Overview and Common Failures
Body and Interior: This model has a decent body and with proper care, it can last for a long time. Corrosion develops in the arches, affects suspension components, and exhaust system. The attractive interior made of inexpensive and creaky plastic pleases with its equipment. The electrical system can cause a lot of trouble if the condition of the wiring is not monitored.
Engine: Mitsubishi petrol engines are known for their huge resource. Pay attention to the condition of the timing belt and balance, as their failure can damage the valves. The remaining engine problems are related to electrical failures and coolant leaks. The rare and fuel-consuming V6 engine tends to consume oil even at low mileage.
Transmission: Manual and automatic transmissions in the Sonata from Mitsubishi are quite reliable. In manual transmissions, the oil needs to be changed every 40,000 km, otherwise, the bearings will quickly start making noise. Automatics do not tolerate aggressive driving, and there are also failures of the reverse gear.
Suspension: The suspension is soft but sturdy, and its spare parts are inexpensive and widely available. The only components with a low resource here are the silent blocks and stabilizer struts.
Braking system: There are no special problems with the brake system, except that the handbrake sometimes gets stuck.
