2003 Hyundai Sonata Structure

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 09V124000 NHTSA Action Number: EA08016 Recall calls for repair or replacement of front sub-frame, due to corrosion. Local dealer responded, “ . . . we will not be able to perform recall”. I was told the corrosion was too far gone to repair. They refuse to replace the defective part.

The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while self-inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the subframe was extremely rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,425. The contact stated that no assistance has been offered from the dealership from which the vehicle was purchased from.

REPEATED USE OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY CAUSE WEAR OF THE CHROME PLATE. IF THE TOP EDGE OF THE HANDLE HAS VERY THIN CHROME PLATING, THAT PORTION OF THE PLATING MAY WEAR AWAY MORE EASILY THAN MORE THICKLY PLATED AREAS AS THE DOOR HANDLE IS USED. THE WORN CHROME PLATING ON THE UPPER EDGE OF THE HANDLE MAY RESULT IN A CRACK OR SEPARATION BETWEEN THE CHROME PLATING ON THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD SURFACES OF THE HANDLE, WHICH MAY FORM A SHARP EDGE. CONSEQUENCE: THIS MAY INFLICT LACERATION INJURIES TO ANYONE USING THE DOOR HANDLE. BASICALLY WHEN YOU GO TO USE THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES THE PEELING CHROME IS SHARP AND CUTS YOUR FINGERS. HYUNDAI RECALL #93 ENDED IN MARCH 2003, MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 2003. THE PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THE MODELS IN RECALL #93.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD FRACTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

2003 HYUNDAI SONATA AFFECTED BY PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE RIGHT FRONT SUB-FRAME ON THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTING IN THINNING, RUSTING OR PERFORATION OF THE SUB-FRAME STEEL. THE CORROSION/RUST IS VISIBLE AND DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION & ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND ALSO HEAR NOISES & NOTICE TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL.THESE SIGNALS ARE DETECTING THE CORROSION PROGRESSING AND THE FORWARD MOUNTING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHING FROM THE SUB-FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW IN NEBRASKA, AND HAS REMAINED IN NEBRASKA ITS ENTIRE LIFE. NEBRASKA USES SALT ON ITS ROADS IN THE SAME CAPACITY AS IOWA AND OTHER "SALT STATES". SUCH CARS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN CONSIDERING THE LACK OF SAFETY AND DANGERS INVOLVED WHEN THE SUBFRAME DETERIATES DUE TO DEFECTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAID CAR. HYUNDAI SHOULD HONOR AND EXTEND THE RECALL OF SAID CAR IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA BECAUSE THE DEFECT IN THE SUBFRAME HAS BEEN AFFECTED IDENTICALLY AS IN OTHER "SALT STATES".

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED, THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V124000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR INTERIOR DOOR CHROME HANDLES EXHIBITED EXTREMELY SHARP EDGES. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM A TWO INCH LACERATION TO BOTH FINGERS ON THE LEFT HAND. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER UPPER DOOR HANDLES CAUSED THE INJURIES. THE CONTACT APPLIED TAPE TO THE FOUR DOOR HANDLES TO AVOID ADDITIONAL INJURIES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V171000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

CHROME ON INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES PEELS AND CREATES LACERATION HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A RECALL TO REPLACE AFFECTED HANDLES BECAUSE OF A STATED LACERATION HAZARD. THE DEALER REPLACED HANDLES UNDER THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT HANDLES ARE NOT AN IMPROVED PRODUCT AND THE CHROME PEELS LIKE THE ORIGINALS. THE DEALER ONLY ALLOWS ONE REPLACEMENT UNDER THE RECALL, WHICH CREATES A CONTINUING HAZARD TO THE OWNER AND PASSENGERS. *TR

BOUGHT CAR USED FROM LOT...CHROME PLATING ON HANDLES PEELING AND CUT YOU IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL. JUST FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHROME COVERING ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE WAS CORRODED AND CRACKED, WHICH CREATED SHARP EDGES ON THE HANDLE. WHEN USING THE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SCRATCHES AND SMALL LACERATIONS DUE TO THE SHARP EDGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V317000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES OF MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA WENT UNDER A RECALL IN JULY 2009 BECAUSE THE CHROME PLATING WAS SPLITTING OPEN AND CUTTING PEOPLE. THREE DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED AND ONE WAS REWRAPPED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN SEPTEMBER 2013 THE SAME ISSUE AROSE WHEN MY WIFE AND BROTHER-IN-LAW CUT THEIR HANDS ON THE DOOR HANDLES, WHOSE CHROME PLATING HAS AGAIN BEGUN TO SPLIT. HYUNDAI HAS SAID THAT NO REPAIRS WILL BE MADE, SINCE THE HANDLES WERE TREATED AND THE 2009 RECALL HAS FINISHED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED AND ALSO ADVISED THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE A FAULTY DOOR HANDLE REPLACED WHICH I CUT MY HAND ON. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE DURING A RECALL. OBVIOUSLY THE SAME FAULTY PART WAS PUT ON AGAIN. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $125.00 FOR A NEW HANDLE BECAUSE THEY ONLY PERFORM A RECALL ONCE. I THOUGHT THAT RECALL PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT PARTS THAT ARE NOT FAULTY AND THE PARTS WERE GUARANTEED. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SERVICE DUE TO ANOTHER FAULTY HANDLE THAT THEY REPLACED. I NEVER EXPECT TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR AND CUT MY HAND NOR SHOULD I HAVE TO WRAP MY DOOR HANDLE AS THEY SUGGESTED. I AM SO UPSET OVER THIS AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER HYUNDAI AND EVEN HAVE MY CAR SERVICED THERE AGAIN. ALL I AM ASKING IS FOR HYUNDAI TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPLACE THIS HANDLE WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT CHIP. *JS

