The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at Valvoline for a service appointment, the contact was made aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the subframe assembly and additional unknown parts were not included in the recall repair. In addition, the contact was informed that the recall could not be performed because other repairs were needed prior to the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The worst 2003 Hyundai Sonata 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.
- Airbags43
- Body38
- Electrical19
- Fuel system18
- Engine17
- Brakes15
- Suspension15
- Locks13
- Transmission10
- Wheels10
- Steering9
- Seat belts7
- Tires7
- Visibility5
- Acceleration3
- Lights3
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Hyundai Sonata
Airbag light 31Door locks 27No deployment 8Stalling 7Check engine light 6Won't start 6Ball joint 5Seat belt 5
Recalls 6
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Hyundai is recalling 82 model year 2002-2003 sonata vehicles. Repeated use of the interior door handle may cause wear of the chrome plating. If the top edge of the handle has very thin chrome plating that portion of the plating may wear away more easily than more thickly plated areas as the door handle is used. The worn chrome plating on the upper edge of the handle may result in a crack or separation between the chrome plating on the inboard and outboard surfaces of the handle, which may form a sharp edge.
- Risk
- A sharp edge could lacerate or otherwise injure a vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair the chrome plated interior door handle free of charge. The recall began on september 16, 2009. Owners may contact hyundai of puerto rico at 1‑787‑999‑3333.
Recall number 09V317000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Hyundai is recalling 91,350 my 2002-2003 hyundai sonata vehicles. Repeated use of the interior door handle may cause wear of the chrome plate. If the top edge of the handle has very thin chrome plating, that portion of the plating may wear away more easily than more thickly plated areas as the door handle is used. The worn chrome plating on the upper edge of the handle may result in a crack or separation between the chrome plating on the inboard and outboard surfaces of the handle, which may form a sharp edge.
- Risk
- This may inflict laceration injuries to anyone using the door handle.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair the chrome plated interior door handle free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during june 2009. Owners may contact hyundai customer assistance center at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 09V171000 · Recall details
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Hyundai is recalling 188,282 my 2001-2004 sonata and my 2001-2004 xg300 and xg350 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 applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months may result in progressive, internal corrosion of the front sub-frame on the vehicles, and may result in thinning or perforation of the sub-frame steel. The corrosion is frequently visible and often discovered during inspection or routine maintenance, and owners may also hear noises or notice tire misalignment and steering pull. If these signals are undetected or unheeded, the corrosion may progress and the forward mounting of the lower control arm may detach from the sub-frame.
- Risk
- If that happens, the vehicle may lose drive power to the wheels, and the front wheel may make contact with the fender or wheel well, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will measure the thickness of the front sub-frame and inspect the front sub-frame for corrosion damage and, if necessary, the front sub-frame will be replaced with a new sub-frame that incorporates additional holes in the upper and lower panels. If the front sub-frame does not require replacement, the dealer will add drainage holes to the sub-frame and will treat the sub-frame with rust-proofing material to stop the corrosion process. This procedure will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during april 2009. Owners may contact the hyundai customer assistance center at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 09V124000 · 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
Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a traction control system (tcs), if the t125/70d-15 compact spare tire is installed on a front wheel position, the tcs may inadvertently activate beginning at speeds of 20 MPH.
- Risk
- Inadvertent activation of the tcs will cause automatic application of the brake at the wheel where the compact spare tire is installed. Inadvertent brake application could cause overheating and damage to the brake, and may prevent the vehicle from being driven at speeds above 20 MPH, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the spare tire with a new larger diameter t125/80r-15 compact spare tire and a new tire pressure label will be installed on the driver's door to provide information applicable to the t125/80r-15 compact spare tire. Vehicles produced from november 15, 2002 through december 16 2002, already contain t125/80r-15 compact spare tires, will only require new tire pressure labels. Owner notification began june 30, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact hyundai at 1‑800‑633‑5151.
Recall number 03V097000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 2003 Hyundai Sonata
Defect investigations
Interior door handle laceration hazard
The manufacturer has issued a safety recall notification as a result of this investigation.the recall affects 91,202 my 2002-2003 subject vehicles produced from january 28, 2002, through march 22, 2003.the vehicle recall population was defined by the manufacturer's use of a new supplier for the chrome plating process beginning in january 2002, and a production change in march 2003 to improve adhesion of the plating to the door handle.vehicles being recalled represent 59 percent of the total my 2002-2003 production, but account for 91 percent of the consumer complaints received.the process change for my 2002 vehicles resulted in a dramatic increase in complaints (1200 percent on a per unit rate basis).my 2003 vehicles built after march 2003 production change showed a similar decline in the complaint rate.based on the manufacturer's action, this investigation has been closed.
