1997 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonata years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 27th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Hyundai Sonata. That ranks 27th out of 32 Sonata model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (16 complaints, 33%), typically at around 108,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 49owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Hyundai Sonata problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 16 | 33% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 18% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 16% | 36,059 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 14% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 10% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 10% | 91,234 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 118,468 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Hyundai Sonata recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: 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.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: 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.
Fix: Dealers will remove the contaminants from the windshield wiper motor circuit breaker contacts.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Failure/breakage of passenger side sun visor as addressed in hyundai tsb 09-01-003 nhtsa id:10028945 resulting in visor being unable to stay in position blocking visibility. *tr
After attempting to call hyundai, i am absolutely fed up with everything they are doing. I have "repaired" my vehicle on numerous occasions to no avail. After at least 5, definitely more, trips to the mechanic i have repaired the alternator twice, the idle air control valve, brakes, motor mounts…
1997 hyundai sonata has defective fuel tank. Leaking gas from the upper part of on the fuel tank. There was a recall on the tank in the year 2001..and my car was fixed, however it has reoccured (same problem). I took to dealer and they would not honor the recall, due to the fact it had already been…
Recall # 00v314001 1997 hyundai sonata i had called dealer to ask of recall they had informed me that this vehicle has been serviced for this problem three times. And they had said that it is out of warranty and they will not repair. My question is are they still responsible for the defect that has…
The power locks are defective, when placing the key into the lock the passenger lock would not open, when the consumer was inside the vehicle ,the locking device would not lift.
Other Hyundai Sonata years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sonata | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 Sonata | 17 | 0 |
| 2024 Sonata | 46 | 1 |
| 2023 Sonata | 87 | 2 |
| 2022 Sonata | 94 | 3 |
| 2021 Sonata | 134 | 4 |
| 2020 Sonata | 179 | 4 |
| 2019 Sonata | 162 | 0 |
| 2018 Sonata | 374 | 1 |
| 2017 Sonata | 765 | 3 |
| 2016 Sonata | 727 | 6 |
| 2015 Sonata | 1,151 | 9 |
| 2014 Sonata | 749 | 7 |
| 2013 Sonata | 1,915 | 9 |
| 2012 Sonata | 1,557 | 8 |
| 2011 Sonata | 3,377 | 14 |
| 2010 Sonata | 345 | 2 |
| 2009 Sonata | 460 | 2 |
| 2008 Sonata | 425 | 3 |
| 2007 Sonata | 696 | 5 |
| 2006 Sonata | 1,047 | 9 |
| 2005 Sonata | 165 | 1 |
| 2004 Sonata | 202 | 1 |
| 2003 Sonata | 199 | 6 |
| 2002 Sonata | 319 | 7 |
| 2001 Sonata | 205 | 3 |
| 2000 Sonata | 276 | 4 |
| 1999 Sonata | 124 | 4 |
| 1998 Sonata | 49 | 1 |
| 1997 | 49 | 2 |
| 1996 Sonata | 23 | 1 |
| 1995 Sonata | 66 | 2 |
See all Hyundai Sonata problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Hyundai Sonata?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, power train, air bags problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 16 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Hyundai Sonata?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Hyundai Sonata a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sonata model years, the 1997 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.