Total Complaints
43 filings
HYUNDAI SONATA · model year
1992 HYUNDAI SONATA
43 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992HYUNDAISONATA carries 43 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1992 SONATA is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1992 SONATA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
43
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030705POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPAIR PLACE SAYS IT WAS A PREMATURE MECHANICAL FAILURE. POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE PARTS.*AK
Mileage: 94,600
20000629SEAT BELTS
WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD ENGAGE. HOWEVER, WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WOULD DISENGAGE. *AK
19990217SEATS
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S BASE CRACKED HORIZONTALLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS UNEXPECTEDLY, ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
19980430LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD LATCH FAILED.
19970617SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT OR ABOUT 25-35 MPH LOWER CONTROL ARM SHEERED ON DRIVER'S SIDE BEHIND THE BALL JOINT BENDING UPPER STRUT PULLING THE AXEL CLEAN OUT OF TRANSMISSION. CON NOT CONTACT THE MANF.
19970325SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE LOOSE FROM TRACK DURING COLLISION, RESULTING IN INJURY/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS.
19970128SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
UPON IMPACT SEATBELT SEPARATED FROM TRACK/ANCHOR, CAUSING INJURY.
19961210CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED AT 30 MPH, RESULTING IN A CRASH DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19961010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
PURCHASED CAR USED, WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY MAKE NOISE . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
19960508STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
FLUID LEAKS DEVELOPED IN POWER STEERING UNIT, CAUSING IT TO CRACK. *AK
19960425INTERIOR LIGHTING
DOME LIGHT FAILED.
19960425EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
POWER ANTENNA FAILED FOUR TIMES.
19960425VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
PASSENGER POWER WINDOW FAILED TWICE.
19960425VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TWICE.
19960425STRUCTURE:BODY
DRIVER SIDE VISOR CLIP BROKE, IMPAIRING VISIBILITY.
19960425VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER FAILED.
19960425VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER MIRRORS SHAKE WHEN DRIVING.
19960425VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
SIDE WINDOWS OFF TRACK.
19960425SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PADS FAILED.
19960425EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
CAR STALLS WHEN AIR CONDITIONER TURNED ON.
Compare 1992HYUNDAISONATA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 HYUNDAI SONATA have?▼
The 1992 HYUNDAI SONATA has 43 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 HYUNDAI SONATA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 HYUNDAI SONATA is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1992 HYUNDAI SONATA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.