1990 Hyundai Sonata
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Hyundai › Sonata › 1990
These records cover every 1990 Hyundai Sonata. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
3 recalls name the 1990 Hyundai Sonata. Newest first.
The motorized shoulder belt can travel slowly or chatter in the track and may eventually stop tracking and become inoperative.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
The spring clamp tangs on the coolant bypass hose may contact and possibly damage the engine fuel supply hose.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Insufficient clearance could cause the safety catch on the secondary hood latch striker to bind.
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Owner complaints
16 complaints
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
After filling vehicle's tank smelled fuel inside vehicle. A dealer has been contacted. fuel tank has been replaced twice before. problem has returned. Please provide further information.*ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch · Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
The ignition key can be removed from the steering column when the gear shift IS in any position (drive, reverse, etc.) instead of park position only. This allows the car to roll unattended if the gear shift was left in in any position other than park. also, the gear shift can be moved from park to…
The ignition key can be removed from the steering column when the gear shift IS in any position (drive, reverse, etc.) instead of park position only. This allows the car to roll unattended if the gear shift was left in in any position other than park. also, the gear shift can be moved from park to any other position with out the key inserted which could be a disaster if children were left unattended in the car. I have sent complaints to hundai with no response and I have sent forms to nhtsa with the last being sent on 10/27/96 and received by you on 10/11/96 (ref no. 803454). To date I have received no other response. *Ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
- Power train › Clutch assembly
Interlock system failed allowing driver to remove key while vehicle in drive, while putting children in the car it began to roll backwards, children were removed before car went over enbankment.
- Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Shoulder belt on both sides broke.
- Structure › Body › Door · Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Three power windows inoperative.
- Seat belts
Motor belt failed.
- Vehicle speed control
When making a stop consumer applied force to the brake pedal and the vehicle jumped forward. *ak
- Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch · Visibility › Windshield
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
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch · Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (prndl)
The consumer IS able to remove the key out of the ignition while the car IS in drive; also, gearshift can be moved out of park when key IS not inserted. *ak
- Parking brake › Conventional
Parking brake failure while parked, vehicle rolled backwards. tt
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Transmission slips out of gear twice every month. Mechanic informed owner component was not built for this type of vehicle. tt
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Transmission; car run 100 to 200 miles car break down car been in shop about 240 times. tt
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Electrical system › Ignition · Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner · Interior lighting · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components · Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Windshield › Electrical heating element
Stops dead in the middle of the street and it will not start up again. tt
- Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
No interlock system, grandson sear in front passengers seat reached over and shifted into neutral, vehicle rolledout into street into a neighbors yard. *Ak
- Seat belts
Vehicles driver side safety belt system gets stuck in middle position of mechanism. tt
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Charging system failures
There is no summary currently available
- Pass.restraint system fail
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10230904This 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.
- 10189989This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
- 10183963This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.
- 10183960This 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.
- 10174808This 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.
- 10169370The Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) is a system that measures the speed of and distance from the following vehicles by using two magnetic wave radar sensors attached in the rear bumper. The BSD/BCW detects vehicles within the blind spot zone and gives off an alarm (visual and audible). The two magnetic radar sensors provide these functions for BSD/BCW: ? Senses other vehicles in the BSD/BCW zone and turns on the BSD/BCW warning lamp for the driver. The warning lamp starts blinking, along with an audible sound, when the driver turns on the turn signal lamp to enter the lane where another vehicle is driving.
- 10082725This bulletin provides information on components, attributes, and precautions of the 7-speed dry-type dual clutch transmission (dct).
- 54161Provided procedures for the installation of a block heater.
- 54113Shop manual correction on cylinder head bolt torque specification.
- 51905Shift condition caused by short circuit in inhibitor switch.
Every Hyundai Sonata model year
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