2002 Hyundai Tiburon: common problems and reliability

The 2002 Hyundai Tiburon has 8 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are power train and air bags. Owners most often flag timing belt failure — the timing belt and water pump require service every 5 years/60,000 miles as a critical maintenance item; failure leads to catastrophic engine damage. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2002 model year

8
Owner complaints
4
Recalls
1
Crash reports
0
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2002 Hyundai Tiburon vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

power train
2
air bags
2
engine and engine cooling
1
electrical system
1
equipment
1

Recalls affecting the 2002 Tiburon

fuel system, gasoline:storage

Campaign 04V369000

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY" A VALVE ON THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE ROLLS OVER …

service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Campaign 03V257000

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR BRAKE TUBES PASS BEHIND THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER. TWO STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE CROSSMEMBER. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (…

fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly

Campaign 04V178000

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES CONTAIN A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED WERE TO ROLL OVER, FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Campaign 03V496000

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE TUBES FOR THE REAR BRAKES CAN CONTACT THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS.

What owners say across generations

Sentiment is mixed and heavily dependent on ownership expectations and maintenance history. Long-term owners frequently report high reliability and durability, with many vehicles reaching 150,000 to 230,000 miles with minimal major issues, describing them as r

  • Timing belt failure — The timing belt and water pump require service every 5 years/60,000 miles as a critical maintenance item; failure leads to catastrophic engine damage. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Electrical issues — Random failures including window motors, battery cable/connector failures at the fuse box leading to no-start conditions, and other unspecified electrical gremlins. Frequency: recurrent.
  • Premature clutch wear — Stock clutch rated for insufficient torque, leading to wear in under 12,000 miles on the V6 GT model. Frequency: isolated.
  • General OEM part quality/reliability — Dashboard switch failures, concerns about long-term durability of some components compared to Japanese rivals. Frequency: recurrent.
  • Difficulty sourcing parts — As a discontinued model, finding certain replacement parts can become challenging. Frequency: isolated.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Tiburon.

Typical used price

Used Tiburon listings typically run $4,393–$6,499 across 2001 to 2008 model years.

Other Tiburon model years

2006 Tiburon2004 Tiburon1999 Tiburon1998 Tiburon
Full Hyundai Tiburon owner reportCompare against another car