NHTSA ACTION # EA08016 MY 2003 SONATA WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN NY OPERATED THERE UNTIL 06/2008 WAS NOT RECALLED UNDER THE ABOVE ACTION #. I FEEL THIS IS A MISTAKE AS THIS CAR IS SHOWING SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL # 09V124000. I CALLED HYUNDAI AMERICA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. *KB

RUST AND BUBBLING PAINT AROUND FUEL DOOR, INSIDE FUEL DOOR AND BOTH REAR WHEEL WELLS ON A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 88,483 MILES. *TR

PROBLEMS DUE TO RUST. SERVICE AT COLUMBIA HYUNDAI ON 8/4/08 TO REPLACE POWER STEERING LINE AFTER POWER STEERING FAILED DUE TO LINE RUSTING OUT. *TR

PROBLEMS DUE TO RUST. STATEMENT FROM KEY HYUNDAI SERVICE ON 12/11/06 INDICATES EXCESSIVE RUST CAUSED REAR BRAKE PADS TO STICK AND WEAR DOWN PREMATURELY. I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. *TR

TWO OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE A SILVER METALLIC FOIL THAT HAS SPLIT AND COME LOOSE. MY SON CUT HIS FINGER OPENING THE DOOR. NOW THE DRIVER DOOR INSIDE HANDLE ALSO HAS THE SILVER FOIL COMING LOOSE. WE HAVE HAD TO PUT TAPE ON IT TO PREVENT GETTING ANOTHER CUT FINGER. *TR

WITHIN ONE YEAR OF BUYING MY HYUNDAI 2003 SONNTA, I CUT MY FINGER ON THE SILVER COATED INSIDE DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE SILVER COATING OF THE DOOR HANDLE SOMEHOW SPLINTERED AND CUT MY FINGER LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR BLADE. THE CUT WAS VERY DEEP AND MY FINGER BLED PROFUSELY FOR ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE HANDLE WAS REPLACED. A SHORT TIME AFTER, MY HUSBAND SLICED HIS FINGER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. AGAIN THE CUT WAS VERY DEEP; IT WAS LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR CUT. HIS FINGER BLED PROFUSELY FOR 10 - 15 MINUTES. AGAIN THE DEALER REPLACED THE HANDLE. BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2007, SOMEONE WAS GETTING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT, AND THEN THIS PERSON CUT HER FINGER ON THE SILVER COATED INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THIS TIME I CONTACTED HYUNDAI HEADQUARTERS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM..THE REP. I SPOKE TO SAID SHE DID NOT HEAR OF ANY SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. THEY CONTACTED THE CAR DEALER AND THE HANDLE WAS REPLACED. NOW A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I CUT MY HAND ON THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE (THIS WAS A HANDLE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED). I CONTACTED HYUNDAI AGAIN AND AM AWAITING DISPOSITION ON THIS. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THESE DOOR HANDLES. THE CUT IT CAUSES IS LIKE A STRAIGHT RAZOR CUT. IT SLICES DEEP AND IT BLEEDS VERY BADLY. I TOLD HYUNDAI THAT I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO EXPERIENCE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN FACT, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THESE DOOR HANDLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT I THINK THE GOV. NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED WITH. THANK YOU MARIA FACCHIN THANK YOU MARIA FACCHIN *TR

I TOOK MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA IN FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS AND KNOW IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT WANTED TO LOG MY COMPLAINT AS WELL. *TR

CUT FINGERS ON SHARP CHROME LAMINATION ON DOOR HANDLES. *TR

DRIVER DOOR ALARM KEEPS ALARMING. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER ONCE ALREADY TO BE REPAIRED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS TIME TOLD ME THAT ON THIS MODEL THE DOOR NEEDS TO BE TIGHTENED/ADJUSTED. NOW 2 MONTHS LATER THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING ONLY WORSE. NOW THE DOOR LIGHT IS COMING ON AND THE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD IS COMING ON. MAYBE THE DOOR IS DEFECTIVE AND GOING TO FALL OFF. *NM