Case file · HYUNDAI-SONATA-2015-2017 · Field document

Hyundai Sonata 2015–2017 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Run the VIN at a Hyundai dealer (or hyundaiusa.com/recalls): confirm Campaign 953 (KSDS knock-sensor software) is completed and no engine recall or campaign is open.

2. Check 02

   Check the oil level and condition on the dipstick cold, then ask directly how much oil it uses between changes. A 2.4 that's a quart or more low with no visible leak is the oil-consumption pattern — walk or price it in.

3. Check 03

   Cold-start the engine and listen for a rod-bearing knock (a deep rhythmic knock from the bottom end). Any knock on a Theta II is a stop-the-deal finding until inspected.

4. Check 04

   On an Eco, drive it in stop-and-go traffic: creep, roll into throttle from 5 mph, do a few uphill starts. Judder, hesitation, or a rubber-band launch is the known DCT behavior — decide if you can live with it before you buy.

5. Check 05

   If it has the panoramic sunroof, verify recall 152 (wind-deflector anchor plate) was performed and inspect the glass and surround for prior separation or resealing.

6. Check 06

   With the passenger seat empty, check the airbag status light; then sit a passenger in it and confirm the light switches correctly. A flashing seat-belt light with an empty seat points to the occupant-sensor mat failure.

7. Check 07

   Confirm the ABS software recall (134) and the 2015 front passenger seat-belt buckle recall (130) show closed on the VIN report.

8. Check 08

   Get service records showing oil changes at 5,000-mile intervals or better — the Theta II punishes long oil-change intervals harder than most engines.