The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. Additionally, while attempting to complete a turn, the contact heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the front driver’s side of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the driver's side brake pad and rotor were abnormally worn and needed to be replaced; however, the power train failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 09V125000 (Suspension) and 04V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,000.
The worst 2003 Hyundai Elantra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension61
- Airbags48
- Body32
- Brakes27
- Engine22
- Fuel system18
- Steering16
- Lights13
- Seat belts11
- Electrical10
- Acceleration9
- Transmission9
- Tires8
- Visibility4
- Wheels3
- Locks1
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra
Ball joint 47No deployment 23Airbag light 12Headlights 12Check engine light 10Brake failure 8Stalling 7Grinding brakes 6Seat belt 5Sudden acceleration 5Tire blowout 5
Recalls 5
Suspension: front: control arm
- What is wrong
- Hyundai is recalling 160,904 my 2001-2003 elantra and my 2003 tiburon vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Road salt used during the winter months in these jurisdictions may result in internal corrosion and thinning of the steel in the front lower control arms. The corrosion may progress to the point where the lower control arm's upper and lower panels become perforated. A perforated front lower control arm may fracture between its ball joint attachment and the forward and rearward pivot attachments to the chassis.
- Risk
- The fracturing of the control arm could an owner's control over their vehicle that may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front lower control arms for corrosion damage. If specified levels of internal corrosion damage are found, the front lower control arms will be replaced with new front lower control arms incorporating additional holes in the upper and lower panels. If the front lower control arms do not require replacement, the dealer will add drainage holes to the front lower control arms and will treat the front lower control arms with rust-proofing materials to arrest the internal corrosion process. These procedures will be performed free of charge. The recall began on august 17, 2009. Owners may contact the hyundai customer assistance center at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 09V125000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity" a valve on the fuel tank assembly may not close properly. If a vehicle rolls over and the fuel tank assembly valve is not properly closed, fuel spillage may occur.
- Risk
- Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. The recall began on october 5, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai de puerto rico at 1‑800‑981‑0188.
Recall number 04V369000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Some passenger vehicles contain a fuel tank assembly valve that may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll over, fuel spillage may occur.
- Risk
- Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. Owner notification began on june 30, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 04V178000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the brake tubes for the rear brakes can contact the steering gearbox mounting brackets.
- Risk
- Contact between the rear brake tubes and the steering gearbox mounting brackets may result in rear brake tube wear and corrosion, increasing the risk of brake fluid leakage. Brake fluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes, install brake tube clips, and apply anti-corrosion material to the rear brake tubes. Owner notification began january 22, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai of puerto rico at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 03V496000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the rear brake tubes pass behind the front suspension crossmember. Two steering gearbox mounting brackets are welded to the crossmember. On vehicles equipped with an antilock brake system (ABS), the rear brake tubes could contact both steering gearbox mounting brackets. On vehicles that are not equipped with ABS, the rear brake tubes may contact only the left mounting bracket. Contact between the rear brake tubes and the steering brackets could cause wear and corrosion that could result in brake fluid leakage.
- Risk
- Fluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes so they do not contact the mounting brackets, install brake tube clips to control the location of the rear brake tubes, and apply anti-corrosion material to the tubes in the areas where contact with the mounting brackets may have occurred. Owner notification began on october 13, 2003. Owners should contact hyundai at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 03V257000 · Recall details
See all 5 recalls for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra
Defect investigations
Front lower control arms rusting
On april 14, 2009, hyundai motor corporation submitted to odi a defect information report indicating that it would recall a salt-belt population of approximately 155,317 model year (my) 2001 through 2003 hyundai elantra vehicles to remedy a defect that can result in loss of vehicle control with an increased risk of a crash while driving (09v‑125).the affected vehicles cover all my 2001, my 2002, and my 2003 through january 13, 2003 production.these include elantra vehicles that were originally sold or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia and wisconsin.the total three-year production population for the elantra vehicles is approximately 350,000. According to hyundai, road salt can collect in the outboard portion of the front lower control arm and may result in internal corrosion leading to thinning of the steel in the lower control arms.the corrosion may progress to the point where the lower control arm upper and lower panels become perforated.a perforated front lower control arm may fracture between its ball joint attachment and the forward and rearward pivot attachments to the chassis.this could affect the driver's control over the tire and wheel assembly.hyundai's recall procedure instructs dealers to measure the thickness of the steel in the front lower control arms.if specified levels of corrosion damage have occurred, the front lower control arms will be replaced with new front lower control arms with additional holes in the upper and lower panels. Odi's analysis of front lower control arm complaint and warranty data shows 220 complaints and 1,033 warranty claims for the total approximately 350,000 subject vehicles sold throughout the united states, resulting in a complaint rate of 62.82 per 100,000 vehicles and a claim rate of 0.3 percent.odi's analysis found 7 complaints and 90 warranty claims in 132,475 vehicles sold in non-salt belt states, resulting in a complaint rate of 5.3 per 100,000 vehicles and a claim rate of 0.1 percent. Odi's analysis further found 196 complaints and 943 warranty claims in 155,317 vehicles sold in salt belt states, resulting in a complaint rate of 126.2 per 100,000 vehicles and a claim rate of 0.6 percent.odi identified 34 incidents of lower control arm fracture related to corrosion, all of which occurred in salt belt states.the data do not show a defect trend in vehicles outside the region covered by hyundai's recall. This preliminary evaluation is closed.
