2003 Hyundai ELANTRA: complaints, problems and recalls

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50MPH. THE CONSUMER WAS IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER STATES THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. THE AIR BAG DID DEPLOY. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002054 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 01/02/03. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER NOTICED CAR WAS CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE THROTTLE PEDAL. CONSUMER DECIDED TO PULL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE AND RPM INCREASED. CONSUMER APPLIED PARKING BRAKE TO SLOW VEHICLE TO A STOP AND TURNED OFF IGNITION. CAR CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED BY DEALER. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 117 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002250 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING FROM 45 MPH OR GREATER WITH A CROSS WIND ACROSS THE CAR (LEFT TO RIGHT) THE CAR WILL HOWL OR WHISTLE. THE SOUND IS SO LOUD THAT IT DROWNS OUT THE RADIO AND THE ROAD NOISE. OPENING THE WINDOW SEEMS TO STOP THE SOUND BUT YOU CAN'T DRIVE FOR 8 HOURS WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN IN THE RAIN OR HEAT. I HAVE TRIED THE DEALERS SUGGESTION OF USING TAPE ON THE VENTS TO QUIET THE NOISE BUT TO NO SOLUTION.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008412 at NHTSA ↗

2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA: VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE ENTERING FREEWAY ON-RAMP. HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD TO AVOID REAR-END COLLISION WITH APPROACHING VEHICLES. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS "FIXED." A SECOND EPISODE OCCURRED AFTER VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AND FIXED BY DEALER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011081 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS TO TIGHT AROUND THE DRIVERS NECK. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011502 at NHTSA ↗

EXTREMELY LOUD WIND NOISE WHEN DRIVING INTO OR WITH A CROSSWIND. NOISE SEEMS TO EMANATE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013777 at NHTSA ↗

HYUNDAI ELANTRA--WHEN GOING 45 MPH OR FASTER, I GET THE SAME LOUD SCRAPING NOISE THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. THE DEALER HAS NO ANSWER. I GET THE NOISE MOSTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BUT HAVE HEARD IT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ALSO. THE NOISE IS SO ANNOYING THAT IT MAY BE A DANGER BY DISTRACTING THE DRIVER WITH ITS SCREECH. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014331 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR GREATER THERE IS A VERY LOUD HUMMING TYPE NOISE AT THE CORNERS OF THE WINDSHIELD. I NOTICED IT IS GREATLY ENHANCED WHEN THERE IS A STRONG HEADWIND. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016457 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2003-07-22 (July 22, 2003)

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.

Consequence: FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE TUBES FOR THE REAR BRAKES CAN CONTACT THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2004-04-09 (April 9, 2004)

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.

Consequence: FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2004-07-26 (July 26, 2004)

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.

Consequence: FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2009-04-16 (April 16, 2009)

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.

Consequence: THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.