2008 Hyundai ELANTRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
314 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
53,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 258 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 54 of 314 complaints (17.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 99 | 31.5% |
| Steering behavior | 54 | 17.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 38 | 12.1% |
| Engine operation | 33 | 10.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 26 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 23 | 7.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 54 |
| Air Bags | 33 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 32 |
| Service Brakes | 32 |
| Electrical System | 28 |
| Engine | 24 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 24 |
| Unknown Or Other | 22 |
Steering: 54; Air Bags: 33; Fuel System, Gasoline: 32; Service Brakes: 32; Electrical System: 28; Engine: 24; Vehicle Speed Control: 24; Unknown Or Other: 22
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 85 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 40 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 31 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 37 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 39 |
| 150,000 and above | 26 |
Under 25,000: 85; 25,000 to 49,999: 40; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 37; 100,000 to 149,999: 39; 150,000 and above: 26
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (85). 56 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 51 |
| 2009 | 23 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 23 |
| 2012 | 16 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2014 | 22 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 24 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2007: 1; 2008: 51; 2009: 23; 2010: 18; 2011: 23; 2012: 16; 2013: 27; 2014: 22; 2015: 15; 2016: 14; 2017: 15; 2018: 15; 2019: 15; 2020: 24; 2021: 10; 2022: 8; 2023: 8; 2024: 2; 2025: 5; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 99 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 38 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10212315 · 2007-12-19 (December 19, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WOULD WOBBLE EXCESSIVELY. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND A CRASH NEARLY OCCURRED. THE DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. . THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 2,000. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES IT FELT STRANGE. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A BURNING TY…
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212315 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10226723 · 2008-05-05 (May 5, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 NORTH IN MARYLAND, A MOTORIST CUT ME OFF SUDDENLY, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, CROSSED ALL LANES, AND ROLLED OVER TWICE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE. AS A RESULT, I RECEIVED A FRACTURED STERNUM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 170 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10229353 · 2008-05-30 (May 30, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING BEGAN TO VIBRATE WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS OF MAY 30, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104.
Owner-reported narrative. 104 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243171 · 2008-09-23 (September 23, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE STEERING LOCKED RENDERING THE CAR UNSTEERABLE, RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10230228 · 2008-06-07 (June 7, 2008)
NEW 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS, HAD PROBLEMS IN 1ST GEAR ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD RUN VERY RUFF ,SOMETIMES STARTING THE CAR I WOULD TURN THE KEY AND IT WAS LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD HAD TO DO IT 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE THE STARTER WOULD CATCH ON AND START THE CAR. I ONLY DROVE THIS CAR FOR 12 DAYS BEFORE TAKING IT INTO THE DEALER FOR A COMPLETE CHECK UP ALSO THE ALARM WASNT WORKING. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD (NEW CAR ONLY 1000 MILES????) AND IT SHOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS TO GET THE PART IN, THEN AFTER A WEEK THEY TOLD ME…
Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230228 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10231632 · 2008-06-19 (June 19, 2008)
WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN APRIL OF 2008. THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOOSES ENGINE POWER, SHUTS DOWN AND STOPS. THIS HAS NOW OCCURRED THREE TIMES. ON JUNE 6TH THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN TRAFFIC. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY REPAIRED A PVC HOSE THAT HAD COLLAPSED. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED, STRANDING US IN THE MIDDLE OF A DIVIDED, HEAVILY TRAVELED, ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THIS TIME THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER WAITING FIVE DAYS FOR THE PART TO BE DELIVERED…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,839 miles reported. Look up ODI 10231632 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234540 · 2008-07-16 (July 16, 2008)
I HAD AN ISSUE IN EARLY JUNE REGARDING MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CAR BEGAN TO HESITATE AND STALLED OUT. IT WAS TOLD BACK TO DEALERSHIP, WHICH COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND INFORMED ME IT WAS A FUEL INJECTION MISFIRE, REBOOTED COMPUTER AND SAID IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. ON JULY 3RD, I HAD THE EXACT SAME SITUATION OCCUR ON MY TRIP WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 TO VISIT FAMILY IN DELAWARE. DEALERSHIP IN DELAWARE ON JULY 7TH INFORMED ME I HAD A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP AND REPLACED IT ON JULY 8TH. LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT WAS PROBLEM IN JUNE AND DEALE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,061 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234540 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10235258 · 2008-07-22 (July 22, 2008)
2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 9082 MILES @ TIME OF INCIDENT YESTERDAY, ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK ON I-90 IN MASSACHUSSETS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN SPEED. HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANE CHANGE TO GET OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE - THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS. VEHICLE AT FIRST WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 20 MPH AFTER PULLING OVER, THEN RAN OK FOR A WHILE. THIS MORNING, IT STALLED AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY, BUT I WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN. THEN IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 20 MPH SEV…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235258 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233393 · 2008-07-07 (July 7, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IN HER VEHICLE WAS DEACTIVATED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT FUNCTIONAL. SHE CONSULTED THE DEALER AND SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR JUNE 11, 2008. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED FAILURES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. SHE WOULD HAVE TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITH MAXIMUM PRESSURE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO GAIN SPEED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,700.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233393 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234805 · 2008-07-18 (July 18, 2008)
I'VE 2008 ELANTRA SE AUTOMATIC WITH 5400 MILES ON IT. YESTERDAY MY WIFE WAS DRIVING FROM BOSTON TO UPSTATE AFTER FINISHING MY YOUNGER ONE'S TREATMENT AT BCH. AND HALF WAY THROUGH SHE STOPPED AT A REST AREA. AFTER PULLING OUT FROM REST AREA THE CAR STARTED DECELERATING AND IT WAS FEELING AS IF CAR WAS TRYING TO SHIFT GEAR BUT HAVING ISSUES. IT REACHED UP TO SPEED OF 60-65 AND AFTER THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH GAS SHE APPLIES IT WONT GO ANY FURTHER BUT STARTED TO DECELERATE. LUCKILY SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ON SIDE AND CALLED HRA TO GET CAR TOWED TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234805 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10239649 · 2008-08-25 (August 25, 2008)
DRIVING NORTH ON HWY 5 FROM BAKERSFIELD CA WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS AND LOOSE POWER. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER AT AVENAL WHERE I PUT GAS IN HOPING IT WOULD WORK BETTER. I LET IT REST AND WHEN I STARTED IT UP, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE IT A BIT AND CALLED INTO THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FROM HYUNDAI AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO THEM. I SAID I WAS DRIVING NORTH BUT KEEPING IT AT 65 MPH. I WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE AND CALL BACK IF ANY OTHER ISSUES OCCURRED. SOON AFTER THAT THE CAR BEGAN LOOSING POWER INTERMITTENTLY AND THE ENGINE WAS MISSING.…
Owner-reported narrative. 770 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239649 at NHTSA ↗