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2003 Hyundai Elantra Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

310 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.05 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical04V178000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

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

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Critical04V369000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage

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

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious09V125000

Suspension:Front:Control Arm

THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious03V257000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious03V496000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE TUBES AND THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS MAY RESULT IN REAR BRAKE TUBE WEAR AND CORROSION, raises the risk of BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

Remedy & full details

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.

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

Complaint volume

310 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

59Crashes
1Fires
51Injuries
0Deaths

Across 310 complaints. Severity Index 1.05.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Suspension33 · 11%Air Bags28 · 9%Air Bags · Frontal15 · 5%Steering15 · 5%Structure · Body13 · 4%Suspension · Front13 · 4%Service Brakes, Hydraulic12 · 4%Suspension · Front · Cont…12 · 4%
  1. Suspension — 33 reports
  2. Air Bags — 28 reports
  3. Air Bags:Frontal — 15 reports
  4. Steering — 15 reports
  5. Structure:Body — 13 reports
  6. Suspension:Front — 13 reports
  7. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 12 reports
  8. Suspension:Front:Control Arm — 12 reports
  9. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 9 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 9 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (3) · 1998 · 1999 (2) · 2000 (1) · 2001 (6) · 2002 (6) · 2003 · 2004 (5) · 2005 (4) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (6) · 2008 (7) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (5) · 2012 (4) · 2013 (4) · 2014 (2) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (4) · 2018 · 2019 (1) · 2020 (3) · 2021 (6) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (1) · 2025

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.