1996 Hyundai Sonata — Known Issues & Recalls

An airbag deployed during a 5 mph collision and resulted in a fatality. The consumer believes the airbag was defective. This complaint was filed on behalf of the consumer by the Center for Auto Safety.

Your airbag warning light appeared on the dashboard without any warning while you were driving on the highway. The dealership is aware of this issue. This indicates a problem with your airbag system that needs to be diagnosed and repaired.

Your airbag warning light keeps turning on even after your vehicle has been serviced multiple times over the past year. One airbag was already replaced, but the warning light continues to appear, and you're scheduled for another service visit to address the same issue. The problem likely involves a faulty airbag sensor, wiring connection, or a remaining defective airbag module that needs to be diagnosed and replaced.

Your engine suddenly quit while you were stopped at a traffic light, with no warning signs beforehand. The car had been running normally up until that point, and it had been about 4,000 miles since your last oil change. The fix may involve diagnosing the ignition, fuel system, or engine components to determine why the engine stalled.

Your car keeps stalling repeatedly—it cuts off while driving at highway speeds, bucks and restarts on its own, and dies when turning corners at low speeds (requiring you to shift to neutral to restart it). This problem has returned at least 10 times despite multiple repair attempts. The issue likely involves the fuel or ignition system and may require diagnostic testing to identify why the engine is losing power under these specific conditions.

Water is leaking from under the hood into the inside of your vehicle, but the exact source hasn't been identified. This moisture can damage interior components and create mold or electrical problems if not addressed. The repair will likely involve inspecting the engine bay seals, weatherstripping, and drainage paths to locate and seal the leak source.

Your front passenger door handle broke. You may have difficulty opening the passenger door from the outside.

Your headlights blink on and off unexpectedly even though the car is functioning normally. This issue has been happening since the vehicle was new. The headlights may blink while driving or parked, which could be a wiring or electrical control module problem.

Your right tail light keeps burning out — the bulb fails every eight months or less. The dealer has been notified but is charging you to replace the bulb each time. The issue likely involves either a faulty bulb socket, corroded wiring connections, or an electrical problem causing the bulb to burn out prematurely.

While your car was idling and you were sitting in it, the battery suddenly exploded with a loud noise. When you checked under the hood, you found the battery had broken apart into pieces. This is a serious safety concern that should be reported to your dealer immediately.

Your car's door locks keep engaging on their own, sometimes trapping you inside the vehicle or locking you out unexpectedly. You've had the door locks repaired five times, but the problem keeps returning. The fix will likely involve inspecting and replacing the door lock actuators or the locking mechanism linkage to resolve the recurring issue.

While driving on the highway at 65 mph, your transmission stopped shifting gears, causing the vehicle to lose power and slow down dramatically. The dealer replaced the transmission, but you're also experiencing problems with the starter and alternator. Additionally, you've had issues with a broken axle, a malfunctioning defroster, and a failed cassette player. These issues may require replacement of the transmission, starter, alternator, axle, and defroster components.

Your car lurches forward unexpectedly when you're stopped at a traffic light, even though you recently had a new transmission installed. This suggests the problem may not be related to the transmission itself. The issue likely involves the engine's idle control or throttle system and should be diagnosed to prevent unintended forward movement.

Your power steering pump is leaking fluid down onto the alternator, causing it to short out and fail. The dealer replaced the high-pressure line and crush washers multiple times, but the leak kept returning. After the warranty expired, the dealer said they couldn't help, so you've had to replace the alternator three times and install a protective guard yourself to finally stop the problem.

When you apply the brakes, your car shakes and shimmers instead of stopping smoothly. The dealer has tried to fix it but hasn't been able to solve the problem. This vibration during braking suggests an issue with your brake system that needs attention.

Your car stalls whenever you turn on the air conditioning. The dealer has been notified but hasn't been able to fix the problem yet. This issue likely involves the engine's idle control system or fuel delivery when the A/C compressor engages.

Your front passenger door handle broke. You may have difficulty opening the passenger door from the outside.

Your air conditioning compressor has failed, which means your AC system won't work properly and your car won't cool down inside. You'll need to have the compressor replaced or repaired to restore air conditioning function.

Your check engine light keeps turning on and off intermittently. You've taken the car to the dealer multiple times, but they haven't been able to figure out what's causing it. This type of problem usually requires diagnostic scanning to identify the underlying issue.

Your car vibrates noticeably while driving, and the problem starts immediately when you shift from Park into Drive. The vibration is persistent during normal driving conditions. The dealer has been notified of the issue and may need to inspect suspension components for wear or damage.