U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Hyundai TIBURON problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

328 owner complaints analyzed

9 distinct recall campaigns

44,148 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 264 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Clutch Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 123 of 328 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	47	14.3%
Electrical and battery issues	25	7.6%
Braking behavior	16	4.9%
Engine operation	8	2.4%
Fuel system concerns	6	1.8%
Steering behavior	4	1.2%

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.

Power Train:Clutch Assembly

123

Air Bags

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Electrical System

Air Bags:Frontal

Seat Belts

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Clutch Assembly	123
Air Bags	41
Power Train:Manual Transmission	33
Electrical System	28
Air Bags:Frontal	19
Seat Belts	15
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	11
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls	9

Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 123; Air Bags: 41; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 33; Electrical System: 28; Air Bags:Frontal: 19; Seat Belts: 15; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 11; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 9

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 78; 25,000 to 49,999: 66; 50,000 to 74,999: 54; 75,000 to 99,999: 38; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 9

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (78). 64 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.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2020

2022

2002: 2; 2003: 38; 2004: 43; 2005: 40; 2006: 57; 2007: 23; 2008: 27; 2009: 14; 2010: 26; 2011: 14; 2012: 11; 2013: 5; 2014: 8; 2015: 6; 2016: 6; 2017: 2; 2019: 4; 2020: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Clutch Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 47 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 25 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 16 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 10027138 · 2003-07-14 (July 14, 2003)

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEAR. SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT MOVE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART, PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027138 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075099 · 2004-06-09 (June 9, 2004)

TIBURON 2003 VT V6 HAS 18000 MILES ON IT AND CLUTCH FAILS ON HIGHWAY. WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY KEPT IT FOR THREE DAYS AND NEEDED A AUTHORIZATION TO TAKE APART THE TRANSMISSION. SERVICE PEOPLE FOUND THAT THE DISC WAS COMPLETELY HOT AND WORN DOWN, WHICH DAMAGED BEARINGS. NOT COVERED UNDER 100000 WARRANTY BECAUSE DISK WAS WORN DOWN. CLUTCH IS FAULTY AND THEY REPLACE FAULTY CLUTCHES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY WANT 1400 DOLLARS FOR IT, WITH A 50 % OFF FROM THE CORPORATION. WE NEED ALL CLUTCHES RECALLED AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075099 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10064657 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDED THE POWER WINDOWS, AND THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS MATTER, HOWEVER, DEALER REFUSED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONSUMER. *AK THE AIR BAD FAILED DURING A CRASH AND THE SUN ROOF MALFUNCTIONED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 7 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064657 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070145 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JULY 2002. IT NOW ONLY HAS ALITTLE OVER 8,000 MILES. SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS AUTO I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE DOORS REALIGNED BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE RADIO WOULD JUST GO OUT. THEY REPLACED THE RADIO BUT 3 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN EXCEPT THIS TIME THE A/C WOULD NOT PUT OUT COLD AIR PROPERLY. COME TO FIND OUT IF I CUT THE A/C OFF, THE RADIO WOULD COME BACK ON. THE LAST FEW TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR FOR THE DAY. THEY CHECKED OUT EVERYTHING AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING TO CAUSE IT TO BE DOING WHAT I…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070145 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046657 · 2003-11-10 (November 10, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A LIGHT POLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046657 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055193 · 2004-01-29 (January 29, 2004)

VEHICLE EQUIPT WITH LOW PROFILE SPORTS TIRES. WHILE DRIVING ON SR2 IN JERUSELUM TOWNSHIP OHIO I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN SKIDDING ON BLACK ICE. ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND $9000 DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. REAR AXLE FAILED DURING THE IMPACT INTO AN EMBANKMENT WHICH ABSORBED MUCH OF THE IMPACT. SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AS DESIGNED BUT FRONT DID NOT. I AM ASSUMING THAT THIS IS DUE TO ME SLIDING BACKWARDS UP THE EMBANKMENT WITHOUT ANY DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT. I WALKED AWAY FROM IT BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055193 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031928 · 2003-08-01 (August 1, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRYING TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH A STALLED VEHICLE IN THE HIGHWAY. WHILE AVOIDING THE STALLED VEHICLE CONSUMER ROLLED INTO A DITCH AND ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES. CONSUMER'S SEATBELT CAME UNDONE, AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT SOMETHING UNDER THE HOOD STARTED SMOKING, AND WITHIN TEN MINUTES THE ENTIRE CAR WAS CONSUMED BY THE FIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031928 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10047571 · 2003-11-25 (November 25, 2003)

VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND STALLS WHEN IT DOES START. TWICE HAS BEEN PICKED UP BY ROADSIDE SERVICE AND TOWED TO ARROW HYUNDAI IN MILWAUKEE FOR REPAIR. JC. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 7,998 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047571 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10082198 · 2004-07-19 (July 19, 2004)

NHTSA RECALL 04V-178000. FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE/FMVSS 301: CONSUMER HAVING A PROBLEM WITH DEALER HONORING THIS RECALL ALONG WITH TWO OTHER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR ITEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082198 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10289449 · 2009-10-23 (October 23, 2009)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. AFTER FUELING THE FUEL TANK, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A NO-START CONDITION. HE HAS TO APPLY PRESSURE ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO START THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER HE SMELLED GASOLINE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING . THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. HIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 04V178000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) AND 04V369000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:ST…

Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289449 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10047863 · 2003-11-12 (November 12, 2003)

THE STEERING ASSEMBLY SPINDLE SNAPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER FOR NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10047863 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070047 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

THE ALL-NEW 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON BOASTED TO DELIVER A PERFECT COMBINATION OF STYLISH DESIGN, HIGH QUALITY AND OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. IN REALITY, THE NEW VEHICLE, WHICH I LEASED WAS PLAGUED WITH NUMEROUS HANDICAPS. THE KNOB ON STICK SHIFT KEEPS FALLING OFF-APPEARS TO BE BROKEN. RE-ATTACHED KNOB AND CENTERED FACE PLATE ONLY TO HAVE KNOB FALL OFF AGAIN STILL BROKEN. JULY 18 2002 A/C FUMES COMING THRU VENTS THIS IS CAUSED BY GREASE ON WHEEL FROM BAND CLAMP LOOSE OFF CV BOOT. JULY 18 2002 STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT HIGH SPEED- CAR SWAYS AT REA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070047 at NHTSA ↗