FaultScore

2008 Hyundai Elantra body problems

10 of the 424 complaints about the 2008 Hyundai Elantra are about the body and structure — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 120,000 miles.

C

10

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Body 7 70.0%
Structure 2 20.0%
Trunk LID 1 10.0%

Body & Structure across every Hyundai Elantra year

1997 10 2.4%
2001 28 6.7%
2002 30 7.1%
2003 33 7.9%
2007 20 4.8%
2008 10 2.4%
2009 11 2.6%
2010 22 5.2%
2012 16 3.8%
2013 51 12.1%
2014 10 2.4%
2015 14 3.3%
2016 18 4.3%
2017 132 31.4%
2018 15 3.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Coram, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY

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. I have had to make many costly repairs in the last 4 years and I did not know about this issue with the vehicle I have now had for 17years. Had I , I would have done my own repairs to ensure the unit was safe and operational and not only relied on Hyundai's very delayed and subpar solution - considering my unit is a 2008 and the campaign did not come out until May 2014, of which I know for a fact my car was never listed.

NHTSA complaint #11664566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Sussex, NJ

STRUCTURE:BODY

LEAVING WORK I HEARD A NOISE COME FROM THE CAR AS I WAS LEAVING PARKING LOT OF THE HOSPITAL WHICH HAS A TEN MPH SPEED LIMIT AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 9 HOURS. I REALIZED I FELT LIKE I WAS SITING LOOPSIDED. SO I TURNED OFF INTO MY EMPLOYERS FRONT LOT TO INSPECT THE CAR. I WALKED AROUND NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WAS LOWER. TIRES LOOKED OK SO I LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SAY THIS RUSTY DRAGGING STRUT/CROSS MEMBER PIECE.. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED AS I KNEW IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT DAMAGE TIRES, SHOCKS ETC. THE CAR VISUALLY APPEARED TO BE DRAGGING IN THE REAR ON DRIVERS SIDE DUE TO THIS. THIS PART WAS RECALLED BY HYUNDAI IN 2014 DUE TO CORROSION. .

NHTSA complaint #11354507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Merrimac, MA

STRUCTURE:BODY

2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS A KNOW ISSUE REGARDING THE SUBFRAME 'CAMPAIGN TT1'. MY ELANTRA'S SUBFRAME IS ROTTING AND HAS HOLES ROTTED THROUGH IN A FEW AREAS. IT'S A 12 YEAR OLD CAR THAT IS OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION. HYUNDAI WON'T HELP SINCE I HAD THIS RECALL 'FIXED' ORIGINALLY IN 2014. THEY REISSUED THE CAMPAIGN IN 2017. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. IT'S BEEN A RELIABLE CAR AND IT STILL RUNS AND LOOKS GOOD. BUT SINCE MY FRAME IS ROTTING AWAY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO PASS ANOTHER INSPECTION AND THE CAR WILL BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #11324616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 180 miles Manchester, NH

STRUCTURE:BODY

DOOR HANDLES KEEP FALLING OFF, EVEN AFTER BEING REPAIRED AT SHOP. DRIVER DOOR HANDLE IS ONE OF THOSE THAT FELL OFF AND CAN'T GET INSIDE CAR NOW.

NHTSA complaint #11321828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 168,000 miles Durham, NC Fire

STRUCTURE:BODY

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER A RAINY DAY, THE ABS LIGHT AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. I CHECKED THE PARKING BRAKE; IT WAS NOT ENGAGED. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE BRAKING ON ITS OWN AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE. UPON ARRIVING HOME, THERE WAS SOME SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WHICH, AFTER IT DISSIPATED, I ASSUMED TO BE HOT, LOCKED UP BRAKES. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER MY HOUSEMATE CALLED TO ME FROM THE LIVING ROOM TELLING ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE AND TO CALL 9-1-1. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, UNDER A MAGNOLIA TREE. THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR, AND WERE ABOUT 4-5FT HIGH. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND HOSED THE CAR DOWN, TAKING ABOUT AN HOUR TO PUT OUT THE BLAZE. THE FRONT TIRES WERE FLAT, HAD MELTED, AND THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DECIMATED. THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD HAD SHATTERED FROM THE FIRE, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOORBOARD HAD BURNED THROUGH TO THE CABIN. THE ENTIRE CABIN IS DAMAGED FROM THE SMOKE, THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR MELTED THROUGH. WHILE THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT END, THE DRIVERS SIDE IS WORSE, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT APPEARS TO HAVE THE MOST DAMAGE. THERE IS NO VISIBLE FUSE BOX OR BATTERY AFTER THE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #11311505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Holly Springs, NC Crash

STRUCTURE:BODY

TAKATA RECALL. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND OVER CORRECTED AND HIT A TREE WHICH PUSHED HER INTO ANOTHER TREE. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS WRECKED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WERE NEVER CONTACTED ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE CAR SO WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #11052514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Litchfield, CT

STRUCTURE:BODY

RECALL FOR UNDERCOATING DONE JAN. 2016 (TT1). ON 11/1/17, WHILE DRIVING ON A TOWN ROAD, THE REAR RIGHT TRAILING ARM FELL OFF CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE ABRUPTLY OFF THE ROAD DUE TO EXTREME RUST ON THE SUB FRAME. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WITH MY 2002 SANTA FE AND WAS COVERED UNDER THE SALT BELT CORROSION CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT. HYUNDAI IS AWARE THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM, BUT THE UNDERCOATING RECALL DOES NOT WORK AND THIS IS STILL A SAFETY HAZARD. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY ON NOV. 1, AND I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM HYUNDAI AS TO MY NEXT STEPS TO GET THIS REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #11042953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Montpelier, VT

STRUCTURE

MY CAR I BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN MARCH OF 09 I HAD ABOUT 9200 MILES WHEN THINGS STARTED TO BANG THEY CHANGE RUBBERS MOUNTS I TOOK IN BACK THEY SAID WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS WE CAN NOT FIX IT THEN I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING THEY HAD PEOPLE FROM HYUNDAI NEW JERSEY AND THEY LOOKED AT IT AND COULD NOT FIND NOTHING ITS STILL BANGING I TOOK IT BACK 7-8 TIMES THERE LAZY OR DON'T KNOW WHAT THERE DOING I DO HAVE A WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10442755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rochester, NY

STRUCTURE

THE IN-DASH FRONT-PANEL CONSOLE PIECES MAKE VERY IRRITATING SQUEAKY NOISES WHEN DRIVING OVER EVEN LITTLE BUMPS DISTRACTING THE DRIVER FROM NORMAL DRIVING EXPERIENCE.

NHTSA complaint #10240368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atwater, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

WHEN YOU OPEN THE TRUNK AFTER A RAIN OR DURING IT RUNS OUT OF THE TAIL LIGHTS INTO THE TRUNK ON BOTH SIDES ON THE TRUNK LID FROM THE TAIL LIGHT LENSES DESIGN OF THE CAR IS THE PROBLEM I HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #10217133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2008 Hyundai Elantra problems

← Full 2008 Hyundai Elantra report