IllustrationAFTER FILLING VEHICLE'S TANK SMELLED FUEL INSIDE VEHICLE. A DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. FUEL TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BEFORE. PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
1990 Hyundai Sonata
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sonata years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
16 reportsTHE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS IN ANY POSITION (DRIVE, REVERSE, ETC.) INSTEAD OF PARK POSITION ONLY. THIS ALLOWS THE CAR TO ROLL UNATTENDED IF THE GEAR SHIFT WAS LEFT IN IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN PARK. ALSO, THE GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVED FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER POSITION WITH OUT TH…
Read full complaint
THE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS IN ANY POSITION (DRIVE, REVERSE, ETC.) INSTEAD OF PARK POSITION ONLY. THIS ALLOWS THE CAR TO ROLL UNATTENDED IF THE GEAR SHIFT WAS LEFT IN IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN PARK. ALSO, THE GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVED FROM PARK TO ANY OTHER POSITION WITH OUT THE KEY INSERTED WHICH COULD BE A DISASTER IF CHILDREN WERE LEFT UNATTENDED IN THE CAR. I HAVE SENT COMPLAINTS TO HUNDAI WITH NO RESPONSE AND I HAVE SENT FORMS TO NHTSA WITH THE LAST BEING SENT ON 10/27/96 AND RECEIVED BY YOU ON 10/11/96 (REF NO. 803454). TO DATE I HAVE RECEIVED NO OTHER RESPONSE. *AK
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. THROUGH LESS THAN SEVEN YEARS THIS VEHICLE HAS NEEDED THREE TRANSMISSIONS. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE MOST RECENT TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE COST OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION IS MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE CAR.
INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED ALLOWING DRIVER TO REMOVE KEY WHILE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, WHILE PUTTING CHILDREN IN THE CAR IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, CHILDREN WERE REMOVED BEFORE CAR WENT OVER ENBANKMENT.
SHOULDER BELT ON BOTH SIDES BROKE.
THE DOOR HANDLES WERE BROKE.
WHEN MAKING A STOP CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT CAN BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE AND CANNOT LOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY. THE REAR WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS THE ONLY WINDOW WORKING. *AK
MOTOR BELT FAILED.
THE CONSUMER IS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE; ALSO, GEARSHIFT CAN BE MOVED OUT OF PARK WHEN KEY IS NOT INSERTED. *AK
Official recalls
393V196000 · Seat Belts
Nov 29, 1993
THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT CAN TRAVEL SLOWLY OR CHATTER IN THE TRACK AND MAY EVENTUALLY STOP TRACKING AND BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SLOWING, CHATTERING, OR FAILURE OF THE MOTORIZED SHOULDERBELT MAY DISCOURAGE USE OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURYIN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL LUBRICATE THE TRACK ASSEMBLY AND, IF ANY SYSTEMS ARE FOUND INOPERATIVE, THE SYSTEM WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED, AS REQUIRED.
90V037000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:hoses/lines/piping/fittings
Feb 21, 1990
THE SPRING CLAMP TANGS ON THE COOLANT BYPASS HOSE MAY CONTACT AND POSSIBLY DAMAGE THE ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL COULD LEAK FROM THE DAMAGED HOSE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: ROTATE SPRING CLAMP TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH FUEL HOSE; REPLACE DAMAGED HOSES.
90V038000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Feb 21, 1990
INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE COULD CAUSE THE SAFETY CATCH ON THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH STRIKER TO BIND.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF PRIMARY LATCH IS RELEASED OR IF HOOD IS NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED, HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS WOULD BLOCK DRIVER'S VISION AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE HOOD LATCH STRIKER ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE94043 · Charging System Failures
Opened May 27, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE93061 · Pass.restraint System Fail
Opened Jul 8, 1993 · Closed Nov 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available