PE09011
Air bag light illumination
In certain model year (my) 2001 and 2002 vehicles, the air bag system is susceptible to air bag light illumination and air bag non-deployment or inadvertent deployment from liquid contamination of the air bag control module.the control module is located beneath and near center console cup holders.odi is also aware of complaints regarding air bag light illumination due to loss of proper air bag electrical integrity in wiring and connections located under the front seats.under investigation pe08-017, hyundai provided 472 owner reports and 9,108 warranty claims related to these issues for my 2001 and 2002 vehicles built through 12/14/2001.odi is also aware of six incidents of seat belt pretensioner/air bag inadvertent deployments due to liquid spills.to address the above issues, on 04/25/2001, hyundai added a carpet cover/shield over the air bag control module connector area and upgraded the cable routing and attachment points to improve the electrical connections on vehicles built after 12/14/2008.this preliminary evaluation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea08-012) for further investigation of certain my 2001-2002 subject vehicles built through 12/14/2002.
PE08017
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra 70
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- The federal safety agency has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit...
- The federal safety agency has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag...
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the...
- This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover...
- This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
- Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships
- Follow the guidelines outlined in
- Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for...
2003 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21-22 | 30 | 25 |
What 2003 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Live in Indiana where the weather is super salty in the winters and all of the salt in Indiana has really really affected the whole underside of my car. The whole subframe is falling apart and the rust has gotten to everything under the car. I have spent about 4 thousand dollars into this car doing all the work myself to make this car run In pristine conditions. I am very very worried that my whole back end will just fall apart going down the road due to the rust.
*The rear sub-frame assembly nearly rusted through. Steering and Handling noticebly effected with rear of vehicle feeling soft and sluggish in turns. *The vehicle is available for inspection and was brought to my attention when the mechanic was beginning rear brake maintenance. *The mechanic is a licensed mechanic and the Repair shop is a licensed service facility. *The mechanic called me and asked me to return to the shop to show me the extent of the rust damage, to which I did return to the shop to examine his findings. I did take photos. *There were no warning lamps or messages. The symptoms were as described above.
Driver and front passenger inside plastic handles for doors broke apart from normal use. Drivers side outside plastic door handle also broke off. Getting out of the car requires power windows to be energized and lowered to access outside handles. The problem first appeared about a year ago.
My rear subframe is rusting so badly the rear suspension is falling apart.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai elantra. The contact stated that the passenger's side control arm became defective which caused difficulty to steer the vehicle at various speeds. The contact then called superior hyundai south (238 w mitchell ave, cincinnati, oh 45232) where she made an appointment and was informed to check if there were any recalls on her vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v125000 (suspension) however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact also stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle stalled without warning upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective o2 sensor which was then replaced. Despite the o2 sensor being replaced, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failures. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
Driving on highway and turning right; a tire blew. On inspection by a mechanic, the front passenger control arm was bent with rust on the exposed metal. The bent control arm allowed the tire to rub against the interior fender, eventually leading to the tire failing. The tire was in great condition before the sudden failure. On researching: there was a recall on 2003 hyundai elantra for front control arm problems. The federal safety agency campaign number: 09v125000. This recall cites that road salt used in certain jurisdictions can cause internal degradation of the front control arms: leading to failure. Looking back through this car's history: it was originally registered in ohio, one of the states using road salt. I don't know why this car escaped recall, but it's having the same problems as other 2003 elantras.
When pressing the brakes it sounds like it's metal to metal, the steering makes a funny noise when you turn the steering wheel. Also car keeps saying 02 sensor but there's nothing wrong with it and the check engine light keeps coming on because of it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai elantra. The contact took the vehicle to fuccillo lincoln hyundai (518‑379‑0680, located at 4101 state st, schenectady, ny 12304) to be repaired per the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v125000 (suspension). The contact diagnosed that the rear subframe was rusted. The technician stated that there was no recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Brake lights will not go off, even when ignition is off. Replaced brake light switch and tge problem remains.
Compare the 2003 Hyundai Elantra
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2003 Hyundai Elantra
Is the 2003 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
Owners have filed 234 complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Elantra, close to a typical Elantra model year.
What is the 2003 Hyundai Elantra year score?
The 2003 Hyundai Elantra scores 71 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Hyundai Elantra: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Hyundai Elantra?
Suspension, with 61 complaints, typically around 94,032 miles. Next is airbags (48).
How many recalls does the 2003 Hyundai Elantra have?
5 recalls, covering suspension, fuel system, gasoline and service brakes, hydraulic.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 09V125000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Hyundai Elantra have bad suspension?
The Hyundai Elantra model years with the most suspension complaints are 2013 (99 complaints), 2002 (95 complaints) and 2001 (81 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Hyundai Elantra get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra range from 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 21-22 city and 30 highway.
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Check its historyHyundai Elantra in the news
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- Hyundai extends warranty coverage on 2015-2019 Sonata, 2015-2018 Elantra and 2017-2021 Tucson and other models (unknown or other)