Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Hyundai Sonata, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train12
- Fuel system, gasoline10
- Visibility9
- Latches/locks/linkages7
- Air bags6
- Electrical system4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Steering2
- Unknown or other2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the United Kingdom
0 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 10 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
16 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 11.0–13.0 L/100 km (about 18–21 mpg US), CO₂ 253–299 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata 2.0L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 12.5 | 9.3 | 11.0 |
| Sonata 2.0L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.1 | 9.4 | 11.4 |
| Sonata 3.0L · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 15.1 | 10.5 | 13.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1998 Hyundai Sonata.
| 2001081 5 Apr 2001 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the evaporative emission control systems may apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tank during the canister purge cycle if the two-way valve f… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 1998 Hyundai Sonata: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633884 | SUBJECT REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE FOR CLIFFORD AND DEI SECURITY SYSTEM. *JG |
| 631997 | INFORMATION ON EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION. *SLC |
| 604210 | SUBJECT ON AIRBAG REPAIR KIT PART NUMBERS. *TT |
| 604012 | SUBJECT ON EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CODES DIAGNOSIS ON SOME VEHICLES. *YC |
| 604011 | INFORMATION ON FUEL INJECTOR CONFIGURATION. *YC |
| 601635 | SHOP MANUAL ON DOHC SPARK PLUG WIRE ROUTING. *YC |
| 601634 | SPECIFICATION ON REAR BRAKE DISC MINIMUM THICKNESS. *YC |
| 601628 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A WIND NOISE IN THE AREA AROUND THE RIGHT |
| 601623 | VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH 3-2 DOWNSHIFT. *YC |
| 601621 | INSTALLATION PROCEDURES ON WOOD INTERIOR TRIM. *YC |
| 54161 | PROVIDED PROCEDURES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A BLOCK HEATER. *YC |
| 54113 | SHOP MANUAL CORRECTION ON CYLINDER HEAD BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *YC |
| 10230904 | 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 condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation. |
| 10217258 | Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale. This limit is the lesser of 1.5% of GVWR or 100 pounds. If the total added weight exceeds the lesser of the limit, a label must be added to the driver-side B-pillar within 25mm (1 inch) of the original tire placard. |
| 10217251 | Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement. |
| 10196546 | Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicles owners manual. Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. Use of other DCT and IVT gear oil may result in reduced durability. Hyundai does not approve the use of any aftermarket ATF or gear oil additives. |
| 10190044 | 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 determine next required steps. |
| 10190038 | This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures. |
| 10189989 | This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below. |
| 10183963 | This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area. |
| 10183960 | This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the Tire Balance Data Sheet must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. The Data Sheet can be found at the end of this bulletin. |
| 10178175 | 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 condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes, or during normal driving operation. |
| 10176182 | This bulletin provides information on tire maintenance best practices and procedures for dealers and customers to maximize tire life and performance. |
| 10176178 | This bulletin describes the general guidelines to help disinfect and protect vehicle exterior/interior surfaces using recommended safe chemical products. |
| 10174808 | This bulletin provides information on identifying dealer stock vehicles with either: A Battery SOC alert - low Battery State of Charge (SOC) at or below 50%. A 30 Day alert - vehicle has not started and reported an SOC in 30 days. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)