2008 Hyundai Elantra: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2008 Hyundai Elantra: 7 recalls, 314 owner complaints and up to 28 mpg combined.
Recalls
7 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #08V429000 · 2008 · 65,000 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: Poor engine starting and hesitation May result. Other engine performance issues May also result increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump subassembly free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2008.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #08V694000 · 2008 · 347 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: As a result, poor engine staring and hesitation May result. Other engine performance issues May also result and lead to a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the vehicle's fuel pump subassembly. The recall began on February 9, 2009.
Airbags Vehicle recall #11V143000 · 2011 · 188,697 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. The electrical connector for the weight sensor is located under the center console, between the front seats. Under certain circumstances the connector could become contaminated and malfunction such that the front passenger airbag will deploy regardless…
Why it matters: The front passenger air bag could deploy in crashes in which it should not deploy, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant from the deployed air bag.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #11V179000 · 2011 · 95,783 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 pressure deployment in the most forward seating positions. The air bag control module May receive an unstable electrical signal from the seat track position sensor such that, in a crash that requires driver frontal…
Why it matters: A higher pressure deployment than intended increases the risk of injury resulting from airbag deployment.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the air bag control module free of charge. The safety recall is expecting to begin during April 2011.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #13V113000 · 2013 · 1,712,336 vehicles
What's wrong: Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 accent and tucson, model year 2007-2010 elantra, model year 2007-2011 santa fe, model year 2008-2009 veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis coupe, and model year 2011 sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of…
Why it matters: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'on' position, the transmission shifter May be able to be moved out of park without first applying the brake. This May lead…
The fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013.
Steering Vehicle recall #15V100000 · 2015 · 204,768 vehicles
What's wrong: The electronic power steering (eps) electronic control unit (ECU) May sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.
Why it matters: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #20V061000 · 2020 · 476,111 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: An electrical short within the ABS module May cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
The fix: 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 23 mention a fire, 41 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Steering (55): the most common themes are steering problems (49), warning light on (20).
- Airbags (38): the most common themes are fails to deploy (14), warning light on (7).
- Fuel system (36): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (22), warning light on (10).
- Brakes (32): the most common themes are warning light on (5).
The 2008 Hyundai Elantra has 314 owner complaints, ranking #9 of 35 Elantra model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 249). Complaints peaked in 2008 (51 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 53,500 miles. Neighboring years: 2007 (267 complaints, 6 recalls), 2009 (254 complaints, 4 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 | 33 | 28 | Regular |
| 2.0 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 33 | 27 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra.
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FAQ
Does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 vehicle recalls for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2008 Hyundai Elantra problems?
Owners have filed 314 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are steering (55), airbags (38), fuel system (36).
What gas mileage does the 2008 Hyundai Elantra get?
EPA ratings run up to 28 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2008 Hyundai Elantra repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.