2003 Hyundai Sonata Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sonata years
- About as many complaints as other years 18th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 199 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Hyundai Sonata. That ranks 18th out of 32 Sonata model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (43 complaints, 22%), typically at around 65,253 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 2 fires, 45 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
_%E2%80%93_f1_08012026.jpg){kind=link}
- 199owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Hyundai Sonata 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 43 | 22% | 65,253 | — | — |
| Structure | 38 | 19% | 93,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 19 | 10% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 15 | 8% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 7% | 19,765 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 13 | 7% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 6% | 13,873 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 10 | 5% | 139,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 5% | 9,300 | — | — |
| Wheels | 10 | 5% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 5% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 4% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 4% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 4% | 30,355 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 3% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 3% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% | 56 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 2% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 112,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% | 45,003 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 109,484 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Hyundai Sonata recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Suspension
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
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
- Interior door handle laceration hazard (PE08071) — opened Dec 15, 2008, closed May 29, 2009, led to recall 09V171000.
- Front sub-frame corrosion (EA08016) — opened Aug 21, 2008, closed Apr 20, 2009, led to recall 09V124000.
- Tire valve stem failures (PE05059) — opened Nov 7, 2005, closed May 11, 2006.
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 Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at Valvoline for a service appointment, the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the subframe assembly and…
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 NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V124000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to a…
NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 09V124000 NHTSA Action Number: EA08016 Recall calls for repair or replacement of front sub-frame, due to corrosion. Local dealer responded, â . . . we will not be able to perform recallâ. I was told the corrosion was too far gone to repair. They refuse to replace the…
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…
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…
Other Hyundai Sonata years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sonata | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 Sonata | 17 | 0 |
| 2024 Sonata | 46 | 1 |
| 2023 Sonata | 87 | 2 |
| 2022 Sonata | 94 | 3 |
| 2021 Sonata | 134 | 4 |
| 2020 Sonata | 180 | 4 |
| 2019 Sonata | 162 | 0 |
| 2018 Sonata | 374 | 1 |
| 2017 Sonata | 766 | 3 |
| 2016 Sonata | 727 | 6 |
| 2015 Sonata | 1,153 | 9 |
| 2014 Sonata | 750 | 7 |
| 2013 Sonata | 1,916 | 9 |
| 2012 Sonata | 1,558 | 8 |
| 2011 Sonata | 3,377 | 14 |
| 2010 Sonata | 345 | 2 |
| 2009 Sonata | 460 | 2 |
| 2008 Sonata | 425 | 3 |
| 2007 Sonata | 696 | 5 |
| 2006 Sonata | 1,047 | 9 |
| 2005 Sonata | 165 | 1 |
| 2004 Sonata | 202 | 1 |
| 2003 | 199 | 6 |
| 2002 Sonata | 320 | 7 |
| 2001 Sonata | 205 | 3 |
| 2000 Sonata | 276 | 4 |
| 1999 Sonata | 124 | 4 |
| 1998 Sonata | 49 | 1 |
| 1997 Sonata | 49 | 2 |
| 1996 Sonata | 23 | 1 |
| 1995 Sonata | 66 | 2 |
See all Hyundai Sonata problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
Embed this 2003 Hyundai Sonata badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Hyundai Sonata?
Owners most often report air bags, structure, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 43 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Hyundai Sonata?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Hyundai Sonata a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sonata 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.