2003 Hyundai Sonata Base from North America - Comments

I bought a 2003 Hyundai Sonata GL 4 cyl base model with a manual 5 speed transmission. I liked the looks of it, it handled well when I test drove it and all interior and exterior parts appeared to be tight and properly aligned. All was well until 30,000 miles when the clutch gave out. The warranty does not cover (read the extremely fine print) parts that are "expected to wear and tear" I had to ante up $1,812 for a new clutch. In driving manual transmissions for the past 36 years I have acquired a modicum of experience and have NEVER had to replace a clutch in any vehicle I've ever owned. Knowing there was a defect in the clutch I contacted customer service in California and was promptly told "too bad it's out of warranty" I asked them if they would at least look at it for a possible defect and their reply was "what for? we already know it's bad". Now here it is 15,000 miles later and guess what, WORN OUT CLUTCH AGAIN! Anyone with at least one functioning brain cell (which I used to consider myself a part of until I bought this car) will run as fast as they can from this car company. There are a plethora of well proven reliable vehicles out there and dealers willing to right obvious wrongs. This company ain't one of them!!

I have a 2003 sonata hyundai, having with steering wheel vibtration, 57,500 miles, I went to the hyundai dealer for check up, but they cannot find the problem, but in my reaserach in the internet maybe the problem is the throttle position sensor because sensor control the idling of the engine, I read the forum regarding vibration, the technician replace this sensor and solve the problem, but I never tried yet since my car is under warranty. Hope this hyundai company will do a reasearch of this complain why having the engine is idling and creates vibration to the steering wheel.

I bought a 2005 Sonata GL in April 2005. I test drove the car and it was nice. I needed something with a good warranty and gas mileage. Well, I should have looked elsewhere. I have had my car at the dealer numerous times since I bought it. Just a few months after buying it, I went to go to work and it didn't start. This still continues to happen, yet the only thing they tell me it could possibly be is something to do with a cold start. Funny how this happens when it's 100 degrees in the summer. Then it started making a pinging noise about a year ago. I took it to the dealer where I bought it 3 times. Each time I was given a different story and told it was one thing or another. Of course everything they did to "fix" it cost me money out of my pocket. So I decided to take it to another dealership to get a second opinion. The first time they told me they couldn't reproduce it. Then they told me it was the fuel injectors and charged me over $100 to flush the fuel system. It is there now and they are finally saying that they hear the Ping, but they say that they have a call in to the Hyundai Corporation to find out if they can be approved to go ahead with the repair or if they consider it normal. Normal? My car has just over 40,000 miles on it. The only thing that I should need to be doing is normal maintenance. I've also had it in the shop for my radio/CD player overheating and burning on long trips. I guess this would be part of the electrical issues that people talk about. I also have experienced the vibrating during idle. I just thought it was because it was a 4 Cyl. I'm beginning to think differently now. "America's Best Warranty" heh! It just sounds good. I'm waiting for them to get back to me now. This is my last attempt with the dealer. I will be contacting a lawyer after this. I will never in my life ever buy another Hyundai. The warranty is not worth all of the hassle this car has caused me. I should have kept my Neon. I thought I was stepping up in the world. Guess I thought wrong. On a good note, they replaced my fog light under warranty. LOL! Funny how that went out within the first 18 months. I had my Neon for 5 years and the headlights or foglights never went out. Big thumbs down for Hyundai.

I bought a 2002 Hyundai Sonata in June of 2003. It was considered used since it had 18,000. miles on it. It has been pretty good up until now.

While I was driving it I heard a squealing noise for a few minutes, followed by a loud banging noise. I called my roadside assistance on my cell phone. I was never told that I had a 5 year factory warranty. When I bought it I was told and given a paper saying 90 days warranty, that's all. I called my local dealer to ask if I did have any warranty since my mechanic said to look into it because it sounded like a serious repair. I was told I had a 5 year that is up in January 2007. They came and towed the car to my local dealer after telling me it would be all set. come to find out the timing belt slipped and then broke which then ruined the engine. I was told for 3 days that they were taking it apart and it would be covered. On the 4th day I got a call that the is only covered for 4 years and they werent sure now if it is covered. they said they had to get the okay from the factory rep. this went on for 3 more days when they finally had it all apart and agreed it needed a new engine, cost $4000. They said they would cover it, but I would have to pay $460. for all the small parts, spark plugs, oil, etc. I also was refused a loaner car or rental car because they were paying for the engine. It should be ready maybe the day before Thanksgiving. I would say that Hyundai doesn't make you lemonade it sell lemons. We will see how good the repair is once I get it back.

Had to replace washer wipers at 8000 miles? Yeah, that would be a REALLY good reason not to buy a car...

Has anyone had a problem with their Sonata's paint chipping off like egg shells? Please let me know if you have and if it is a factory defect. Any little bump the paint falls off. I am tired of fixing it.

2003 Sonata.

Yo_nurse@yahoo.com.

Have a 2003 Model 350. When headlight switch position is in "auto", no problem. When switch is "on" there is a clicking and flashing of lights that occur even when engine is off. Mechanic suggest not using "on" position. Besides finding a new mechanic, any ideas?

I purchased a used 2001 Sonata in 2001 with 7000 on the clock. I had to have the transmission replaced at 30, 000 miles and was charged for transmission oil and a filter. I also had to replace the battery when the car was less than 2 years old, and had the rear brake cylinders leak on one side on two different occasions. The car was under warranty on all these repairs, but I was always charged something for incidentals.

At 65000 miles the oil pan was almost rusted through and had to be replaced. Then I asked for the fuel filter to be replaced and was told the fuel lines were rusted and needed to be replaced. Thank god they covered that under warranty, but not without a fight. The always want to charge me for repairs which should be covered by the so called "bumper to Bumper" warranty. My CD player quit functioning after 3 and 1/2 years and was not covered by the bumper to bumper at that time.

For example each master cylinder leak required a replacement of the drum brakes because they were saturated with brake fluid. The Transmission required new fluid and a new filter. Hyundai must not pay dealers enough for the repairs.

Now the right Headlamp (Low Beam) is not functioning. The car is out of warranty and I'm wondering how much it will cost me.

I have a 2002 Hyundai Sonata GLS which I bought in December of 2001. I have had to replace the window regulators in three windows (One of them twice. I am waiting for the fourth window to go out now - praying it doesn't happen), the relay switch (when my car wouldn't lock anymore and wouldn't set the alarm), the oxygen sensor and now it is in the shop because I was driving home from work today and the engine started racing when I was coming to a stop. Then after the light changed and I pressed down on the gas pedal, it was very sluggish to respond and the check engine light came on. The dealership has to keep it to run a diagnostic on it (which alone cost me $100 - if the problem isn't under warranty). I hope it isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg. I can at least be thankful that I haven't been going through what I use to go through with my previous car, a 1988 Plymouth Sundance that I kept for 14 years. There was always something wrong with it, but it kept going. I was at the Chrysler dealership so many times they knew me when I would come in!

I think the Hyundai Sonata 2003 Gold is a great car...

"Mechanic suggest not using "on" position. Besides finding a new mechanic, any ideas?"

Hah hah hah why not swap brand? This is the same kind of bs answer I got when I pointed out a lot of different malfunctioning parts on my almost new Sonata. In this market it's only got 3 years warranty so I needed to change the malfunctioning parts before warranty was out. I didn't want to sell it off with a lot of defects either. Hyundai should cover these defects:

1. Drivers window does not properly shut. Also it makes a grinding noise when running the window

2. They've "repaired" the window before and the door now rattles like mad. It really irritates me. It's not yet 3 years old.

3. There's a low pitched squeaking from the seals around all 4 doors. Seem to come and go. Very noticeable in the freezing winter. I add rubber silicone when it gets too bad

4. There's a grinding noise from the fan on position 1 and 2 and this is because the fan rides against the housing according to the mechanic. But they won't be bothered to dismantle the whole thing because it's too expensive to do so. In the winter it makes a high pitched squeel the first minutes.

5. If I run my AC on full and steers left and right like into a parking house the belt sqeals like mad. But it's self adjusting and there's nothing to be done about it according to the mech.

6. Front tires are almost worn and so are the brakes at 38.000 km. This can't be normal. Previous tires on other cars have lasted 70-80.000 km. Rear tires are not worn. I think this is a alignment problem, but mech says every thing is OK? "Why not just buy a new set of tires"

7. One of the buttons on the original cd player almost doesn't work. I have to press it real hard and press it repeatedly. They say I've abused it so it's not their problem. But I've hardly used the cd player, I almost always use the radio for news.

8. Check engine light has come on twice. They've given me no explaination why. "It's a transient problem, no worry, probably won't happen again".

There's been points of irritation from day one. But according to Hyundai nothing of this is a malfunction, so they won't repair. I feel like running around in a 20 year old car. It rattles and squeals like that.

I got a 2003 Sonata the first day I got it had this weird pulsation on the brakes as soon as I got home to show it to my family so I took it back to the dealer they said it was OK after a couple of hours of wait, went back home and did it again

came back next day same thing is OK now went home did it again the brakes on my car are not normal I have change the pads three times in 85.000 miles the rotors where machined three times still today doesn't brake correctly I do not trust my car and it's being horrible for the last 5 years of driving this vehicle that I paid in full the first day and I have not enjoy for one minute yet it just does not brake I think I will eventually kill someone someday I do not know what to do I paid for a bumper to bumper warranty, but hyundai says is normal activity of the brakes they really make me fell like a very ignorant person every time I go and tell them what's wrong they say can duplicate the brakes concerns and send me home with 4 or 500 dollars less in my pocket and a car that won't brake again my lights die for no reason 4 times already and the last time a gave them the lights that I purchased my self and within two days where dead again the paint inside the handles is pealing off and cuts like a razor blade they actually change those I was very impressed they finally agree with me on something I will never even if you pay me will buy a Hyundai Sorry it took 5 years of hard times for me to say this I do not intend to put anyone down, but is not fair, they know what's wrong and are not doing anything about their customers or their bad cars if I know what's wrong they know to, I assure you they do, I want my money back and they should pay me for all the bad moments that I had driving this car, and let me tell ya for that I will need another two pages.

I have a 2002 Hyundai Sonata that has had electrical problems form the start. My mother owned the car first, and when she had it the radio had to be replaced because it got so hot it stopped working. Then she had to have it towed in 2 times due to the alarm going off for no reason and it wouldn't stop.

I've had the car now for about 3 years. In the beginning I just had the normal wear and tear. But it seems ever since I hit 70,000 miles the car has been falling apart.

My rear driver's side window stopped working. The part was $200 and my dad fixed it.

The rear passenger side door doesn't unlock.

The locks have always locked and unlocked repeatedly like 10 times in a row.

My driver’s side taillight has gone out 4 times in one year. And the headlight went out twice. At first they said I have a poor connection. Then went on to ask if I had anyone to fix it for me because I can just buy a kit at any parts store. I was shocked. I said yes I have you fix the car, why else would it be here?

Then I brought it in for a front-end alignment and they wouldn't do it because I needed new tires, which I can understand. But then I had a knocking noise when I turned right and took it back in 3 days later and they said my axle was broken. I was like you couldn't have told me that 3 days ago when it was in for a front-end alignment.

I had it in the shop 3 times in one week because my battery light kept coming on. First they said the connections were loose. Then I had a cracked pipe. Then some sensor was bad that told the car how hard I was pressing on the gas peddle.

The latest theory on why my lights go out is because I need a new alternator. But I took it to a different place and he said my alternator was fine. The part at the dealer is $400, so I am glad I did not get it done.

Needless to say, there maybe something wrong electrically with the car and they are either to lazy or stupid to find the problem and fix it.

I just bought a 04 Sonata, 4 cy and I too have noticed the vibration when stopped at a light. It is not as bad when it is in park. Also, my CD player works sometimes. I can't even get the CD out of the CD player at times. It's not as good on gas as I thought it would be for a 4 cy. I was driving a mustang and was terrible on gas so I was excited about getting the car since I figured it would be good on gas, but I get around 24 mpg. My friend has a 6 cy and she gets better gas mileage than I do. I do love the way it rides, but I am a little disappointed in the car; not sure if I am going to be happy with it.

Bought my Sonata used with 14,000 miles, I drive 85 miles a day round trip to work and home, the car now has 105,000 miles on it and I have never had a single problem with it. Even has the original battery in it. Stop complaining about little things in life like oh my car vibrates at red lights.