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
What owners actually said
49 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2001
Air BagsEquipment
ALTHOUGH AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS PAID FOR AT 900.+ DOLLARS THE BELTS AND WHEELS STILL LOCK-UP. WHEN TAKEN BACK TO HAVE CHECKED THE PROBLEM CAN NEVER BE PRODUCED. AS FOR CLOCK SPRING THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULD BE CHECKED EVERY 10 YEARS ABD THIS SYSTEM HAS FAILED IN 2 YEARS. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD M…
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ALTHOUGH AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS PAID FOR AT 900.+ DOLLARS THE BELTS AND WHEELS STILL LOCK-UP. WHEN TAKEN BACK TO HAVE CHECKED THE PROBLEM CAN NEVER BE PRODUCED. AS FOR CLOCK SPRING THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULD BE CHECKED EVERY 10 YEARS ABD THIS SYSTEM HAS FAILED IN 2 YEARS. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY NOW. I AM TOLD IF I PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE AIRBAG FIRST I WILL BE REIMBURSED, BUT WHY MUST I PAY FOR A SAFETY ITEM THAT IS BEYOND MY CONTROL AND THAT IS A MAJOR ITEM OF SAFETY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #740316
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
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
Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2000
Fuel System, Gasoline
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 1999. ON 2/26/99 I SENT THE VEHICLE TO JIM CLICK (520-292-3790) TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE OF GASOLINE LEAKING. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A CRACKED FUEL TANK. ON 11/29/99 TOOK THE CAR BACK TO JIM CLICK BECAUSE GAS WAS LEAKING OUT. THEY DETERMINED AGAIN THAT THE GAS TANK WAS CRAC…
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I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 1999. ON 2/26/99 I SENT THE VEHICLE TO JIM CLICK (520-292-3790) TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE OF GASOLINE LEAKING. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A CRACKED FUEL TANK. ON 11/29/99 TOOK THE CAR BACK TO JIM CLICK BECAUSE GAS WAS LEAKING OUT. THEY DETERMINED AGAIN THAT THE GAS TANK WAS CRACKED. ON 7/15/00 ONCE AGAIN, GAS IN LEAKING AND MAKING A PUDDLE. TOOK IT TO JIM CLICK AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY CAN PUT ANOTHER GAS TANK ON THE CAR BUT IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #725558
Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2000
Power Train
OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR GETTING JAMMED IN THE PARKING GEAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM SINCE AUGUST OF 1999. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #865077
Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER WITH NO FRONT BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION THAT FAILD THE NEXT DAY.
NHTSA ODI #718678
Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2000
Air BagsCrash
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 15 MPH, DRIVER IN FRONT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT WAS REALLY FOGGY OUTSIDE, AND CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, AND HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE'S BUMPER, AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER FELT THAT AIRBAGS SHOULDN'T HAVE DEPLOYED. DLR SAID AN AIRBAG SPECIALIST WOULD LOOK AT IT. BUT SOMEONE TAMPE…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 15 MPH, DRIVER IN FRONT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT WAS REALLY FOGGY OUTSIDE, AND CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, AND HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE'S BUMPER, AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER FELT THAT AIRBAGS SHOULDN'T HAVE DEPLOYED. DLR SAID AN AIRBAG SPECIALIST WOULD LOOK AT IT. BUT SOMEONE TAMPERED WITH THE CAR BEFORE SPECIALIST CAME.
NHTSA ODI #856050
Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 1999
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH OR BE REAR ENDED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA ODI #849666
Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 1999
Power Train
WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO DRIVE THERE IS A REVING OF THE TACHOMETER SOMETIMES UP TO 4,000 RPM BEFORE THE SHIFT IS COMPLETED AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BANGING NOISE. *YC
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.
1998 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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