME AFTER 2 HOURS OF WAITING AND THE CAR WAS FINALLY TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER IN WOODLAND HILLS 20539 VENTURA BLVD WOODLAND HILLS .THE CAR IS BEING SERVICED AND HAS NO UPDATE YET. I CALLED HYUNDAI USA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-855 671 3059 THIS AM 1/8/2018 AND CLAIMED THERE HAS BEEN NO REPORT OF RECALL TO THIS SORT OF PROBLEM AND HAS THEREFORE GAVE ME A REFERENCE CASE #10911352 .

Mileage: 41,100

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT 68 MPH IN HOV LANE, HYBRID SYSTEM ALERT LIGHT UP AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND LUCKY ABLE TO DIRECT THE CAR TO RIGHT SIDE AND STOP AND WAIT FOR TOWING. THIS HAPPEN DURING TRAFFIC WAS SLIGHTLY JAM SO ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN OTHER CARS ARE SLOWING DOWN IN REGULAR LANE. CANNOT IMAGINE IF THERE IS NO TRAFFIC JAM, HIGH POTENTIAL TO GET INTO ACCIDENT AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. WITH THE DEALER FOR FIVE DAYS AND THEY CANNOT PINPOINT THE EXACT PROBLEM AND KEEP ON SAYING IS SLIGHT PROBLEM. HOW CAN THIS BE SLIGHT PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN?? NEED TO HAVE MAJOR RECALL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I HOPE THIS WILL BE ADDRESS AND RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GET INTO MAJOR INJURY OR LOST OF LIFE.

Mileage: 26,200

CAR IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER WHO INDICATED THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ENGINE REPAIRS NEEDED AND WILL TAKE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS WHEN THEY IDENTIFY PROBLEM. CAR HAS 11,700 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF ROAD SO NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 11,700

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE PHEV WARNING ILLUMINATED AND THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL PROPULSION. IT REFUSED TO ENGAGE THE GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MOTOR TO MOVE OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED HYBRID BATTERY.

Mileage: 21,000

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I HAVE HAD THE YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO ISSUES RELATED TO PERFORMANCE NOTED, I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY GARAGE TO DIAGNOSE. THE DIAGNOSIS DID NOT FIND ANY ISSUE, BUT MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE GAS COVER CAP. LO AND BEHOLD, BOTH TIMES, REMOVING THE CAP AND REPLACING SEEMED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AND THE YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. QUITE ANNOYING AS DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO KEEP CHECKING IF LIGHT COMES ON INCORRECTLY AND NOT ADDRESS IF THERE WAS INDEED A PROBLEM TO CORRECT.

Mileage: 9,500

MY SONATA PHEV HAD HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE WITHIN A SPAN OF 1.5 MONTHS. IT'S BEEN HARDLY 1.5 YEARS SINCE I HAD BOUGHT THIS CAR. IN BOTH CASES THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING COMES UP AND ENGINE LOOSES TOTAL POWER. THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY 405 FREEWAY AND WAS LEFT ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO POWER ON THE ENGINE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM TO FACE WITH. WITH WHATEVER POWER WAS LEFT, WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE RAMP ON THE RIGHT. STOPPING ANYWHERE IN 405 FREEWAY IS ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS, EVEN ON THE SHOULDER (MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING COPS HAS BEEN REAR ENDED). THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED IT WAS ON A 3 LANE LOCAL PARKWAY STILL DANGEROUS AS I AM LEFT WITH NO POWER TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN BOTH CASES.THE DEALERSHIP TOOK 1 MONTH TO FIX THE CAR THE 1ST TIME. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE POWER RELAY ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM SOUTH KOREA. IT RAN FOR CLOSE TO 1.5 MONTHS AND AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING AND IT'S BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE POWER RELAY HAS GONE AGAIN AND HYUNDAI NOW WANTS TO SEE IF REPLACING THE HYBRID BATTERY WILL FIX IT. AS OF TODAY AFTER 18 DAYS THE CAR IS STILL IN THE SERVICE CENTRE.

Mileage: 32,284

I SAW ENGINE POWERTRAIN PROBLEM LIGHT ON MY CAR SCREEN. SO I WENT TO CAPITAL HILL HYNDAI DEALER. I WAITED MORE THAN 6,5HOUR WITH EATING BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AT NEAR MALL. HYUNDAI EXPLAINED JUST GAS CAP TIGHTING PROBLEM. THEY NEVER EXPLAINED THE PROCESS ABOUT SIX AND HALF HOUR FIXING. I NEED DETAIL EXPLANATION ABOUT SIX HOUR FIXING PROCESS AND SINCERE APOLOGY ABOUT THE ENGINE PROBLEM SIGN IN ONE WEEK AFTER BUYING NEW CAR. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR