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1997 Hyundai Sonata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Hyundai Sonata are lower than the model-year median of 161.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 13 of 49 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

16 reports
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108,000 miles · May 27, 2011
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CALL HYUNDAI, I AM ABSOLUTELY FED UP WITH EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING. I HAVE "REPAIRED" MY VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO NO AVAIL. AFTER AT LEAST 5, DEFINITELY MORE, TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC I HAVE REPAIRED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE, THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE, BRAKES, MOTOR MOUNTS, DONE A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE…

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AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CALL HYUNDAI, I AM ABSOLUTELY FED UP WITH EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING. I HAVE "REPAIRED" MY VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO NO AVAIL. AFTER AT LEAST 5, DEFINITELY MORE, TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC I HAVE REPAIRED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE, THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE, BRAKES, MOTOR MOUNTS, DONE A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE, AND HAVE HAD TO REPAIR 2 FLYWHEELS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THAT LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF PLUGS, FILTERS, AND OIL. I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS ANYMORE. THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY MY VEHICLE, THIS IS MY MOTHERS VEHICLE, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHO'S VEHICLE IT IS, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WHAT IT BASICALLY IS DOING IS WHEN IT REACHES A CERTAIN MILEAGE IT WILL BASICALLY "KICK/JERK/PUSH FORWARD" (FOR A LACK OF TERMS) WHEN IT REACHES 12 MPH AND 32 MPH AND I'M CERTAIN OF OTHERS BUT MY MOTHER VIRTUALLY NEVER DRIVES ABOVE 45 MPH SO ANYTHING ABOVE THAT I'M UNCERTAIN OF. IT ALSO HAS A VERY HARD TIME ACCELERATING TO 20 MPH. ONCE IT'S ABOVE 20 MPH IT'S EASY AND ACCELERATES VERY FAST. MY MOTHER HAS NEARLY BEEN HIT TWICE DUE TO THIS INABILITY TO ACCELERATE AS FAST AS IT SHOULD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TOO HYUNDAI AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE SAYING IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I TOOK IT TOO NUMEROUS DIFFERENT MECHANICS. I AM GETTING 3 DIFFERENT ANSWERS, SOMETHING IN THE FUEL/AIR LINE, ENGINE COMPUTER MODULE, AND TRANSMISSION. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY OF THESE REPAIRS SO I HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THEM, BUT I AM THINKING THAT THIS DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE REPORTED. THERE ARE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL ITEMS BEING REPORTED WHICH MAY BE RELATED TO THIS. IF THIS IS AS NUMEROUS AS I'M SEEING ON HERE, YOU MAY WANT TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. ONCE IS A COINCIDENCE, 5 TIMES IS PHENOMENA, BUT OVER 20 TIMES IS AN EXPLICIT FAILURE BY THE COMPANY, NO MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS 30 DAYS OLD OR 30 YEARS OLD.

NHTSA ODI #10404763

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

1997 HYUNDAI SONATA HAS DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK. LEAKING GAS FROM THE UPPER PART OF ON THE FUEL TANK. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TANK IN THE YEAR 2001..AND MY CAR WAS FIXED, HOWEVER IT HAS REOCCURED (SAME PROBLEM). I TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL, DUE TO THE FACT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. I ALSO CALLED THE MA…

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1997 HYUNDAI SONATA HAS DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK. LEAKING GAS FROM THE UPPER PART OF ON THE FUEL TANK. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TANK IN THE YEAR 2001..AND MY CAR WAS FIXED, HOWEVER IT HAS REOCCURED (SAME PROBLEM). I TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL, DUE TO THE FACT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. I ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTUROR AND THEY WOULD ALSO NOT HONOR. THERE IS ALSO A DEFECT IN THE DOOR LOCK, NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO EVEN OPEN.

NHTSA ODI #10127187

148,000 miles · Jun 4, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL # 00V314001 1997 HYUNDAI SONATA I HAD CALLED DEALER TO ASK OF RECALL THEY HAD INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES. AND THEY HAD SAID THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. MY QUESTION IS ARE THEY STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT THAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. I …

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RECALL # 00V314001 1997 HYUNDAI SONATA I HAD CALLED DEALER TO ASK OF RECALL THEY HAD INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES. AND THEY HAD SAID THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. MY QUESTION IS ARE THEY STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT THAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. I AM LEAVING THE VIN # ALSO [XXX] PLEASE HELP THANKS. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #10124186

128,000 miles · Aug 31, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL 001V314001 CONCERNING FUEL TANK. AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS DONE CONSUMER SMELLED GASOLINE ODORS, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON FIVE SEPARATE TIMES BY THE DEALER, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE FOR THE NEXT REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10090075

