2017 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonata years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 765 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Sonata. That ranks 6th out of 32 Sonata model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (384 complaints, 50%), typically at around 74,400 miles. Complaints mention 28 crashes, 11 fires, 12 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 765owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 28complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 384 | 50% | 74,400 | “oil consumption” (21%) | $4,500 |
| Steering problems | 173 | 23% | 53,000 | “steering wheel locked” (18%) | $2,350 |
| Unknown or Other | 102 | 13% | 54,490 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 65 | 8% | 24,598 | — | — |
| Power Train problems | 56 | 7% | 43,000 | “excessive oil” (14%) | — |
| Structure | 37 | 5% | 51,700 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 33 | 4% | 66,800 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 22 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 20 | 3% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 20 | 3% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 3% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 2% | 92,379 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 17 | 2% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 1% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 0% | 18,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 94,750 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 350 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 25,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Hyundai Sonata recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:software; exterior lighting:turn signal
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
Risk: A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA25005) — opened Oct 21, 2025, still open.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Electrical overstress (EA19001) — opened Apr 19, 2019, closed Sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V024.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I had my engine replaced under the Theta Engine lawsuit and I was due for the 9C2 service campaign and it was installed...ever since I picked up my car it shifts weird between 1st and 2nd. I brought it back to a different Hyundai dealer as the warranty work was done at another location and they…
I am reporting an unaddressed, critical safety defect involving the Theta II engine in my 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The engine has developed a severe internal metallic knocking noise consistent with connecting rod bearing failureâthe exact manufacturing defect associated with Hyundai's major engine…
I was driving down the road when my sunroof glass completely ripped away from the top and flew off. The glass is gone but the frame is still there but bent. I took it to a auto glass repair shop that stated "sunroof glass separated from urethane, came off and bent frame." I am dropping off at…
The vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic internal mechanical engine failure out of nowhere without any warning lights or previous symptoms. An inspection of the engine cylinder revealed a physical hole blown through the top of the Cylinder 2 piston, causing immediate and complete loss of engine…
We had a recall done, Campaign 92C, and every since then the car drives horrible. It's worse when cool, it sputters, and hesitates especially when excellerating. Even after warmed up it seems to slam in and out of gear at low speeds, even when foot is not on the gas. The drive is choppy. The…
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 | 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 Sonata | 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 2017 Hyundai Sonata?
Owners most often report engine, steering, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 384 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Hyundai Sonata?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 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 2017 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.