Hyundai TIBURON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
734 owner complaints analyzed
17 distinct recall campaigns
43,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 to 2008 model years. Data snapshot: . 537 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Clutch Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 169 of 734 complaints (23.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 111 | 15.1% |
| Braking behavior | 53 | 7.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 51 | 6.9% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 3.5% |
| Engine operation | 19 | 2.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 18 | 2.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 169 |
| Air Bags | 94 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 74 |
| Electrical System | 49 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 46 |
| Power Train | 40 |
| Seat Belts | 34 |
| Tires | 26 |
Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 169; Air Bags: 94; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 74; Electrical System: 49; Air Bags:Frontal: 46; Power Train: 40; Seat Belts: 34; Tires: 26
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 159 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 134 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 107 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 75 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 48 |
| 150,000 and above | 14 |
Under 25,000: 159; 25,000 to 49,999: 134; 50,000 to 74,999: 107; 75,000 to 99,999: 75; 100,000 to 149,999: 48; 150,000 and above: 14
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (159). 197 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 25 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 59 |
| 2004 | 71 |
| 2005 | 51 |
| 2006 | 110 |
| 2007 | 48 |
| 2008 | 51 |
| 2009 | 37 |
| 2010 | 62 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2000: 23; 2001: 25; 2002: 24; 2003: 59; 2004: 71; 2005: 51; 2006: 110; 2007: 48; 2008: 51; 2009: 37; 2010: 62; 2011: 40; 2012: 21; 2013: 24; 2014: 26; 2015: 15; 2016: 14; 2017: 9; 2018: 2; 2019: 8; 2020: 7; 2021: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Clutch Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 111 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 51 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 733320 · 2000-10-03 (October 3, 2000)
I HAVE HAD THIS CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM 5 TIMES. THEY HAVE REPLACED A PULSE GENERATOR SENSOR, HOWEVER, THE PART ONLY LAST ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 7 MONTHS. THE LAST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT NEEDED A SPEED SENSOR OUTPUT. THEY ARE WILLING TO REPLACE THAT PART UNDER THE WARRANTY, HOWEVER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT I MUST PAY THE LABOR WHICH WILL RUN ABOUT $95. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THIS AMOUNT SINCE I HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE JUNE, 1999 WHEN THE CAR HAD 40,978 MILES ON IT. I ALSO …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 733320 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 756265 · 2001-12-31 (December 31, 2001)
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN MAY OF 2000. CAR HAD APPROX. 40,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY. IN JULY OF 2001, THE NEW TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN. WE TOOK IT TO A NEW DEALER (TOM O'BRIEN HYUNDAI OF DANVERS). THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. WE TOOK IT BACK IN AUGUST OF 2001. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. ONE MONTH LATER, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AGAIN. WE TOOK IT BACK. THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ON DECEMBER 11, 2001, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. SHE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 756265 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8001040 · 2001-12-21 (December 21, 2001)
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH AND COMING OFF RAMP WHEN VEHICLE IN FRONT JAMMED ON BRAKES AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SKIDDED INTO BACK OF OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8001040 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8001975 · 2002-01-10 (January 10, 2002)
ALL FOUR SEAT BELTS; DRIVER/ FRONT PASSENGER, AND TWO REAR ONES WILL NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING PULLED OUT, WHICH WILL NOT HOLD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8001975 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097505 · 2004-10-22 (October 22, 2004)
CONNSUMER STATED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041581 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
1998 HYUNDAI TIBURON, AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES: CAR PURCHASED NEW IN 1998. EXPERIENCED ENGINE STUMBLE REFERENCED IN TSB 98-36-008, BUT NO ONE COULD EVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION- CAR DOWNSHIFTS AND GETS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR WHEN HEADLIGHTS ON AND TURN SIGNAL ACTIVATED (TSB 98-40-006?) STILL DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS STORIES ON INTERNET FORUMS AT HYUNDAIPERFORMANCE.COM, YET HYUNDAI REFUSES TO INFORM ITS CONSUMERS OF THESE ISSUES. THIS SHOUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041581 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 744804 · 2001-05-01 (May 1, 2001)
I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT THAT I DRIVE IN DAILY. I WAS MAKING A ROUTINE TURN, AND WHEN I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN FROM 30MPH I GOT TO ABOUT 20MPH AND THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AS WELL AS THE STEERING WHEEL. I DID NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKES SO THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE LOCKED. AFTER THE CAR WENT UP ON A CURB, SEVERAL SECONDS LATER THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THEY DID NOT DEPOLY ON IMPACT.. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS TOLD I HAD ANTI LOCK BRAKES AND NOW I AM TOLD I DON'T HAVE THEM AND THAT IN ITSELF IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE BREAKS LOCKED UP ON…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 744804 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 755901 · 2001-12-20 (December 20, 2001)
TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT CAR WAS AT THE DEALER TO "FIX" THE REASON WHY HIS AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. THE DEALER "FIXED" THE LIGHT. TWO WEEKS LATER DRIVER WAS EXITING HIGHWAY GETTING ONTO THE ON RAMP TO ANOTHER HIGHWAY AND FOR NO REASON HIS AIRBAG EXPLODED. THE GROUND WAS DRY AND THERE WERE NO OBSTACLES IN THE ROAD. AT ONCE HIS HANDS WERE FORCED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIS VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED RESULTING IN HIM PLOWING INTO THE FREEWAY BARRIER. UPON THIS IMPACT HIS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ANY HELP OR ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE WOULD BE AP…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 755901 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039718 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039718 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10137351 · 2005-09-22 (September 22, 2005)
SMELLED GAS FUMES STRONGLY UPON FILL-UP FOR SEVERAL DAYS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK CAR IN. MECHANIC SAID RECALL #00V095002 WAS IN EFFECT ON MY VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS (TANK & CAP). DEALERSHIP ONLY REPLACED CAP BUT DID NOT TELL ME AT THE TIME. WENT TO SMOG CAR NEXT YEAR AND COMES UP WITH EVAPORATIVE LEAK. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME "THERE IS A HUGE LEAK ON THE TOP OF YOUR GAS TANK." WILL NOT REPLACE FOR FREE. CALLED MANUFACTURER WHO SAID THAT DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THERE WAS NO LEAK AT TIME…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,539 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137351 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10222386 · 2008-03-26 (March 26, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HYUNDAI TIBURON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND A LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK AS DETERMINED BY A PRESSURE CHECK. HYUNDAI WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 125,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 125,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222386 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 4 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
1997: 4; 1998: 1; 1999: 3; 2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 4; 2003: 9; 2004: 0; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1