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 230 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Hyundai Veracruz, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 39 | 17% |
| Engine | 23 | 10% |
| Air bags | 14 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 13 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 13 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 11 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 3% |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 7 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The vehicle The contact stated that while driving, The approximate failure mileage was 202,427. The oil light illuminated, looked and there was no oil. The vehicle knoc
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil, and over time, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle, with a significant amount of oil leaking from the veh
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact's mother owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while at a stoplight. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
Radiator needs fluid and the liquid would go to the engine. The head gasket is blown. Repaired multiple times still giving the same issue. Oil is leaking.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was ta
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
This is referring to NHTSA recall 20V705000 a/k/a Hyundai TSB: 21-01047H-2 whereas my 2008 Hyundai Veracruz was brought into a Hyundai dealership regarding the above mentioned safety recall. Dealer refused to remedy the
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Bought my Veracruz in 2018. After not even a year I started experiencing problems with the charging system. Car would die overnight. Replaced a battery with the new one 3 weeks later same thing happened. Changed many sen
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes seized in the middle of the highway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. 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 IS RECALLING 532,633 MY 2006-2007 ACCENT, ENTOURAGE, SONATA, MY 2007 AZERA, ELANTRA AND SANTA FE, MY 2005-2007 TUCSON AND MY 2007-2008 VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUM
Risk: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 29, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2012 Veracruz vehicles that were previously recalled under recall number 14V-415. Oil may leak from the front cylinder bank cover gasket, potentially dripping onto the alternator and causing the charging system to become inoperative.
Risk: An inoperative charging system can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the valve cover gasket and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 7, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai custo
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Veracruz vehicles manufactured from December 26, 2006, through July 24, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an oil leak from the front cylinder bank valve cover gasket. If there is a sufficient amount of oil dropped o
Risk: If the alternator is damaged, the charging system warning lamp in the instrument cluster will illuminate, and the engine will lose power and the vehicle will eventually stop operating while being driv
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect/repair or replace the alternator and the front valve cover gasket, free of charge. Hyundai sent out an interim letter to owners on September 3, 20
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,387 TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESSES EITHER INCLUDED WITH A TRAILER HITCH OR SOLD AS A SERVICE PART MANUFACTURED BY THULE TOWING SYSTEMS AND DISTRIBUTED BY HYUNDAI FOR INSTALLATION ON MY 2007-2008 SANTA FE AND VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE ACCESSORY TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS CONVER
Risk: A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING AND DAMAGE TO THE CONVERTER MODULE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Fix: THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES A PREVIOUS RECALL CONDUCTED BY HYUNDAI AFFECTING THE SAME TRAILER HITCH WIRING COMPONENTS CONCERNING HIGH CURRENT LEAKAGE OR A SHORT CIRCUIT OF CAPACITOR C1. (PLEASE SEE 08E016
| Reliability raw | 63 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 71 | good |
| Maintenance | 81 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 65 | good |
| Performance | 69 | good |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 230 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine and engine cooling is the most reported area with 39 of them (17%). There are 7 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 63/100 (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 71/100, 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.