Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Hyundai Tiburon problems
Owners filed 26 complaints about the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon with NHTSA between Oct 1998 and Jan 2005. The most-cited component is power train (6).
Complaints
26
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train6
- Electrical system5
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Seat belts4
- Air bags3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Wheels2
- Visibility1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Exterior lighting1
- Fuel system, other1
- Other / unknown6
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 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
8
5
2
2
3
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
6 reports
“VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR, RESULTING IN STALLING. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC WHICH MAY CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION. *AK”
Electrical system
5 reports
“I WENT TO THE CAR LOT AND PICKED UP MY TIBURON. I DROVE IT HOME...AND TO WORK. AFTER I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS, I WALKED TOWARD THE CAR AND THE WIRELESS REMOTE ON THE KEYS WOULDNT BEEP SO WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE DOOR TO UNLOCK IT THE ALARM SOUNDED AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALER IN WHICH THEY SAID I PROBABLY NEEDED TO BUY A NEW BATTERY. I HADN'T EVEN PUT 100 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD SOMEONE CHECK THE BATTERY AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. MY CAR SAT AT MY WORKPLACE FOR 8 DAYS BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY SENT A TOWING TRUCK TO HAVE IT SERVICED. I COME TO FIND OUT IT IS THE "TRANSPONDER" TO THE ALARM THAT IS FAULTY AND THEREFORE THE CAR WON'T START UNTIL IT IS REPLACED. IT IS STILL WAITING TO BE SERVICED. MY QUESTION IS WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THAT FIXED WHEN I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR A FEW DAYS? THEY PROBABLY ALREADY KNEW IT WAS GOING OUT AND SOLD ME THE CAR ANYWAY. I'VE ONLY PUT DOWN A DOWN PAYMENT FOR THE CAR AND HAVE YET TO MAKE MY FIRST PAYMENT. WHAT SHOULD I DO? ARE THEY RIGHT TO CHARGE ME FOR THIS? IS THIS A FACTORY RECALL OR SOMETHING THAT GOES OUT OVER TIME? OR IN THIS CASE…”
Engine and engine cooling
5 reports
“CONSUMER STATED THAT IN HER DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON, AND WHEN IT DID, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER. AFTER LOSS OF POWER, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO REGAIN POWER. THEN, VEHICLE RAN SLUGGISH FOR A WHILE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM KEPT REAPPEARING.*AK”
Seat belts
4 reports1 related recall
“RECALL 01V345000/MANUFACTURER RECALL 2001; FRONT LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RETRACT BACK. PROBLEM HAPPENED ONE YEAR AGO AND WAS NOT FIXED. NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE SENT OUT IN DECEMBER 2001. *AK DEALER WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTACT CONSUMER ONCE A HYUNDAI TECHNICIAN CAME FOR A VISIT, HOWEVER CONSUMER NEVER HEARD FROM THE DEALER. *SLC”
Air bags
3 reports2 crashes
“MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BREAKING HER ELBOW IN 6 PLACES AND HER HUMERUS DETACHED FROM THE ELBOW. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON FEBRUARY 13, 2003 AND SHE HAS LIMITED USE OF HER RIGHT ARM AS OF TODAY. SHE HAS HAD TWO SURGERIES AND GOES TO OCCUPATIONAL REHAB THREE TIMES A WEEK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT INJURIES FROM THE AIRBAGS IN THE 1998 TIBURON.”
Vehicle speed control
3 reports
“WHEN DRIVING AT TIMES WILL HAVE TROUBLE ACCELERATEING TO HIGHER SPEEDS, AND THEN VEHICLE WILL START TO JERK BEFORE IT STARTS TO MOVE.*AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.