FaultScore

2003 Hyundai Tiburon fuel system problems

15 of the 429 complaints about the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon are about the fuel system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 82,500 miles.

A

15

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Fuel System, Gasoline 5 33.3%
Fuel/Propulsion System 4 26.7%
Tank Assembly 2 13.3%
Fuel System, Other 2 13.3%
Fuel Injection System 1 6.7%
Filler Pipe AND CAP 1 6.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 147,000 miles Mastic Beach, NY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

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 the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 04V178000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The contact stated that the interior door handles had detached from the vehicle The ABS warning light was also illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer who replaced the fuel tank; however, the other repairs were not performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

NHTSA complaint #11481727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 158,000 miles Brooksville, ME

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

VAPOR PURGE CANISTER MALFUNCTION FRONT END FAILURE BAD GASKETS

NHTSA complaint #11287744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jackson, TN

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

IN MOTION ON CITY STREET

NHTSA complaint #11266437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 168,000 miles Seal Beach, CA Crash

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN PUMPING GAS THE PUMP CONSTANTLY CLICKS OFF AND WON'T ALLOW ME TO PUT THE GAS IN. VERY STRONG RAW WET GAS SMELL INSIDE AND OUT SIDE OF THE CAR . FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS ON CLEANING CHARCOAL CANISTER THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS THERE AND THE GAS PROBLEMS CONTINUE. THE SMELL IS NOTICED AFTER DRIVING AND DURING IDLE.

NHTSA complaint #10935928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Memphis, TN

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL, THE PUMP WOULD CLICK OFF EARLY AS IF THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT BOTH DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #10638178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,600 miles ST. Peters, MO

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE CAR WILL NOT ACCEPT GASOLINE. ONCE 0.3 GALLONS ENTERS THE CAR THE PUMP WILL SHUT OFF AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP TRYING TO GET GAS. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE GAS INTAKE. IT WILL CONTINUALLY SHUT OFF EVERY FEW .3 GALLONS AND MAKES IT VERY COMPLICATED TO GET GAS. INTERIOR OF CAR HAS STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL TANK. 1. CANISTER CLOSE VALVE COULD BE CLOGGED WITH CHARCOAL OR NOT WORKING 2. CANISTER FILTER MAY NEED REPLACEMENT 3. ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE CLOSE VALVE MAY BE BROKEN 4. CANISTER MAY BE DAMAGED 5. PURGE VALVE FROM THE CANISTER MAY BE CLOGGED 6. VENT HOSES MAY BE CLOGGED.

NHTSA complaint #10573405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 83,000 miles Ocala, FL

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE CAR WILL NOT ACCEPT GASOLINE. ONCE 0.3 GALLONS ENTERS THE CAR THE PUMP WILL SHUT OFF AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP TRYING TO GET GAS. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE GAS INTAKE. IT WILL CONTINUALLY SHUT OFF EVERY FEW .3 GALLONS AND MAKES IT VERY COMPLICATED TO GET GAS.

NHTSA complaint #10407733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Corona, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

I HAVE 90,000 MILES ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED 3 TIMES. ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AT 29,000 MILES, THE SECOND POCKET AT 43,200 MILES AND THIRD AT 69,500 MILES. NOW AT 90,000 MILES IT IS GOING OUT AGAIN. THE FIRST TWO I MADE HYUNDAI PAY FOR THEM BUT THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS TWO FLYWHEELS AT 400.00 DOLLARS EACH AND TWO KITS AT 385.00 EACH. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THE MASTER CYLINDER AND SLAVE CYLINDER HAVE NEVER NEEDED REPLACEMENT ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THEY FLUSH AND FILL EVERY TIME. I THINK THIS IS A SCAM BY HYUNDAI OR OTS DEALERS THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR DEFECT. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS CAR? PLEASE HELP THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10367224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,000 miles Wapwallopen, PA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. AFTER FUELING THE FUEL TANK, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A NO-START CONDITION. HE HAS TO APPLY PRESSURE ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO START THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER HE SMELLED GASOLINE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING . THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. HIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 04V178000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) AND 04V369000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE). THE RECALL REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT AND DID NOT ADDRESS THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA complaint #10289449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 31,000 miles Marianna, PA

