RecallMyCar

2003 Hyundai Elantra Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2003 Hyundai Elantra, and owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
234
owner complaints to NHTSA
42 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
25
MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Suspension: control arm

    NHTSA 09V125000 Reported 160,904 vehicles potentially affected Hyundai Motor Company

    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…

    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…

  2. Storage (fuel system)

    NHTSA 04V369000 Reported 919 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

    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.

    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.

  3. Tank assembly (fuel system)

    NHTSA 04V178000 Reported 263,968 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    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.

  4. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

    NHTSA 03V496000 Reported 1,993 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

    On certain passenger vehicles, the brake tubes for the rear brakes can contact the steering gearbox mounting brackets.

    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…

  5. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

    NHTSA 03V257000 Reported 312,292 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    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…

    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…

234 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2003 Hyundai Elantra have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA; 42 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 33 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 68,055 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 30 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. Additionally, while at”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 12, 2023 · Suspension

“Live in Indiana where the weather is super salty in the winters and all of the salt in Indiana has really really affected the whole underside of my car. The whole subframe is falling apart and the rus”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 21, 2023 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2003 Hyundai Elantra. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined25 mpg
City / Highway21–22 / 30
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Hyundai Elantra model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Elantra model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1992 Hyundai Elantra029
1993 Hyundai Elantra024
1994 Hyundai Elantra276
1995 Hyundai Elantra1112
1996 Hyundai Elantra3100
1997 Hyundai Elantra3115
1998 Hyundai Elantra055
1999 Hyundai Elantra2128
2000 Hyundai Elantra1197
2001 Hyundai Elantra6315
2002 Hyundai Elantra6342
2003 Hyundai Elantra5234
2004 Hyundai Elantra5182
2005 Hyundai Elantra4137
2006 Hyundai Elantra1155
2007 Hyundai Elantra6267
2008 Hyundai Elantra7314
2009 Hyundai Elantra4254
2010 Hyundai Elantra3379
2011 Hyundai Elantra5433
2012 Hyundai Elantra4653
2013 Hyundai Elantra41,314
2014 Hyundai Elantra2384
2015 Hyundai Elantra3262
2016 Hyundai Elantra2293
2017 Hyundai Elantra4767
2018 Hyundai Elantra0283
2019 Hyundai Elantra1251
2020 Hyundai Elantra3252
2021 Hyundai Elantra6131
2022 Hyundai Elantra5101
2023 Hyundai Elantra298
2024 Hyundai Elantra154
2025 Hyundai Elantra022
2026 Hyundai Elantra12

Checking a specific 2003 Hyundai Elantra

How do I know if my 2003 Hyundai Elantra has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2003 Hyundai Elantra; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V257000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Hyundai models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.