2015 Hyundai Sonata · symptom sheet
Engine knocking or ticking
- 97owner reports
- 87,000median miles
- $5,500median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report May 30, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
97 of the 226 reports of engine failure on the 2015 Sonata describe engine knock.
Part of Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (226 reports) · also: engine seized
Tick what matches of 97 reports
Engine knock on other Sonata years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the knock sensor (26 reports), the rod bearing (11 reports) and the engine (9 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Sonata
Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.
Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.
Scope and timeliness. Closed dec 22, 2021, led to recall 17V-226.
What owners paid
7 of the 97 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $195 to $9,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 56,150 and 116,892 miles, from the 53 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Hyundai is conducting a product improvement campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs.
Hyundai has developed a new engine monitoring technology called a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). The technology uses software innovations and leverages existing engine sensors to continuously monitor for symptoms that may precede an engine failure.
Hyundai is conducting a product improvement campaign to enhance the knock sensor software on certain 2015 MY Sonata vehicles to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs.
What owners wrote
“I was driving down the road the engine started making a loud knocking noise and as I pulled over it lost power and shut down it would not crank back up I had to have it towed to my house. There was no warning sign.”
Filed Apr 28, 2025
“Hyundai is denying a lifetime warranty claim on my 2015 Hyundai Sonata. Recalls have been completed on my vehicle and even with knock sensor recall completed my engine light is not on and they will not grant me a new engine. If though the Hyundai Dealer agrees that the engine has the bearing issue that would grant me a new engine.”
Filed Mar 11, 2025
“A Aknocking noise from the engine that increases in frequency as the engine rpm increases. A Reduced power and/or hesitation and vibration. A Illumination of the "check engine" light in the instrument cluster.”
Filed Feb 27, 2023
“The car keeps throwing a code and going into limp mode. For the knock sensor. It was replaced less than a year ago and it is now throwing the same code. And once again in limp mode. The first time this happened was around 10/15/2021,&now today 6/17/2022”
Filed Jun 17, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 97 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 250 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 171 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 83 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 76 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 48 reports
- Vehicle fire 44 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 41 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 36 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 35 reports
- Hybrid or EV system warning, loss of power 32 reports
- Fuel pump failure 30 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 29 reports
- Engine leaks oil 29 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 25 reports