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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

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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: 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

Visibility complaints

9 reports
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70,000 miles · Jul 29, 2005
Latches/locks/linkagesVisibility

DT: THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE. CALLER HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO GET THE DOOR OPENED. FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS THE HANDLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK IN IT, AND NOW THE HANDLE HAD 4 CRACKS. IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN THE LATCH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURERR HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. ALSO CALLER HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 OF THE WI…

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DT: THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE. CALLER HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO GET THE DOOR OPENED. FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS THE HANDLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK IN IT, AND NOW THE HANDLE HAD 4 CRACKS. IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN THE LATCH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURERR HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. ALSO CALLER HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 OF THE WINDOW ROLLWERS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10130555

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2005
Latches/locks/linkagesVisibility

THE PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP, IT GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAIN STORM. THE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AND REPLACING THE FUSE DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10118273

Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2004
StructureVisibility

PASSENGER WINDOW AND DRIVER'S DOOR INOPERABLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10100266

43,000 miles · Jun 1, 2003
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility

TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS FAILED. ALL FUSES, CONTROL BOX, AND WIRING WERE CHECKED AND PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. IN ADDITION, ELECTRIC WINDOW ASSEMBLY PLASTIC PULLEYS HAVE BROKEN IN 3 OF 4 DOORS. CAUSING WINDOWS TO REMAIN IN EITHER UP OR DOWN POSITION. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10020830

Mileage unknown · Jul 20, 2002
Visibility

MARCH 25, 2002 MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT CLOSE. I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 1998. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, BURLINGTON AUTO MART, IN BURLINGTON, NJ, TO BE REPAIRED. I CHECKED MY CONTRACT AND THOUGHT THIS PART, 83403-34011 REGULATOR, WOULD BE COVERED. THEY SAID I…

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MARCH 25, 2002 MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT CLOSE. I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 1998. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, BURLINGTON AUTO MART, IN BURLINGTON, NJ, TO BE REPAIRED. I CHECKED MY CONTRACT AND THOUGHT THIS PART, 83403-34011 REGULATOR, WOULD BE COVERED. THEY SAID IT WASN'T. I CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI PROTECTION PLAN ADMINISTRATORS AT HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA IN FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA AND RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DENISE LOWRIE, ADMIN. ASSURANCE PROD. DEPT., THAT SAID IT WASN'T COVERED. I WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THIS PROBLEM STRAIGHTENED OUT WHEN ON JULY 19TH MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR ALSO BROKE. I SPOKE TO JASON TAYLOR, ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR IN THE ASSURANCE PROD. DEPT., WHO SAID HE GETS SEVERAL CALLS A WEEK QUESTIONING WHETHER THE WINDOW REGULATORS ON THE 1997 & 1998 SONATAS ARE COVERED UNDER THE PLAN. HE SAID THAT THE PLAN WAS CHANGED IN 1999 AND THE REGULATOR IS NOW CONSIDERED PART OF THE WINDOW MOTOR AND SO IT IS COVERED ON THE 1999 AND NEWER SONATAS. MY EXTENDED CONTRACT STATES THAT THE POWER WINDOW MOTORS AND GEARS ARE COVERED. THE WINDOW REGULATORS ARE NOT MENTIONED UNDER EXCLUSIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, BUT I REALLY FEEL THAT THE REGULATOR PROBLEMS SHOULD BE EXAMINED, AS IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY REGULATORS FAILING IN THE 1997 & 1998 SONATAS.

NHTSA ODI #764494

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2001
Visibility

WINDSHIELD MAKES A WHISTLING SOUND WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO CANNOT FIND A REMEDY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #885065

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2000
Visibility

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN/CLOSE POWER WINDOW, WINDOW WILL NOT WORK. PROBLEM HAD STARTED WITH DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FIRST. THEN, OTHER TWO WINDOWS ON PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR DID NOT WORK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #876223

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2000
Visibility

FRONT PASSENGER'S WINDOW DOES NOT ROLL DOWN ,IT IS STUCK POSSIBLY DUE TO WINDOW REGULATOR OR WINDOW TAPE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #871748

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2000
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

TRANSMISSION BOTH TIMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. 1ST TIME UNDER WARRANTY, THIS TIME IT'S NOT AND APPARENTLY IT IS OKAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER BEING REPLACED, BRAKES WERE SERVICED AND FIXED, WINDOWS FIXED NOT UNDER WARRANTY,ALSO MY GAS COVER BECAME LOOSE & FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND …

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TRANSMISSION BOTH TIMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. 1ST TIME UNDER WARRANTY, THIS TIME IT'S NOT AND APPARENTLY IT IS OKAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER BEING REPLACED, BRAKES WERE SERVICED AND FIXED, WINDOWS FIXED NOT UNDER WARRANTY,ALSO MY GAS COVER BECAME LOOSE & FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE STRIP ON MY DOOR IS COMING OFF

NHTSA ODI #732524

Official recalls

1

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.

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.