2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid steering problems

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Steering · MN

When turning the steering wheel, left or right, there was a distinct “clunking” noise, and you could feel it in the steering wheel. When the car was inspected by the Hyundai service department, I was informed that the problem was a part in the steering coupler.

Filed Jul 27, 2022 · Steering · 110,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while pulling out of the driveway, the vehicle drove over a minor bump in the roadway and the steering wheel made an abnormally loud rattling sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. However, the steering wheel was shaking and making abnormal rattling sounds continuous while turning the steering wheel or driving over bumps in the roadway. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an unknown plastic part that maintains the steering wheel in position was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Filed Sep 25, 2018 · Brakes, Steering · 49,900 miles · FL

On 05/10/2018, I noticed severe vibration and clunking in steering wheel. Brought vehicle to hyundai dealer and they replaced the flexible coupling in the steering column due to wear. On 08/08/2018, I brought the vehicle to the hyundai dealer for routine service and asked them to check the brakes as I experienced an intermittent loud squeaking from the brake pedal. They were unable to diagnose the problem. On 09/25/2018, I attempted to start the vehicle from a stationary position and when I depressed the brake, the pedal went all the way to the floor and a warning came on the dash advising me that the brakes had failed and I needed to stop immediately. I shut the vehicle off and then attempted to restart. Upon restart the warning condition did not reoccur. Vehicle towed to hyundai dealer for diagnosis. I was advised that the issue seems to have corrected itself and the brake system simply needed to be recalibrated.

Filed Sep 7, 2018 · Steering · 163,000 miles · MO

The steering wheel makes a loud clanking sound, vibrates, and delays in reacting to turns.

Filed Aug 21, 2018 · Steering · 10,090 miles · NC

When I am parked with the car on or stopped at a red light when I turn my wheel quickly left to right I hear a clicking noise. It seems to be coming between the steering wheel and steering column. When the car is moving it makes that noise when turning and going over any kind of bumps.

Filed Nov 7, 2017 · Steering · 60,500 miles · TX

There is clunking and play in the steering at low speeds, in park or stopped. It appears to be there when the steering wheel is moved within 5 - 10 degrees of center. Also, there is a loud clunking/clanking sound when going over rough pavement, speed bumps, etc.

Filed Jul 13, 2016 · Fuel system, Steering · 42,143 miles · CA

Hybrid system warning! Safely stop and do not drive. 1st occurrence miles - 42,143. 2nd occurrence miles - 42,276 this is the second time in a week I'm taking the car into the dealer for the same hybrid malfunction. The car gave me the hybrid warning, then while trying to pull the car over safely, the car lost all power and stalled. This occurred on a busy city street. Steering is also an issue, the car does not track strait. The car's steering constantly has to be corrected to track strait.

Filed Jan 21, 2016 · Steering · 28,000 miles · FL

The electronic power steering with steer assist option on this vehicle makes it very difficult to hold a straight line while driving. I constantly have to correct the steering to keep the vehicle in control on a straight line. This has been an ongoing problem since I purchased the vehicle. I brought it to three different hyundai dealerships , finally the last dealership actually tried to rectify the problem twice adjusting the electronic power steering control switch. This switch has four driving modes from comfort to sport. The last visit the technician placed it in the sport mode for better steering response with less play in the steering, this did help somewhat but the car still drifts to the left while driving. Two four wheel alignments were performed but still could not solve the drifting problem. This drifting is extremely dangerous while driving on the highway, the vehicle will go into another lane if I do not constantly correct the steering. In over 30 years of driving experience with multiple vehicles I never had such a problem. I sent hyundai an email about this and it LED to nowhere but call a third party moderator. That is an extremely disappointing response and I'm totally disgusted about this. I searched online if other owners had the same problem and I'll tell you there are many owners with the same problem it's a shame hyundai is ignoring such a safety issue. I hope this complaint will lead to a resolution before a serious injury and/or fatality occurs. Please examine this issue.

Filed Dec 9, 2014 · Steering · 14,000 miles · SC

While driving north on I-95 to a family fourth of july party this past summer I started to have a problem with my sonata's steering system. I felt the steering wheel grab and hold itself in place for an instant. In that instant I sensed that I had to exert extra strength to the steering wheel to force it to release itself from the surprising and frightening grab. Thankfully, the extra exertion on my part released the grab right away but another grab occurred within a few seconds. I had to drive the rest of the way to virginia beach with this feeling of grab and release, grab and release, grab and release occurring every few seconds. The return trip back home on I-95 to south carolina a few days later was just as bad. This steering problem just about drove me to distraction. I felt lucky to get back home alive and well. Once at home I realized that the sonata's steering system does not grab at lower speeds. It doesn't grab if you keep the speed below forty-five miles per hour, but whenever I get the speed up to fifty miles per hour or higher it starts to grab. The hyundai dealership where I purchased the car took it out for a test drive but they didn't take it out on a highway so they didn't get the car's speed up high enough and,therefore, reported that they didn't feel any grabbing. So I was left with a fairly new sonata that is still under warranty but not able to drive it over fifty miles per hour. I recently took the sonata to our regular garage and paid to have the wheels rotated and also paid for an alignment, but there was no improvement. I must get this steering problem fixed before the end of the year because we are driving to florida in early january and once again will be driving on I-95.

Filed Feb 1, 2014 · Body, Steering · 4,033 miles · GA

I was traveling home returning from a doctors visit and pulled into a restaurant. When backing out of the parking lot I heard a scrape or drag under the right front wheel. I straightened the wheels and left the parking lot. I traveled a short distance and heard the noise again. I stopped and looked at the right front wheel and under the fender. I found that a piece of the plastic undercover under the wheel well had come loose and was dragging and pulled loose. I looked again and the complete underside plastic material of the fender well was loose and the fender had separated from the bumper. I aligned the pieces up and drove to the hyundai dealer in mcdonough, georgia. The service department told me the vehicle had been in an accident. They said hyundai would not cover this under their warranty. I questioned this because my wife and I drive the vehicle and it had not been in an accident. Their one (1) mechanic told the service manager that it had to go to the body shop as he could not repair it. The service manager also said the car had been hit in the right front. I questioned this and he said even a shopping cart in a parking lot could hit the fender and cause the damage. The vehicle was taken to the body shop and the supervisor said the vehicle was not in an accident. The fender and bumper had no scratches or any outward signs of where it had been hit. He said the vehicle fender and bumper clips that hold the fender to the bumper together had separated and broke and let the plastic piece under the wheel drop. He said the damage could not be repaired because the clips were broken and the bumper would have to be replaced.