Your vehicle report
2003 Hyundai Sonata
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 199
- Received Dec 2002 to Jun 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbag warning light stays on27 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Rear door latch fails to open or close16 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Frame rusts and corrodes through16 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #09V317000Hyundai 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.
- Recall #09V171000Hyundai 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 17 crashes, 2 fires, 45 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 17 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
- Engine stalls and loses power while driving
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 199 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag warning light stays on | 27 | 14% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 16 | 8.0% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 16 | 8.0% | – | NHTSA recall #09V124000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 13 | 6.5% | – | NHTSA recall #04V178000, #04V369000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 12 | 6.0% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 7 | 3.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 3.0% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| TPMS valve stems break or leak | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 3 | 1.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #09V317000August 7, 200982 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
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.
A sharp edge could lacerate or otherwise injure a vehicle occupant.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #09V171000May 21, 200991,350 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
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.
This may inflict laceration injuries to anyone using the door handle.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #09V124000April 16, 2009188,282 vehicles affected
suspension
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #04V369000July 26, 2004919 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #04V178000April 9, 2004263,968 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #03V097000March 17, 20038,315 vehicles affected
tires: temporary/emergency spare tire
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2003 Hyundai Sonata.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN