12 of the 68 complaints about the 1998 Hyundai Sonata are about the transmission — 18% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 42,000 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING OUT OF MY PARKING LOT, TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FELL OFF OF MY VEHICLE. ONE LOOKED LIKE A BELT AND THE OTHER A SMALL DRUM. MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION AND I WAS FORCED TO COAST INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE LOT.
NHTSA complaint #10152507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1998 HYUNDAI SONATA 4 CYLINDER WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. REPEATEDLY WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS LIKE FREEWAY MERGE. ONLY WAY TO ENGAGE DRIVE AGAIN WAS TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RE-SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION HAD TO FIND WAY OFF ROAD AND SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTART IN ORDER TO GET INTO GEAR. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX AND STATED ALL WERE LIKE THIS. COULD HAVE KILLED ME. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE EVEN WHEN REPORTED UNDER THE FULL WARRANTY. UNPREDICTABLE. INCIDENT COUND APPROXIMATE. DATE APPROXIMATE
NHTSA complaint #10127878 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FOLLOW UP TO COMPLAINT #10102430, PASENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE, AFTER REMOVING INSIDE DOOR PANEL FISHED OUT A BROKEN SPRING RUSTED THROUGH, WAS ABLE TO REPAIR WITH $.50 SPRING FROM LOCAL HARDWARE STORE, CHECKED DRIVERS SIDE AND FOUND SAME SPRING ABOUT TO RUST THROUGH, IF HYUNDAI USED STAINLESS SPRING WOULD HAVE PREVENTED PROBLEM, FELL SORRY FOR THAT PERSON TRYING TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP AT A EMERGENCY ROOM ENTRANCE WHEN DOOR WON,T OPEN, TRANSMISSION ALSO GOES OUT OF GEAR WHEN AFTER SLOWING FOR EZ PASS THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10104805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WITH 39,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #10045382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED FROM BUDGET CAR SALES, LESS THAN 3 MONTHS THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, EARNHARDTS REPLACED WITH A SO CALLED REBUILT ONE, LESS THAN TWO YEARS ON THIS TRANSMISSION AND IT WENT OUT. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST FAILURE THE MILAGE WAS ABOUT 27,700, WHEN EARNHARDT'S REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THEY DID IT WITH A REBUILT ONE. THE SERVICE AGENT SAID AT THE TIME THAT I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT THE GUARANTEE WOULD BE 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES AND WHEN IT WENT OUT IT HAD AROUND 42,200 MILES ON IT. WHEN I HAD THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED, THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN. SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO COTTMANS TRANSMISSION IN MESA, AZ. WHERE IT SITS BECAUSE I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO THIS TRANSMISSION. IT IS A FAULTY REBUILT TRANSMISSION THAT WAS PUT INTO THE CAR. I FEEL I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A LOUSY REBUILT ONE ANYWAY. ACCORDING TO THE TSB'S THERE HAVE BEEN THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS LISTED ON THE TRANSMISSION AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM HYUNDAI. THERE WAS NO NOTIFICATION FROM THEM AT ALL. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND I AM A SINGLE MOM. I NEED THIS CAR FOR WORK. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I HADN'T EVEN OWNED THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 YRS. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT NEEDS A 3RD TRANSMISSION. THERE DEFINITELY IS A PROBLEM AND HYUNDAI AND EARNHARDT DOESN'T WANT; TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BUT YET THEY WANT TO TAKE MY MONEY FOR WHICH I DON'T HAVE. I CAN'T EVEN FIND A CONSUMER ADDRESS FOR THEM ON THE INTERNET. THANK-YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS.
NHTSA complaint #747179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION BOTH TIMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. 1ST TIME UNDER WARRANTY, THIS TIME IT'S NOT AND APPARENTLY IT IS OKAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER BEING REPLACED, BRAKES WERE SERVICED AND FIXED, WINDOWS FIXED NOT UNDER WARRANTY,ALSO MY GAS COVER BECAME LOOSE & FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE STRIP ON MY DOOR IS COMING OFF
NHTSA complaint #732524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR GETTING JAMMED IN THE PARKING GEAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM SINCE AUGUST OF 1999. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #865077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER WITH NO FRONT BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION THAT FAILD THE NEXT DAY.
NHTSA complaint #718678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH OR BE REAR ENDED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #849666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO DRIVE THERE IS A REVING OF THE TACHOMETER SOMETIMES UP TO 4,000 RPM BEFORE THE SHIFT IS COMPLETED AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BANGING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #548505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN, ALMOST RESULTING IN POSSIBLE COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #546098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE COMING TO A STOP SIGN, WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNIG, THE TRANMISSION DROPS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO GO FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD GO IN REVERSE. ALSO, BRAKES ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN CONSUMER LETS HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKES THERE IS A SQEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BELT.
NHTSA complaint #835911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.