Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 315 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Hyundai Elantra, and it carries 7 recalls. 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.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 43 | 14% |
| Fuel system | 30 | 10% |
| Air bags | 27 | 9% |
| Exterior lighting | 16 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 4% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 13 | 4% |
| Power train | 12 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 11 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 10 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that a week after the dealer performed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V061000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); the contact was made aware that the
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The car was being driven nomore than 1hr. It began to smoke under the hood. The ABS EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE Then the EPS lights were on. The vehicle was pulled over and stopped. Fire was then observed falling
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The engine bay of my car caught fire due to the abs pump and module not turning off. I bought a part but never opened the box because I received a piece of mail stating the recall of that exact issue that they would repl
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Has not yet been officially diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center, but while turning into a neighborhood at around 15-25 mph the car jerked and the engine suddenly stalled while I was still in the middle of
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The entire undercarriage of the vehicle is rusted, allowed for 3 sections is not sufficient as it does not accurately account for the damage. The Fuel Suspension is also affected from the known Corrosion and Rust issue.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who di
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
I want to go start my car just now to go to the store and when I turned it on and started it up the ABS lights emergency brake light and EPS light always lit up on my dashboard so I grabbed the manual to try to figure ou
NHTSA complaint: Steering
When we rotate the car seat to lock it in place, the shell doesn't immediately lock in and we have to try several times to get it to lock in. Weve had this issue happen multiple times and fear for our son's safety. Our s
NHTSA complaint: Carry handle
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2008 Hyundai Elantra. 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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. 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 resul
Risk: 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.
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 beg
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sens
Risk: 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.
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. Owners may contact Hyundai customer se
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 65,000 MY 2008 ELANTRA VEHICLES WITH 2.0 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.
Risk: POOR ENGINE STARTING AND HESITATION MAY RESULT. OTHER ENGINE PERFORMANCE ISSUES MAY ALSO RESULT INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP SUBASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 ELANTRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 14, 2006, THROUGH AUGUST 29, 2007. 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 SEA
Risk: A HIGHER PRESSURE DEPLOYMENT THAN INTENDED INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY RESULTING FROM AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTING TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151
| Reliability raw | 58 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 69 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 50 | average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 315 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 43 of them (14%). There are 7 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 58/100 (average) 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.
AVOIR scores its longevity 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 66/100. 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.