The 1990 Hyundai Sonata has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 182,951 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS93V1960001993-11-29100,000 affected
Defect
THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT CAN TRAVEL SLOWLY OR CHATTER IN THE TRACK AND MAY EVENTUALLY STOP TRACKING AND BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence
SLOWING, CHATTERING, OR FAILURE OF THE MOTORIZED SHOULDERBELT MAY DISCOURAGE USE OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURYIN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL LUBRICATE THE TRACK ASSEMBLY AND, IF ANY SYSTEMS ARE FOUND INOPERATIVE, THE SYSTEM WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED, AS REQUIRED.
INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE COULD CAUSE THE SAFETY CATCH ON THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH STRIKER TO BIND.
Consequence
IF PRIMARY LATCH IS RELEASED OR IF HOOD IS NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED, HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS WOULD BLOCK DRIVER'S VISION AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
REPLACE HOOD LATCH STRIKER ASSEMBLY.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING90V0370001990-02-2143,590 affected
Defect
THE SPRING CLAMP TANGS ON THE COOLANT BYPASS HOSE MAY CONTACT AND POSSIBLY DAMAGE THE ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE.
Consequence
FUEL COULD LEAK FROM THE DAMAGED HOSE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
ROTATE SPRING CLAMP TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH FUEL HOSE; REPLACE DAMAGED HOSES.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
2
SEAT BELTS
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
1
INTERIOR LIGHTING
1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
1
Total complaints25
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“When making a stop consumer applied force to the brake pedal and the vehicle jumped forward. *ak”
“The driver's side door is the only door that can be opened from the outside and cannot lock the doors with the key. The rear window on the driver's side is the only window working. *ak”
“The driver's side door is the only door that can be opened from the outside and cannot lock the doors with the key. The rear window on the driver's side is the only window working. *ak”
“Parking brake failure while parked, vehicle rolled backwards. Tt”
“Transmission; car run 100 to 200 miles car break down car been in shop about 240 times. Tt”
“No interlock system, grandson sear in front passengers seat reached over and shifted into neutral, vehicle rolledout into street into a neighbors yard. *ak”
“I purchased this vehicle new. Through less than seven years this vehicle has needed three transmissions. I have not replaced the most recent transmission because the cost of the new transmission is more than the value of the car.”
“Shoulder belt on both sides broke.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE93061 Opened 1993-07-08 · closed 1993-11-30
PASS.RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAIL
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE94043 Opened 1994-05-27 · closed 1994-10-31
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1990 Hyundai Sonata as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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