1996 Hyundai Sonata

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 23 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine › gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline4
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Air Bags3
000
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Suspension › Front1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000
Power Train › Manual Transmission1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor97V026000
Filed Feb 26, 199774,965 vehiclesHyundai Motor America

Defect. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.

Risk. THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags1 killed
Filed Apr 10, 2002MO

A CONSUMER?S FIVE YEAR STEP DAUGHTER WAS KILLED BY THE AIR BAG THAT DEPLOYED IN A 5 MPH COLLISION ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE, THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN IN BY CLARENCE DITLOW, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, 202-328-7700, 1825 CONNECTICUT AVE NW, STE 330, WASHINGTON, DC 20009. *YH

Air Bags
Filed Mar 21, 2002IN

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 23, 2001GA

MY ENGINE QUITE AT A LIGHT. THERE WAS NO WARNING, THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE. IT HAD BEEN ABOUT 4,000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE. *AK

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Feb 5, 2001CT

CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR RECALL REPAIR 97V-026 FOR THE INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jan 2, 2001VA

DOOR LOCK WOULD KEEP LOCKING ON ITS OWN. WHEN EITHER IN OR OUT OF VEHICLE LOCKS WOULD EITHER KEEP DRIVER/PASSENGER IN/OR LOCKED OUT. HAD DOOR LOCKS REPAIRED 5 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM KEEPS REAPPEARING. MECHANIC INDICATED TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S NOT RESOLVED. DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 27, 2000GA

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH TRANSMISSION STOPPED CHANGING GEARS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DECELERATE, AND LOSING ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION. ALSO, HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR. *AK AXLE BROKE , DEFROST MALFUNCTIONS AND CASSETTE PLAYER FAILED. *YH

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jun 5, 2000CA

CAR WANTS TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFIC LIGHT .NEW TRANSMISSION IN CAR . PROBLEM STILL APPEARS.*AK

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Oct 21, 1999KS

THE POWER-STEERING PUMP S LEAKING DOWN INTO THE ALTERNATOR, AND SHORTING IT OUT. DEALER LOOKED AT IT THREE TIMES AND REPLACED THE HIGH PSI LINE GOING INTO THE PUMP, AS WELL AS THE CRUSH WASHERS. THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED. THE THIRD TIME THEY REPLACED THE HIGH PSI LINE AGAIN, AND IT OCCURRED THREE MORE TIMES AND THEY TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEREFORE WE HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR THREE MORE TIMES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I, THE OWNER, BUILT A GUARD OVER THE ALTERNATOR TO PREVENT THE FLUID FROM LEAKING INTO THE ALTERNATOR. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS, BUT IT TOOK THE ENGINEERING OF MYSELF TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Oct 19, 1999PA

VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO AUTO REPAIR CENTER FOR THE SAME REOCCURRING PROBLEM AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT TIMES. CAR CUTS OFF AT CRUISE SPEEDS CAR/ BUCKS AND RESTARTS, CAR DIES WHEN YOU TURN CORNERS AT LOW SPEEDS AND YOU MUST PUT CAR IN NUTREL TO RESTART. *AK

Air Bags
Filed Oct 8, 1998IL

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON. ONE OF THE AIR BAGS WAS REPLACED, BUT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. THE VEHICLE WILL BE SERVICED THE 4TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Sep 22, 1998PA

AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR FAILED.

Structure › Body
Filed Sep 8, 1998FL

WATER LEAKS FROM UNDERHOOD INTO THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 25, 1998CA

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE SHIMMIES AND SHAKES . THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 21, 1998SC

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights
Filed Aug 21, 1998SC

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH RIGHT TAIL LIGHT FAILURE. BULB WOULD LAST EIGHT MONTH OR LESS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACING BULB AT THE COST TO CONSUMER.*AK

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Aug 21, 1998SC

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED BATTERY BLOWING UP WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WAS IDLING. CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THE BATTERY IN PIECES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Suspension › Front
Filed Aug 21, 1998SC

VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING. AS SOON AS CONSUMER SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO VIBRATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Aug 21, 1998SC

VEHICLE WOULD STALL EVERY TIME A/C IS USED. DEALER NOTIFIED AND THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 29, 1998TX

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWO TIMES.

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Jan 6, 1998TX

TRANSMISSION, BRAKE, ENGINE, AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE.

20 of 23 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
1996 — this page23101Fatalities reported
199566210Routine
19943100Routine
199326100Routine
199222100Routine
199129160Routine
199016300Routine

Compare every Sonata year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

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: Feb 26, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.