AI Damage1998 Hyundai Tiburon: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon filed 26 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 26
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 23% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 15% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 12% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 12% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 12% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 12% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (23% of all).
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (23% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (19% of all).
- Seat belts: 4 complaints (15% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 26 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 6 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My 16 year old daughter rear ended a vehicle and the airbag deployed breaking her elbow in 6 places and her humerus detached from the elbow. The accident happened on february 13, 2003 and she has limited use of her right arm as of today. She has had two surgeries and goes to occupational rehab three times a week.
He was traveling about 35mph on boulevard and it was raining. Vehicle in front of him jammed the brakes. He started hydroplaning, and vehicle wouldn't stop. Dual air bags didn't deploy at all.
Consumer was turning from the highway into an exit, while applying the brakes, the vehicle spinned out out of control and landed on the grass area. Dealer notified and refused to accept consumer's explanation of what happened.
After I had driven the car for 3 days, I walked toward the car and the wireless remote on the keys wouldnt beep so when I put the key in the door to unlock it the alarm sounded and the ignition would not start. I immediately contacted the dealer in which they said I probably needed to buy a new battery.
Vehicle does not shift out of second gear, resulting in stalling. Consumer is concerned that the vehicle will stall in traffic which may cause a rear end collision.
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.
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.
The flare is between 2 and 3 gear, and my check engine light has been coming on. I want to know how many transmissions I need to go through to find one that really "works"!! I'm a 22yr. Old female, who has'nt had the car over 80mph since I bought it.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,316 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tiburon has 59 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 26, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 26. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (12%), seat belts (8%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Hyundai Tiburon from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
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.