Buy Hyundai Sonata Fender

Quick Overview

The front fender-also called a wing, wheel-arch panel, or mudguard-is the sheet-metal skin that wraps around the front wheels of every Hyundai Sonata. It stops road spray, keeps stones from striking the doors, and supports the bumper and head-lamp brackets. Modern Sonatas use high-strength steel fenders that are lighter yet stiffer than older designs, and the panel shape changed with every generation, so year-specific fit is critical. Advanced coatings fight rust, but impacts, salt, and paint peel can still force replacement.

Generations Covered

• 1999 - 2005 (EF)
• 2006 - 2010 (NF)
• 2011 - 2014 (YF)
• 2015 - 2019 (LF)
• 2020 - 2025 (DN8)

Fender Basics

A fender's curved shape shields the tire and lets the suspension move without throwing mud on the car's body or windshield. In U.S. English it is "fender," in the U.K. it is "wing," and technicians sometimes say "wheel-arch panel."
The panel bolts to the upper apron, cowl, rocker, and bumper bracket. Because it is exterior sheet metal, even small dents or paint flaws are easy to see, so color match matters.

Materials & Strength

Hyundai switched to Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) for the 2015 redesign; the company notes that AHSS is "twice as rigid as traditional steel while weighing 10 percent less."
Industry studies show AHSS can trim body weight by up to 25 percent and cut life-cycle CO₂ by about 15 percent.
The 2024 facelift kept the steel construction but reshaped the leading edge to meet the new bumper and head-lamp design.

Common Damage

• Parking-lot scrapes that crease the arch lip.
• Road-salt corrosion on older northern cars, especially hybrids built 2011-2015 that required an extra cavity-wax campaign. (NHTSA)
• Paint peeling or bubbling on certain 2017-2018 Sonata panels finished in Quartz White Pearl; Hyundai extended paint coverage for fenders on those cars.

Signs You Need a New Panel

• Metal is torn, not just dented.
• Rust has perforated the lip.
• Mounting flanges no longer hold alignment, causing bumper-gap issues after a minor crash.
• Peeling paint returns even after sanding and repainting-often a sign of underlying corrosion.

DIY Replacement

The LF-series factory manual lists the steps below; later models are similar.

1. Disconnect the battery and remove the front bumper cover.
2. Unbolt and lift out the head-lamp assembly.
3. Detach the plastic side-sill molding and inner splash shield clips.
4. Support the fender, then remove the upper, rear, and lower bolts.
5. Lift the panel away-watch the sharp edges.
6. Test-fit the new wing panel before paint to confirm body-gap alignment.

Tip: keep every bolt in labeled bags; most fender bolts are M6 with 10 mm heads and reuse factory anti-rust coating.

Painting & Finishing

Factory fenders arrive in bare steel or primer. Sand with 600-grit, apply sealer, then base-coat and clear-coat. On the white-paint warranty cars, Hyundai requires blending onto adjacent panels to avoid shade shift.
Use a thin bead of seam-sealer along the inner flange to keep road splash out of the cabin and reduce galvanic corrosion.

Safety Checks

After installation:

• Verify the hood opens without rubbing the arch.
• Confirm headlights sit flush; mis-aimed lamps can fail inspections.
• Make sure any radar or parking sensor behind the bumper sees no metal overlap after the new panel is in place-important on 2020-up cars with SmartSense.

Fit with Related Parts

Replacing a fender often means touching:

• Front bumper cover (edges tuck under the wing).
• Head-lamp housing (bolts run through the fender flange).
• Inner splash shield / wheel-well liner (protects the new panel's back side).
• Fender brackets and clips-plastic pieces can break when pried out.

Care & Maintenance

Wash the wheel-arch weekly in winter and spray fresh cavity-wax on the inside lip every two years in salt-belt states, following Hyundai's corrosion-prevention bulletin.
Touch up stone chips right away to stop rust from creeping under the paint.

Environmental Notes

Steel is among the world's most recycled materials. Global steel plants now operate at 97.5 percent material-efficiency, nearing zero waste.
Using recycled scrap cuts CO₂ and saves ore; one tonne of scrap saves 1.5 tonnes of CO₂, 1.4 tonnes of iron ore, and 740 kg of coal.
U.S. raw-steel output in May 2025 ran at 77.5 percent capacity, and the automotive sector remained a top end-user.
Nationwide, Americans recycle roughly 94 million tons of municipal waste each year, and steel parts like old fenders contribute to that total.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will a 2015 fender fit my 2018 Sonata?
A: Yes-2015-2019 cars share the same LF body shell, so the panel lines and bolt holes match.

Q: Is the panel made of aluminum?
A: No. Hyundai uses high-strength steel on all current Sonata fenders for strength, cost, and recyclability.

Q: Why do some people call it a "wing"?
A: "Wing" is the British English term; "fender" is the U.S. term. Both refer to the same wheel-arch panel.

Q: Do I have to remove the bumper first?
A: Yes. The bumper's top edge locks under the fender lip, so it must come off to reach the lower bolts.

Q: How long does DIY replacement take?
A: An experienced hobbyist can swap and rough-fit a new panel in about two hours; painting and curing add extra days.

Q: Will the new panel come pre-painted?
A: Most replacements arrive in primer only; you or a shop must match the paint code, spray base, and clear. White-paint cars may need blending per Hyundai's bulletin.

Q: How can I stop future rust?
A: Apply cavity wax inside the lip and wash off winter salt. Hyundai recommends extra wax on 2011-2015 hybrids in salt-belt states.

Q: Are hybrid and gas-only fenders different?
A: No. Body panels are shared; the hybrid's extra wiring runs behind the splash shield, not in the fender itself.

Q: Does replacing the wing affect airbags?
A: No. The side-curtain airbag sensors are inside the B-pillar, not the fender area.

Q: Is steel eco-friendly?
A: Yes. High recycling rates and AHSS weight savings cut a car's lifetime carbon footprint versus heavier, older steel grades.

Further Reading

For deeper technical data, consult:

• Hyundai LF-Series Service Manual, Body Section-Fender Procedures.
• Hyundai Press Release on 2015 Sonata Structure and Materials.
• Car and Driver Visual History of the Sonata (styling evolution).
• World Steel Association "Steel in Figures 2024" sustainability facts.

These authoritative sources give reliable specs, diagrams, and material data you can quote or link to in your content.