YearToAvoid

2010 Hyundai Sonata Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 21 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata, 6% of its 345 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 47,500. One crash was linked to this area, and no related recalls are on file.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
21
6% of 345
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
47,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles reportedly roll backward or lurch unexpectedly when shifting from park or reverse on an incline, even with the key removed or the gear shifter in drive.
  • Owners of manual-transmission cars describe stalling and a clacking noise when disengaging the clutch from first or reverse gear.
  • Some report the clutch pedal sinking to the floor and sticking, making it hard to change gears, with repeated master cylinder replacements.
  • Drivers describe the transmission shaking violently when shifting from park to reverse, with instrument panel gauges going blank, even after dealer software updates.
  • Others report the vehicle failing to shift into park, getting stuck in neutral, or being unable to remove the key from the ignition.
  • Several describe abrupt downshifts or a 2 to 3 second acceleration lag blamed on transmission control module programming.

When 2010 Hyundai Sonata transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 21, 2010, latest May 19, 2023.

2010 Hyundai Sonata transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2010Aug 2011Jul 2012Mar 2014Nov 2014Apr 2020Feb 2022
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2010 to May 2023; peak Mar 2010 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sonata model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201021 (6%)
  2. 2011173 (5%)
  3. 201297 (6%)
  4. 201394 (5%)
  5. 201454 (7%)
  6. 2015134 (12%)
  7. 201659 (8%)
  8. 201755 (7%)
  9. 201840 (11%)
  10. 20198 (5%)
  11. 202024 (13%)
  12. 202124 (18%)
  13. 202224 (26%)
  14. 202316 (18%)
  15. 20246 (13%)
  16. 20253 (19%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2010 Hyundai Sonata have?
NHTSA lists 21 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2010 Sonata, which is 6% of the 345 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata?
No related recalls are listed in the NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2010 Sonata.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically appear on the 2010 Sonata?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 47,500 miles.
Did any 2010 Sonata transmission complaints involve a crash?
Yes, NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires or injuries linked to Transmission & Powertrain complaints for this model year.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.