repaired · 2016 Q1
Springs: coil springs
Risk. If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing…
2003 Hyundai Santa FEProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 308 owner complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-435 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 1, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Harvey Bold, CC BY 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE has problems
308 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
56Suspension
42Air bags16 crash/fire/injury
35Power train
31Service brakes, hydraulic6 crash/fire/injury
30Structure3 crash/fire/injury
28Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
24Vehicle speed control5 crash/fire/injury
21Engine and engine cooling
17Visibility
8917 other systems10 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 56 | 0 |
| Air bags | 42 | 16 |
| Power train | 35 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 31 | 6 |
| Structure | 30 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 4 |
| Vehicle speed control | 24 | 5 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 21 | 1 |
| Visibility | 17 | 1 |
| 17 other systems | 89 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2003 Hyundai Santa FE recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Suspension: rear
Risk. IF THE CORROSION IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE REAR TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
no report yet
Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Risk. IF AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
120kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 45 suspension complaints. 27% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2under 30k miles12under 100k miles33100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
8 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $325 – $788
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other Santa FE year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Santa FE median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Hyundai Santa FE safety ratings
2003 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE, and the recalls they led to.
- REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURELed to recall 09V-123
In owners' words
What Santa FE owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The driver's side rear trailing arm lower broke again. Was driving all of a sudden felt it start fishtailing and pulled over and thank God I didn't crash
BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN FOR A ALIGNMENT AND THEY DISCOVERED THE RUSTED AND CORRADIATED REAR LEFT TRAILING CONTROL ARM ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, I BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AFTER THAT TO GET A RECALL AND THE TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT IN ND AND THAT STATE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL…
REAR TRAILING ARM CORRODED AND BUSTED WHILE IN MOTION. CAUSED REAR END TO COLLAPSE AND FISHTAIL. PASSENGER SIDE SNAPPED, DRIVERS SIDE IS VERY CORRODED. JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, HAD NO IDEA THESE PARTS WERE UNSTABLE.
Own a 2003 Santa FE?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.