Ignition coil / coil pack failures
misfiring, paired with a check engine light
Check engine light: On
This generation's most common engine complaint by volume: ignition coil or coil pack failures, with misfiring and a check engine light as the directly stated symptoms — that's a sourced fact, not a judgment call, which is why the light is marked as typically on. It's been reported as late as 141,000 miles, so it's not something you necessarily age out of. Coil packs themselves have been documented as cheap as $200, but that's a parts-only floor rather than a total repair figure including labor, so we're not presenting it as a typical repair cost.
reported as late as 141,000 mi
the $200 figure is a parts-only cost for the coil pack itself, not a total repair figure including labor.
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Oxygen sensor defects
check engine light, with no other named symptom
Check engine light: On
A separate, recurring oxygen sensor complaint pattern for this generation, with check engine light listed as the direct symptom — again, a sourced fact rather than a judgment call. Oxygen sensor faults are generally a well-understood, straightforward repair rather than a serious mechanical concern on their own.
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Timing belt and water pump wear
no dramatic symptom in most cases — this is largely a scheduled-interval replacement
Check engine light: Off
The timing belt and water pump are named as a notable high-cost item for this generation, with a combined replacement reported up to $1,600 — an outlier relative to this vehicle's otherwise inexpensive repairs, and likely behind the 12% of engine repairs that land over $1,000. Reports give $1,600 as a ceiling rather than a typical price. This is usually a scheduled-interval or wear-driven job rather than a sudden failure, so it doesn't typically trigger a check-engine light on its own.
clustering 40,000–102,000 mi (category range)
the $1,600 figure is an open ceiling ("up to"), not tied to a specific documented case — not widened into a range.
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Suspension and brake-line corrosion (winter/road-salt climates)
visible rust on the lower suspension or coil spring, and in at least one case, corroded brake lines
Check engine light: Off
This is a climate-specific pattern rather than ordinary suspension wear: road salt causing rust in the lower suspension and coil spring in winter climates. NHTSA data includes a more serious related report — one owner reported both front and rear brake lines "corroded and rotten out" on a car only 6 years old and under 100,000 miles. That is a safety problem, not just cosmetic corrosion: brake line integrity affects your ability to stop the car. If you're in a colder, road-salt climate, this is worth a proactive undercarriage inspection rather than waiting for a symptom. This is a corrosion/mechanical issue, not one that triggers a check engine light.
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No sound from speakers
Radio/speakers produce no sound despite the system otherwise working
Check engine light: Off
Part of a large cross-brand Hyundai/Kia speaker-failure pattern reported on 11+ nameplates, though there are very few owner reports for this specific generation.
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Road salt may cause rust in lower suspension or coil spring
Visible rust on the lower suspension or coil spring, worse in winter-road-salt climates
Check engine light: Off
Owners in winter/road-salt climates report rust developing on the lower suspension and coil springs. Reported counts cover this nameplate as a whole. The 2001-2005 model years account for most of the complaint volume, with the 2006-2011 generation less often represented.
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The most notable non-recall issue we've found is a corrosion pattern affecting the lower suspension and, in at least one documented case, the brake lines themselves — most pronounced in winter/road-salt climates. We don't have a repair-cost figure for this yet, but because brake-line integrity is safety-critical, if you're in a colder climate and notice rust in this area, get it inspected rather than waiting.