Home › Cars › Hyundai › Sonata › 2015
2015 Hyundai Sonata problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
69% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 67 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 65%).
Does the 2015 Hyundai Sonata have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 740 of 1,078 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Hyundai Sonata concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (69%), and the largest group is filed under engine (624). For comparison, the 2014 scores 63% and the 2016 scores 73%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2015 compares with other Hyundai Sonata years
Of the 14 Hyundai Sonata years with enough complaints to score, the 2015 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (69%). The worst is the 2019 (75%), the best the 2010 (18%). By volume, the 2015 drew 1,145 complaints (740 drivetrain), against 747 for the 2014 and 723 for the 2016.
Hyundai Sonata years to avoid and best years →
2010 Sonata problems · 2011 Sonata problems · 2012 Sonata problems · 2013 Sonata problems · 2014 Sonata problems · 2015 · 2016 Sonata problems · 2017 Sonata problems · 2018 Sonata problems · 2019 Sonata problems · 2020 Sonata problems · 2021 Sonata problems · 2022 Sonata problems · 2023 Sonata problems
The rest of the picture on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 740 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2015 Hyundai Sonata powertrain recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 9 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 1.6 liter model year 2015 Sonata vehicles manufactured August 29, 2014, to October 28, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect left axle shaft which may result in the shaft separating from the transaxle differential.
Risk: If the left axle shaft separates from the transaxle, the vehicle may stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, a separated axle shaft may allow the vehicle to roll away as the driver and other…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, dealers will inspect and replace the axle shaft, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 126.
8 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2015 Hyundai Sonata? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2015 Hyundai Sonata
Does the 2015 Hyundai Sonata have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 740 of 1,078 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Hyundai Sonata concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (69%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Hyundai Sonata?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2015 Hyundai Sonata is engine: 624 of 1,145 complaints (54%) name it, followed by electrical system (167) and power train (134). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2015 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 69% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Hyundai Sonata years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 9 in total: 14V784000 (power train: axle assembly: axle shaft). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Hyundai Sonata years are better?
Among the Hyundai Sonata years we track, the 2010 (18%), the 2011 (43%) and the 2020 (49%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (69%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/hyundai-sonata
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.