Total Complaints
46 filings
HYUNDAI TIBURON · model year
46 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998HYUNDAITIBURON carries 46 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 TIBURON is unknown or other with 6 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (4) and electrical system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1998 TIBURON, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
46 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
I WENT TO THE CAR LOT AND PICKED UP MY TIBURON. I DROVE IT HOME...AND TO WORK. 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. I HADN'T EVEN PUT 100 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD SOMEONE CHECK THE BATTERY AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. MY CAR SAT AT MY WORKPLACE FOR 8 DAYS BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY SENT A TOWING TRUCK TO HAVE IT SERVICED. I COME TO FIND OUT IT IS THE "TRANSPONDER" TO THE ALARM THAT IS FAULTY AND THEREFORE THE CAR WON'T START UNTIL IT IS REPLACED. IT IS STILL WAITING TO BE SERVICED. MY QUESTION IS WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THAT FIXED WHEN I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR A FEW DAYS? THEY PROBABLY ALREADY KNEW IT WAS GOING OUT AND SOLD ME THE CAR ANYWAY. I'VE ONLY PUT DOWN A DOWN PAYMENT FOR THE CA
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. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT INJURIES FROM THE AIRBAGS IN THE 1998 TIBURON.
Mileage: 70,000
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. *AK
Mileage: 84,000
THE VEHICLE'S EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE CONSUMER COULD SMELL EXHAUST FUMES WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED. *AK *NLM
Mileage: 51,311
1998 HYUNDAI TIBURON, AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES: CAR PURCHASED NEW IN 1998. EXPERIENCED ENGINE STUMBLE REFERENCED IN TSB 98-36-008, BUT NO ONE COULD EVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. 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. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS STORIES ON INTERNET FORUMS AT HYUNDAIPERFORMANCE.COM, YET HYUNDAI REFUSES TO INFORM ITS CONSUMERS OF THESE ISSUES. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. SERVICE DEALER IGNORED REQUESTS TO RETURN MY CALLS CONCERNING ITS STATUS. *LA
Mileage: 85,000
1998 HYUNDAI TIBURON, AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES: CAR PURCHASED NEW IN 1998. EXPERIENCED ENGINE STUMBLE REFERENCED IN TSB 98-36-008, BUT NO ONE COULD EVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. 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. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS STORIES ON INTERNET FORUMS AT HYUNDAIPERFORMANCE.COM, YET HYUNDAI REFUSES TO INFORM ITS CONSUMERS OF THESE ISSUES. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. SERVICE DEALER IGNORED REQUESTS TO RETURN MY CALLS CONCERNING ITS STATUS. *LA
Mileage: 85,000
1998 HYUNDAI TIBURON, AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES: CAR PURCHASED NEW IN 1998. EXPERIENCED ENGINE STUMBLE REFERENCED IN TSB 98-36-008, BUT NO ONE COULD EVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. 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. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS STORIES ON INTERNET FORUMS AT HYUNDAIPERFORMANCE.COM, YET HYUNDAI REFUSES TO INFORM ITS CONSUMERS OF THESE ISSUES. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. SERVICE DEALER IGNORED REQUESTS TO RETURN MY CALLS CONCERNING ITS STATUS. *LA
Mileage: 85,000
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. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM KEPT REAPPEARING.*AK
I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN MARCH OF 2002 AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT 6 WEEKS LATER. THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THERE WAS A "SHIFT FLARE" IN MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I WAS SOLD THE CAR WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND THEN HYUNDAI PROCEDED TO GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND FOR 4 WEEKS SAYING I NEEDED PROOF THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED AT 30,00 MILES. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER AND DID NOT HAVE THAT INFO. AFTER A MONTH OF NOT HAVING MY CAR, AND CONTACTING THE BBB, AND CONSUMER REPORTS, ALONG WITH HYUNDAI DIRECTLY......I WENT TO A LAWYER AT $125 AN HOUR AND HE MADE A FEW CALLS AND I HAD A "REBUILT" TRANSMISSION IN 8 DAYS. I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR 3 WEEKS NOW, AND THIS "NEW" ONE IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. 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. THERE HAVE BE
WHEN DRIVING AT TIMES WILL HAVE TROUBLE ACCELERATEING TO HIGHER SPEEDS, AND THEN VEHICLE WILL START TO JERK BEFORE IT STARTS TO MOVE.*AK
