Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Hyundai Tiburon problems

Owners filed 43 complaints about the 2005 Hyundai Tiburon with NHTSA between May 2005 and Mar 2020. The most-cited component is power train (18).

Complaints
43
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train18
  2. Air bags7
  3. Suspension5
  4. Tires4
  5. Steering4
  6. Equipment3
  7. Engine2
  8. Structure2
  9. Visibility2
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Fuel/propulsion system1
  13. Wheels1
  14. Vehicle speed control1

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
20051
200610
20077
20082
20093
20101
20117
20120
20135
20141
20152
20160
20172
20180
20191
20201

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

Power train

18 reports1 crash
“I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH, DUAL FLY WHEEL ENTIRE CLUTCH SYSTEM 3 TIMES NOW IN THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS. EACH TIME COSTING ME ANYWHERE FROM $2400,- $3,400. NO WAY SHOULD A CLUTCH NEED REPLACED THAT MUCH THAT SOON, EACH CLUTCH LASTED APPROX 13 MONTHS. HYUNDAI WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM YET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING SAME ISSUES. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. WHO CAN AFFORD THIS MUCH WORK EVERY YEAR? NO ONE. I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $10,000 ON 3 CLUTCH JOBS IN 3 YEARS. I'M TAKING IT TO BBB AS WELL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 30, 2015Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10760218

Air bags

7 reports5 crashes
“TAKATA RECALL, COULDN'T SEE FOR A WEEK. WAS CUT UP ON LEFT SIDE AS WAS VISION GONE ON LEFT. SUFFERED AND STILL SUFFERING BRAIN DAMAGE FROM AIRBAG HITTING ME SO HARD. THAT CAR HAS RUINED MY LIFE. I CONSTANTLY SHAKE FROM NECK UP ON LEFT SIDE. I WISH I WOULD IF DIED IN THE ACCIDENT. THAT'S HOW MUCH IT HAS AFFECTED ME. I STAY IN THE HOUSE BY MYSELF ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. ITS SO EMBARRASSING FOR ME. SEVERE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY HAVE STARTED ALSO. THANK YOU HYUNDAI FOR RUINING MY LIFE AT 43 YEARS OLD. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE WOMAN BEHIND ME NEVER SLOWED DOWN AT 55 MPH.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2017Air bags, Structure, WheelsCrash reportedODI 10969643

Suspension

5 reports1 crash
“FRONT RIGHT CONTROL ARM RUSTED UNTIL IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS! 2003 HYUNDAI TUBURONS HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS BUT 2005 DOES NOT. IT SHOULD BECAUSE HYUNDAI OBVIOUSLY DID NOT FIX THAT UNDERLYING ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2017SuspensionODI 10956556

Tires

4 reports
“BOUGHT TWO NEW FRONT TIRES FOR TIBURON. NEXEN N5000 215/45R17 ON 10/15/2013. WITHIN THREE WEEKS THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE DEVELOPED A FLAT ON 11/7/13 IE WITHIN THREE WEEKS. NEVER HAPPENED WITH ANY TIRES. WHY THIS ONE? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2013TiresODI 10551753

Steering

4 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“STEERING HAD A TWITCH WHICH MAD IT A CHALLENGE TO STEER, AS A RESULT WHICH LED TO A CRASH THE PASSENGER FRONT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY CRACKED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, AND DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE THEN DIPPED TO THE GROUND SUDDENLY AND BOUNCED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LITERALLY GO AIRBORN FOR A BRIEF MOMENT WHICH THEN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2011Steering, SuspensionCrash reportedODI 10430330

Equipment

3 reports1 crash
“2005 HYUNDAI TIBURON SE V6 STD. - CLUTCH REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 42K AND AGAIN AT 53K - 7 MOS LATER CLUTCH FAILED AGAIN. HYUNDAI STATES "WE'VE COVERED 2 TIMES, NOT COVERING AGAIN". OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM W/THIS VEHICLE - I'VE OWNED STANDARDS ALL MY LIFE, MAZDA 189K ON ORIGINAL CLUTCH AND DATSUN 110K ON ORIGINAL CLUTCH - HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH. THERE ARE SEVERAL ONLINE COMPLAINTS REGARDING 2005 CLUTCH FAILINGS NOT COVERED. HTTP://WWW.ALLWORLDAUTO.COM/COMMENTS/2005_HYUNDAI_TIBURON_COMMENTS_AND_COMPLAINTS_25-2223-2005-1.HTML THERE IS CURRENTLY A CLASS ACTION SUIT PENDING AGAINST HYUNDAI FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM OCCURRING IN 2003 TIBURON MODELS. THIS IS SOMETHING HYUNDAI HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR YEARS AND HAS IGNORED. THEY CLAIM NOT ALL THE PARTS OF THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, KIT, ETC ARE COVERED UNDER THEIR 100K/10 YR WARRANTY - THIS IS A BOGUS WARRANTY. THIS SITUATION REQUIRES SOME INVESTIGATION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2010Power train, EquipmentODI 10314213
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.