2003 Hyundai Tiburon Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2003 Hyundai Tiburon has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 748,717 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 429 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

SUSPENSION 09V125000 2009-04-16 160,904 affected
Defect

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 160,904 MY 2001-2003 ELANTRA AND MY 2003 TIBURON VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE…

Consequence

THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOR CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS INCORPORATING ADDITIONAL HOLES IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PANELS. IF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS DO NOT…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 04V369000 2004-07-26 919 affected
Defect

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY" A VALVE ON THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE ROLLS OVER AND THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED, FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

Consequence

FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI DE PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 04V178000 2004-04-09 263,968 affected
Defect

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES CONTAIN A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED WERE TO ROLL OVER, FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

Consequence

FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 03V496000 2003-12-03 1,993 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE TUBES FOR THE REAR BRAKES CAN CONTACT THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Consequence

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 FLUID LEAKAGE. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE REAR BRAKE TUBES, INSTALL BRAKE TUBE CLIPS, AND APPLY ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL TO THE REAR BRAKE TUBES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 22, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-633-5151.

AIR BAGS 03V321000 2003-08-26 49 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IS MOUNTED BENEATH THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL'S PADDED SURFACE. TEAR LINES ARE FORMED INTO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL'S PADDED SURFACE DURING THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TOP PAD. THESE TEAR LINES ALLOW A…

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER.

Remedy

HYUNDAI WILL REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 13, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI OF AMERICA AT 1-800-633-5151, OR IF THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED…

SEAT BELTS 03V290000 2003-08-05 36 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING COULD BE DAMAGED BY INTERFERENCE WITH THE DRIVER SEAT CUSHION HEIGHT ADJUSTER MECHANISM. 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. …

Consequence

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.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE, IF NECESSARY, AND WILL PLACE A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-899-981-0188.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 03V257000 2003-07-22 312,292 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR BRAKE TUBES PASS BEHIND THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER. TWO STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE CROSSMEMBER. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), THE REAR BRAKE TUBES COULD CONTACT BOTH STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS. ON VEHICLES…

Consequence

FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE REAR BRAKE TUBES SO THEY DO NOT CONTACT THE MOUNTING BRACKETS, INSTALL BRAKE TUBE CLIPS TO CONTROL THE LOCATION OF THE REAR BRAKE TUBES, AND APPLY ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL TO THE TUBES IN THE AREAS WHERE CONTACT WITH THE MOUNTING BRACKETS MAY HAVE OCCURRED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON…

SEAT BELTS 02V290000 2002-11-05 7,382 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING COULD BE DAMAGED BY INTERFERENCE WITH THE DRIVER SEAT CUSHION HEIGHT ADJUSTER MECHANISM.

Consequence

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. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE THE AIR BAG FUSE (CAVITY NUMBER 5) TO OPEN, PREVENTING AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. NONDEPLOYMENT OF AN SRS AIR BAG IN A CRASH WHERE AIR BAG…

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE, IF NECESSARY, AND WILL PLACE A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WIRING TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT…

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 02V044000 2002-02-08 1,174 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LEFT LOWER INSTRUMENT PANEL BRACKET WAS NOT INSTALLED.

Consequence

IF THIS BRACKET HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED, THERE MAY BE AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY OR INCREASED SEVERITY OF INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THE BRACKET HAS BEEN INSTALLED. IF THE BRACKET HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED, THE DEALER WILL INSTALL THE LEFT LOWER INSTRUMENT PANEL BRACKET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 4, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE…

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
123
AIR BAGS
41
11crashes1fires11injuries
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
33
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
28
3crashes2fires1injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
19
8crashes4injuries
SEAT BELTS
15
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
11
1crashes1fires4injuries
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
9
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
8
1fires
SUSPENSION
8
Total complaints429

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“In motion on city street”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2019-10-04

“I was driving to my brother place when a wire started to smoke and cought on fire from under the steering wheel it was smokey where I could not see from the smoke and I hit a parked car front windshield shattered and my airbag did not exposed at all. It was on a city street no one got hurt just…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2019-02-28

“I was driving to my brother place when a wire started to smoke and cought on fire from under the steering wheel it was smokey where I could not see from the smoke and I hit a parked car front windshield shattered and my airbag did not exposed at all. It was on a city street no one got hurt just…”

ENGINE · reported 2019-02-28

“I was driving to my brother place when a wire started to smoke and cought on fire from under the steering wheel it was smokey where I could not see from the smoke and I hit a parked car front windshield shattered and my airbag did not exposed at all. It was on a city street no one got hurt just…”

STEERING · reported 2019-02-28

“Vapor purge canister malfunction front end failure bad gaskets”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2018-10-16

“Vapor purge canister malfunction front end failure bad gaskets”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2018-10-16

“Vapor purge canister malfunction front end failure bad gaskets”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2018-10-16

“The contact owns a 2003 hyundai tiburon. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle, gasoline started spilling from the filler neck. The contact stated that the vehicle was refueling very slowly. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph, the fuel tank detached from…”

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE · reported 2018-01-14
Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.