There are 15 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2003 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND THE CRANKSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,922. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO POTAMKIN HYUNDAI (6200 NW 167TH ST, MIAMI LAKES, FL 33014, PHONE: (305) 728-5030), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THEY WOULD REPROGRAM THE COMPUTERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
2003 HYUNDAI SONATA EGR ISSUES (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT 401)- I'VE BEEN HAVING PERSISTENT ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE'S EGR SYSTEM FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE EGR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE EGR VALVE, SOLENOID, ETC. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE OTHER PARTS THAT HAVE FAILED DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING EGR - IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS. EVEN AFTER REPLACING ALL THESE PARTS, MY VEHICLE STILL COMPLAINS ABOUT THE EGR WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON (401). I HAVE ALSO BEEN GETTING VERY POOR MILEAGE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI ABOUT A TSB THEY SENT OUT TO DEALERS FOR EGR DIAGNOSIS. HYUNDAI DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP DIRECTLY. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE + FEES FOR PARTS. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND SEVERAL CASES OF EGR MALFUNCTIONING WITH 2003 MODELS. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING CAR JUST STOPS. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES BUT STARTS BACK UP ONCE YOU PUT IN PARK. HOWEVER THIS TIME IT STOP WHILE DRIVING AND DID NOT START BACK UP. THE FIRST IT HAPPEN I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. EVEN THOUGH THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON. NOW IT WILL NOT START AT ALL. *TR
SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, AIRBAG HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS, NEVER DEPLOYED WHEN IN ACCIDENT, FIRST ISSUE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SAID THEY HAD TO REWIRE IT, A FEW MONTHS LATER LIGHT COME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY TELL ME THE CIRCUIT MOTHERBOARD HAS CRASHED, COMPLETELY DISABLING THE AIRBAG. SECOND INCIDENT WAS WITH ALTERNATOR, LIGHT CONTINUED COMING ON, DEALERSHIP SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH CAR. CAR EVENTUALLY BROKE DOWN IN TRAFFIC, ALTERNATOR HAD WENT OUT COMPLETELY AND IT WAS ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I WAS FORCED TO COME OUT THE POCKET, NOW THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE. THE SHAFT POSITION SENSOR HAS FAILED AND MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MY CAR, AND I USE IT FOR TRANSPORTATION FROM SCHOOL AND WORK LOCALLY. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, UNDER MANY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, MY HYUNDAI SONATA STALLS. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER A DOZEN TIMES. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I LET THE CAR SIT FOR A WHILE AND IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN. OCCASIONALLY I HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHILE THE CAR HAS CRUISE CONTROL ON, EVEN WITHOUT IT BEING ENGAGED, JUST POWERED ON. *TR
THIS CAR PRESENTS WITH A LOUD CLICKING SOUND WHICH IS VERY DISTRESSING.ONCE IT BEGINS IT LASTS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES SOUNDING FOR LONG PERIODS AND AT TIMES SHORT BURSTS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN NEITHER IDENTIFIED OR RECTIFIED. UNTIL LAST NIGHT I HAVE BEEN ALONE IN THE CAR WHEN THIS SOUND PRESENTS. LAST NIGHT WHEN IT PRESENTED THERE WERE PASSENGERS PRESENT. ALTHOUGH THE CAR DID NOT FALTER IT WAS NONE THE LESS VERY DISTRESSING FOR MY PASSENGERS AND ME. WE TURNED OFF OUR CELL PHONES AND SHUT OFF THE RADIO TO NO AVAIL. WITH NO RESOLUTION OR INFORMATION AS TO WHAT IS THE CAUSE I AM LEFT WONDERING IF I AM DRIVING TOWARDS SOME MALFUNCTION. THIS CLICKING SOUND ALWAYS PRESENTS WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAYS AT FREEWAY SPEED.*AK
STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, WHEN TIME TO GO, ENGINE STALLED. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART UNSUCESSFULLY. A/C WAS NOT RUNNING. CAR WAS ABLE TO START AFTER 30 MINUTES. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUBLICATE PROBLEM AFTER 15 MILES.*AK
ENGINE MISFIRING
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UP HILLS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO REPAIR AND TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE ALWAYS HAD A TANK OF GAS BEFORE GOING UP A HILL. *AK *CB *JB
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE.*AK
THE ENGINE DOES RELIABLY ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED. SOMETIMES THERE IS UP TO A 3 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE ENGINE RESPONDS TO COMMANDS FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AT TIMES THE ENGINE ALSO ACCELERATES VERY SLUGGISHLY COMPARED TO OTHER 2003 4-CYLINDER. HYUNDAI SONATAS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED. HYUNDAI HASN'T CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM DESPITE MANY ATTEMPTS. *LA
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR OVER SIX HOURS , THEN UPON STARTING VEHICLE AND DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL .VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM IS RECURRING.*AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IDLE SPEED AND VEHICLE WILL STALL. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE WILL START LOOSING POWER ON HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS A INTERMEDIATE PROBLEM AND UNLESS HYUNDAI SENDS OUT A LETTER OR SOMETHING THAT STATES THE PROBLEM THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. TS
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026