2008 Hyundai Elantra Reliability
The 2008 Hyundai Elantra has 316 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Compared with other Elantra model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Elantra's typical year, while the 2006 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
316
NHTSA owner complaints
7
Recall campaigns
38
Complaints citing a crash
24
Complaints citing a fire
2008 Hyundai Elantra complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 55 | 17% |
| Service brakes | 51 | 16% |
| Fuel system | 39 | 12% |
| Air bags | 38 | 12% |
| Electrical system | 31 | 10% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 29 | 9% |
| Engine | 24 | 8% |
| Exterior lighting | 24 | 8% |
2008 Hyundai Elantra recalls
7 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V429000 | Aug 25, 2008 | Fuel system — 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… |
| 08V694000 | Dec 29, 2008 | Fuel system — 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… |
| 11V179000 | Mar 15, 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… |
| 11V143000 | Mar 15, 2011 | 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… |
| 13V113000 | Apr 1, 2013 | 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,… |
| 15V100000 | Feb 23, 2015 | 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. The electronic power steering… |
| 20V061000 | Feb 5, 2020 | Service brakes — 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… |
How the 2008 compares with nearby Elantra years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Elantra analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 155 | 1 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2007 | 267 | 6 | Visibility / wipers | Caution |
| 2008 (this page) | 316 | 7 | Steering | Caution |
| 2009 | 287 | 4 | Steering | Caution |
| 2010 | 455 | 3 | Steering | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2008 Hyundai Elantra
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 7 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2008 Hyundai Elantra can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2008 Hyundai Elantra reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The 2008 Hyundai Elantra has 316 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Compared with other Elantra model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Elantra's typical year, while the 2006 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2008 Hyundai Elantra problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra are steering (55), service brakes (51), fuel system (39), air bags (38). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra, including 08V429000 (fuel system — delivery / fuel pump) and 08V694000 (fuel system — delivery / fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 267 complaints and 6 recalls (caution); the 2009 has 287 complaints and 4 recalls (caution). The 2008 has 316 complaints and 7 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 Hyundai Elantra?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Hyundai Elantra research
Other Hyundai Elantra model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2008 Elantra, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.