FaultScore

2003 Hyundai Elantra headlight problems

13 of the 310 complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Elantra are about the lighting — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 48,480 miles.

A

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Headlights 9 69.2%
Exterior Lighting 3 23.1%
Turn Signal 1 7.7%

Lights across every Hyundai Elantra year

2001 11 2.9%
2002 19 5.1%
2003 13 3.5%
2006 39 10.4%
2007 25 6.7%
2008 24 6.4%
2011 10 2.7%
2012 18 4.8%
2013 74 19.8%
2014 10 2.7%
2017 23 6.1%
2018 16 4.3%
2019 65 17.4%
2020 27 7.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 80,000 miles Casselberry, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE ACTIVATING THE TURN SIGNALS IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD EITHER WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT WORK AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA complaint #10994200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lima, OH, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS BURNING OUT. I HAVE REPLACED 10 DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS AND 2 PASSENGER HEADLIGHTS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2003. THE DEALER SAYS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

NHTSA complaint #10323629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 29,192 miles Pittsburgh, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS 69,173 MILES & HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS BURNING OUT. THE MOST RECENT REPLACEMENTS DIDN'T EVEN LAST 1,000 MILES. 7/27/09 - LEFT HEADLIGHT- 69,173 (MILEAGE) 7/5/09 - BOTH HEADLIGHTS - 68,670 (MILEAGE) 5/6/08 - LEFT HEADLIGHT- 57,921(MILEAGE) 11/5/07 - RIGHT HEADLIGHT- 52,428(MILEAGE) 9/5/07 - LEFT HEADLIGHT- 50,633(MILEAGE) 4/9/07 - RIGHT HEADLIGHT- 45,223(MILEAGE) 6/3/06 - LEFT HEADLIGHT- 36,405(MILEAGE) 10/21/05 - 29,192(MILEAGE) I TALKED TO A MECHANIC- HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN KEEP REPLACING THE BURNED OUT LIGHTS. I FIND THIS AN UNACCEPTABLE SOLUTION - IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME ON 7/5/09 & BOTH HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT. HE HAD TO DRIVE HOME ON HIGH BEAMS. THERE IS NO REASON FOR A CAR TO KEEP BURNING OUT HEADLIGHTS. *TR UPDATED 08/04/09.8JB

NHTSA complaint #10278482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,700 miles Straford, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MODULE FAILED AND WOULD COST OVER $600 TO REPAIR. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. IN ADDITION, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD BURN OUT EVERY 3-6 MONTHS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 36,700. UPDATED 9/1/09 *CN UPDATED 09/02/09.

NHTSA complaint #10278128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 33,000 miles LAS Vegas, NV

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I'VE OWNED THIS 2003 ELANTRA SINCE JULY AND HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED. THIS IS UNCOMMON. THE CAR HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES. SOMETHING IS WRONG THE LIGHTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THAT.

NHTSA complaint #10251678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 69,858 miles Clinton, MD

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEAD LIGHTS - I HAVE A 2003 ELANTRA AND HAVE TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS EVERY TWO TO SIX MONTHS. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP ONLY CLAIMS THAT EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING, BUT OFFER NO EXPLANATION.

NHTSA complaint #10249817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles Virginia Beach, VA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

SINCE HAVING THE CAR, I BOUGHT IT USED A YEAR AGO, WHILE NOT NOTICING ANY MAJOR ISSUES, I STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT. I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS CHANGED THREE TIMES NOW WITH ALTERNATING SIDES GOING OUT EVERY FEW MONTHS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THIS BEING A NORMAL OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA complaint #10248335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coatesville, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEAD LIGHT BULBS KEEP BURNING OUT. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS IN MY CAR ABOUT EVERY 3-6 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN OCT 2002. AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THEM, GARAGES REPLACE THEM, A NEIGHBOR WHO IS A MECHANIC AND MYSELF SO IT'S NOT THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE CORRECTLY. I HAVE STARTED BUYING THE 2 PACK OF BULBS BECAUSE ALMOST LIKE CLOCKWORK ONCE THE ONE BULB GOES THE OTHER GOES WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. I HAVE PUT ABOUT 10-15 BULBS IN EACH HEADLIGHT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE HIGHBEAM BULBS ONLY THE LOW BEAM.

NHTSA complaint #10247365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Elkhorn, WI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WE PURCHASED A 2003 IN FEBRUARY 2006 , SINCE THEN THE HEADLIGHTS HAD TO BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES, AND NOW AGAIN AFTER BEING STOPPED NOT KNOWING THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS OUT, IT WENT OUT RIGHT BEFORE WE GOT STOPPED ON API L 7,2007, BEING CHARGED WITH A TICKET. AND 3 POINTS OFF MY DRIVERS LICENSE WITHOUT A WARNING TICKET TO GET IT FIXED. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE CARS IT SHOULDNT HAPPEN THAT MANY TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #10187275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,480 miles Lewisville, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS. APPARENTLY I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, THE CHATS AND BLOGS ARE FULL OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS INTERNATIONALLY. ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE READ, I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED MUCH MORE FREQUENT REPLACEMENTS. CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LAMP IS THE ONE THAT BLOWS. I HAVE SAVED THE LAST LAMP REPLACED. IT IS A SYLVANIA SILVERSTAR. THIS IS THE THIRD BRAND OF BULB / LAMP. MY WIFE IS NIGHT BLIND. SHE TRIES TO AVOID DRIVING AFTER DARK. THE UNDEPENDABLE LIGHTING SYSTEM POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN HER CASE AND I AM SURE IN SENIORS WHO REQUIRE MORE LIGHT TO SEE CLEARLY.

NHTSA complaint #10182888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles West Palm Beach, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LENSES ON THE HEADLIGHTS CLOUDED OVER IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE THE ROAD AT NIGHT. BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS ARE AFFECTED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE HEADLIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10157251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 4 DOOR SEDAN IN FEBRUARY 2005. IN JUNE 2005 I HAD TO HAVE BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS REPLACED. NOW IT IS JANUARY 2006 AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BOTH AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10147075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grandville, IL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS WILL READ DIM BUT LIGHT WILL ACTUALLY BE ON HIGH BEAM, CAUSING PROBLEM TO OTHER DRIVERS. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #8016183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Hyundai Elantra problems

← Full 2003 Hyundai Elantra report