25,000 miles · Aug 27, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL 00V314001 CONCERNING FUEL TANK. AFTER REFILLING THE FUEL TANK CONSUMER SMELLED STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. CONTACTED THE DEALER CONCERNING THIS RECALL. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10089920

33,116 miles · Jun 2, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL REGARDING GAS TANK PROBLEM.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. SHORTLY AFTER ALL THE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK LEAKED OUT. THE DEALER DID NOT SAVE THE TANK OR INSPECT IT FURTHER BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE. SOMETIME IN 2001 THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL (00V-314001) REGARDING A GAS TANK PROBL…

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RECALL REGARDING GAS TANK PROBLEM.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. SHORTLY AFTER ALL THE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK LEAKED OUT. THE DEALER DID NOT SAVE THE TANK OR INSPECT IT FURTHER BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HIT A POTHOLE. SOMETIME IN 2001 THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL (00V-314001) REGARDING A GAS TANK PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10075630

56,529 miles · Jan 2, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

AFTER MAKING SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK RECALL 00V314001 PERFORMED THE PARTS WEREN'T AVAILABLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10052242

110,000 miles · May 28, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER NOTICED A GASOLINE ODOR…

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THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER NOTICED A GASOLINE ODOR. THIS RECALL FAILED . *TT

NHTSA ODI #10021781

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN AGAINST DIFEO HYUNDAI, HUDSON MALL, RT. 440, JERSEY CITY, NJ. I HAD THE FOLLOWING RECALLS DONE ON MY HYUNDAI SONATA 97 (VIN [XXX]) FROM DIFEO IN JANUARY, 03: NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 97V026000. NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 00V314001 DIFEO HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AS A PART OF THE RECALL. SOON AFTER THE RECAL…

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I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN AGAINST DIFEO HYUNDAI, HUDSON MALL, RT. 440, JERSEY CITY, NJ. I HAD THE FOLLOWING RECALLS DONE ON MY HYUNDAI SONATA 97 (VIN [XXX]) FROM DIFEO IN JANUARY, 03: NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 97V026000. NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 00V314001 DIFEO HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AS A PART OF THE RECALL. SOON AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE, I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE WAS STUCK ON THE UPPER END. SPOKE TO DIFEO SERVICE MANAGER [XXX] ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON 2/14/03 AND TOOK AN APPTMENT FOR 2/18/03 MORNING. CONFIRMED THE APPTMENT BEFORE LEAVING ON 2/18/03. HOWEVER, ON REACHING THE SERVICE CENTER I WAS TURNED AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSED FOR THE DAY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME DIFEO HAS SHOWN SUCH UNPROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE IN SERVICING THE RECALL. 1.WHEN I APPROACHED DIFEO THE FIRST TIME IN NOVEMBER 2002, THE DEALER REFUSED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF A RECALL. HAD TO HAVE HYUNDAI USA CALL THEM UP TO INFORM ABOUT THE RECALL. 2.AFTER THIS WHEN I WENT TO THE SERVICE CENTER ON 1/11/03 THE REPRESENTATIVE THERE (MIKE), AGAIN REFUSED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A RECALL. 3.AGAIN HAD TO GO BACK TO HYUNDAI USA FOR HELP. HAD [XXX] AT 1800 633 5151 X [XXX] TALK TO [XXX]. ONLY THEN DID DIFEO AGREE TO SERVICE THE RECALL. 4.FINALLY DROPPED OFF THE CAR ON 1/25/03. MIKE FROM DIFEO INFORMED ME THE SAME EVENING THAT THE CAR WAS READY FOR PICKUP. HOWEVER, ON REACHING THE SERVICE CENTER I WAS INFORMED THAT CAR WAS NOT READY YET AND THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. 5.FINALLY THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. AM SURE THE PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL GAUGE HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF DIFEO'S POOR WORKMANSHIP. I AM APPREHENSIVE IF DRIVING THE CAR IN ITS PRESENT STATE MIGHT ENDANGER MY SAFETY. DIFEO WAS HESITANT TO SERVICE THE RECALL IN THE BEGINNING AND WHEN FORCED, DID A SHODDY JOB OUT OF IT. I DEMAND THAT DIFEO PICK UP THE CAR FROM MY RESIDENCE AND DROP IT BACK AFTER DOING A THOROUGH JOB OF THE RECALL. I REQUEST YOU TO GET ME SOME RELIEF FROM THIS HARASSMENT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.

NHTSA ODI #10013894

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED AND LEAKED GASOLINE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10011137

Official recalls

2

00V314001 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Oct 2, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT GT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DOHC ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 19, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997; 1998 ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 6, 1997 THROUGH JUNE 25, 1998; 1997 SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 1996 THROUGH JULY 9, 1997 AND 1998 SONATA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JULY 9, 1997 THROUGH APRIL 24, 1998. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.

97V026000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Feb 26, 1997

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.