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Research · Subcompact Cars

2008 Hyundai TiburonRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 19 owner complaints for the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon. Most complaints involve air bags (10) and seat belts (4). The EPA rates it 19–23 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
19–23mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
1campaigns
Latest Apr 2013
Owner complaints
19
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,700est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

1 NHTSA campaign · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

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.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 1, 2013NHTSA 13V113000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

19 complaints filed with NHTSA · Aug 2008 – Oct 2025
  1. Air bags10
  2. Seat belts4
  3. Power train2
  4. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  5. Steering1
  6. Service brakes1
  7. Seats1
  8. Visibility1
  9. Tires1

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

By model year

Complaints for each Tiburon model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
199736
199826
199926
200058
200136
20028
2003328
200482
200543
200664
200742
200819
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

10 reports2 crashes
“AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. ERROR CODE LEADS TO PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT ISSUE. DEALER JUST RESET COMPUTER AND LIGHT CAME BACK ON. KNOWN CAMPAIGN #094 ON THIS BUT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS VIN. UNKNOWN IF AIRBAG WILL ACTUALLY DEPLOY IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. LIGHT IS ON AND DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $350 FOR THE PART ALONE (SEAT BELT LATCH)”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2019Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11207617

Seat belts

4 reports
“STARTED NOTICING THE ISSUE IN MID MAY 2016. I DON'T USUALLY MOVE MY SEAT FROM THE ORIGINAL POSITION OF COMFORT BUT DRIVER SEAT HAS SHIFTED INADVERTENTLY SLIDING FORWARD OR BACK WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING (15 - 50MPH). ALONG WITH THE SEAT BELT ON OCCASION UNBUCKLED WHILE MOVING SOMETIMES IN CONJUNCTION WITH SEAT MOVEMENT, OTHER TIMES ALONE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LATELY AND I HAVE TAKEN MORE CARE TO HEAR THE CLICK & TUG ON BELT BUT THIS SOMETIMES DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE (UP TO 75MPH), A SHIFTING OF WEIGHT IN SEAT, OR LOOKING OVER SHOULDER FOR TRAFFIC WHILE CHANGING LANES CAN PULL CLIP OUT OF CLASP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2016Seat belts, SeatsODI 10909536

Power train

2 reports
“The contact owns 2008 Hyundai Tiburon. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the hydraulic clutch was depressed and ceased in the depressed position. The contact was able to switch lanes and pulled the vehicle into a parking lot. The vehicle was restarted however, the failure persisted. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a complete clutch failure. The mechanic was able to repair the clutch except for the linkage. The failure persisted after the repair. After the clutch repair was performed, the steering and the brakes became inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2021Steering, Power train, Service brakesODI 11427063
All 2008 Tiburon problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Subcompact Cars
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl · 2.7L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 5-spd · Automatic 4-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Tiburon
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,700386
Tiburon
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202722$2,850404
Tiburon
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L · Front-Wheel Drive
172420$3,100444
Tiburon
Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L · Front-Wheel Drive
172420$3,100444
Tiburon
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L · Front-Wheel Drive
162419$3,300468
  • Tiburon
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,700/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Tiburon
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,850/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Tiburon
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L
    17 city · 24 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tiburon
    Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L
    17 city · 24 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tiburon
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L
    16 city · 24 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon as of Nov 10, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 10, 2026Vehicle 2426
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2008 Tiburon questions

How many recalls does the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon have?

1 safety recall as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2008 Hyundai Tiburon problems?

Owners filed 19 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (10), seat belts (4), power train (2). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Hyundai Tiburon at 19–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 10, 2026