Most common 2008 Hyundai Elantra problems
Share of the 314 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Elantra complaints by model year
Best Elantra years: 2025. Years to avoid: 2013, 2017, 2012, 2018, 2011. Compare all years →
2008 Hyundai Elantra recalls (7)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020.
Steering › Electric power assist system
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010.
Remedy: Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 elantra vehicles manufactured from July 14, 2006, through November 1, 2008. The front passenger seats in the vehicles contain a weight sensor designed to deactivate the right frontal airbag when occupants of certain weights occupy the seat.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover over the weight classification system connector to prevent contamination. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expecting to begin during April 2011.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 elantra vehicles manufactured from July 14, 2006, through August 29, 2007. The driver's seat track position sensor determines the seat's fore and aft position and allows the driver's frontal air bag to deploy at the pressure appropriate for that seating position, with a lower…
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the air bag control module free of charge. The safety recall is expecting to begin during April 2011. Owners May contact Hyundai's customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Hyundai de puerto rico (hpr) is recalling 347 my 2008 elantra vehicles. The fuel pump motor May not have the proper, uniform internal electrical surface contact. This May cause the fuel pump to produce less pumping pressure than required to supply the fuel injection system.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the vehicle's fuel pump subassembly. The recall began on February 9, 2009. Owners May contact hpr at 1-800-981-0188.
Show 1 more recall
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Hyundai is recalling 65,000 my 2008 elantra vehicles with 2.0 liter beta engines. The fuel pump motor May not have the proper uniform internal electrical surface contact. This May cause the fuel pump to produce less pumping pressure than required to supply the fuel injection system.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump subassembly free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2008. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2008 Hyundai Elantra:
Engine stalling - fuel pump failure
On August 19, 2008, Hyundai submitted a defect information report to NHTSA concerning fuel pump failure resulting in engine stall in approximately 65,000 model year 2008 Hyundai elantra vehicles with 2.0 liter beta engines produced from November 5, 2007, through June 28, 2008 (NHTSA recall no.
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.
What 2008 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Steering all 55 →
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel was making an abnormal clicking noise. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power steering coupling needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
I want to go start my car just now to go to the store and when I turned it on and started it up the ABS lights emergency brake light and EPS light always lit up on my dashboard so I grabbed the manual to try to figure out what it is seen what each was individual thing standard for so I googled each individual and that's when I realized there's a recall for this from my vehicle for the ABS malfunction
Brakes all 52 →
The contact's husband owned a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while asleep, she heard a loud, popping sound emit from outside. The contact looked out the window and saw flames emitting from her husband's vehicle. The authorities were called to the scene and the fire was extinguished. A fire report was filed and no injuries from the fire were reported. Another vehicle and a tree sustained damage as a result of the fire. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an unknown location by her husband's insurance for an inspection. The next day, the contact received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V061000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) which she linked to the failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer have yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS system locked up. While in the parking lot, the vehicle was smoking. Additionally, while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal high pitch winding noise detected. The parking and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed him they were not equipped to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Fuel & propulsion system all 45 →
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with fuel pump failure. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 172,600.
Has not yet been officially diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center, but while turning into a neighborhood at around 15-25 mph the car jerked and the engine suddenly stalled while I was still in the middle of the road. Thankfully I rolled into the neighborhood before an oncoming car made its way over, but it was close. The gas pedal no longer worked, and I had to restart the car. It only drove once more before shutting down and the engine will no longer turn over.
2008 Hyundai Elantra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Hyundai Elantra a good car?
Based on 314 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Elantra rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Elantra at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
The steering — 55 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about linkages. Next are the brakes (52) and fuel & propulsion system (45).
How many recalls does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra, the most recent from February 4, 2020 (control unit/module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Elantra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2017, 2012, 2018 and 2011. See the full Hyundai Elantra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Hyundai Elantra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 54,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.