no report yet
Front: control arm
Risk. THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
2003 Hyundai TiburonProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 328 owner complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon, most often about the power train. It is covered by 9 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 29, 2022. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon has problems
328 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
164Power train4 crash/fire/injury
71Air bags25 crash/fire/injury
34Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
23Seat belts
14Exterior lighting
13Visibility
13Suspension
10Structure
9Fuel system, gasoline
5713 other systems11 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 164 | 4 |
| Air bags | 71 | 25 |
| Electrical system | 34 | 8 |
| Seat belts | 23 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 1 |
| Visibility | 13 | 0 |
| Suspension | 13 | 2 |
| Structure | 10 | 2 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 9 | 0 |
| 13 other systems | 57 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2003 Hyundai Tiburon 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
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
Risk. FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
no report yet
Storage: tank assembly
Risk. FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE TUBES AND THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS MAY RESULT IN REAR BRAKE TUBE WEAR AND CORROSION, INCREASING THE RISK OF BRAKE…
Show 5 more recalls
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER.
no report yet
Front: buckle assembly
Risk. NONDEPLOYMENT OF AN SRS AIR BAG IN A CRASH WHERE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS WARRANTED COULD INCREASE THE RISK OR SEVERITY OF INJURY IN A CRASH.
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Front: buckle assembly
Risk. DAMAGED DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BELT WARNING LAMP OR THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) AIR BAG WIRING LAMP TO ILLUMINATE.
no report yet
Unknown or other
Risk. IF THIS BRACKET HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED, THERE MAY BE AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY OR INCREASED SEVERITY OF INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.
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 power train problems start?
31kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 138 power train complaints. 97% were reported before 100,000 miles.
61under 30k miles134under 100k miles4100k 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.
Power train
40 owners mentioned a cost$2,000median
Middle half: $1,575 – $2,000
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 Tiburon 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 Tiburon median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Hyundai Tiburon safety ratings
2003 Hyundai Tiburon in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Tiburon owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY AUTOMATICD TRUNK RELEASE NOT WORK AS WELL AS MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW NOT WORKING. MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS 12 YEARS OLD, HOWEVER IT ONLY HAS 64,000. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER TIBURON OWNERS WHO HAVE…
AFTER STOPPING BEHIND A LINE OF STOPPED CARS, I SLOWLY REMOVED MY FOOT FROM BRAKE PEDAL (HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND LOOKED INTO MY REVIEW MIRROR AS CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN MOVING. SUDDENLY I HEARD MY ENGINE RACE AND IMMEDIATELY SLAMMED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE I COULD REACT. MY CAR…
SHIFTING GEARS HAS LED TO SLIPPING, GRINDING, AND LOCKING. IT'S GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE. NOW, EVEN WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY SHIFTING CAN LOCK UP. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO FORCE THE SHIFT INTO GEAR. REVERSE IS THE WORST. HAD THE MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDERS REPLACED AND STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH CLUTCH.…
Own a 2003 Tiburon?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.