2003 Hyundai Sonata Electrical Problems

Your airbag warning light has come on and won't stay off, with diagnostic codes pointing to loose or damaged wiring in the passenger seat area. You've tried reconnecting and repositioning the wiring multiple times, but the light returns within days. This wiring issue could prevent the passenger airbag from deploying properly in a crash. The fix will likely require a mechanic to inspect, repair, or replace the passenger seat airbag wiring harness and connectors.

Your airbag warning light stays on constantly, which means your airbags won't deploy in a crash. The problem appears to be wiring under the passenger seat that gets pinched or damaged when the seat moves or objects are placed underneath it. You've temporarily fixed it by adjusting the wires, but the light keeps coming back and you can't locate the exact damaged wire or find replacement wiring to make a permanent repair.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED AND THE BRAKE SENSORS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,967.

MY NEIGHBORS INFORMED ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STUCK ON. ONE OF THEM RESEARCHED AND READ THAT IT MAY BE THE M48 STOP LAMP SWITCH. WE FOUND THE PLASTIC BACKING PORTION FROM THE CONTACT PLATE THAT PUSHES THE SWITCH IN. IT WAS BROKEN IN PIECES AND LAYING ON THE FLOOR MAT BELOW THE BRAKE PEDAL. HE REPLACED IT WITH SOMETHING THAT IS TEMPORARILY DOING THE JOB. I WILL BE TAKING MY CAR INTO THE HYUNDAI DEALER NEXT WEEK TO HAVE THIS FIXED. THEY WILL ALSO BE REPLACING MY GAS TANK THAT GOT PUNCTURED WHILE THEY WERE REPLACING THE VALVE-CANISTER CL, CANISTER ASSY., AND VALVE-PURGE CONTR. BACK IN FEB. 2014 WHEN I COULD NOT EASILY GET FUEL INTO THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THE FUEL ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS WELL FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET SEARCHING FOR RESOLUTIONS TO THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR HYUNDAI'S. *TR

CAR QUITS RUNNING WHEN I PUT FUEL IN IT, I HAVE TRIED CHANGING FUEL PUMP ,FILTER NOTHING WORKS WAS GOIN DOWN THE FREEWAY CAR DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON CAME SO CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS IN FAST MOVING LANE. SO I PULLED OVER AND TOOK AROUND 10 MIN, FINALLY STARTED. STOP ATGAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH GAS HAD TO SET FOR 30 MIN BEFORE MY CAR WOULD START , I NEED TO NO WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT . *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST BUT NOW STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS INTERMITTENT. ALSO THE ANTENNA HAS NOW STOPPED GOING UP AND DOWN. *TR

AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON ALL THE TIME, PER HYUNDAI NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AS IT IS CAUSED BY THE CABLE AND HARNESS ASSEMBLY WHICH WEARS OUT. IT STARTED AS INTERMITTENT BUT NOW NEVER TURNS OFF. WHEN INTERMITTENT THEY SAID IT WAS NOT FIXED AS IT NEVER WAS ON WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER. IT STARTED DURING THE NEW CAR WARRANTY PERIOD, BUT DID NOT REMAIN ON UNTIL IT WENT INTO EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEN THEY SAID IT WOULD COST BETWEEN 700 AND 1200 TO REPLACE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT APPARENTLY DISABLES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THEY SAY IT IS A "MAINTENANCE ITEM", SUBJECT TO NORMAL WEAR SUCH AS WIPER BLADES. EXTENDED WARRANTY CONTRACT EXPLICITLY STATES EVERY THING COVERED BY NEW CAR WARRANTY IS INCLUDED. CABLE AND HARNESS IS NOT IN THE LIST OF EXCLUDED OR MAINTENANCE COVERAGE. *TR

CAR LOOSE POWER MOMENTARILY WHILE DRIVING, DOES NOT SHUT OFF. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR

CAR HAS JUST OVER 62,000 MILES AND HAS HAD ALL MAINTENANCE COMPLETED ON TIME. LEAVING THE GYM I UNLOCKED MY DOORS USING THE REMOTE AND GOT IN. I STARTED THE CAR AND FIDDLED WITH THE RADIO FOR A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE PULLING OUT. WHEN I GOT ON THE ROAD THE LOCKS ALL LOCKED (AS IF I HAD PRESSED THE REMOTE LOCKING BUTTON!). I PRESSED THE "UNLOCK" BUTTON ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL, ONLY TO HAVE THE ALARM GO OFF AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS COME ON AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER AND USED THE REMOTE TO LOCK THE CAR BACK AND UNLOCK IT AGAIN, AND THE ALARM STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT WILL NOT START. THE ENGINE WILL NOT EVEN TURN OVER OR TRY TO TURN WHEN I TRY TO START. THE DOME LIGHTS STAY ON SO I KNOW IT'S NOT THE BATTERY (WHICH IS BRAND NEW). I TRIED LEAVING IT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND STARTING AGAIN, BUT STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. I WILL HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

