1998 Hyundai Tiburon

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

74/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	3	10%
Power train	3	10%
Engine and engine cooling	3	10%
Seat belts	3	10%
Service brakes	2	7%
Fuel system	2	7%
Air bags	1	3%
Power train	1	3%
Vehicle speed control	1	3%
Engine and engine cooling	1	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

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
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

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
NHTSA complaint: Power train

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 RIG
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

THE VEHICLE'S EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE CONSUMER COULD SMELL EXHAUST FUMES WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

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 PRO
NHTSA complaint: Power train

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 SLUGG
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

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
NHTSA complaint: Power train

WHEN DRIVING AT TIMES WILL HAVE TROUBLE ACCELERATEING TO HIGHER SPEEDS, AND THEN VEHICLE WILL START TO JERK BEFORE IT STARTS TO MOVE.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Seat belts:front:webbing 01V345000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS MAY NOT EXTEND AND RETRACT SMOOTHLY THROUGH THE D-RING GUIDES MOUNTED ON THE BODY PILLARS AFT OF THE DOORS. IF THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT EXTEND AND RETRACT SMOOTHLY, THEY MAY TWIST IN THE D-RING GUIDES AND MAKE IT INCO

Risk: IF THE SEAT BELTS ARE INCONVENIENT TO USE, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE INCLINED TO WEAR THE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A STOPPER OVER EACH FRONT SEAT BELT D-RING GUIDE TO ASSIST THE SEAT BELT TO SMOOTHLY EXTEND AND RETRACT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICL

The seven scores

Reliability raw	89	excellent
Longevity est.	83	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	45	below average
Efficiency	41	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 61% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 82% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 31% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 89: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 83: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1998 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?

Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 3 of them (10%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 89/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1998 Hyundai Tiburon last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1998 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.