2008 Hyundai Elantra Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra. Part of Generation 4 — 2007–2010.

20072009
Complaints
423
Crashes
57
Fires
39
Injuries
66
Fatalities
Recalls
5

Worst 2008 Hyundai Elantra Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#153 complaints

STEERING

Avg mileage:73,764 mi
Crash-related:4
#233 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:87,673 mi
Crash-related:17
#332 complaints

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Avg mileage:3,902 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
STEERING53473,764 mi
AIR BAGS331787,673 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE323,902 mi
SERVICE BRAKES324499,181 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM282877,067 mi
ENGINE24211112,460 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL246159,761 mi
UNKNOWN OR OTHER22998,619 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING191167,287 mi
POWER TRAIN19269,296 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC162258,894 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING12219,671 mi
SUSPENSION1194,149 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION9110,296 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP827,591 mi
STRUCTURE:BODY71191,636 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)61103,430 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM611123,600 mi
VISIBILITY/WIPER686,797 mi
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL5424,900 mi
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW4312,713 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE49,366 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH444,784 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER31461 mi
SEAT BELTS3244,640 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC3110,998 mi
EQUIPMENT211,700 mi
PARKING BRAKE2101,725 mi
STRUCTURE2
TIRES227,500 mi

Recalls for 2008 Hyundai Elantra

5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,677,695 vehicles.

20V061000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
~476,111 affected

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.

15V100000STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
~204,768 affected

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.

13V113000EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
~1,712,336 affected

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.

11V143000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
~188,697 affected

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.

11V179000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
~95,783 affected

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

Wider context: See the full Hyundai Elantra reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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