Total Complaints
93 filings
HYUNDAI SONATA · model year
1995 HYUNDAI SONATA
93 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995HYUNDAISONATA carries 93 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 17 crashes, 1 fire, 19 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 1995 SONATA is air bags:frontal with 13 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (12) and vehicle speed control (6). 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 1995 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.
93
Complaints
17
Crashes
1
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
17 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 13 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 12 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 5 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 4 |
| WHEELS:RIM | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100818VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA GL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 60 MPH WHEN THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE. THE CONTACT MOVED OFF THE ROADWAY AND SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CONTACT MANUALLY DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Mileage: 125,000
20080220CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
I'M THE OWNER OF A 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA, 2.0L DOHC, AUTOMATIC. DRIVING ON A ICY ROAD IN MICHIGAN THE TRANNY DOWNSHIFTED BY ITSELF FROM 4TH(OD) TO 1ST GEAR AND LOCKED IN 1ST GEAR THROWING ME IN A SNOW BANK! IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SNOW BANK TO STOP THE CAR, I WOULD'VE ENDED IN FRONT OF A INCOMING SEMI! THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD HARSH SHIFTS/DOWNSHIFTS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT I NEVER HAD ANTICIPATED LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND A HYNUDAI TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THAT 1995 MODEL TRANSMISSIONS CONTROL UNITS MAY NEED TO BE REFLASHED WITH NEWER VERSION SOFTWARE OR REPLACED WITH NEWER UNITS. APPARENTLY HYUNDAI DIDN'T MAKE A PRIORITY IN NOTIFYING THE OWNERS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER CAUSING ERRATIC SHIFTS/DOWNSHIFTS! AFTER TALKING TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE ISSUE I GOT THE FOLLOWING ANSWER: "THE 1995 MODEL SONATA IS KNOWN FOR RANDOM TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND LIMPING MODE ISSUES? .." I WAS SPEECHLESS KNOWING OTHER PEOPLE OWN AND DRIVE TH
Mileage: 142,000
20060908STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1995 HYUNDAI SONATA SUB-FRAME BROKE IN HALF WHILE MOVING. *KB THE CONSUME STATED THE REPLACEMENT CROSS MEMBER HAS NOW FORMED A CRACK. *JB
20041109VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
SPEED CONTROL ISSUE: THE VEHICLE IDLE IS ROUGH & IRREGULAR, STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, $$$..EXPENSIVE REPAIRS-SAME PROBLEMS. THE STALLINGS ACCOUNTS FOR SEVERAL NEAR REAR-END COLLISIONS. FINALLY,ON NOV.8,2004. I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR,THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FROM 0 TO 40 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,ALMOST CRASHED INTO SOME PARKED VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL & BRAKES APPLIED TO STOP THIS OUT-OF -CONTROL VEHICLE. A NON-EXPERIENCE DRIVER WOULD OF CRASHED, INJURING SELF,OTHER(S) & PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPOT WERE IT WILL REMAIN UNTIL EXAMINED. NOW,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE IS STUCK IN THE OPEN-POSITION. RESOLUTION: WHAT MUST BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS "DEATH-TRAP" ISSUE?? SHOULD THE HYUNDAI COMPANY BE NOTIFIED??*AK
Mileage: 107,263
20041109VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEED CONTROL ISSUE: THE VEHICLE IDLE IS ROUGH & IRREGULAR, STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, $$$..EXPENSIVE REPAIRS-SAME PROBLEMS. THE STALLINGS ACCOUNTS FOR SEVERAL NEAR REAR-END COLLISIONS. FINALLY,ON NOV.8,2004. I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR,THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FROM 0 TO 40 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,ALMOST CRASHED INTO SOME PARKED VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL & BRAKES APPLIED TO STOP THIS OUT-OF -CONTROL VEHICLE. A NON-EXPERIENCE DRIVER WOULD OF CRASHED, INJURING SELF,OTHER(S) & PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPOT WERE IT WILL REMAIN UNTIL EXAMINED. NOW,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE IS STUCK IN THE OPEN-POSITION. RESOLUTION: WHAT MUST BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS "DEATH-TRAP" ISSUE?? SHOULD THE HYUNDAI COMPANY BE NOTIFIED??*AK
Mileage: 107,263
20041109VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
SPEED CONTROL ISSUE: THE VEHICLE IDLE IS ROUGH & IRREGULAR, STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, $$$..EXPENSIVE REPAIRS-SAME PROBLEMS. THE STALLINGS ACCOUNTS FOR SEVERAL NEAR REAR-END COLLISIONS. FINALLY,ON NOV.8,2004. I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR,THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FROM 0 TO 40 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,ALMOST CRASHED INTO SOME PARKED VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL & BRAKES APPLIED TO STOP THIS OUT-OF -CONTROL VEHICLE. A NON-EXPERIENCE DRIVER WOULD OF CRASHED, INJURING SELF,OTHER(S) & PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPOT WERE IT WILL REMAIN UNTIL EXAMINED. NOW,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE IS STUCK IN THE OPEN-POSITION. RESOLUTION: WHAT MUST BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS "DEATH-TRAP" ISSUE?? SHOULD THE HYUNDAI COMPANY BE NOTIFIED??*AK
