IllustrationFUEL TANK WAS LEAKING GAS WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT LEAK CAME FROM THE UPPER PART OF THE FUEL TANK.*AK
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.
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: 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 reportsRECALL 00 V 314 001/FUEL TANK: RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE IN APRIL 27, 2001, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER THAT FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL REPAIRS, THEY INDICATED THAT THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC AND WOULD NOT ATTEMPT …
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RECALL 00 V 314 001/FUEL TANK: RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE IN APRIL 27, 2001, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER THAT FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL REPAIRS, THEY INDICATED THAT THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC AND WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM OF EXCESSIVE VACCUM NOR REPLACE THE FUEL TANK WITHOUT CHARGE. *TT
FUEL TANK HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS AND A FUEL SMELL IS PRESENT. 1) IN DEC 2000 AND MAR 2001 FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE OF CRACKS ON TOP OF FUEL TANK; 2) IN APRIL 2001 SERVICE FOR RECALL 00V314001 WAS PERFORMED; 3) IN OCTOBER 2001 FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM A SEAL BETWEEN FUEL TANK AND A PIPE, LEADING TO ENGINE, RESULTING IN FUEL TAN…
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FUEL TANK HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS AND A FUEL SMELL IS PRESENT. 1) IN DEC 2000 AND MAR 2001 FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE OF CRACKS ON TOP OF FUEL TANK; 2) IN APRIL 2001 SERVICE FOR RECALL 00V314001 WAS PERFORMED; 3) IN OCTOBER 2001 FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM A SEAL BETWEEN FUEL TANK AND A PIPE, LEADING TO ENGINE, RESULTING IN FUEL TANK BEING REPLACED FOR FOURTH TIME AND 4) IN NOVEMBER 2001 FUEL SMELL WAS PRESENT AGAIN AND DEALERSHIP WAS DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. *AK THE FUEL GAUGE OPERATION STAYS ON FULL THEN DROPS DRASTICALLY DUE TO FUEL SENDER/PUMP FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GAS TANK CAP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO PURGE VALVE FAILURE. CONSUMER WAS ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *YH
FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FUEL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL TANK FIVE TIMES, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED, A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. *AK.*JB
FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED AT SEAMS, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL TANK TWICE.*AK
OBSERVED GAS LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP UPON INSPECTION TANK WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK ON THE SIDE NEAR THE TOP SPOKE TO DEALER NOT THINKING THIS WAS A WARRANTY PROBLEM WAS INFORMED FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED ON JULY OF 99 WAITING FOR AN ANSWER ABOUT REPLACING TANK
Official recalls
200V314001 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.