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

HELLO, I'M 26YRS OLD. I OWN A 2003 TIBURON GT V6 6SPEED WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. I BOUGHT IT OFF OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH ONLY 9,000 MILES. WITHIN THE 70,000 MILES I'VE DRIVEN IT, IT'S HAD THREE CLUTCHES.? I'VE OWNED ALL MANUAL DRIVEN CARS SINCE I WAS 16, I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE WITH ONE. WE ALL KNOW I BURNED THAT CLUTCH UP A LITTLE BIT YET I STILL DIDN'T BURN THAT CLUTCH OUT. THE FIRST CLUTCH I HAD TO REPLACE I PAID FOR THE PARTS. HYUNDAI TOOK CARE OF THE LABOR WHICH WAS NICE BUT, I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR A PART THAT I WASN'T AT FAULT FOR RUINING. NOW I'M ON MY THIRD CLUTCH, I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS ONE IN FULL BECAUSE I'M THE SECOND OWNER AND HYUNDAI ONLY COVERS 60,000 MILES. AS OF 01\06\09 THIS ONE IS NO LONGER WORKING. THERE HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURES DEFECT OF SOME KIND. WHETHER IT IS THE HYDRAULIC LINES PUMPING TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH FLUID, THE REVERSE DUAL MASS CLUTCH, OR IT BEING THE FIRST YEAR THEY MADE THE CAR, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HYUNDAI HAD TO TAKE CARE OF. I NEED HELP PLEASE. I'VE READ MORE REVIEWS ON "2003" TIBURON'S THAN I CAN HANDLE TO READ, AND AT LEAST 90% SAID THEY HAD CLUTCH PROBLEMS. I STARTED LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION AND THE ONLY THING I COULD FIND WAS CONSUMER AFFAIRS #, E-MAIL, AND A FEW OTHER #'S. I CALLED THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS #, AND NOW THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T HELP GO FIGURE. THEIR REASON WAS IT BEING TO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY ALTHOUGH IT WAS AT ONLY 31,000 MILES. NOW AT 77,000 IT GOES AGAIN, WHAT A COINCIDENCE. THIS DISASTER OF A CAR HAS COST ME AROUND $4,000 AND HAS ALSO PUT A HALT ON MY LIFE. I HAD A JEEP PAYMENT THAT I HAD TO SURRENDER BACK TO THE BANK BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER PAY FOR REPAIRS ON THE TIBURON AND MY JEEP. I'M WRITING THIS IN HOPE THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF GOOD WILL, RECALL, ECT. TO HELP REIMBURSE MY LOSES. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

NHTSA complaint #10257590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 69,500 miles Louisville, KY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON GT SMELLS OF GASOLINE WHEN STARTING, AT IDLE STAND STILL, AND WHEN TURNING CAR OFF FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SMELL OF GAS VERY STRONG INSIDE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10245025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Fountain Hills, AZ

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINES IN ENGINE WERE SPRAYING FUEL ALL OVER. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL DEFECT, WHICH WE THINK NEEDS A RECALL. THIS REPAIR COST US 400 DOLLARS WITH RENTAL CAR. THE CAR HAS 75000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10189870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 16,000 miles Harborcreek, PA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

NHTSA RECALL 04V-178000. FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE/FMVSS 301: CONSUMER HAVING A PROBLEM WITH DEALER HONORING THIS RECALL ALONG WITH TWO OTHER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR ITEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10082198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Covington, GA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

SOMETIMES WHEN THE GAS LEVEL GETS DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TANK, THE GAS CAP POPS OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA complaint #10019055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kenosha, WI

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

CAR WAS PICKED UP BY MCDEVITS TOWING AND TAKEN TO ARROW HYUNDAI. DEALER REPAIRED FUEL REGULATOR AND CLAIMS THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. DT

NHTSA complaint #768916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Hyundai Tiburon problems

← Full 2003 Hyundai Tiburon report