I BOUGHT MY HYUNDAI USED BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT RATINGS IT GOT. IT HAD ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT. NOT OLD AT ALL FOR ME. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK MY CAR TO DEALER IT WAS BECAUSE OF BACK WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT STAYING ON, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR TWO DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS FIXED BUT ON MY WAY HOME THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL DID NOT WORK. TWO DAYS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR, THE CRUISE CONTROL MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND MY CAR STARTED TO ACT UP AND WAS HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. I HAD IT TOWED TO HYUNDAI AND IT WAS KEPT FOR TWO DAYS AGAIN. I ALSO LET THE DEALER KNOW AT THAT TIME THAT THE CAR HAD ISSUES AND WAS ACTING UP, TOLD HIM ABOUT THE LIGHT ISSUE AGAIN AND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED ON AND OFF. THE DEALER SAID HE CHANGED THE SWITCH OUT, TUNED UP THE CAR, HAD THE INSIDE GAS FILTER CHANGED BECAUSE I ASKED FOR IT, AND WANTED TO SELL ME A $600 BELT. I ASKED HIM IF THE BELT WAS BROKEN HE TOLD HE THAT MANUFACTURE SUGGESTS CHANGING IT OUT AT 60000 MILES. I TOLD HIM THAT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE THAT MANY MILES YET AND AGAIN ASKED IF THE BELT WAS BAD. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT BUT AGAIN SAID THAT THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTS IT BE CHANGED. WELL I PERSONALLY DON'T SEE PAYING $600 FOR A BELT THAT WAS NOT BROKEN. IF ITS NOT BROKEN IT SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE FIXED.

THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DOING OK FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THEN.... I TOOK THE CAR TO GET THE YEARLY INSPECTION DONE AND IT FAILED. THE BACK PASSENGERS BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON NON- STOP. I AM GOING TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN. THE BACK BRAKE LIGHT IS ON WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING BUT WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES THE SECONDARY LIGHT IS SUPPOSE TO COME ON AND MAKE IT BRIGHTER. THE LIGHT BULB IN THE BRAKE AREA HAD BOTH LOW AND HIGH LIGHT ON. I CHANGED OUT THE BULB TWICE THAT DAY THINKING MAYBE THE BULB IS BAD. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PART THAT HOLDS THE BULB IT LOOKED BLACK LIKE IT WAS BURNING. STILL THE TWO LIGHTS STAYED ON. I TALKED TO MY FRIEND IN MICHIGAN WHO IS A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME IT SOUNDS AN ELECTRIC PROBLEM. THEN THE CAR ALSO STARTED TO DIE AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE. I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WHEN I HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED IT WAS FINE. I TOOK IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THAT THE CAR WAS HAVING ELECTRIC ISSUES. I TOLD HIM I CHANGED THE BULB TWICE AND THAT THE PART THAT WAS HOLDING THE BULB WAS BLACK AND LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BURNING. GUESS WHAT... THEY KEPT IT FOR TWO DAYS. I CALLED THAT SAME DAY AND THE NEXT AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET TO IT BECAUSE THEY WERE TO BUSY. WHEN THEY FINALLY DID GET TO IT THE GUY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS JUST THE BULB. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE BURNING PART AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS FINE. (CAR HAD ABOUT 59000 MILES ON IT) NOW PLEASE TELL ME HOW IT WAS JUST THE BULB WHEN I PUT TWO NOT JUST ONE BUT TWO IN AND IT DID NOT CHANGE. I ASKED IF HE HAD CHECKED THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD ALL WAS FINE. HE ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOUND AS TO WHY IT WOULD NOT START.

TWO WEEKS AGO I DROVE DOWN THE STREET TO THE STORE, WAS IN THERE FOR ABOUT 15 MIN AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAVE LEARNED AND NOW OWN MY OWN JUMPER CABLES. I ASKED SOMEONE TO JUMP IT FOR ME. THEN I DROVE TO THE LIGHT AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN THE STEREO WENT OFF, THEN THE CLOCK WENT OFF, THEN THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WENT OUT, THEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WHEN OUT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING THOUGH. AS SOON AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I STARTED TO DRIVE EVERYTHING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I GOT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND TURNED IT OFF. WAITED A FEW MINUTES TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT STARTED.

