vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2017 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

762 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

55,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 233 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 383 of 762 complaints (50.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior18324.0%
Engine operation8210.8%
Braking behavior516.7%
Electrical and battery issues405.2%
Transmission and shifting162.1%
Fuel system concerns81.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
383
Steering
172
Unknown Or Other
101
Electrical System
64
Power Train
54
Structure:Body
36
Fuel/Propulsion System
33
Air Bags
22
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine383
Steering172
Unknown Or Other101
Electrical System64
Power Train54
Structure:Body36
Fuel/Propulsion System33
Air Bags22

Engine: 383; Steering: 172; Unknown Or Other: 101; Electrical System: 64; Power Train: 54; Structure:Body: 36; Fuel/Propulsion System: 33; Air Bags: 22

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
66
25,000 to 49,999
40
50,000 to 74,999
56
75,000 to 99,999
32
100,000 to 149,999
30
150,000 and above
9
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00066
25,000 to 49,99940
50,000 to 74,99956
75,000 to 99,99932
100,000 to 149,99930
150,000 and above9

Under 25,000: 66; 25,000 to 49,999: 40; 50,000 to 74,999: 56; 75,000 to 99,999: 32; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 9

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (66). 529 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2016
2
2017
22
2018
23
2019
59
2020
65
2021
88
2022
131
2023
122
2024
113
2025
92
2026
45
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20162
201722
201823
201959
202065
202188
2022131
2023122
2024113
202592
202645

2016: 2; 2017: 22; 2018: 23; 2019: 59; 2020: 65; 2021: 88; 2022: 131; 2023: 122; 2024: 113; 2025: 92; 2026: 45

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 183 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 82 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10916009 · 2016-10-13 (October 13, 2016)

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 CONTINUE TO WORK IT LIKE A MAD MAN; OTHERWISE YOU'LL END UP IN THE DITCH IN SECONDS. IT'S A HIGH SEVERITY SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE, NATIONWIDE RECALL. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING SONATA 2017', LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE. DO NOT R…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10916009 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11000072 · 2017-06-19 (June 19, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE RACIAE HYUNDAI DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11000072 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11024819 · 2017-09-21 (September 21, 2017)

ON SATURDAY 9/16/17 I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT SITTING STILL WHEN MY CAR STALLED AND WENT DEAD. I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND SAW THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE BRAKE WAS FROZEN AND BEFORE I COULD RESTART THE CAR IT ROLLED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THERE NO DAMAGE TO HER JEEP. HOWEVER MY CAR HIT THE SPARE TIRE AND RACK ON THE BACK OF HER TRUNK, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HOOD OF MY CAR, THE GRILL AND LOWER BUMPER. WE DID NOT EXCHANGE INFORMATION, AS SHE DID NOT HAVE DAMAGE TO HER CAR, SO SHE LEFT THE SCENE. I DROVE THE CAR HOME (2 MILES FROM MY HOUS…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11024819 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11084244 · 2018-04-09 (April 9, 2018)

I STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT AND WAS SITTING THERE FOR A FEW MINUTES. AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I HIT THE GAS TO GO AND IT WOULDN'T. UPON LOOKING DOWN AT THE DASH, THE ENGINE LIGHT (AND ANOTHER RED ONE) WAS ON, THE ENGINE HAD STALLED! I HIT MY PUSH TO START BUTTON AND EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON.

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084244 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11005068 · 2017-07-13 (July 13, 2017)

THE SENSORS FOR BRAKING DID NOT WORK. I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE I REAR ENDED A TRUCK. THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, ONLY SLID INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. I WAS ON A BUSY STREET WHEN AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE TURNED ON SIRENS AT THE LAST SECOND. THE TRUCK STOPPED AS IT SHOULD HAVE. I BRAKED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE BUT THE CAR KEPT GOING UNTIL IT COLLIDED INTO THE TRUCK. I HAVE READ REPORTS ON THE 2017 SONATA WHICH STATES THE CAR WILL STOP WHEN IT SENSES IMMINENT DANGER. THIS ONE DIDN'T. MY CONCERN IS- IS THERE MORE CARS LIKE THIS ONE OUT THERE THAT DON'T WOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11005068 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10979780 · 2017-04-21 (April 21, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT LEASES A 2017 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SYSTEM THAT ENGAGED THE WARNING ALERT SYSTEM WHEN A VEHICLE WAS BEING FOLLOWED CLOSELY FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER TECHNICAL SUPPORT WAS CONTACTED THE TECHNICAL TEAM ADVISED THE DEALER THAT IF ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTION WAS OPERATING, THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM SHOULD ALSO BE OPERA…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10979780 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11006012 · 2017-07-17 (July 17, 2017)

VEHICLE SHUT OFF AT STOP LIGHT. ENGINE, BATTERY, AND SECURITY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. RADIO AND AC CONTINUED TO WORK. VEHICLE STARTED WHEN START BUTTON WAS PRESSED AND LIGHTS WENT OFF.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11006012 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11063543 · 2018-01-18 (January 18, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE REAR CAMERA FAILED TO DISPLAY AN IMAGE ON THE MONITOR. ALSO, THE LIGHTS AROUND THE MONITOR AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. UPON ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT BACK INTO REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND OPERATED CORRECTLY AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE FRONT OF THE V…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11063543 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11142470 · 2018-10-24 (October 24, 2018)

MINOR VIBRATION ON FRONT END AXLE DURING INITIAL ACCELERATION STARTED EARLY DURING OWNERSHIP, BUT INCREASED OVER TIME WITH MILEAGE AND USAGE. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED FOR DIAGNOSIS, BUT COULD NOT ISOLATE CAUSE. PROBLEM WORSENED OVER NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO TOOK IT BACK IN TO SAME DEALERSHIP. FINALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A MISSING CIRCLIP ("C" CLIP) THAT HOLDS THE CV AXLE IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE. WITHOUT IT, THE AXLE ITSELF WAS WORKING ITS WAY OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION CASE, AND VIBRATING BECAUSE OF ITS LOOSENESS. RESEARCHED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,631 miles reported. Look up ODI 11142470 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10959967 · 2017-03-10 (March 10, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS GIVEN A LOANER VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROMISED TO HAVE AN AGENT CALL THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300. UPDATED 08/22/20…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10959967 at NHTSA ↗