2003 Hyundai SONATA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
199 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
65,253 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 148 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 34 of 199 complaints (17.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 12.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 19 | 9.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 13 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 5.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 3.5% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 3.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 34 |
| Electrical System | 17 |
| Suspension | 14 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 13 |
| Structure | 10 |
| Structure:Body | 9 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 8 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 |
Air Bags: 34; Electrical System: 17; Suspension: 14; Structure:Body:Door: 13; Structure: 10; Structure:Body: 9; Air Bags:Frontal: 8; Fuel System, Gasoline: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 31 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 28 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 21 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 31 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 31; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 28; 75,000 to 99,999: 21; 100,000 to 149,999: 31; 150,000 and above: 12
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 51 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 23 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 13 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 19 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 14; 2004: 23; 2005: 14; 2006: 13; 2007: 11; 2008: 7; 2009: 19; 2010: 12; 2011: 18; 2012: 6; 2013: 7; 2014: 19; 2015: 8; 2016: 8; 2017: 4; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 19 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10022414 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEAVY VIBRATION, THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022414 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045026 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)
AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN CONSUMER PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS OCCURRED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WHEN THIS HAPPENED VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 200 MILES ON IT. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS LOST OF VACUUM TO THE POWER BOOSTER. THE CAUSE WAS A BLOCKAGE IN THE VACUUM HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045026 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050723 · 2003-12-18 (December 18, 2003)
TRANSMISSION CONTINUALLY SLIPS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. HAD VEHICLE INTO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES AND WITHIN 8,000 MILES SECOND (REBUILT -BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HYUNDAI REPLACES NEW TRANSMISSIONS WITH) TRANSMISSION ALSO BEGAN SLIPPING. SLIPPAGE IS MORE PRONOUNCED IN THE COLDER TEMPS. ON ONE OCCASION, REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER DROVE VEHICLE AND ACKNOWLEDGED SLIP. HE THEN SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE VEHICLE INCLUDING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT THIS WAS CANCELLED THE DAY BEFORE APPOINTMENT WH…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075193 · 2004-06-10 (June 10, 2004)
IN APR 04 I PURCHASED NEW TIRES FOR MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. INSIDE OF THIRTY DAYS, I HAD THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE GO FLAT WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER TO CHANGE THE FLAT. I WENT BACK TO NATIONAL TIRE & BATTERY (NTB) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE TIRES. THEY COULD NOT FIND AN OBVIOUS CAUSE FOR THE TIRE FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE TIRE, AND THREE DAYS LATER, THE TIRE WENT FLAT AGAIN WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY. I EXPIRENCED TWO MORE FLAT TIRES ON THE SAME WHEEL WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AND THEN A FEW DAYS…
Owner-reported narrative. 65 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075193 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083539 · 2004-07-23 (July 23, 2004)
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL SPILLAGE AS DESCRIBED IN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE/FMVSS301 RECALL 04V178000. BUT THIS OCCURRED NOT IN A ROLL OVER SITUATION, BUT WHEN FILLING THE FUEL TANK WITH FUEL AT THE GAS STATION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083539 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10400692 · 2011-05-12 (May 12, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE, GASOLINE WOULD SPEW BACK OUT FROM THE FILER NECK AND ONTO THE GROUND. SHE WAS ABLE TO FUEL SMALL AMOUNTS AT A GIVEN TIME HOWEVER, IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN THIRTY MINUTES TO FILL THE FUEL TANK TO CAPACITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN 2005 WHERE THEY PERFORMED REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V178000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED OF THE FAILUR…
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10400692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048254 · 2004-01-09 (January 9, 2004)
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE CONSUMER HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE. THE VEHICLE VIBRATED SOON AFTER THAT. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE ALONG WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN SITTING AT IDLE AND MORE WHEN THE A/C WAS ON. THE VEHICLE ALSO PULLED TO THE RIGHT. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048254 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050010 · 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER. DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050010 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018937 · 2003-05-19 (May 19, 2003)
TRANSMISSION MADE LOUD CLUNKING NOISES, BROUGHT INTO DEALER, "COULDN'T DUPLICATE" (TYPICAL RESPONSE), THEN I FOUND THE TRANSMISSION TO BE LEAKING, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 1500 MILES, STILL HAD BAD SHIFT PATTERNS AND HANG UPS IN GEARS, MORE SO AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ALSO HAD ALL SORTS OF FRONT END NOISE THAT NATURALLY GOT WORSE AFTER THEY TORE HALF OF THE FRONT END OUT TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001409 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IDLE SPEED AND VEHICLE WILL STALL. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE WILL START LOOSING POWER ON HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS A INTERMEDIATE PROBLEM AND UNLESS HYUNDAI SENDS OUT A LETTER OR SOMETHING THAT STATES THE PROBLEM THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10034090 · 2003-08-18 (August 18, 2003)
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR OVER SIX HOURS , THEN UPON STARTING VEHICLE AND DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL .VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM IS RECURRING.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10034090 at NHTSA ↗