1997 Hyundai Sonata problems & reliability
49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Hyundai Sonata, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 16 | 33% |
| Power Train | 9 | 18% |
| Air Bags | 8 | 16% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 10% |
| Visibility | 5 | 10% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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”
Visibility · filed May 6, 2014
“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, done a transmission…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed May 31, 2011
“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 done. I also called…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jun 30, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
47 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Hyundai Sonata. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
23-BD-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2023
Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicleâ  s ownerâ  s manual. ï · Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. ï · Use…
21-AT-006H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2021
This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to…
21-EM-004H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 2021
This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.
21-BR-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 23, 2021
This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
21-EM-003H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2021
This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.
20-BR-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 30, 2020
This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the â Tire Balance Data Sheetâ must be fully completed including…
20-SS-004H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 19, 2020
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to moisture accumulation in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. The TSB illustrates the various causes of…
20-BD-014H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2020
This bulletin provides information on tire maintenance best practices and procedures for dealers and customers to maximize tire life and performance.
20-SS-002H(1) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 6, 2020
This bulletin describes the general guidelines to help disinfect and protect vehicle exterior/interior surfaces using recommended safe chemical products.
20-BD-007H-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Hyundai Sonata has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Hyundai Sonata?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.