1992 Hyundai Sonata

Routine

Owners filed 22 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission4
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components3
100
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm2
000
Seat Belts2
001
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine2
000
Suspension › Front › Control Arm1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
000
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, and Connections1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc1
000
Seats1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts93V196000
Filed Nov 29, 1993100,000 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT CAN TRAVEL SLOWLY OR CHATTER IN THE TRACK AND MAY EVENTUALLY STOP TRACKING AND BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Risk. SLOWING, CHATTERING, OR FAILURE OF THE MOTORIZED SHOULDERBELT MAY DISCOURAGE USE OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURYIN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL LUBRICATE THE TRACK ASSEMBLY AND, IF ANY SYSTEMS ARE FOUND INOPERATIVE, THE SYSTEM WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED, AS REQUIRED.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (prndl)
Filed Jul 5, 200394,600 milesVA

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPAIR PLACE SAYS IT WAS A PREMATURE MECHANICAL FAILURE. POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE PARTS.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 29, 2000WA

WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD ENGAGE. HOWEVER, WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD DISENGAGE. *AK

Seats
Filed Jul 7, 1998PA

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S BASE CRACKED HORIZONTALLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS UNEXPECTEDLY, ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Apr 30, 1998CD

HOOD LATCH FAILED.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm
Filed Jun 17, 1997CA

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT OR ABOUT 25-35 MPH LOWER CONTROL ARM SHEERED ON DRIVER'S SIDE BEHIND THE BALL JOINT BENDING UPPER STRUT PULLING THE AXEL CLEAN OUT OF TRANSMISSION. CON NOT CONTACT THE MANF.

Seat Belts1 injured
Filed Jan 17, 1997NC

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE LOOSE FROM TRACK DURING COLLISION, RESULTING IN INJURY/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage1 injured
Filed Jan 9, 1997NC

UPON IMPACT SEATBELT SEPARATED FROM TRACK/ANCHOR, CAUSING INJURY.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash
Filed Dec 10, 1996UT

BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED AT 30 MPH, RESULTING IN A CRASH DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Oct 10, 1996IL

PURCHASED CAR USED, WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY MAKE NOISE . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, and Connections
Filed May 8, 1996VA

FLUID LEAKS DEVELOPED IN POWER STEERING UNIT, CAUSING IT TO CRACK. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Nov 1, 1995CA

CONTINUOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS AFTER SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS. *SD

Interior Lighting
Filed Sep 22, 1995MN

DOME LIGHT FAILED.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 27, 1995MD

AUTO-TRANSMISSION WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR. SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED (3) TIMES WITH FOURTH EXPERIENCING SAME FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 1995TX

TRANSMISSION PULSE GENERATOR FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO DOWNSHIFT HARD WHILE DRIVING, JERK HARD WHEN ACCELERATING. *SD

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 24, 1995TX

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS VIOLENTLY, THEN SHIFTS BACK INTO HIGHER GEAR WITH A VIOLENT JERK, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. *DSH

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 1, 1995MA

TIMING BELT BROKE, HAD TO HAVE ENGINE REBUILT. TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 1, 1995NY

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SKD

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm
Filed Apr 5, 1995NY

VEHICLES RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING ON 10-15-93 AND 3-30-95. TT

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm
Filed Mar 31, 1995NY

RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKED IN HALF, RESULTED IN HARD CONTROL, REPLACE LOWER CONTROL ARM TWICE. TT

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Mar 28, 1995NY

REAR LEFT DOOR POWER LOCKS JAMS/STICKS AFTER LOCKING; POWER LOCKS INOPERATIVE ON THE OTHER DOORS. TT

20 of 22 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2011
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20263100Routine
202516000Routine
202446100Routine
202386200Routine
202292300Routine
2021131400Routine
2020178410Routine
2019161060Routine
20183721131Fatalities reported
20177633111Fatalities reported
20167256281Fatalities reported
20151,1449482Do not drive
20147457400High concern
20131,9099971Fatalities reported
20121,5568951Fatalities reported
20113,376141123Fatalities reported
2010345232Fatalities reported
20094602110Above average
20084255110Above average
2007696760Above average
20061,0471191Fatalities reported
2005165120Routine
2004202120Above average
2003199620Routine
2002319740Above average
2001205300Above average
2000276490Above average
1999124430Routine
199849100Routine
199749211Fatalities reported
199623101Fatalities reported
199566210Routine
19943100Routine
199326100Routine
1992 — this page22100Routine
199129160Routine
199016300Routine

Compare every Sonata year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 29, 1993. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.