PE08071
Front sub-frame corrosion
In a letter dated april 14, 2009, hyundai-kia america technical center, inc (hyundai) notified the federal safety agency that hyundaiis conducting a safety recall of model year (my) 1999 through 2004 hyundai sonata vehicles manufactured prior to november 20, 2003 that are registered and operated in the following salt belt states and the district of columbia: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin.hyundai is recalling the vehicles to remedy a condition where internal corrosion of the front subframe may lead to separation of the lower control arm at the forward mounting point and/or separation of the axle from the transaxle.this could result in a loss of vehicle control and/or vehicle disablement. The subframes will be inspected in the recalled vehicles using a procedure developed by hyundai to measure metal thickness.parts with perforations from corrosion or with metal below the specified thickness will be replaced with redesigned subframes.if the minimum metal thickness is met, drainage holes and rust proofing material will be added to the existing subframe. Odi's analysis of complaint data revealed that 98% of the consumer complaints were from vehicles either originally sold or operated in saltbelt states. Similarly 99.7% of the warranty claims were from vehicles originally sold or operated in saltbelt states.odi identified 105 reports of lower control arm detachment and/or axle separation from the transaxle through analysis of warranty and complaint information and consumer interviews.one hundred three (103) of the 105 incidents involved vehicles in states covered by the recall.in addition to the subject vehicles, hyundai also noted in the april 14, 2009 letter that my 2001 through 2004 xg300 and xg350 were also being recalled as they were manufactured with subframes similar in design the subject vehicles.based on hyundai's decision to conduct a safety recall this engineering analysis is closed.
EA08016
Tire valve stem failures
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe), pe05-059, based on nine consumer complaints of tire valve stem failures.the alleged valve stem failures occurred only after tire replacement from the original equipment (oe) tire (michelin 205/65r15 energy mxv4 plus) to a non-oe? Aftermarket tire.ninety-eight percent of the aftermarket tires alleged to be associated with the tire valve stem failures were determined to be aftermarket tires produced by brands of michelin group (bf goodrich and uniroyal).michelin issued a technical bulletin on september 15, 2005 making retailers aware of a potential wheel cover incompatibility with bf goodrich traction t/aand touring t/a pro series tires that could cause wheel cover movement and in extreme cases tire valve damage. Michelin has, additionally, redesigned the bf goodrich and uniroyal tires allegedly associated with the valve stem failures, as of the first quarter of calendar year 2006. The previous design version of both tires is no longer available.no complaints have been submitted to odi for tires manufactured after the introduction of the redesigned tires.there have been no accidents, injuries or loss of vehicle control attributed to the alleged defect.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.
PE05059
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Hyundai Sonata 78
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 Sonata 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 28 | 22-23 |
| 2.7L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17-18 | 25 | 20 |
What 2003 Hyundai Sonata owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic, the mechanic discovered severe corrosion on the suspension. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that due to the severe corrosion, the recall repair could not be performed. The mechanic at the dealer described the vehicle as being unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000
the federal safety agency Campaign ID Number: 09V124000 the federal safety agency Action Number: EA08016 Recall calls for repair or replacement of front sub-frame, due to corrosion. Local dealer responded, “ . . . we will not be able to perform recall”. I was told the corrosion was too far gone to repair. They refuse to replace the defective part.
The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced by an independent mechanic, the mechanic informed the contact that the front subframe was severely corroded. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to a recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the subframe needed to be replaced; however, the repair could not be covered under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension) because the parts had been discontinued. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while self-inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the subframe was extremely rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,425. The contact stated that no assistance has been offered from the dealership from which the vehicle was purchased from.
Airbag light came on and stays on. Pulled a code that pointed to the wiring in the passenger seat. Moved wiring around and made sure connectors were properly plugged and the light went away for maybe a week. Light is back on again. Removed seat bolts to gain better access, used tubing and electrical tape to straighten any kinked wiring I could find underneath passenger front seat, disconnected and reconnected connections. Airbag light blinked once and still remains on with the code still pointing to the passenger seat wiring. Apparently this issue has been reported many times in online forums with no meaningful response from the company though this clearly affects proper airbag deployment.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, when the vehicle loss motive power and stalled. The contact pushed the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The contact had the vehicle towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that crankshaft position sensor and the crankshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,922. The VIN was not available.*dt
You can not fill gas tank pass half with out the smell filling the car .the back suspension when you go over 40 tales from side to side .the car was on the highway .
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being inspected by an independent mechanic, she was informed there was corrosion to the vehicle's subframe. The contact was also informed that the front passenger's side sway bar linkage and both front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. A dealer was not notified of failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed nor repaired as of yet. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v124000 (suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 184,077.
Air bag warning light is on. When reset the light comes on again.
Compare the 2003 Hyundai Sonata
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2003 Hyundai Sonata
Is the 2003 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
Owners have filed 199 complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Sonata, fewer than a typical Sonata model year.
What is the 2003 Hyundai Sonata year score?
The 2003 Hyundai Sonata scores 73 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Hyundai Sonata: 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 Sonata?
Airbags, with 43 complaints, typically around 65,505 miles. Next is body (38).
How many recalls does the 2003 Hyundai Sonata have?
6 recalls, covering latches/locks/linkages, suspension and fuel system, gasoline.
What year does the Hyundai Sonata have bad airbags?
The Hyundai Sonata model years with the most airbags complaints are 2006 (435 complaints), 2011 (419 complaints) and 2007 (257 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Hyundai Sonata get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Hyundai Sonata range from 20 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-20 city and 28 highway.
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