1993 Hyundai Sonata

Routine

Owners filed 26 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 Transmission6
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline3
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine3
000
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Pump1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
101
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor1
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
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jun 24, 2005CA

DT: JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED AND IT STARTED SMOKING. ALSO, FLUID WAS COMING OUT OF IT, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO BROTHER'S HOUSE. DEALER HASDNOT LOOKED AT VEHICLE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 19, 2001NY

THE ENGINE SMOKES ON START UP AND THE LIFTERS RATTLE AND KNOCK WAS IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FOR MONTHS. EVERY 850+ MILES BURNS A QUART OF OIL WAS TOLD THAT THE WAY THAT ENGINE WORKS.THE CAR WAS KEPT FOR FOUR MONTHS AND CAME BACK THE SAME WAY.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Jan 26, 2001IL

ACTUALLY A QUESTION RE A CURRENT RECALL: 93V196000. I'M GETTING A RUNAROUND FROM HYUNDAI. THEY SAY MY VIN IS FOR A CANADIAN VEHICLE (?) AND SO THEY CAN'T ASSIST WITH THE SEAT BELT TRACKING PROBLEM. I WONDER IF THAT'S LEGITIMATE, OR BOGUS. PLEASE ADVISE VIA EMAIL. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Nov 6, 2000OH

BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED AT PURCHASE BECAUSE OF SLOW REACTION AND NOISE, TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON HILL IN 5 O'CLOCK TRAFFIC, VALVE SEALS REPLACED AFTER CAR CONTINUALLY BLEW SMOKE FROM BURNING THE OIL, CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AFTER FAILING TO WORK, FRONT CAM, LIFTERS AND A ROCKER REPLACED (NO IDEA IF THIS COULD BE A SAFTEY HAZARD OR NOT BUT IT IS UNUSUAL), POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED (MECHANIC SAID WAS IN POOR CONDITION AND WAS PITTED AND SUCH)CAR OVERHEATED SUDDENLY ONE DAY ON INTERSTATE-REPLACED WATER PUMP AND THE THERMOSTAT BUT APPARENTLY NEEDS A HEAD GASKET,FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW SLID DOWN BUT NOT UP ONE DAY AND IS PROPPED UP INSIDE PANEL WITH BOARDS REPAIRS TOTAL TO NEARLY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND I PAID SEVEN THOUSAND FOR THE CAR TWO YEARS AGO.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Oct 16, 2000OH

HAVE REPLACED TRANSMISSION, FRONT CAM, LIFTERS, ROCKER, TIMING BELT, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, POWER STEERING PUMP, VALVE SEALS, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, BRAKES. TO BE REPAIRED ENGINE-WISE: REAR CAM, DRIVE AXLES, CYLINDER HEADS OR HEAD GASKETS

Exterior Lighting › Turn Signal › Flasher Unit
Filed Sep 5, 2000VA

TOOK THE AUTOMOBILE INTO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A VEHICLE INSPECTION DONE. WHEN LEAVING DEALERSHIP NOTICED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS DID NOT WORK CIRCLED AROUND THE BLOCK AND DROVE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS WERE WORKING FINE WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN. MR. RAY MARSHALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SIGNALS WERE WORKING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND STATED THAT I COULD BRING THE AUTOMOBILE BACK ON TUESDAY 9/5/00.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 8, 1999TX

NO SUMMARY

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 28, 1999TX

PROBLEMS WITH CHANGING GEARS. WOULD GO 30MPH. WOULD GET NO SPEED. TRANSMISSION MADE GRINDING NOISE. BEEN TO DEALER & HAD MECHANIC CHANGE TRANSMISSION. THE 2ND TRANSMISSION WAS SAME AS FIRST. TOOK VEHICLE BACK & TRANSMISSION REPLACED ONCE AGAIN, 3 MONTHS LATER, TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. HAD VEHICLE TOWED HOME. FINALLY TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER & MECHANIC NOTICED THE MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Sep 26, 1999AL

AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND SPEEDS, THE CAR WILL SKIP AT TIMES. SOME TIMES IT SURGES VERY BAD AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON. OTHER TIMES THE CAR WILL MISS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. TECHNICANS AT DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIND TROUBLE CODE FROM CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO SOLVE PROBLEM. YOU MAY DRIVE 300 MILES WITH NO PROBLEM, AND THEN YOU MAY DRIVE 10 MILES AND IT SURGES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED, TUNED AND FILTERS CHANGED AND DOESN'T HELP THE PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID I WILL GET IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND STALL COMPLETELY, POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Aug 20, 1999NY

STARTER FAILED CAUSING DRIVER TO KEEP TURNING IGNITION KEY OFF AND ON TO GET VEHICLE TO START. NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 27, 1999NY

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL. NLM

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash1 injured
Filed May 21, 1999GA

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND BOTH FRONT BACK SEATS BROKE. DRIVER WAS INJURED. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, BUT PROVIDED NO HELP. *AK *ML

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 12, 1999NY

ENGINE TIMING BELT MALFUNCTIONED FOUR TIMES, CAUSING THE VALVES TO BEND AND ENGINE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 15, 1998MA

TRANSMISSION/RADIATOR/STARTER FAILED.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 28, 1998CA

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CAN'T DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK

Interior Lighting
Filed Jun 30, 1998OK

WHEN TURNING RIGHT WITH THE LIGHTS ON, THE SWITCH APPARENTLY SHORTS OUT ALL LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS APPLIED.

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Jun 27, 1998OK

4-SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 9, 1998MO

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Filed May 14, 1997WA

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLS IN THE FAST LANE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed May 8, 1997VA

CONSUMER SUSPECTS TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. IF VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON ROUGH SURFACE ROADS, BRAKES HAVE GIVEN AWAY A NUMBER OF TIMES. ON SMOOTH ROAD/RIDES BRAKES ARE FINE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN GUAM, WHERE PROBLEM BEGAN WHILE STILL UNDER WARRENTY. PROBLEM WAS RPORTED, BUTGAUM DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. FAIRFAX HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN VIRGINIA, WILL NOT TOUCH/NO WARRENTY, AND CLAIMS THAT THEY ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH GAUM DEALERSHIP. *AK

20 of 26 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
1993 — this page26100Routine
199222100Routine
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.