2017 Hyundai Sonata Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 20about this part
- Share
- 3%of 768 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 24,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 20 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata, 3% of the 768 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 24,000 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My head light melted and the wire harness, I started the vehicle I the morning and I had weird noise, I checked and head light was off, I opened and to find out the whole bulb socket was melted. Then the break light always gets over heated and burns down , I change them almost every month.”
NHTSA complaint #11235212, filed 2019-07, 50,000 miles“When driving this vehicle at nigh, the headlight projection is so poor that visibility is restricted to about 40 feet in front of the vehicle. We've experienced numerous close calls due to poor headlight projection. Complaints on the internet echo our complaint.”
NHTSA complaint #11232853, filed 2019-07, 38,000 miles“I rented a 2017 Hyundai Sonata from enterprise in kelowna, british columbia (I am an american citizen). Driving from revelstoke to kelowna in the dark on the night of 16 january revealed the headlights to be completely inadequate. It was all I could do to see the road even driving as slow as 35 miles per hour. I believe this problem affects all sonatas, and perhaps other hyundais as well. In over half a century of driving, these were the worst headlights I have ever experienced.”
NHTSA complaint #10945874, filed 2017-01, 24,000 miles“There is a black shadow at the end of the regular light beam on driverside in motion when regualr driving , it goes up and down and left and right and its very very distracting. Hyundai replaced the headlight but its better but still there. Reading online other owners have the same problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11076009, filed 2018-03, 5 miles“I keep having both my low beam headlight bulbs burning out and one of them started catching on fire. The driver side caught some type of electrical issue causing it to start smoking and eventually melted the connector and lightbulb housing”
NHTSA complaint #11640472, filed 2025-02Related service bulletins
- 11025476Nov 6, 2025This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp…
- 10178175Jul 14, 2020This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to moisture accumulation in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. The…
Exterior lighting: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 15% |
| 2023 | 2 | 2% |
| 2020 | 2 | 1% |
| 2019 | 18 | 11% |
| 2018 | 22 | 6% |
| 2017 | 20 | 3% |
| 2016 | 38 | 5% |
| 2015 | 38 | 3% |
| 2014 | 120 | 16% |
| 2013 | 197 | 10% |
| 2012 | 141 | 9% |
| 2011 | 249 | 7% |
| 2010 | 10 | 3% |
| 2009 | 14 | 3% |
| 2008 | 20 | 5% |
| 2007 | 35 | 5% |
| 2006 | 45 | 4% |
| 2005 | 17 | 10% |
| 2004 | 5 | 2% |
| 2003 | 3 | 2% |
| 2002 | 2 | 1% |
| 2001 | 1 | 0% |
| 2000 | 2 | 1% |
| 1999 | 3 | 2% |
| 1998 | 1 | 2% |
| 1997 | 2 | 4% |
| 1996 | 1 | 4% |
| 1993 | 1 | 4% |
| 1992 | 1 | 5% |
Other parts of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata
385 complaintsSteering
173 complaintsOther or unknown
103 complaintsElectrical system
65 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
56 complaintsBody and structure
37 complaintsFuel system
33 complaintsAir bags
22 complaintsBrakes
22 complaintsEngine cooling
20 complaintsVehicle speed control
20 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
17 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2017 Hyundai Sonata
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology