U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Hyundai TUCSON: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

43 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

44,952 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 38 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 43 complaints (11.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	10	23.3%
Steering behavior	6	14.0%
Transmission and shifting	3	7.0%
Engine operation	3	7.0%
Fuel system concerns	2	4.7%

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.

Engine

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Engine And Engine Cooling

Service Brakes

Steering

Unknown Or Other

Engine: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Air Bags: 4; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Service Brakes: 4; Steering: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 5 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.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2020

2021

2023

2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2010: 6; 2011: 4; 2012: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 3; 2023: 4

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10230177 · 2008-06-06 (June 6, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIDE AS IF IT WERE ON ICE WHILE DRIVING ON DRY LAND. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SURGE FROM APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH TO 35 MPH. THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHERE THE WHEEL WOULD SLIDE, WOULD DROP AND BANG AS IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN STRUCK. A SECOND VEHICLE THAT SHE TEST DROVE AT THE DEALER EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT NO FAILURES COULD BE FOUND. THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 330 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230177 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10254452 · 2009-01-10 (January 10, 2009)

SNOW AND RAIN ICE STORM, WARMED UP CAR SCRAPED WINDOWS WELL, GOT ON RTE 3 @ 530AM WENT FROM SLOW TO HI ON WIPERS DUE TO VISIBILITY. THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED. GOT OFF HIGHWAY AND DROVE TO WORK WITH WINDOW OPEN. CALLED DEALERSHIP. IT APPEARS THIS IS A "COMMON PROBLEM 1 OF 3 THINGS "WE TRIED FUSE THE NUT THAT HOLDS ON THE WIPER AND THEN WE CALLED SERVICE AND THEY INSTRUCTED US TO REMOVE BLADES AND COVER TO MOTOR WERE AN ARM FELL OFF DUE TO A NUT COMING OFF. STILL DID NOT WORK BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, AND WAS THEN CHARGED $60 DOLLARS BECA…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,998 miles reported. Look up ODI 10254452 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10261137 · 2009-03-09 (March 9, 2009)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI TUCSON. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON MARCH 6, 2009, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING. SHE REACHED HER RESIDENCE AND OBSERVED STEAM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. HYUNDAI ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOWED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE HYUNDAI MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT THE VEHICLE BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 382. 4/01/09 *NJ THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE INSULATION AND THE COVER OVER THE INSULATION ALONG THE FIREWALL BEHIND THE ENGI…

Owner-reported narrative. 382 miles reported. Look up ODI 10261137 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10277003 · 2009-07-16 (July 16, 2009)

UPON REACHING A SPEED OF 65 AND HIGHER, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO SHAKE AS THOUGH THE TIRES ARE UNBALANCED. 4 SETS OF TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED AND INSTALLED, AND THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE BALANCED SEVERAL TIMES AS WELL. TIRES FROM A DIFFERENT CAR WERE INSTALLED, TO NO AVAIL. HYUNDAI TECHNICIANS TO DATE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REPAIR FOR THIS DEFECT. 2008 TUCSON LIMITED. NEW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 90 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277003 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10311922 · 2010-02-18 (February 18, 2010)

DRIVING IN HEAVY SNOW IN DECEMBER 2009 AND TWICE IN JANUARY 2010. I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WILL NOT STOP THE CAR WITHIN 20 TO 30 FEET OF THE CAR AHEAD. I HAVE TO DIVERT OFF ROAD TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND INCIDENTS TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS PERFORMING FINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311922 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10321508 · 2010-03-23 (March 23, 2010)

ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, I HAVE A 2008 HYUNDAI TUSCON, PURCHASED AT FITZGERALD'S, WHICH YOU HAVE SERVICED IN THE PAST. YESTERDAY (3/21/10) WHEN ON A SHORT ROAD TRIP I STOPPED FOR GAS. ON STARTING, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN (WITHOUT ACCELERATOR PRESSURE) TO AN IDLE RPM OF 5000 WHILE IN "PARK". IT DID THIS REPEATEDLY. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT IN GEAR ONLY BY SHIFTING IT RAPIDLY INTO DRIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING, BEFORE THE ENGINE RPM INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. THE CAR WOULD THEN MAINTAIN A ROAD SPEED OF AROUND 60 MPH ON ITS OWN WITH…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10321508 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10322340 · 2010-03-26 (March 26, 2010)

ON 3/23/2010 WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 HYUNDAI TUCSON (MILEAGE 17372 )ON A RAINY DAY, MY FRONT WIPERS STOPPED IN THE 1:00 POSITION (APPROX) RESTRICTING MY VISUAL SIGHT OF OTHER VEHICLES AND OBJECTS ON THE ROAD. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGH TRAFFIC ROAD THRU TOWN. I WAS TERRIFIED SINCE I COULD NOT JUST STOP THE CAR AND HAD TO DRIVE APPROX 100' WITH POOR VISIBILITY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE INCIDENT & TO GET SERVICE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD DRIVING WITH NO WIPERS AND TO GET IT IN. I EXPLAINED THAT I LIVED 50 MINUTES AWAY…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322340 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10330419 · 2010-05-14 (May 14, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI TUSCON. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL AND THE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED. SHE ATTEMPTED TO DEACTIVATE THE ESC BUT TO NO AVAIL. SHE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELL INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT YET BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 16,100.

Owner-reported narrative. 16,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10330419 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

13V113000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

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.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

NHTSA campaign record ↗