2003 Hyundai Elantra Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 94,533 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (66% of reports).
- 61suspension complaints
- 94,533median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 14%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Control arm: mentioned in 40 of 61 complaints (66%)
- Suspension front: mentioned in 13 of 61 complaints (21%)
- Side wheel: mentioned in 6 of 61 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 50 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 61 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Hyundai Elantra suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2024 Elantra | 2 | 4% | 1,100 |
| 2023 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Elantra | 3 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2019 Elantra | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 Elantra | 5 | 2% | 5,200 |
| 2017 Elantra | 12 | 2% | 32,000 |
| 2016 Elantra | 10 | 3% | 21,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 9 | 3% | 21,900 |
| 2014 Elantra | 14 | 4% | 14,000 |
| 2013 Elantra | 99 | 8% | 18,500 |
| 2012 Elantra | 45 | 7% | 47,569 |
| 2011 Elantra | 66 | 15% | 76,500 |
| 2010 Elantra | 11 | 3% | 8,625 |
| 2009 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 300 |
| 2008 Elantra | 11 | 4% | 102,000 |
| 2007 Elantra | 26 | 10% | 102,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 84,000 |
| 2005 Elantra | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2004 Elantra | 7 | 4% | 99,597 |
| 2003 Elantra | 61 | 26% | 94,533 |
| 2002 Elantra | 95 | 28% | 92,909 |
| 2001 Elantra | 81 | 26% | 85,956 |
| 2000 Elantra | 6 | 3% | 80,000 |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 128,900 |
| 1998 Elantra | 3 | 5% | — |
| 1997 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 141,000 |
| 1996 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 1995 Elantra | 7 | 6% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Hyundai Elantras have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about suspension for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra (26% of the 234 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 94,533 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2003 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 40 of 61 complaints, followed by “suspension front” (13).
See all 2003 Hyundai Elantra problems or suspension problems across all Elantra years.