2003 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Elantra years
- About as many complaints as other years 17th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Hyundai Elantra. That ranks 17th out of 32 Elantra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (61 complaints, 26%), typically at around 94,533 miles. Complaints mention 42 crashes, 1 fire, 33 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 234owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 42complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Hyundai Elantra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 61 | 26% | 94,533 | “control arm” (66%) | — |
| Air Bags | 48 | 21% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 32 | 14% | 76,117 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 21 | 9% | 41,448 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 9% | 25,407 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 7% | 97,566 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 6% | 48,480 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 11 | 5% | 44,653 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 4% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 4% | 85,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 4% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 4% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 3% | 91,785 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 3% | 24,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 3% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 3% | 116,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 48,480 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 66,001 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 103,868 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 0% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 25,391 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Hyundai Elantra recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Front lower control arms rusting (PE09011) — opened Feb 18, 2009, closed Apr 21, 2009, led to recall 09V125000.
- Air bag light illumination (PE08017) — opened Mar 10, 2008, closed Jul 10, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
*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…
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.
Other Hyundai Elantra years
← 2002 Elantra · 2004 Elantra →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Elantra | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Elantra | 22 | 0 |
| 2024 Elantra | 54 | 1 |
| 2023 Elantra | 99 | 2 |
| 2022 Elantra | 102 | 5 |
| 2021 Elantra | 132 | 6 |
| 2020 Elantra | 254 | 3 |
| 2019 Elantra | 251 | 1 |
| 2018 Elantra | 283 | 0 |
| 2017 Elantra | 768 | 4 |
| 2016 Elantra | 293 | 2 |
| 2015 Elantra | 262 | 3 |
| 2014 Elantra | 386 | 2 |
| 2013 Elantra | 1,314 | 4 |
| 2012 Elantra | 653 | 4 |
| 2011 Elantra | 433 | 5 |
| 2010 Elantra | 380 | 3 |
| 2009 Elantra | 254 | 4 |
| 2008 Elantra | 314 | 7 |
| 2007 Elantra | 267 | 6 |
| 2006 Elantra | 155 | 1 |
| 2005 Elantra | 137 | 4 |
| 2004 Elantra | 182 | 5 |
| 2003 | 234 | 5 |
| 2002 Elantra | 342 | 6 |
| 2001 Elantra | 315 | 6 |
| 2000 Elantra | 197 | 1 |
| 1999 Elantra | 128 | 2 |
| 1998 Elantra | 55 | 0 |
| 1997 Elantra | 115 | 3 |
| 1996 Elantra | 100 | 3 |
| 1995 Elantra | 112 | 1 |
See all Hyundai Elantra problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners most often report suspension, air bags, structure problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 61 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Hyundai Elantra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Elantra model years, the 2003 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.