RoadVitals

2003 Hyundai Tiburon Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Dec 8, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 328 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesFuel system
Filed Dec 8, 2019

VAPOR PURGE CANISTER MALFUNCTION FRONT END FAILURE BAD GASKETS

NHTSA ID
11287744
Incident
Oct 16, 2018
Mileage
158,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 15, 2011

I HAVE A 2003 TIBURON. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE HAS RUSTED AWAY AND NO LONGER ENGAGES THE BRAKE. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10390243
Incident
Mar 1, 2011
Mileage
90,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 23, 2010

IN OCTOBER 2009 I PURCHASED A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON FOR MY SON. THE CAR WAS PLACED IN THE GARAGE UNTIL MY SON TURNED 16 ON MARCH 8, 2010. WE ONLY HAVE PUT LESS THAN 100 MILES ON THE CAR FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE TO FIND OUT THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING ALSO CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT TO LOCK IN. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT CREST HONDA IN NASHVILLE, TN. THEY ALSO PROCEEDED TO SELL ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WAS SUPPOSE TO COVER FOR BRAKES, HOWEVER WHEN I TOOK IT TO A HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER THEY CONTACTED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER FOR THE BRAKES TO BE REPAIRED AS THEY WERE AFTER MARKET BRAKES ON THE CAR. IT IS CLEARLY OBVIOUS THAT THIS CAR WAS NOT INSPECTED BY CREST HONDA PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. I HAVE READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT CREST HONDA AND CUSTOMERS HAVING FAULTY BRAKES ON USED CARS THAT THEY PURCHASE FROM THEM. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE NOTICED THE PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AS THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT CATCHING AND ONLY THE FRONT BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
10321603
Incident
Mar 22, 2010
Mileage
51,800 mi
BrakesElectricalFuel system+2 more
Filed Feb 5, 2009

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 *TR

NHTSA ID
10257590
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
31,000 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Jun 3, 2008

I HAVE A 2003 TIBURON GT WITH A 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH TWICE IN UNDER 30K MILES. I'VE CHECKED WITH OTHER TIBURON OWNERS AND THEY SAID IT'S A DEFECT IN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. HYUNDAI WON'T ADMIT A PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE APPARENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10229706
Incident
Mar 1, 2008
Mileage
50,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Aug 30, 2007

CLUTCH FAILED AT 44,000 MILES AFTER BUYING CAR USED. SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT FIX , STATED IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR. COST $1500 TO FIX. AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, PAST 65,000 SO SERVICE DEPARTMENT WONT FIX IT UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. HATCH BACK LATCH WONT WORK, $200 TO FIX THAT. HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT EVERY OTHER MONTH. BROUGHT CAR TO SERVICE CENTER BECAUSE OF A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF CAR. SAID THEY COULDNT HEAR ANYTHING. 2000 MILES OVER MY WARRENTEE BROUGHT CAR BACK BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING WORSE, SAID IT WAS FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND WOULD COST $1000 TO FIX. DURING COLD WEATHER EMERGENCY BRAKE STICKS TOOK IT IN AND THEY COULDNT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, GO FIGURE. SEATS WONT LATCH SOMETIMES AFTER LETTING SOMEONE OUT FROM THE BACK. IS THERE A END TO THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE WITH THIS HYUNDAI.

NHTSA ID
10201189
Incident
Aug 29, 2007
Mileage
44,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesSuspension+1 more
Filed Jun 16, 2006

-4 TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH FAILURES -DEFECTIVE BRAKE LINE -DEFECTIVE WHEEL HUB -DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARING AND KNUCKLE -MANY OTHER DANGEROUS DEFECTS -ALL WERE REPAIRED, MOST WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AFTER MUCH DISPUTE -NO OLD PARTS AVAILABLE, BUT ALL REPAIR ORDERS ARE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10160052
Incident
Aug 1, 2005
Mileage
29,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 24, 2005

I WAS DRIVING MY 03 HYUNDAI TIBURON GT TO DINNER WHEN I HEARD THE DRIVER-SIDE REAR BRAKE START MAKING A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND COULD STOP SO I TRIED TO GET OVER BUT BY THE TIME I DID THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND TORE THE TIRE APART. I HAD IT TOWED TO DENNIS HYUNDAI AND THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THE REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP DUE TO RUST FORMING ON THE CALIPER CAUSING IT TO NOT RELEASE. THEY SAID THAT SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN GREASED PROPERLY THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RENTED A TRAILER AND PICKED IT UP THE CAR. THE PERSON AT DENNIS SAID THAT IT ONLY NEEDED BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, THAT THE CALIPER IS FINE. I WENT AND BOUGHT THE PARTS AND REPAIRED THE CAR. IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE CAR WE CHECKED AND THERE WAS PLENTY OF GREASE ON THE CALIPER. SO, THEY LIED ABOUT THE CAUSE OF THE WHEEL LOCKING UP. THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING AND THEY REFUSE TO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT ME PAYING THEM. THEY SAID SINCE I DID THE WORK ON IT INSTEAD OF PAYING THEM $600-$700 TO DO IT THAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10112099
Incident
Jan 30, 2005
Mileage
33,112 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 29, 2004
Crash reported

VEHICLE EQUIPT WITH LOW PROFILE SPORTS TIRES. WHILE DRIVING ON SR2 IN JERUSELUM TOWNSHIP OHIO I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN SKIDDING ON BLACK ICE. ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND $9000 DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. REAR AXLE FAILED DURING THE IMPACT INTO AN EMBANKMENT WHICH ABSORBED MUCH OF THE IMPACT. SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AS DESIGNED BUT FRONT DID NOT. I AM ASSUMING THAT THIS IS DUE TO ME SLIDING BACKWARDS UP THE EMBANKMENT WITHOUT ANY DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT. I WALKED AWAY FROM IT BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HYUNDAI HAS MARKETED THIS CAR TOWARDS THE YOUNGER "INVINVIBLE" GENERATION WHO DO NOT REALIZE THESE TIRES AREN'T MADE FOR FAST DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHY THE ANTILOCK BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CAR IS AT BROWN AUTOMOTIVE AND IS STILL AWAITING REPAIR. I HAVE INFORMED THE INSURANCE COMPANY ABOUT THE BRAKES AND WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THIS REPORT WHEN I GET WORD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10055193
Incident
Jan 21, 2004
Mileage
2,800 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 10, 2003
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A LIGHT POLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10046657

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .