Model year record

1998 Hyundai Sonata recalls & problems

The 1998 Hyundai Sonata has 1 safety recall and 49 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (12 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints49filed by owners

Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths3 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Fuel system, gasolineOct 2, 2000

Storage › Tank assembly

Recall 00V31400166,086 vehicles

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.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

1998 Hyundai Sonata 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Sonata

21mpg combined

City / highway	19 / 25 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel

Sonata

20mpg combined

City / highway	18 / 25 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,350/year to fuel

Sonata

18mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 22 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (prndl)	12	0	0	42,000 mi
Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly; Delivery › Fuel pump	12	0	0	108,000 mi
VisibilityPower window devices and controls; Glass, side/rear	10	0	0	—
Latches/locks/linkagesDoors › Latch	7	0	0	90,000 mi
Air bagsFrontal	6	3	3	—
Engine and engine coolingEngine; Engine › Gasoline	4	0	0	—
Electrical system	4	0	0	62,500 mi
Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components; Foundation components › Disc	3	0	0	—
Unknown or other	2	0	0	—
SteeringGear box › Shaft pitman; Rack and pinion › Rack	2	0	0	—
StructureBody › Door	2	0	0	—
EquipmentAppliance › Air conditioner	1	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
I BOUGHT MY HYUNDAI IN 2004. MY 1998 HYUNDAI SONATA VEHICLE DRIVER AND PASSENGER INTERIOR PART OF DOORS ARE STUCK. I HAD THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR REPAIRED THE SAME YEAR. IT STUCK AGAIN IN 2006 AND HAS BEEN THAT WAY TO THIS DAY. MY PROBLEM NOW IS THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS NOW STUCK AS OF JULY 10 2010. I CANNOT AFFORD REPAIRS AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THE CAR JUST CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010 AND HOPEFULLY I CAN AFFORD THE REPAIRS TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN. I MUST CLIMB OVER THE SEAT TO THE BACK AND GO OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR IS NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF THE LATCH (THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK) AND I HAVE REPLACED ALL OF THEM AT ONE POINT. THEY ARE…
Aug 14, 2004 · 281,884 miles
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
CRACK IN GAS TANK DISCOVERED AFTER SEVERAL REMOVALS OF TANK TO REPLACE HOSES, THEN CLAMPS. REPLACED 1998 TANK WITH USED TANK FROM 1996 MODEL. WITHIN 3 MONTH REPLACEMENT TANK WAS LEAKING FROM CRACK IN SAME AREA AS BEFORE. DISCOVERED RECALL ON THIS MODEL AND TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALER. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL DUE TO SERVICE PERFORMED IN 2006 WHERE THEY (SUPPOSEDLY) ADDED CHECK VALVE TO PREVENT GAS TANK CRACKS FROM DEVELOPING. APPEALS TO REGIONAL AND NATIONAL HYUNDAI OFFICES WERE ALSO REJECTED. DEALER SENT ME AWAY WITH SERIOUSLY LEAKING / DANGEROUS TANK. *TR
Nov 28, 2007 · 120,000 miles
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS AND NOTICED A GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. RECALL # 00V314001 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) WAS FOUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FELT THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE GAS TANK AS STATED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.
Jun 7, 2007 · 117,000 miles
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
WE PURCHASED A USED 1998 SONATA GL FOR MY DAUGHTER IN MAY 2006. IN ABOUT JULY 2006 SHE NOTICED THAT SHE SEEMED TO BE USING MORE FUEL THAN USUAL. ALSO THAT HER AND HER FRIENDS NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. CHECKING UNDER THE VEHICLE I NOTICE THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS WET ON THE DRIVERS SIDE NEAR THE REAR TIRE AND SMELLED OF GASOLINE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC UPON REMOVING THE TANK NOTED THAT ON THE TOP LEFT OF THE TANK (IF YOU WERE FACING THE REAR OF THE CAR) HAD BEEN PATCHED PREVIOUSLY WITH SOME KIND OF EPOXY. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS REPAIR WAS DONE. HE ATTEMPTED AGAIN TO REPAIR IT WITH EPOXY, THIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE THEN REPLACED THE TANK WITH A USED FUEL TANK…
Jul 31, 2006 · 99,000 miles
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT FUNCTIONAL AND THAT THE THE OBD TO THE SYSTEM IS NOT COMMUNICATING. DUE TO THIS THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM IS NOT READY. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT CONFORMING TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND CANNOT PASS EMISSIONS.
May 1, 2006 · 80,000 miles
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. *JB
Mar 12, 2006 · 42,000 miles
Seats
CONSUMER LETTER REQUESTING ALL INFORMATION, INVESTIGATIONS AND RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE 1998 SONATA OR THE Y3 SEAT. *TS *NM
Jan 1, 1901
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
DT: THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE. CALLER HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO GET THE DOOR OPENED. FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS THE HANDLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK IN IT, AND NOW THE HANDLE HAD 4 CRACKS. IT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN THE LATCH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURERR HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. ALSO CALLER HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 OF THE WINDOW ROLLWERS. *AK
Jan 8, 2005 · 70,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.