2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON Complaints

I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON GT V6 ,6 SPEED MANUAL 29000 MILES ORIGINAL TIRES. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN I HAD DIFFICULTY PUTTING MY CAR INTO REVERSE. THIS NORMALLY HAPPENED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO GEAR, A LOW WINING SOUND WOULD BE NOTICED WITH MY FOOT ON THE CLUTCH, THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY GO AWAY AS THE CAR WOULD WARM UP. AFTER THE CAR WARMED UP, THE GEARS WOULD SHIFT NORMALLY AND I COULD SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED TO HAVING DIFFICULTY PUTTING THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR AND REVERSE. AFTER ANOTHER MONTH THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO FIRST OR REVERSE WITH THE ENGINE ON. AGAIN AS SOON AS THE CAR WARMS UP THE GEARS SHIFT NORMALLY AND THE NOISE WILL GO AWAY, THIS ONLY OCCURS WITH A COLD CAR. I FINALLY TOOK THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALER (HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THIS WAS DUE TO MY DIVING PRACTICES. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1800 TO REPAIR. I ARGUED THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND THAT I ONLY USE THIS CAR TO GO TO WORK AND BACK. THEY INSISTED THAT IT WAS A WEAR-OUT ITEM AND THAT I WAS AT FAULT. FINALLY AFTER SOME ARGUMENT, THEY CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI REGIONAL MANAGER IN GEORGIA AND HE AGREED TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FLY WHEEL, BUT THAT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CLUTCH AND LABOR TO REPLACE THAT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED THAT INDEED THE CLUTCH HAD SOME WEAR, BUT HE ALSO PULLED UP A SERVICE BULLETIN (04-40-005) THAT CLAIMED THAT THE FLYWHEEL WAS DEFORMED AND THAT IF THE VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED BEFORE APRIL 2003, (WHICH MINE WAS AS I PURCHASED IT IN FEBRUARY OF 2003); VERIFY THE CONDITION REPORTED BY THE CUSTOMER AS CLUTCH RELATED; REPLACE THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL, CLUTCH DISK, CLUTCH COVER AND CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING. *JB

WHEN USING THE A/C FAN CONTROL ON SETTING 3 OR 4 FOR MORE THAN 10 MIN., THE PLASTIC CONNECTION AT THE BACK OF THE UNIT STARTS MELTING. MY TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS TO RUN THE A/C ON 1 AND 2 ONLY. THIS IS A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A PROBLEM. THE REPLACEMENT COST IS 605.00 CAD FOR THE SAME UNIT THAT WILL DO THE SAME THING AFTER A LITTLE USE. THIS IS NOT A VALID SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CLUTCH WAS BAD, AND IT TOOK OUT THE FLYWHEEL/CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT SHE TOOK AN ELECTRIC SAW TO THE TRANSMISSION CASE AND THE CLUTCH DID NOT DO IT. FURTHERMORE, IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS A CLUTCH, AND THE CLUTCH WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SHE HAD TWO WARRANTIES, AND THEY WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER EITHER ONE. SHE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 6-15-05 , AND IT FAILED ON 8-25-05. THE VEHICLE HAS 39,600 MILES ON IT. WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE CAR IT HAD 36,200 MILES ON IT. THE CONTACT FOUND APPROXIMATELY 30 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB ABOUT THE CLUTCH.*AK UPDATED 04/17/06

ON JULY 04 2003, WE PURCHASED A 2003 NEW HYUNDAI TIBURON FROM PHILPOTT MOTORS IN NEDERLAND. THE VIN[XXX]. IT STARTED ON DEC 19, 20031 WHEN THE PASSENGER WINDOW MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THEN, ON DEC. 22, 20031 THE VEHICLE HAD A COOLANT LEAK THAT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ON FEBRUARY 16, 2004 THE CLUTCH WENT OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH ANY WARNING. TO APRIL OF 2003. IN WHICH ALL THE PARTS THEY REPLACED HAVE A PRODUCTION DATE OF APRIL 2003. IN AUGUST OF 2004 SEVEN MONTHS LATER THE CLUTCH WENT OUT AGAIN ON IH10 DURING NOON TRAFFIC THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THE MECHANIC AT TRANSMISSION EXCHANGE TOLD HIM THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AND THAT HE STATED THAT THE SLAVE CYLINDER WAS PROBABLY BENT PRIOR TO THEIR REPAIRS SIX MONTHS AGO. MY COMPLAINT TO PHILPOTT THAT IF THEY AGREED TO COVER THE SLAVE CYLINDER WHY WOULD THEY NOT COVER ALL THE CHARGES DUE TO THE FACT THIS IS A PULL/PUSH AND IF THE SALVE CYLINDER WAS BENT THAT IT WOULD CAUSE THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE TO THE CLUTCH. THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT COSTING $1,920.85. ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2005 THE BATTERY WENT OUT. . IN AUGUST OF 2005 THE BATTERY WENT OUT AGAIN. ON THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED AND ASKED WHY THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND THE TECHNICIAN TOLD HER THE CAR WAS FINE THAT HE DID NOT NOTE ANY PROBLEMS AND THAT THE LIGHT WAS ON BECAUSE IT WAS TELLING HER THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING. ON SEPTEMBER 05, THE CLUTCH STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN AND WE HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE. EVERYONE HAS BEEN TOLD THE EXACT LINE. IT WAS THE DRIVER AND IT'S A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM. LIKE THE DEALERS HAVE BEEN TOLD WHAT UPDATE: THE HYUNDAI REP STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT ANY ABNORMAL WEAR ON MY CLUTCH THAT THE FLYWHEEL WAS THE PROBLEM AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED BECAUSE, THE FLYWHEEL IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT: THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE, THEY USED DEFORMED CLUTCH PART. THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING. VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW. WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL IT TAKES IT A FEW MINUTES TO KICK INTO GEAR AND IT JERKS THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 0440005. NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2005, AND SHOULD BE GETTING A CALL FROM THE DEALER TODAY. IT HAS DONE THIS EVERYDAY SINCE NOTICING NOTICED THE PROBLEM.*AK

SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW WE HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE, THE CLUTCH, FLY WHEEL, SLAVE CYLINDER,THREE TIMES, A COOLANT LEAK FIXED, THE WINDOW MOTOR AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE REPAIR SHOP. WE ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES AND HAVE THE VEHICLE ALIGNED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALSO ON AT THIS TIME. THE THING THAT MAKES ME ANGRY IS THAT A SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAS SEEN OR VEHICLE TWICE AND SAID OUR VEHICLE WAS FINE. SO, WHY DID THE CLUTCH GO OUT 10 DAYS LATER? *JB

I WAS DRIVING 35+ MILES PER HOUR AND REAR ENDED A LARGE TRUCK. THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED (NO ONE IN PASSENGER SIDE),MINE (DRIVER SIDE) DID NOT DEPLOY. 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON,CAUSING ALMOST $9,000 DAMAGE. DEALERSHIP TOWED TO,ELHART IN HOLLAND MI.,HAD NO CONCERN. VEHICLE TOWED TO DENOOYER CHEV. AND THE BODY SHOP MANAGER,STEVE BATTS SHOWED A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI COMPLAINT DEPT.,AND THAT PERSON WAS NON CHALANT ABOUT THE EPISODE. I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF I HAVE A DEPLOYABLE AIR BAG ON DRIVERS SIDE. HYUNDAI WOULD NOT FIX IT! OR PAY TO HAVE ONE EITHER PUT IN OR TO EVEN TEST TO SEE IF IT WAS DEFECTIVE. . I AM PAYING FOR A VEHICLE IN WHICH I AM NOT CONFIDENT REGARDING ITS SAFETY FACTOR. PERHAPS THIS COULD BE A RECALL. I HAVE GOTTEN NO WHERE AT THIS TIME,AND AM FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST HYUNDAI AND THE DEALERSHIP,ELHART, WHO SOLD ME THIS VEHICLE,SEPT 2002. IF YOU CANNOT HELP,PLEASE DIRECT ME TO AN AGENCY THAT WILL. ELISE KNAPP. *JB

HYUNDAI 2003 TIBURON CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILED WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI HAS TOLD MANY PEOPLE THAT THE DEFECT IS DRIVER INDUCED EVEN THOUGH THEIR TSB #04-04-005 INDICATES PROBLEM WITH THAT CLUTCH AND TO REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED MODEL. *JB

10,700 MILES CLUTCH IS SLIPPING. TSB #04-40-005 DEFECTIVE CLUTCH INSTALLED IN TIBURONS PRODUCED BEFORE 4/1/03. NEW PARTS FOR CLUTCH/FLYWHEEL IN STOCK AT DEALERSHIP. THE THRESHOLD OF THE CLUTCH IS RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF WHAT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENGINE CAN HANDLE. THERE IS A CLUTCH DELAY VALVE INSTALLED TO THE MASTER CYLINDER, THIS SLOW ENGAGE MAY CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR ON THE CLUTCH. CUSTOMER FRAUD, HYUNDAI HAS NOT RELEASED THIS INFO TO OWNERS AND IN MOST CASES REFUSES TO PAY FOR IT. I BRING MY TIB IN THIS MONDAY TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID EXPECT TO LEAVE THE CAR FOR A WEEK BECAUSE CORP OFFICE WILL FIGHT IT. MY CAR IS 2 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH 10,750 MILES. *JB

PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE ON 2003 HYUNDAI TIBURON. CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES ON IT. CAR STALLED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. CLUTCH IS BEING REPLACED, BUT HYUNDAI WILL NOT PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT CLUTCH FAILURES IN THE SAME AUTOMOBILE MODEL.