FaultScore report
Owners have filed 41 complaints about the 1991 Hyundai Sonata with NHTSA between 1995 and 2003. The largest single group is the seat belts.
41
Complaints
3
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 3 fires
0 crashes, 2 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURES
PASS.RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAIL
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
SEAT BELTS
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.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
AIR BAGS
LTR EXPRESSING HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE WAY NHTSA PROCESSED HIS PETITION FOR A HEARING...*MR THE CONSUMER SENT A PETITION FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS. *TS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THREE TIMES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10037941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM CAR, TURNED OFF IGNITION, RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT TURN. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OWNER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT FIRE, BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE VEHCLE IS BEING REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #822236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ALL OVER EXHAUST SYSTEM CREATING SMOKE AND SMALL FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #484760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION STUCK IN START POSITION, CAUSING STARTER TO BURN OUT/CATCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #508020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR CAUGHT FIRE AT A COMPLETE STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #986216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY, ACCELERATOR STUCK; TRIED TO STOP; LOST CONTROL; SPUNOUT 6 TIMES; LURCHED BACKWARDS/FORWARDS ACROSS HIGHWAY; HIT 2 TREES; SPEED 80 MP.
NHTSA complaint #982629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
AIR BAGS
LTR EXPRESSING HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE WAY NHTSA PROCESSED HIS PETITION FOR A HEARING...*MR THE CONSUMER SENT A PETITION FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS. *TS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THREE TIMES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10037941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
RECALL 93 V 196 000/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELTS: SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAS STOP TRACKING AND BECAME INOPERATIVE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8005952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
INTERIOR SYSTEM PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELTS FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL NO #93V196000.
NHTSA complaint #784120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED 3 TIMES SINCE OWNERSHIP! TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, CONDITION WORSENS WITH COLD WEATHER.
NHTSA complaint #723582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN, AND KEEP CHANGING INTO DIFFERENT GEARS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK.
NHTSA complaint #835741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. ALSO, ENGINE/TRANSMISSION LEAK. CONSUMER HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS EVERY SINCE DAY ONE.
NHTSA complaint #831031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. ALSO, ENGINE/TRANSMISSION LEAK. CONSUMER HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS EVERY SINCE DAY ONE.
NHTSA complaint #831031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. ALSO, ENGINE/TRANSMISSION LEAK. CONSUMER HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS EVERY SINCE DAY ONE.
NHTSA complaint #831031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM CAR, TURNED OFF IGNITION, RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT TURN. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OWNER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT FIRE, BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE VEHCLE IS BEING REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #822236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER FAILED TWICE/REPLACED DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW.
NHTSA complaint #533329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PREMATURE WEAR OF PISTON RINGS, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #519096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
STEERING RACK FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #519096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ALL OVER EXHAUST SYSTEM CREATING SMOKE AND SMALL FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #484760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #514433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER HAD IT LUBRICATED UNDER RECALL, BUT STILL NOT WORKING, RECEIVED RECALL LETTER # 93V196000 . PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #805356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER CABLE LOOSE, CAUSING SPEEDOMETER TO FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
MOTORBELT STUCK IN TRACK, CAUSING MOTOR TO BURN OUT.
NHTSA complaint #508020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN RUSTY, CAUSING IT TO LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION STUCK IN START POSITION, CAUSING STARTER TO BURN OUT/CATCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #508020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CONVERTER HANGER FELL APART.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #503208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.