2003 Hyundai Elantra Brakes Problems

Your brake lights stay on continuously, even when you turn off the ignition. The owner already replaced the brake light switch, but the problem persists. This issue likely involves a wiring or electrical problem in the brake light circuit that will need diagnostic testing to identify the root cause.

IN THE PAST 6 WEEKS, I HAVE DROVE MY CAR MAYBE 5 TIMES BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP SO MANY TIME FOR DEFAULT BRAKES. ONCE IT SEEMS TO BE FIXED, THEY STARTING SMOKING. SO IT GOES BACK IN THE SHOP FOR ANOTHER WEEK. THEN I GET IT BACK, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY BRAKES. GOES BACK IN SHOP, GET IT BACK AND THEN MY CALIPERS STICK AGAIN AND CAUSE MY BRAKES TO SMOKE. I HAVE NOT HAD MY CAR FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SITTING ON MY DRIVEWAY AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT, NOR IS IT EVEN DRIVABLE BECAUSE IT IS PROBABLY GOING TO SET ON FIRE. I HAVE ABOUT $2000 DUMPED INTO THIS CAR DUE TO DEFAULT EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR, WHICH THE RECALL PEOPLE CLAIM IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR CAMPAIGNS, SO THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT TO MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT. THEY FOUND I NEED NEW BRAKE SEALS, CALIPERS ON ALL 4 SIDES AND NEW ROADERS (THAT WE JUST REPLACE A MONTH AGO BRAND NEW) BECAUSE THEY ARE WORN DOWN SO MUCH DUE TO THE CALIPERS STICKING, LOCKING UP AND SMOKING ONCE A WEEK FOR THE PAST MONTH. I WORK A FULL TIME JOB AND A PART TIME JOB TO PAY OFF MY COLLEGE LOANS. I CANNOT KEEP PUTTING MONEY INTO A 2003 CAR THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD FOR A YEAR. IT IS NOT WORTH ME SPENDING ANOTHER $600 TO REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM AGAIN FOR A CAR WHO HAS SO MANY RECALLS ON IT, I CAN'T COUNT ON BOTH OF MY HANDS. SINCE I AM A NEW OWNER, DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD OF RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICES IN THE MAIL? YEAH, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. I DO HAVE A LAWYER AND I WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO GIVE HER A CALL BECAUSE MY CAR IS COMPLEXLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND BY THE TIME I AM DONE FIXING ALL THESE PROBLEMS (THAT ARE ON THE LIST OF RECALLS) THIS CAR WILL BE ALMOST A $10,000 CAR WHICH I ONLY PAID $5000 FOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, HE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND CAUSED ALL THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO SEVERE SUB-FRAME RUST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

MY CONCERN WITH MY 2003 ELANTRA IS WITH THE SAFETY OF REAR BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE CAR. ON OCT 23, 2003 I HAD THE SERVICE PERFORMED FOR THE RECALL 31B03R1 BRAKE CAMPAIGN 061. AT 10,834 MILES. ON OCT 7, 2007 I HAD REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AT 45,072 MILES. ON JULY 8, 2008 BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING AN HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AGAIN. AT 51887 MILES. ON MARCH 13, 2010 BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE FOUND AGAIN TO BE LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 64,638 MILES. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT REGULAR 3,000 MILE INTERVALS WITH ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE AT MY DEALERSHIP. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS CAR,LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDERS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 13,000 MILE INTERVALS SEEMS LIKE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. *TR

THE CALIPERS ON THE REAR BRAKE DO NOT RELEASE WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED INSIDE THE PASSENGER CABIN. IN SOME CASES THE BRAKE WAS ON SO TIGHT THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL DRAGGED ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THE ISSUE CORRECTED. THE ISSUE IS MUCH WORSE IN THE WINTER BUT EVEN NOW IN THE SPRING WHEN I PUT THE BRAKE ON THERE IS NO RESISTANCE FOR THE FIRST 4 INCHES SO I KNOW IT IS STILL NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. BEGINNING ON DECEMBER 17, 2005 THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE MANAGER AT THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD NOT DO THAT, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE THE CONTACT SMELLED BRAKE FLUID AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS EXTENDING TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER INITIALLY BELIEVED THAT THE BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED. CURRENTLY, THE FRONT BRAKES ARE SCRAPING AND STILL EXTENDING TO THE FLOOR. ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND OCTOBER 2, 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO FAILURES. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,344.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. WHILE AT THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THEY TESTED HER POWER BRAKES WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE TEST WAS COMPLETED. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 55,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,831. THERE WAS AN EVAP LEAK. UPDATED 08/06/07. *JB THE CONSUMER PROVIDED MULTIPLE REPAIR INVOICES PERTAINING TO THE DEFECT. UPDATED 08/09/07 *TR UPDATED 08/28/07 *TR THE DEALER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE BUT THE MOTOR LACKS PERFORMANCE. UPDATED 09/06/07 *TR

THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA BEGAN GRINDING AT ONLY 39K MILES. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BRAKES WERE NOT COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. I TOOK THE CAR TO MIDAS BECAUSE OF THE LIFETIME WARRANTY AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT FAILING DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE FRONT PADS HAD A METAL PLATE ON THE OUTSIDE WHICH HAD COME LOSE AND WAS CUTTING INTO THE HUB. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS WAS A DEFECT IN THE BRAKE PADS THAT OCCURRED WHEN THEY GOT HOT AND THE ADHESIVE CAME LOOSE. DURING THE INSPECTION, THEY ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CYLINDERS ON THE REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING. I ENDED UP WITH OVER $600 IN BRAKE REPAIRS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HAD A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, ANOTHER DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THE REAR BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DOING ALL THE WORK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ADJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED PRIOR TO THE BRAKES FAILING, AN ODOR OF BRAKE FLUID WAS NOTICED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER, THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS LEAKAGE OF THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN OUT OF STATE SERVICE DEALER FOR SCHEDULED SERVICE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE BRAKES NEEDED ADJUSTMENT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING AGAIN, AFTER ONLY 8118 MILES AND 13 MONTHS TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

I PURCHASED MY 2003 ELANTRA IN OCTOBER 2003, SINCE THEN HAVE NEEDED THE REAR BRAKES REPLACED TWICE, MECHANIC CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THE REAR BRAKES GO SO QUICKLY. *JB

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS GOING 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED. THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER. *AK *SC *JB

REAR DRUM BRAKES PRODUCD A SQUEAKY NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE PART FIVE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES BECAUSE IT WAS NOT STOPPING WHEN BRAKING. ON 9/9/2003, WHILE TRYING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE HIT A TRUCK AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE PELVIC AREA AND BRUISES ON THE UPPER LEGS. FRONT PASSENGER'S HEAD BROKE THE WINDSHIELD, AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SEIZURES. CHILD IN THE REAR, AGE 11, SUSTAINED ARM BRUISES. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS ASSESSED BY A REPAIR MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED AIR BAG SENSORS WERE IMPACTED, AND THE BRAKES FAILED. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD TREMBLE, THE A/C DID NOT WORK, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT (GO ON AND OFF), AND THE SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE. (WHICH OCCURRED 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE) *SC *JB

CONTACTED HYUNDAI USA (FILE # 815991) AND LOCAL DEALERSHIP (HEMET, CA) ABOUT SERVICE BRAKE RECALL (03V49600). BOTH ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF IT AND THEREFORE, COULDN'T PERFORM WORK. *AK

DRIVER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 03V496000 CONCERNING BRAKE FAILURE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT, BUT MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE MACHINERY TO DO REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE SKIDDED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE CONSUMER SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THEY FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE BRAKE SQUEAKED. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT HER DAMAGED VEHICLE. *CB *JB

DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD-2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS. *MR THERE WAS A TERRIBLE GLARE FROM THE SUN HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WHICH MADE IT EXTREMELY HARD TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE OF OBJECTS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE GLARE WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE NOISE. THE DEALER DID SOME WORK ON THE CAR BUT IS WAS STILL NOISY. THE DEFROSTER TOOK 15-20 MINUTES TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS AND HEATED MIRRORS. WHEN IT RAINED THE WATER WAS ON THE INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR DOOR. *SCC *JB *NLM

THE DEFECT STATED IN THE BRAKE HOSE RECALL 03 V 257 000 OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT 50-60 MPH. THIS RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND HESITATED TO ENGAGE. THIS ALSO OCCURRED WHILE PARKING, AND VEHICLE RAN INTO A BUILDING. *AK