AI DamageHyundai Tiburon: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Hyundai Tiburon across 13 model years: 763 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 41% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 21% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 314 complaints (41% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 161 complaints (21% of all), 78 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 71 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 70 complaints (9% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 37 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1997
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1997–2008
- 2.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2002–2008named in 8 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed 1997–2008
- manual, 5-speed 1997–2008named in 51 complaints
- manual, 6-speed 2002–2008named in 51 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 763 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 314 | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 161 | 78 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 71 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 70 | 5 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 35 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 33 | 11 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 32 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension | 31 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 23 | 4 | 0 |
| Steering | 22 | 7 | 0 |
| Structure | 22 | 4 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
It hit the wall going 65mph and the airbags did not deploy causing me to have a spinal injury, bruised ribs, a cracked sternum, a concussion, and a fractured metatarsal. after the first collision, the car rolled back and hit the wall a second time which the airbags still did not deploy.
My son was driving my 2007 hyundia tiburon, on the highway, when all of a sudden the car lost all it's stearing capability, he hit a speed limit sign vered off the road and went about 50 feet into the woods, the airbags never deployed. Luckly my son is ok, the car is a total loss.
I constantly shake from neck up on left side. I wish I would if died in the accident. That's how much it has affected me. I stay in the house by myself all day, every day. Its so embarrassing for me. Severe depression and anxiety have started also. Thank you hyundai for ruining my life at 43 years old.
The air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck and back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
Very strong raw wet gas smell inside and out side of the car . Followed the instructions on cleaning charcoal canister there was no problems there and the gas problems continue. The smell is noticed after driving and during idle.
My wife was in a rear end accident at approximately 30 mph, air bags did not deploy, air bag light is on. My wife got whiplash from the accident. Reading similar complaints, I'm almost glad the air bags did not deploy because her injury could have been worse.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.