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1998 Hyundai Tiburon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.

About this comparison →
26Owner complaints

Model-year median: 39

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
36
199726
199826
199958
200036
2001
Compare all Tiburon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
6Power Train
6Unknown Or Other
6Electrical System
5Seat Belts
4
All reported categories
Air Bags
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Vehicle Speed Control
3Fuel System, Gasoline
2Wheels
2Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Other
1Tires
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 26 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
70,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10069882

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2000
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

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

NHTSA ODI #875522

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 1999
Air BagsElectrical SystemPower Train

THE CAR HAS BEEN INTO HYUNDAI DEALERS 4 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. CAR HAS BEEN IN LITERALLY EVERY OTHER MONTH SINCE PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 1998. MAJOR PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE COMPUTER(S) AND TRANSMISSION. CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAVE BOTH GONE OFF. CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT AND WOULD H…

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THE CAR HAS BEEN INTO HYUNDAI DEALERS 4 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. CAR HAS BEEN IN LITERALLY EVERY OTHER MONTH SINCE PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 1998. MAJOR PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE COMPUTER(S) AND TRANSMISSION. CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAVE BOTH GONE OFF. CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT AND WOULD HESITATE AT HIGHWAY AND SIDE STREET SPEEDS. CAR JUST RETURNED FROM DEALER YESTERDAY AFTER 4TH TIME IN FOR REPAIR. AT 65 MPH, THE RPMS SUDDENLY SHOT TO APPROX 5800. CAR HAS BEEN TERRIBLY UNRELIABLE. HOPEFULLY IT IS FIXED NOW, BUT I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEAR THAT IN ANOTHER 2 MONTHS THE PROBLEMS WILL OCCUR AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #708592

Official recalls

1

01V345000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Nov 6, 2001

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 INCONVENIENT TO EXTEND AND RETRACT THE SEAT BELTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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 VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

SQ00003 · Fuel Cap Replacement Campaign 36

Opened Feb 2, 2000 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

There is no summary currently available

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

There is no summary currently available