Mileage: 107,263
20041109VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:SPRINGS
SPEED CONTROL ISSUE: THE VEHICLE IDLE IS ROUGH & IRREGULAR, STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, $$$..EXPENSIVE REPAIRS-SAME PROBLEMS. THE STALLINGS ACCOUNTS FOR SEVERAL NEAR REAR-END COLLISIONS. FINALLY,ON NOV.8,2004. I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR,THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FROM 0 TO 40 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,ALMOST CRASHED INTO SOME PARKED VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL & BRAKES APPLIED TO STOP THIS OUT-OF -CONTROL VEHICLE. A NON-EXPERIENCE DRIVER WOULD OF CRASHED, INJURING SELF,OTHER(S) & PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPOT WERE IT WILL REMAIN UNTIL EXAMINED. NOW,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE IS STUCK IN THE OPEN-POSITION. RESOLUTION: WHAT MUST BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS "DEATH-TRAP" ISSUE?? SHOULD THE HYUNDAI COMPANY BE NOTIFIED??*AK
Mileage: 107,263
20040717POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TRANSMISSION WILL NOT PULL FORWARD ONLY IN REVERSE AND I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS TRANSMISSION AND THERES A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THE EXACT SAME CAR AS I DO THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. YOU CANT FIND LOCAL MECHANICS TO WORK ON THEM BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IS SO COMPLEX. AND BEINGS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA ARE HAVEING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME CAR THE COMPANY SHOULD HONOR THEIR COMPANY AND ADMIT THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAULTY AND RECALL THEM. *AK
20020917POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER HAS 2 SONATAS, SAME YEAR, THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURES, ONE OCCURRED AT 96266 MILES AND THE OTHER AT 130294 MILES. *SLC
20020509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL . TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. TOOK VEHICLE AGAIN TO DEALER WHO INDICATED VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. *AK CONSUMER STATES CAMSHAFT SEALS WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE OIL LEAK. *SLC
20011207VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, TRANSMISSION ROARS UP HIGH, AND WHEN SHIFTING GEARS IN PLACE IT IS HARD TO STEER. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20011207POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, TRANSMISSION ROARS UP HIGH, AND WHEN SHIFTING GEARS IN PLACE IT IS HARD TO STEER. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20010816POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRASMISSION FAILED--LASTED 1 MONTH FAILED GAIN--NEEDED NEW COMPUTER BOARD AND TRANSMISSION A 2ND TIME. *AK
20010813POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRASMISSION FAILED--LASTED 1 MONTH FAILED GAIN--NEEDED NEW COMPUTER BOARD AND TRANSMISSION A 2ND TIME. *AK
20010718ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT BROKE AT 50,739 IN JUN 99, STILL WAS UNDER WARRANTY. REPLACED TIMING BELT, ALONG WITH HEAD, VALVES, PISTONS. TIMING BELT BROKE AGAIN IN JUN 2001 AT 80,000. HYUNDAI SERVICE SAYS THAT THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. WILL COSTS 3300.00. *AK
20000829STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. THIS MAY CAUSE AN OCCUPANT TO BE TRAPPED IN VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK
20000824ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
2 AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURES, 1 IDLE ASSEMBLY FAILURE, LOSS OF FRONT DEFROSTER DUE TO BROKEN PLENUM LINKAGE, TOTAL LOSS OF HORN OPERATION, 1 FAILURE OF HEADLIGHTS AT TWILIGHT DUE TO FUSE MELTDOWN
20000824POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2 AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURES, 1 IDLE ASSEMBLY FAILURE, LOSS OF FRONT DEFROSTER DUE TO BROKEN PLENUM LINKAGE, TOTAL LOSS OF HORN OPERATION, 1 FAILURE OF HEADLIGHTS AT TWILIGHT DUE TO FUSE MELTDOWN
20000824VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
2 AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURES, 1 IDLE ASSEMBLY FAILURE, LOSS OF FRONT DEFROSTER DUE TO BROKEN PLENUM LINKAGE, TOTAL LOSS OF HORN OPERATION, 1 FAILURE OF HEADLIGHTS AT TWILIGHT DUE TO FUSE MELTDOWN
20000224VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE RPMS GO HAYWIRE STARTING AT ANY SPEED AND EVEN STALLS WHEN CAR IS AT A STOP OR GOING AT A LOW SPEED. THIS CAR HAS HAD ALOT OF WORK DONE TO IT TO FIX THIS ONGOING PROBLEM BUT NEVER CORRECTED AND NONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID THEY WERE FIXED THE ONGOING PROBLEM. WE HAD TWO TRANSMISSIIONS, 2 DISTRUBTER CAPS PLUS A NEW DISTRUBITOR AND REPLACED NEW COMPUTER BOARDS PUT IN AND NOTHING HAS SOLVED THIS ONGOING PROBLEM
Compare 1995HYUNDAISONATA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA have?▼
The 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA has 93 NHTSA complaints, 17 crashes, 1 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1995 HYUNDAI SONATA is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1995 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.