2008 Hyundai Tucson recalls and problems

The 2008 Hyundai Tucson has 1 safety recall and 43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Hyundai dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

5 / 5

Injuries / deaths

4 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2008 Hyundai Tucson vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2008 Hyundai Tucson recalls

Recall 13V-113: Exterior Lighting

Reported Apr 1, 2013 · 1,712,336 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor Company

Problem: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. 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 vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Risk: 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 to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

2008 Hyundai Tucson problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Electrical System	6
Vehicle Speed Control	5
Engine	5
Engine and Engine Cooling	4
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	4
Steering	4
Air Bags	4
Unknown or Other	4
Service Brakes	4
Visibility	3
Suspension	3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	3

Most reported parts

Electrical System › Horn — 2
Structure › Body — 2
Suspension › Front — 1
Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 1
Electrical System › Wiring — 1
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Fan/Motor — 1
Structure › Frame and Members — 1
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 46,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2008 Hyundai Tucson complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · reported Jul 21, 2023

#1. The airbag light comes on saying the passenger airbag is not connected (something like that). #2. Braking lights did stop working and stayed on while the car was turned off. I never received any recall notice of this and we fixed it ourselves. #3. And most important and dangerous! The back driver's side wheel froze up and started to catch on fire. We had the Caliper, and several other surrounding parts changed and the master cylinder when it almost caught fire again. A mechanic could not figure it out. I did a lot of research and discovered the problems with the ABS, which I strongly…

Service Brakes · reported Jun 30, 2023

I took the car to my mechanic to get brake pads because car was pulling to the left upon braking and he informed me the ABS module was bad and was not distributing brake fluid to the right front wheel. I called Customer Care Center for Hyundai and they informed me Tuscan models are not included in the ABS module recall event. Yet the information printed on all hyundai ABS recalls threaten a possible fire safety concern. I want to file a complaint because the ABS brake systems are all the same on all hyundai models. Please address my safety issue asap.

Suspension · at 134,000 miles · reported Jun 2, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that a section of the rear sub frame was extremely corroded. The contact believed that a welding failure might have caused the severe corrosion on the subframe. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where he was informed that he had approximately a year before the suspension would fail and the render the vehicle undrivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

Structure · reported Feb 10, 2023

The driver side door will not unlock. It will not unlock with the key fob. It will not unlock with the key. It will not unlock manually. The locking piece that should flip back and forth (from lock to unlock) is stuck in the locked position. This should be safety issue as you cannot operate the driver side door. You cannot enter or exit the vehicle from the driver side.

Vehicle Speed Control · reported Dec 30, 2021

In October of 2020 I was pulling into a parking space and my car accelerated and crashed into a light pole resulting in injury to both my husband and myself. He is 91 years old and shattered his upper arm. We had the vehicle fixed and checked out and was told all was fine. About June of 2021 I took the car in for a recall on the brake lights to the Hyundai dealership and told them of the first incident and asked them to check and was told that all was fine. On December 23rd 2021, the same thing happened when I was pulling into my parking space at home. When it accelerated, I had both feet on…

Other Hyundai Tucson years

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Compare all Hyundai Tucson years · All Hyundai models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Hyundai Tucson have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2008 Hyundai Tucson: 13V-113 (exterior lighting). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2008 Hyundai Tucson?

Owners report electrical system problems most often (6 reports), followed by vehicle speed control (5). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 46,000 miles.

Are Hyundai recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Hyundai dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.