Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Hyundai Tiburon problems

Owners filed 36 complaints about the 1997 Hyundai Tiburon with NHTSA between Jul 1997 and Jun 2014. The most-cited component is air bags (8).

Complaints
36
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags8
  2. Power train8
  3. Fuel system, gasoline6
  4. Engine and engine cooling4
  5. Visibility4
  6. Electrical system3
  7. Latches/locks/linkages3
  8. Seat belts2
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  10. Seats2
  11. Vehicle speed control1
  12. Equipment1
  13. Steering1
  14. Tires1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19973
19985
19997
20005
20014
20024
20031
20043
20051
20060
20070
20081
20091
20100
20110
20120
20130
20141

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

8 reports4 crashes
“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND CAR BEGAN TO HEAT UP, THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG CAME ON AS WELL;TOOK IT IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE AIRBAG PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED AND REMAINS ON. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 28, 2004Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10104616

Power train

8 reports
“6 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED WITHIN 40,000 MILES...ALL REBUILT AND ALL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SLIPPING AND VERY HARD SHIFTING. I WOULD LIKE A TRANSMISSION THAT WORKS THE ENGINE AND ALL OTHER PARTS OF CAR ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. NOW DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIP IS JUST THE WAY IT 'SMOOTHES' INTO THE NEXT GEAR. EVEN MY PASSENGERS COMMENT ON THE WAY THE CAR THE SHIFTS. I HAVE BEEN INCONVIENCED FOR AT LEAST A DAY OR MORE TO FIND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION SO THAT THEY CAN INSTALL REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS. SOME OF THE SERVICE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT HYUNDIA HAS GREAT DIFFICULTY REBUILDING TRANSMISSIONS. THE HUYNDAI REPRESETATIVE WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION. ALL TRANSMISSIONS ARE GIVING OUT BEFORE THEIR 12,000 WARRENTY EXPIRES. ALL REPALCEMENTS HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. I HAVE BEEN SATISFIED WITH THEIR HONORING THE WARRENTY. MY LAST SERVICE CALL THE MANAGER KEN BEARD TOLD ME HE WOULD AGAIN CONTACT HUYNDAI AND ASK ABOUT TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AND CONTACT ME BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN 3 WEEKS. I HAVE CONTACTE DTHE OWNER AND HIS CONTROLLER FRENCHETTA THOMPSON HAS ASSURED ME THAT HE WILL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2002Power trainODI 765774

Fuel system, gasoline

6 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V095001 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), THERE WAS A PERSISTENT STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE BACK SEAT TO INSPECT THE ACCESS PORT FOR THE FUEL TANK AND DISCOVERED A 4 INCH FRACTURE ON THE STEEL FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO THE DEALER TO INFORM THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V095001 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. THE DEALER DECLINED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 243,420.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10596491

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports
“WHEN DRIVIHG AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE IS STALLING AND JERKING AND THE CONSUMER LOST ALL POWER WITHIN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, BRAKES WENT OUT, AND THE GAS WENT OUT. MANUFACTUREER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 1999Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 847877

Visibility

4 reports1 related recall
“I PARKED THE CAR. GOT OUT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE AND SHUT THE DOOR. THE WINDOW SHATTERED. DOOR WAS NOT SHUT FORCEFULLY. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW OFF TRACK AND RAISES TOO HIGH. THIS MAY CAUSE WINDOW TO SHATTER ALSO. I BELIEVE THIS MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 1999VisibilityODI 712308

Electrical system

3 reports
“CONNSUMER STATED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2004Electrical systemODI 10097505
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.