Car Problem DataNHTSA records

1994 Hyundai Sonata

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seats1
000
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
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
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Apr 11, 1996MT

THE DRIVIER SIDE SEAT RETRACTOR SOMETIMES DOESN'T RETRACT, SOMETIMES THE RETRACTOR LOCK YOU IN. *AK CONSUMER STATES BELT LOCKS SO HARD ONE CAN NOT MOVE. POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED, HARD TO TURN AND NOISY. DOOR WINDOW WOULD NOT COME UP INTERMITTENTLY, WINDOW SWITCH WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOVES WHILE DRIVING. ANTENNA WOULD NOT GO UP ALL THE WAY. *SLC

Seats
Filed Dec 1, 1995NC

BOTH FRONT SEAT RAILS ARE WEAKENING ALLOWING SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jun 6, 1995MD

OIL IS DISAPPEARING WITH CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR MONTHS TRYING TO DETECT CAUSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

3 of 3 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
1994 — this page3100Routine
199326100Routine
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.