RECALL 01V345000/MANUFACTURER RECALL 2001; FRONT LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RETRACT BACK. PROBLEM HAPPENED ONE YEAR AGO AND WAS NOT FIXED. NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE SENT OUT IN DECEMBER 2001. *AK DEALER WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTACT CONSUMER ONCE A HYUNDAI TECHNICIAN CAME FOR A VISIT, HOWEVER CONSUMER NEVER HEARD FROM THE DEALER. *SLC
HYUNDAI SAID THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS OR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH WAS A LIE I HAVE RECORDED. MY SEATBELT POPS OFF EVEN THOUGH I DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN TIGHT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID PUT IT IN TIGHTER OR SPRAY SILICON OIL IN IT. MY LOCKS WILL FREEZE WHILE I'M DRIVING AND I CANT GET OUT OF MY CAR UNLESS THE WINDOW WILL ROLL DOWN. USALLY THE WINDOWS ARE FROZEN SHUT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI IT IS A NORMAL THING FOR HYUNDAIS TO LOCK PEOPLE IN THEIR CAR. HE SAID DONT DRIVE IT WHEN IT'S COLD OR SPRAY ICE GUARD INSIDE THE DOOR BEFORE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. MY CAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WELL REDLINE AND WONT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR.HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR MY CAR TO REDLINE AND NOT GO PAST 69MILES AN HR. I TOOK IT TO DENNNIS HYUNDAI ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATLEY AFTER THAT SAME DAY AND HAD THEIR MANAGER RIDE WITH ME ON 6/29/01. HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT ON JULY/2/2001 WHERE IT REMAINS. THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO GET IT TO ACT UP AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I
HYUNDAI SAID THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS OR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH WAS A LIE I HAVE RECORDED. MY SEATBELT POPS OFF EVEN THOUGH I DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN TIGHT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID PUT IT IN TIGHTER OR SPRAY SILICON OIL IN IT. MY LOCKS WILL FREEZE WHILE I'M DRIVING AND I CANT GET OUT OF MY CAR UNLESS THE WINDOW WILL ROLL DOWN. USALLY THE WINDOWS ARE FROZEN SHUT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI IT IS A NORMAL THING FOR HYUNDAIS TO LOCK PEOPLE IN THEIR CAR. HE SAID DONT DRIVE IT WHEN IT'S COLD OR SPRAY ICE GUARD INSIDE THE DOOR BEFORE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. MY CAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WELL REDLINE AND WONT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR.HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR MY CAR TO REDLINE AND NOT GO PAST 69MILES AN HR. I TOOK IT TO DENNNIS HYUNDAI ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATLEY AFTER THAT SAME DAY AND HAD THEIR MANAGER RIDE WITH ME ON 6/29/01. HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT ON JULY/2/2001 WHERE IT REMAINS. THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO GET IT TO ACT UP AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I
HYUNDAI SAID THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS OR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH WAS A LIE I HAVE RECORDED. MY SEATBELT POPS OFF EVEN THOUGH I DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN TIGHT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID PUT IT IN TIGHTER OR SPRAY SILICON OIL IN IT. MY LOCKS WILL FREEZE WHILE I'M DRIVING AND I CANT GET OUT OF MY CAR UNLESS THE WINDOW WILL ROLL DOWN. USALLY THE WINDOWS ARE FROZEN SHUT. HATFIELD HYUNDAI IT IS A NORMAL THING FOR HYUNDAIS TO LOCK PEOPLE IN THEIR CAR. HE SAID DONT DRIVE IT WHEN IT'S COLD OR SPRAY ICE GUARD INSIDE THE DOOR BEFORE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. MY CAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WELL REDLINE AND WONT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR.HATFIELD HYUNDAI SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR MY CAR TO REDLINE AND NOT GO PAST 69MILES AN HR. I TOOK IT TO DENNNIS HYUNDAI ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATLEY AFTER THAT SAME DAY AND HAD THEIR MANAGER RIDE WITH ME ON 6/29/01. HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT ON JULY/2/2001 WHERE IT REMAINS. THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO GET IT TO ACT UP AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I
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. *AK
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. *AK
THE FUEL VENT VALVE FAILURE CAUSED THE GASOLINE TO POUR OUT AFTER FILLING THE TANK. YH
BRAKE SMAKE A DEEP GRINDING NOISE. ROTORS WERE CHECKED OUT BY 2 SERVICE CENTERS. SERVICE STATION SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THERE WERE MULTIPLE CRACKS IN EACH OF THE ROTORS. DEALER STATED IT WAS OKAY, BUT THERE WAS SOME FORM OF RUST. ALSO, SHOES HAD SCORED SEVERAL MARKS IN EACH ROTOR. DEALER SAID IT WAS SAFE TO RIDE ON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ALL OF A SUDDDEN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE JUST RELEASED ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 4 TIMES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, AND ONCE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.