IllustrationDT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT FUNCTIONAL AND THAT THE THE OBD TO THE SYSTEM IS NOT COMMUNICATING. DUE TO THIS THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM IS NOT READY. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT CONFORMING TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND CANNOT PASS EMISSIONS.
1998 Hyundai Sonata
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 17 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.
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
4 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED EGR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE, AND REPLACED THE EGR VALVE AND THE EGR SWITCH. *AK
WHILE COMING TO A STOP SIGN, WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNIG, THE TRANMISSION DROPS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO GO FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD GO IN REVERSE. ALSO, BRAKES ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN CONSUMER LETS HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKES THERE IS A SQEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH …
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WHILE COMING TO A STOP SIGN, WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNIG, THE TRANMISSION DROPS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO GO FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD GO IN REVERSE. ALSO, BRAKES ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN CONSUMER LETS HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKES THERE IS A SQEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BELT. *AK
ENGINE FAILED. YH
Official recalls
100V314001 · 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.
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.