There are 42 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Hyundai Sonatain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. WHEN RESET THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN.
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON BUT THEY HAVE NOT DEPLOYED & NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WIRING, ETC. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE ABS LIGHT ON, AS YOU WELL KNOW.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE AIR BAG IS ON AND DOESN'T GO AWAY. I HAD IT CHECK AND THERE IS NO CODE FOR IT SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSE THAT. I NEED A ANSWER BECAUSE I NEED TO HAVE INSPECT AND IS NOT GOING TO PASS.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS PROPERLY DEPLOYED IT ONLY FELL OUT OF THE SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND IT DEPLOYED FLAT NO AIR IN IT OR NOTHING. MY FIANCEE WAS INJURED AS WELL AS MYSELF AND WE ARE CURRENTLY BEING TREATED FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY THE ACCIDENT... *JS
TWO DAYS AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER PURCHASED A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH WHEN IT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED AND AS A RESULT, SHE BROKE HER BREAST BONE AND AS OF TODAY, IS STILL HOSPITALIZED FROM THE ACCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON
BELT GETS STUCK, JAMMED, DOUBLED OVER JAMMED, IN BELT GUIDE ATTACHED TO CAR (PILLAR) ABOVE SHOULDER. BELT CAN NOT RETRACT TO SNUG POSITION. THIS DEFEATS PURPOSE OF HAVING SEAT BELT. HAPPENS REPEATEDLY. IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO UNRAVEL TO GET BELT TO WORK PROPERLY. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND SHE HAS STOPPED TELLING ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DRIVES AROUND WITH BELT IN JAMMED POSITION. *TR
REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT AT A STOP LIGHT. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IN THE VEHICLE. REPAIRS ARE $1349.00 REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS. I NOTICED THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY WITH THESE VEHICLES, WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT THE CHROME WEARS OFF THE DOOR HANDLE AND A RECALL IS ISSUED. SOMETHING IS ROTTEN HERE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE AIR BAGS AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. IT DOESN'T DEPEND ON WHETHER THE PASSENGER SEAT IS EMPTY OR OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A PERSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH HYUNDAI VEHICLES. I SPOKE WITH A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY I WOULD BE FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. SINCE THE CAR IS ALMOST 10 YEARS OLD I AM NOT WILLING TO DO THAT. IN MY OPINION THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT OR POOR WORKMANSHIP/DESIGN AND THE VEHICLE OWNER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE CHEST, RIB AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE TOW-YARD. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/16/11*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED YET THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR CHEST INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND HIM A PACKET TO FILL OUT AND THEY WOULD DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD DO. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO UNDERGO DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT THE CONTACT EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 06/07/11*LJ UPDATED 06/1311
2003 SONATA HAS AN AIRBAG LIGHT THAT COMES ON ALL THE TIME. I CALLED A HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY SAID I WOULD NEED TO PAY THEM $89 TO CHECK IT. I ALSO WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC (NOT AT THE DEALER) THAT HYUNDAI WILL WANT TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND COMPONENTS WHICH WILL LIKELY COST MORE THAN $900 AND CLAIM IT IS NORMAL WEAR. HOW CAN THIS BE NORMAL WEAR ON THE VEHICLE? ISN'T THIS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HYUNDAI NEEDS TO FIX? I SEE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE AS WELL AS ON THE WEB. DO I NEED TO PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED? WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN A RECALL! I AM PLANNING ON BRINGING THIS TO THE DEALER BUT WANT TO KNOW IF THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS AT NO COST TO ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTORS WOULD LOCK THE SEAT BELTS EXTREMELY TIGHT AND INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT RELEASE THE SEAT BELT AROUND THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT. THE DEALER ADVISED THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE INTERNAL PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELTS. UPDATED 07/21/10.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT A DIAGNOSIS COULD BE PERFORMED BUT A REMEDY POSSIBLY WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE WAS ONGOING FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ANY REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
FOR NO SPECIFIC REASON MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA 4 CYLINDER BASE MODEL'S AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO GET THE PASSENGER AIRBAG REPLACED AT A COST OF $900 AT THE DEALER. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN BY THE DEALER AS TO WHY THE BAG WENT BAD. *TR
THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON, MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA WITH 70K MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE SEATS HAVE NOT BEEN DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. THE DEALERSHIP USED THEIR SCAN TOOL AND THE CODE IS B1382, THE SIDE AIR BAG RESISTANCE IS TOO HIGH. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG HARNESS (PART #917003D010) AND THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY STANDARD WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE MECHANIC SAID IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT WIRING BEING USED IN THE DESIGN OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE THIS HARNESS IS $1,349 PLUS THE $98 DIAGNOSTIC FEE I HAD TO PAY. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 42 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026