NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 876 owner complaints for the 2017 Hyundai Sonata (including the hybrid).
5Safety recalls
876Owner complaints
29Complaints citing a crash
15Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: exterior lighting, engine, latches, locks and linkages, hybrid propulsion system, and 1 more. Most-reported area: engine (446 complaints, 51%; median mileage when it happened: 67,500). Includes the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.
5 safety recalls for the 2017 Hyundai Sonata
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
Risk: A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.
The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the defect on November 16, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 209.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Tucson and Sonata Hybrid vehicles.
The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles.
These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Risk: If the VPD activates while the vehicle is being operated in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, there may be a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install a new Battery Management System (BMS) that contains an Overvoltage Protection Device (OPD). The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 175.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.
In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016.
NHTSA listing: SONATA. Hyundai campaign 156.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 876 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Sonata. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine446 · 51%
Median 67,500 miles at failure (114 reports)
Steering182 · 21%
Median 54,000 miles at failure (58 reports)
Electrical system94 · 11%
Median 24,600 miles at failure (27 reports)
Powertrain69 · 8%
Median 32,600 miles at failure (22 reports)
Fuel and propulsion system46 · 5%
Body structure38 · 4%
Most named: body (37)
Brakes28 · 3%
Median 24,000 miles at failure (17 reports)
Unknown or other120 · 14%
Median 47,500 miles at failure (30 reports)
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Sonata recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2017 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 Sonata drew the most (132).
Owner complaints
2017: 876 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Complaints
2016
883
2017
876
2018
382
2019
170
2020
194
2021
188
2022
112
2023
102
2024
55
2025
27
2026
6
Safety recalls
2017: 5 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Sonata
Model year
Recalls
2016
9
2017
5
2018
2
2019
0
2020
4
2021
4
2022
3
2023
2
2024
1
2025
0
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 10.5%
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 10.5%
Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4 DR FWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Questions
What are the most common 2017 Sonata problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (446), steering (182), electrical system (94). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2017 Hyundai Sonata safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Sonata has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SONATA, SONATA HYBRID, SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.