2017 Hyundai Sonata: Reliability Data

964
Total Complaints
53,900mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
46
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

20,000 25th Percentile
53,900 Median Mileage
80,550 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
364
Steering
170
Unknown Or Other
98
Electrical System
59
Power Train
52
Body
36
Fuel/Propulsion System
31
Air Bags
21
Service Brakes
20
Exterior Lighting
19

Severity Assessment

46
Crashes
16
Fires
18
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I PURCHASED BRAND NEW HYUNDAI SONATA 2017 SE. IT TOOK ME SEVERALS DAYS TO REALIZE THAT THE CAR IS WANDERING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT'S NOT ME. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE CAR DRIVING STRAIGHT. IT'S MORE APPARENT AT SPEEDS OVER 50MPH. AT 70MPH YOU MUST PAY 100% ATTENTION TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND CONTIN..."
"WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD COME TO A STOP AT THE STOP LIGHT. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN I BEGAN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN AT A FEW MILES AN HOUR MY ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV TO ABOUT 4500 RPM. IT DIED DOWN QUICKLY. I THEN ..."
"WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD COME TO A STOP AT THE STOP LIGHT. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN I BEGAN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN AT A FEW MILES AN HOUR MY ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV TO ABOUT 4500 RPM. IT DIED DOWN QUICKLY. I THEN ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Engine 364 complaints
25th: 40,000 mi Median: 74,400 mi 75th: 108,542 mi
Steering 170 complaints
25th: 22,437 mi Median: 51,500 mi 75th: 71,793 mi
Unknown Or Other 98 complaints
25th: 23,348 mi Median: 54,490 mi 75th: 67,000 mi
Electrical System 59 complaints
25th: 3,400 mi Median: 24,598 mi 75th: 49,560 mi
Power Train 52 complaints
25th: 16,528 mi Median: 37,500 mi 75th: 66,250 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 127 FL: 114 TX: 96 VA: 45 OH: 37 IL: 37 GA: 37 NY: 35 NC: 35 NJ: 32

Who Files Complaints?

0.8%
Original Owners
99.2%
Second+ Owners

Hyundai Sonata — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
1990250
1991413
1992431
1993461
19959317
1996370
1997746
1998683
199918725
200037822
200129334
200240750
200324728
200428536
200521744
2006142255
200790545
200855424
200961029
201041523
20114582194
2012225486
20132602138
2014106148
2015161160
201696037
201851926
201918211
20202368
202115611
202212314
202313012
2024613

Active Recalls (3)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Inflator Module
Campaign 16V956000 | 30/12/2016
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
Turn Signal
Campaign 21V749000 | 24/09/2021
A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
Latch
Campaign 21V619000 | 06/08/2021
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Extend Your Engine Life

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
  • Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
  • Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
  • Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
  • Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
  • Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage

Compare Hyundai Sonata

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28