Worst 2008 Hyundai Elantra Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Steering Defects
Airbags
Gasoline Fuel System
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Defects | 53 | 4 | — | 73,764 mi | |
| Airbags | 33 | 17 | — | 87,673 mi | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 32 | — | — | 3,902 mi | |
| Brakes | 32 | 4 | 4 | 99,181 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 28 | 2 | 8 | 77,067 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 24 | 2 | 11 | 112,460 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 24 | 6 | 1 | 59,761 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 19 | 1 | 1 | 67,287 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 19 | 2 | — | 69,296 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 16 | 2 | 2 | 58,894 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 12 | 2 | — | 19,671 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 11 | — | — | 94,149 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 9 | 1 | — | 10,296 mi | |
| Fuel Pump | 8 | — | — | 27,591 mi | |
| Body Structure | 7 | 1 | 1 | 91,636 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 6 | 1 | — | 103,430 mi | |
| Fuel System | 6 | 1 | 1 | 123,600 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 6 | — | — | 86,797 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 | 4 | — | 24,900 mi | |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 4 | 3 | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Parking-Brake Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 2 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Hyundai Elantra
5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,677,695 vehicles.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 ELANTRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 14, 2006, THROUGH NOVEMBER 1, 2008. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATS IN THE VEHICLES CONTAIN A WEIGHT SENSOR DESIGNED TO DEACTIVATE THE RIGHT FRONTAL AIRBAG WHEN OCCUPANTS OF CERTAIN WEIGHTS OCCUPY THE SEAT. THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR THE WEIGHT SENSOR IS LOCATED UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE, BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THE CONNECTOR COULD BECOME CONTAMINATED AND MALFUNCTION SUCH THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY REGARDLESS OF THE WEIGHT OF THE OCCUPANT.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 ELANTRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 14, 2006, THROUGH AUGUST 29, 2007. THE DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK POSITION SENSOR DETERMINES THE SEAT'S FORE AND AFT POSITION AND ALLOWS THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG TO DEPLOY AT THE PRESSURE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SEATING POSITION, WITH A LOWER PRESSURE DEPLOYMENT IN THE MOST FORWARD SEATING POSITIONS. THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE MAY RECEIVE AN UNSTABLE ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FROM THE SEAT TRACK POSITION SENSOR SUCH THAT, IN A CRASH THAT REQUIRES DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY AT THE HIGHER PRESSURE THAN INTENDED IF THE SEAT WAS POSITION IN ONE OF THE FORWARD POSITIONS IN WHICH A LOWER PRESSURE DEPLOYMENT IS INTENDED.
Other Hyundai Elantra Years
2008 Hyundai Elantra — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
What are common problems with the 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
How safe is the 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
Does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Hyundai Elantra reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Hyundai Elantra
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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