10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
750 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Hyundai Sonata:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Oct 312005

Sonata 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving South on US68, an oncoming northbound concrete truck turned directly in front of us. When we hit, the passenger's shoulder harness of my 2003 Hyundai Sonata failed to "lock". I was thrown against the dash and then the airbag deployed directly against my chest. My wife's airbag (she was driving) deployed slightly faster, but late enough that it opened under her chin and popped her head back. She has three damaged disks in her neck (two herniated and one bulging). My shoulder harness was no help, and my airbag actually injured me by firing late and in contact with my chest. My wife's airbag, although slightly faster, caused her injury by deploying slowly.

- Paducah, KY, USA

problem #1

Nov 202003

Sonata 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,500 miles
2003 Hyundai Sonata, passenger seat belt locks up and continues to tighten at each braking, never releasing causing pain to passenger and an unsafe condition of having to unbuckle safety belt while in motion to relieve increasing pressure on passenger. Driver side seat belt does not lock at hard braking at all. Hyundai dealership was sold 2 weeks after purchase adding to problems getting defects corrected. New dealer, poway Mitsubishi-Hyundai serviced vehicle on 11/19/2003. To correct problem and other issues (invoice #22524) but did not correct them. Both dealers have been uncooperative when addressing problems with this vehicle.

- Poway, CA, USA