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Hyundai TiburonModel year report

1998 Hyundai Tiburon Problems

Complaints
26filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
77,000miles, 4 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 26 consumer complaints for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 6 complaints (23% of the total), followed by other or unknown (6) and transmission and drivetrain (6). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 77,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 23 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (1), Tires (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “Hyundai said the exhaust manifold was not covered under the emissions or powertrain warranty which was a lie I have recorded. My seatbelt pops off even though I double check to make sure it's in tight. Hatfield Hyundai said put it in tighter or spray silicon oil in it. My locks will freeze while I'm driving and I cant get out of my car unless the window will roll down. Usally the windows are frozen shut. Hatfield Hyundai it is a normal thing for hyundais to lock people in their car. He said dont drive it when it's cold or spray ice guard inside the door before driving in cold weather. …”

NHTSA complaint #747895, filed 2001-07

Other or unknown: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #708592, filed 1999-07

Transmission and drivetrain: “Vehicle does not shift out of second gear, resulting in stalling. Consumer is concerned that the vehicle will stall in traffic which may cause a rear end collision.”

NHTSA complaint #10067348, filed 2004-04, 84,000 miles

Electrical system: “I went to the car lot and picked up my Tiburon. I drove it home...and to work. After I had driven the car for 3 days, I walked toward the car and the wireless remote on the keys wouldnt beep so when I put the key in the door to unlock it the alarm sounded and the ignition would not start. I immediately contacted the dealer in which they said I probably needed to buy a new battery. I hadn't even put 100 miles on the car. I had someone check the battery and that wasn't the problem. My car sat at my workplace for 8 days before the dealership finally sent a towing truck to have it serviced. …”

NHTSA complaint #10104895, filed 2005-01

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 70,000 and 84,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–5050%50–7550%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (4 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 77,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

199819998200020012002200320042005
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1998 Hyundai Tiburon version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Tiburon FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual202823$2,900
Tiburon FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic202722$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 23 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 23 bulletins →

Other model years of the Hyundai Tiburon

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20081932,0001—20—Falling
20074239,0001—20Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20066432,0001—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20054353,0001—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20048241,0300—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200332844,0009—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20013663,0001—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20005869,0181—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19992689,0003—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19982677,0001—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199736103,0004—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Hyundai Tiburon model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon have?

NHTSA recorded 26 consumer complaints for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 6 complaints (23% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 6.

Has the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon get?

The EPA rates the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon (Tiburon, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon reported?

Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 77,000 miles and the middle half falls between 70,000 and 84,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.