ONE MORNING THE CAR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEYLESS REMOTE, I UNLOCKED IT WITH THE KEY, THEN WENT TO THE STORE AND LOCKED IT. CAME OUT OF THE STORE THEN I UNLOCKED IT WITH THE KEY AGAIN AND STARTED DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. ABOUT 5 MIN INTO THE DRIVE, MY DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. AT THIS POINT I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED BECAUSE MY DOORS NEVER LOCK. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ALARM STARTED TO SOUND. I WAS VERY AFRAID THAT THE CAR WOULD LOCK UP. I FINALLY KEPT PRESSING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE KEY RING AND IT SHUT OFF. NO PROBLEMS TILL AFTER WORK. THE CAR DOOR UNLOCKED WITH THE ELECTRIC UNLOCKER, AS SOON AS I GOT IN THE ALARM WENT OFF AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I STARTED PRESSING THE BUTTON AGAIN, THE ALARM WENT OFF. NO PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A WEEK, TOOK IT TO THE SHOP, NOTHING COULD BE FOUND ONCE AGAIN. I HAD TOLD THEM THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN THAT THE DOORS SOMETIMES DO NOT UNLOCK RIGHT AWAY. AFTER PICKING IT UP FROM THE SHOP I DROVE ABOUT 10 MILES TO A STORE AND WHEN I CAME OUT, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMPED. THE CAR WORKED AGAIN, IT IS AN ON AND OFF ISSUE THAT I HAVE HAD FOR A I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ON MORE THEN ONE OCCASION I HAVE ALSO LET HYUNDAI OF EL PASO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY CAR BECAUSE IT IS MAKING TICKING NOISES, AND THE CENTRAL LOCKING/UNLOCKING SYSTEM. I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS ON THE PREVIOUS OCCASION. EACH TIME THE SERVICE REP TOOK MY CAR IN, HE TOLD ME NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. MY CAR AT TIMES WILL NOT UNLOCK. RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENED. I TOLD THE SERVICE CLERK THE STORY AND ONCE AGAIN, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AGAIN THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I AM SINCE MY CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 60,000 MILES THIS IS IN FOUR PARTS SORRY THAT I HAD TO BREAK THIS UP INTO PARTS THERE ARE 4 COMPLAINTS FILED

TL*THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE BATTERY EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR HOOD DAMAGE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

PURCHASED 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA BRAND NEW. DEFECTIVE RADIO REPLACED 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. BATTERY DEAD AFTER 2 YEARS AND 8,500 MILES. NO REASON. BATTERY REPLACED BY MYSELF. BATTERY DEAD AGAIN IN AUGUST OF 2006. REPLACED AGAIN. BATTERY DEAD AGAIN ON DECEMBER 30TH 2006. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP STATED THE BATTERY WAS BAD. REPLACED AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE. I SAID THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRAINING 3 BATTERIES WITH LESS THAN 10,00 MILES. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE RADIO!?! AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE RADIO AT MY EXPENSE BECAUSE THE RADIO RAN OUT OF WARRANTY 5 MONTHS PRIOR! I BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELECTRICAL WRONG WITH THE CAR AND I DO NOT THINK I CAN TRUST THE VEHICLE NOW.*JB

RADIO DISPLAY GOES OUT FREQUENTLY. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ RADIO STATION FREQUENCY. HAVE TO CONSTANTLY TAP ON THE RADIO NEAR THE DISPLAY TO GET IT TO FUNCTION FOR A SHORT TIME. NOTIFIED THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RADIO WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED THE WEEK BEFORE. SERVICE TECH SAYS HIS SONATA DID THE SAME THING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. WHILE INSPECTING UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRES WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. UPON INSPECTION THE DEALER DETERMINED THE WIRES WERE DAMAGED BY RODENTS. THE WIRING HARNESS IS BEING REPLACED.

AFTER DRIVING MY CAR AND SHUTTING ENGINE OFF FOR AS LITTLE AS FIVE MINUTES THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR ELEVEN TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION MY CAR LOST POWER, ENGINE DIED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THREE ALTERNATORS AND ONE BATTERY. THEY IS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. HYUNDAI WILL NOT REPLACE THIS LEMON. CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW. *NM

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE WIRING PROBLEMS, AND FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO DEALER TWO OF WHICH CAR DIED WHILE IDLING AND WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHTS. *NM